Prayer and Revelation - Online Christian Library

3. PRAYING BY THE SPIRITFor through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)The Bible teaches that we must pray through the Son, to the Father, by the Spirit. But noteveryone has the Son (1 John 5:12), and not everyone has the Spirit (Romans 8:9);therefore, not everyone can pray to the Father. It is important to understand therelationship between prayer and the exclusivity of Christianity, because if not everyonehas access to God, then one who prays better possess a correct sense of what and who heis before God. Is he still the enemy of God, or has God changed his heart and given himthe gift of faith to embrace the gospel?The exclusivity of Christianity continues to be important and relevant for the Christian,since he ought to retain a sense of gratitude and awe that he has indeed been chosen toapproach God: "Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he maydwell in Your courts" (Psalm 65:4, NKJ). Rather than having the arrogant and foolishattitude that God should thank the human individual for believing in the gospel, thehuman individual should develop his new life "in fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12-13), knowing that he is permitted in God's presence solely because of God's pleasure anddiscretion.The Christian had done nothing to deserve salvation, and in himself he was no better thanthe non-Christian, who would be condemned to endless suffering in hell. The Christiancan thus say nothing to congratulate himself, whether of his good sense for choosingChrist, since Christ says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16), or forhis moral superiority, since "Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath"(Ephesians 2:3). So then, let him who boasts boast not about himself, but about what Godhas done for him in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:31).The Christian in himself was not intellectually and morally superior to the non-Christian.But make no mistake about it – once God changes and saves him, the Christian is indeedintellectually and morally superior. False humility and scriptural ignorance may causemany believers to deny this, but the Bible teaches that we have been enlightened andsanctified in Christ, and our spiritual growth involves increasing in knowledge andholiness. Also, the Bible calls unbelievers foolish and wicked in contrast to those whohave been changed by God through Christ.If you do not have superior wisdom, as God defines wisdom, then you have not beenenlightened; if you do not have superior character, as God defines character, then youhave not been transformed. Therefore, if you are not intellectually and morally superiorthan the unbelievers, then God has not done any work in you, and you are not even aChristian. To deny that Christians are intellectually and morally superior to non-Christians is to contradict Scripture, and insult the work of God.19