|
False Teaching
Explanatory
note: One's form of addressing anyone, including God, reveals
what one truly thinks about that person and one's respect for that
person. For example, if an employee addresses the boss as "Hey,
Dude!," the boss is not likely to be pleased. So, the form of
address is a teaching that imparts information - in particular,
the measure of respect for the one addresed. When addressing God, it reveals one's measure
of respect for Him.
Catholic Cathecism: 2777 In the Roman liturgy, the Eucharistic
assembly is invited to pray to our heavenly Father with filial
boldness; the Eastern liturgies develop and use similar expressions:. . ..
New Testament in Modern English: Our Heavenly Father, may your name be honored; May your kingdom come,
and your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day the
bread we need, Forgive us what we owe to you, as we have also forgiven
those who owe anything to us. Keep us clear of temptation, and save us
from evil.
Orthodox Church in America:
“And grant that boldly and without condemnation we may dare to call
upon You as God our Heavenly Father and to say, ‘Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name...’”
|
Exposing the Error
The expression "heavenly Father" occurs only in Matthew,
where we find it five times uttered by the Lord in teaching his
disciples. For Matthew to have it coming from the mouth of Jesus
is an egregious error.
One example from Matthew reads: Mt.5:48
Therefore be complete
as your heavenly father is
complete. But Luke has: Lk.6:36
Be becoming merciful, just as your father is merciful.
Following Matthew, Christians in general
utilize the term, both in addressing God in prayer and in
teaching or conversation. They have no thought of how heinous
this practice is to the One they thus address. This betrays their
ignorance of God. But then, how could they know Him when they do
not know his Son, Jesus, since they put this expression as coming from
his lips also, who says, no one comes to the father except through me. and,
If you have known me, you will also know my father.
Heavenly Father
is hateful to God for one simple reason: it reveals what is a fact,
that those that utter it do so to distinguish Him from their earthly father.
How ironic! Those that seek His favor
and to commune with Him in prayer begin by applying to Him an address
that He hates! Any response they receive must come from Satan,
who likes to pose as God to those that pray indirectly to him and are
his children.
|
Declaring the Truth
Do not call [anyone] your father on the earth, for one
is your father
in the heavens.
|