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RPM, Volume 14, Number 20, May 13 to May 19, 2012

PRAYER AS A MEANS OF GRACE

By B. B. Warfield

Acts 9:11: --"For behold, he prayeth."

We read these words, "For behold, he prayeth," of Saul of Tarsus, immediately after theaccount of how, when he was journeying from Jerusalem to Damascus on hispersecuting errand, he was smitten to the ground by the Divine hand and raised againby those gracious words -- how gracious, how inexplicably gracious they must haveseemed to him! -- which promised him service for the very One whom he was nowpersecuting.

And when we read them our first thought is likely to turn on the appropriateness ofprayer in the circumstances. Thus the theme is obviously suggested of prayer as theappropriate expression of the renewed sinner's heart. On this subject I shall not,however, speak to you just now. I wish to call your attention, rather, to another subjectfor meditation which also lies in our passage, though perhaps not so prominently. Thatis, Prayer as a means of Grace.

If we look closely at this verse we shall see that it suggests prayer as a means of grace.You will notice that it reads, "For behold, he prayeth, and he hath seen" a vision of

Ananaias coming to him, to restore him to sight. "For behold he prayeth and"; that is,

this statement is given as a reason, and as a reason why Ananaias should now go tohim. And the reason is that Paul is now prepared for the visit. And the preparationconsists of the two items that he is praying and that he has seen in a vision Ananaiascoming. In other words, that he is in a state of preparedness for the reception of gracein general is evidenced by his being in prayer; while he is prepared for Ananaias comingin particular through the vision. The passage thus represents prayer as the state ofpreparedness for the reception of grace; and, therefore, in the strictest sense as ameans of grace. We purpose to look at it for a few moments in this light.

Even if we should not rise above the naturalistic plane, I think we might be able to seethat the attitude into which the act of prayer brings the soul is one which especially

softens the soul and lays it open to gracious influences. Say that we hold with thosewho believe in prayer, but do not believe in answer to prayer. Well, is not the mentalattitude assumed in prayer, at least, a humble attitude, a softening attitude, a beneficialattitude? Do we not see that thus the very act of prayer by its reflex influence alonecould we believe in no more will tend to quiet the soul, break down its pride andresistance, and fit it for a humble walk in the world? In its very nature, prayer is aconfession of weakness, a confession of need, of dependence, a cry for help, areaching out for something stronger, better, more stable and trustworthy than ourselves,

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on which to rest and depend and draw. No one can take this attitude once without aneffect on his character; no one can take it in a crisis of his life without his wholesubsequent life feeling the influence in its sweeter, humbler, more devout and restfulcourse; no one can take it habitually without being made, merely by its natural, reflexinfluence, a different man, in a very profound sense, from what he otherwise would have

been. Prayer, thus, in its very nature, because it is an act of self-abnegation, a throwingof ourselves at the feet of One recognized as higher and greater than we, and as Oneon whom we depend and in whom we trust, is a most beneficial influence in this hardlife of ours. It places the soul in an attitude of less self-assertion and predisposes it towalk simply and humbly in the world.

The significance of all this is, of course, vastly increased, when we rise above the regionof naturalism into that of supernaturalism. If when we believe only in prayer but not in itsanswer, if when we look only for a natural, reflex influence on our life of the attitude intowhich prayer brings us, we can recognize in it a softening, blessing effect; how muchmore when we perceive a Divine person above who hears and answers the prayer. If

there were no God, we can see that it would be a blessing to men to think there was aGod and throw themselves at His feet in prayer. If there is a God who sits aloft andhears and answers, do we not see that the attitude into which prayer brings the soul isthe appropriate attitude which the soul should occupy to Him, and is the truest and bestpreparation of the soul for the reception of His grace? The soul in the attitude of prayeris like the flower turned upwards towards the sky and opening for the reception of thelife-giving rain. What is prayer but an adoring appearing before God with a confession ofour need and helplessness and a petition for His strength and blessing? What is prayerbut a recognition of our dependence and a proclamation that all that we dependentcreatures need is found abundantly and to spare in God, who gives to all men liberallyand upbraids not? What is prayer but the very adjustment of the heart for the influx of

grace? Therefore it is that we look upon the prayerful attitude as above all others thetrue Christian attitude just because it is the attitude of devout and hopeful dependenceon God. And, therefore, it is that we look upon that type of religious teaching as, aboveall others, the true Christian type which has as its tendency to keep men in the attitudeof prayer, through all their lives.

Every type of religious teaching will inevitably beget its corresponding type of religiouslife. And that teaching alone which calls upon man to depend wholly on the Lord God

Almighty our loving Father who has given His Son to die for us -- for all the exercises ofgrace, will make Christians whose whole life is a prayer. Not that other Christians do notpray. But only of these Christians can it be said that their life is an embodied prayer. Inso far as any Christians life is a prayerful life, pervaded by and made up out of prayer, itapproaches in its silent witness the ideal of this type of teaching. What other attitude ispossible to a Christian on his knees before God but an attitude of entire dependence onGod for His gifts, and of humble supplication to Him for His favor? But are we to risefrom our knees only to take up a different attitude towards God? Says one of thegreatest thinkers of modern times:

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"On his knees before God, every one that has been saved will recognize the soleefficiency of the Holy Spirit in every good work.... In a word, whoever truly praysascribes nothing to his own will or power except the sin that condemns him before God,and knows of nothing that could endure the judgment of God except it be wrought withinhim by the Divine love. But whilst all other tendencies in the Church preserve this

attitude so long as their prayer lasts, to lose themselves in radically differentconceptions as soon as the Amen has been pronounced, the Calvinist adheres to thetruth of his prayer, in his confession, in his theology, in his life, and the Amen that hasclosed his petition re-echoes in the depths of his consciousness and throughout thewhole of his existence."

That is to say, for us Calvinists the attitude of prayer is the whole attitude of our lives.Certainly this is the true Christian attitude, because it is the attitude of dependence, andtrust. But just because this is the attitude of prayer, prayer puts the soul in the attitudefor receiving grace and is essentially a means of grace.

But once again, prayer is a means of grace because it is a direct appeal to God forgrace. It is in its very innermost core a petition for help and that is proportionately to itssphere for grace. The means the most direct and appropriate, the most prevailing andsure means of obtaining aid from a superior, is to ask for it. If a community desires aboon from the government, it petitions for it. The means above all others by which weare to obtain Gods blessing is naturally and properly to petition for it. It is true that allprayer is not petition. The Apostle gives us a list of the aspects of prayer in 1 Tim. ii:1sq. under the names of "supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings." All theseelements enter into prayer. Prayer in its full conception is then, not merely asking fromGod, but all intercourse with God. Intercourse, indeed, is the precise connotation of thestanding word for prayer in the New Testament the second in the list of 1 Tim. ii:1,

translated in our version simply "prayers," The sacred idea of prayer per se is, therefore,to put it sharply, just communion with God, the meeting of the soul with God, and theholding of converse with Him. Perhaps we would best define it as conscious intercourseor communion with God. God may have communion with us without prayer; He mayenter our souls beneath consciousness, and deal with us from within; and because Heis within us we can be in communion with Him apart from prayer. But consciouscommunion with Him is just prayer. Now, I think we may say, emphatically, that prayeris a means of grace above everything else because it is in all its forms consciouscommunion with God. This is the source of all grace. When the soul is in contact withGod, in intercourse with God, in association with Him, it is not only in an attitude toreceive grace; it is not only actually seeking grace; it is already receiving andpossessing grace. And intercourse with God is the very essence of prayer.

It is impossible to conceive of a praying man, therefore, as destitute of grace. If heprays, really prays, he draws near to God with heart open for grace, humbly dependingon Him for its gift. And he certainly receives it. To say, Behold he prayeth! is equivalent,then, to saying, Behold a man in Christ! Dr. Charles Hodge used to startle us bydeclaring that no praying soul ever was lost. It seemed to us a hard saying. Our difficultywas that we did not conceive "praying" purely enough. We can, no doubt, go through

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the motions of prayer and not be saved souls. Our Savior tells us of those who love topray on the street corners and in the synagogues, to be seen of men. And He tells usthat they have their reward. Their purpose in praying is to be seen of men, and they areseen of men. What can they ask more? But when we really pray we are actually inenjoyment of communion with God. And is not communion with God salvation? The

thing for us to do is to pray without ceasing; once having come into the presence ofGod, never to leave it; to abide in His presence and to live, steadily, unbrokenly,continuously, in the midst of whatever distractions or trials, with and in Him. God grantsuch a life to every one of us!

Scanned and edited by Michael Bremmer

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