Lord's Day Questions with proof texts
Link to audio recording of LD 45 (LD 46 begins at 23:42)
LD 45 NotebookLM generated discussion
Summary (NotebookLM)
Ursinus' commentary on Lord's Day 45 of the Heidelberg Catechism explores three questions from the catechism (116, 117, and 118) concerning the nature and necessity of prayer for Christians, the conditions required for acceptable and answered prayer, and the things God commands believers to ask of Him. It defines prayer as both petition and thanksgiving, distinguishes between public and private forms, and provides detailed reasoning for why prayer is essential for receiving grace and the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the exposition meticulously outlines the conditions for effectual prayer, such as calling upon the true God, knowing one's need, and having confidence in Christ the Mediator, while also addressing the use and purpose of the Lord's Prayer as a model for all supplications.
Chapter Contents:
This section of the commentary synthesizes an extensive theological exposition on the nature, necessity, and practice of Christian prayer, based on Lord's Day 45 of the Heidelberg Catechism. The analysis establishes prayer as the "chief part of thankfulness" required by God and the sole means by which His grace and Holy Spirit are granted.
The core argument defines prayer as a multi-faceted act of worship directed exclusively to the true God, comprising both petition (asking for necessary spiritual and temporal blessings) and thanksgiving (acknowledging received benefits). Prayer is deemed necessary for Christians due to both the explicit command of God and the fundamental neediness of humanity; blessings are promised only to those who ask.
A central theme is the rigorous set of conditions required for prayer to be acceptable to God. These include not only a sincere heart and a humble recognition of one's misery but also a firm confidence in Christ as the mediator and an unwavering assurance of being heard, rooted in God's promises. A crucial distinction is made between praying for spiritual gifts, which should be asked for with absolute confidence, and temporal gifts, which should be requested conditionally upon God's will.
Finally, the document examines the Lord's Prayer, presenting it not as a restrictive script but as the perfect and comprehensive model for all prayer. It serves as a framework containing the essential categories of petitions for all spiritual and temporal needs, guiding believers on what and how to pray while allowing for specific, personal expressions of need.
The Nature and Definition of Prayer
The exposition defines prayer as a foundational element of Christian worship, consisting of calling upon the true God. This act stems from two sources: an acknowledgment of one's own want and a desire to partake in divine bounty. It is an act that must be rooted in true conversion and confidence in Christ's role as mediator.
The Two Parts of Prayer: Petition and Thanksgiving
Prayer is composed of two primary species or parts:
1. Petition: The act of asking God for blessings necessary for both the soul and the body.
2. Thanksgiving: The act of acknowledging, professing, and magnifying the benefits received from God. This acknowledgment binds the recipient to a gratitude that is "pleasing to God" and comprehends both truth and justice.
Apostolic Classification of Prayer
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:1, is cited as enumerating four distinct types of prayer, distinguished by their design:
• Supplication: Prayers against evil things.
• Prayers: Petitions for good things.
• Intercessions: Prayers made on behalf of others.
• Giving of Thanks: Acknowledgment for benefits received and evils avoided.
Forms of Prayer: Public vs. Private
Prayer is also distinguished by the circumstances of person and place:
• Private Prayer: Described as the personal "intercourse which a faithful soul has with God." It involves an individual asking for blessings or giving thanks, alone and apart from others. This form is not restricted to specific words or places, as the heart can give utterance through "sighs and groans."
• Public Prayer: The prayer offered up by the entire church congregation, typically led by a minister. This form necessitates the use of language ("the use of the tongue") to edify others and to praise and magnify God publicly.
The Necessity of Prayer for Christians
The text presents compelling reasons why prayer is not merely optional but absolutely necessary for believers.
The Divine Command
God has explicitly commanded prayer as a primary form of worship. Several scriptural passages are provided to support this imperative:
• "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you." (Ps. 50:15)
• "Ask and it shall be given you." (Matt. 7:7)
• "When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven." (Luke 11:2)
Human Need and Want
Prayer is presented as indispensable due to human need. God has promised necessary blessings only to those who ask for them. The analogy is drawn that prayer is as essential for a person as "it is necessary for a beggar to ask alms." This necessity extends equally to thanksgiving, as without it, one can lose benefits already given and fail to receive those still needed.
The Role of Prayer in Faith and Receiving the Holy Spirit
Prayer is inextricably linked to faith and the reception of the Holy Spirit.
• Faith: It is argued that faith is "neither kindled nor increased" in anyone who does not desire or ask for it. Furthermore, thankfulness is a mark of true faith; those who taste God's grace will show gratitude and desire more of it.
• The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is obtained through prayer and is given "to none, except those who seek and desire him."
Theological Considerations and Objections
The exposition addresses two key theological objections regarding the relationship between prayer and the Holy Spirit.
Objection 1: The wicked receive gifts of the Holy Spirit without asking.
• Answer: While the wicked do receive many gifts, they are not the "principal nor peculiar" gifts reserved for the elect, such as faith, repentance, and regeneration. The gifts they do receive ultimately contribute to their destruction, not their salvation. In the case of infants, it is argued they desire the Holy Spirit "after their manner" or possess an "inclination to seek him."
Objection 2: Prayer is an effect of the Holy Spirit, so the Spirit must be present before one can pray for it.
• Answer: While in order of nature the Holy Spirit (the cause) precedes prayer (the effect), they are simultaneous in time. God "effects in us a desire of the Holy Spirit and gives him unto us in the very same moment." The Holy Spirit is a unique gift that is "given, received and prayed for at one and the same time."
The Conditions for Acceptable Prayer
For a prayer to be acceptable to God and heard by Him, it must meet nine specific conditions. These requirements underscore the gravity and deliberation with which a believer must approach God.
|
Condition |
Description |
|
1. Invocation of the True God |
Prayer must be directed only to the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as revealed in His word. |
|
2. Knowledge of the Divine Command |
The petitioner must pray with the assurance that comes from knowing God has commanded this act of worship, making it inherently pleasing to Him. |
|
3. Knowledge of What to Ask |
Prayers should not be "vague and wandering." Believers must know what to ask for—namely, spiritual and temporal things that are approved of and promised by God. |
|
4. Sincere Desire |
Prayer must come from the heart, not merely the lips. God values the "sighs and groans of the heart" over feigned or hypocritical words. |
|
5. Acknowledgment of Need |
Prayer must spring from a genuine knowledge and sense of one's own want and misery, as one will not ardently desire what one does not feel a great need for. |
|
6. True Humility |
The supplicant must approach God with true humility and penitence, casting themselves "before the divine Majesty as humble suppliants." |
|
7. Trust in Christ the Mediator |
One must possess knowledge of and trust in Christ, resting assured that prayers are made acceptable to God only for the Mediator's sake, not one's own worthiness. |
|
8. Confidence of Being Heard |
This is a crucial element of faith. A distinction is made: spiritual blessings (necessary for salvation) should be asked for with full, positive confidence; temporal blessings should be asked for conditionally, submitting to God's will and asking that they be granted only if they contribute to His glory and the supplicant's ultimate good. |
|
9. Confidence in the Divine Promise |
Prayer must be grounded in the knowledge of and confidence in God's promises that He will hear those who call upon Him according to these conditions. Without faith in these promises, prayer is of no avail. |
The Prayers of the Godly vs. the Ungodly
A stark contrast is drawn between the prayers of the godly, who strive to observe all these conditions, and the ungodly, who neglect most or all of them. The ungodly err in various ways: having an incorrect knowledge of God, praying for evil things, praying hypocritically, lacking a sense of need, having no confidence in Christ, persisting in sin, or praying without faith in God's promises. Consequently, their prayers go unanswered.
The Role and Application of the Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is presented as the supreme model for all prayer.
The Perfection of the Model
Described as "the best, the most expressive and perfect form of prayer," it was delivered by Christ and contains, in a condensed form, "all things which are to be sought as necessary for soul and body." It serves as the ultimate "rule or pattern with which all our prayers ought to conform and agree."
A Framework, Not a Script
The text explicitly addresses whether believers are bound to the exact words of the Lord's Prayer. The answer is no.
• Christ's Intent: Christ's purpose was not to restrict believers to a specific script but to provide a summary of what things should be asked for and how they should be asked.
• Biblical Precedent: The existence of many other effective prayers in the Old and New Testaments with different wording (e.g., the prayers of Solomon, Daniel, and Christ Himself) demonstrates that the form is indifferent regarding the specific words used.
Reconciling the General Form with Specific Petitions
The Lord's Prayer is a "series of certain classes or heads" under which all necessary spiritual and temporal blessings can be categorized. While it expresses these needs generally, Christ intends for believers to "descend into particulars, and pray for special benefits according to our necessity." Explaining a general category through a specific, personal petition necessarily requires different forms of expression.
Citing Augustine, the text concludes that while believers are at liberty to express the same petitions in different words, they "are not allowed to pray for things different from those comprehended in this prayer."
How does the source define and categorize the various essential elements of prayer?
Prayer is a multifaceted spiritual practice with specific definitions, categories, and essential conditions for it to be acceptable to God.
Definition and Core Components of Prayer
Prayer is fundamentally defined as calling upon the true God. It originates from two key internal states: an acknowledgment of our own needs and a desire to receive from God's goodness. The source breaks down the general concept of prayer, which it also refers to as "invocation or adoration," into two primary components or "species":
Petition: This is a prayer that involves asking God for necessary blessings, both for the soul and the body.
Thanksgiving: This is a prayer that acknowledges and magnifies the benefits received from God. It also serves to bind the recipients of these gifts to a sense of gratitude that is pleasing to God.
The text further explains that thankfulness, in a broader sense, involves recognizing the greatness of a benefit and committing to perform mutual and appropriate duties in response.
Categorization of Prayer
The sources categorize prayer in two primary ways: by its purpose or design and by the circumstances in which it is offered.
1. Categories Based on Purpose
Drawing from the Apostle Paul's first Epistle to Timothy (2:1), the source outlines four specific types of prayer, distinguished by their objective:
Supplication: Prayers specifically directed against evil things.
Prayers: Petitions asking for good things.
Intercessions: Prayers made on behalf of other people.
Giving of Thanks: Thanksgiving for benefits that have been received and for evils that have been avoided.
2. Categories Based on Circumstance
Prayer is also distinguished by the context of person and place, leading to two forms:
Private Prayer: This is the personal communion a faithful individual has with God. It involves asking for blessings for oneself or others, or giving thanks, when alone. This type of prayer is not confined to specific words or locations; it can be expressed through sighs and groans from a burdened heart.
Public Prayer: This is prayer offered by the entire church congregation, typically led by a minister. It requires the use of specific words and language so that others are invited to join in praising and worshipping God. The Lord's Prayer ("Our Father, etc.") is cited as a prime example of a form intended for public prayer.
Essential Elements of Acceptable Prayer
The source dedicates significant attention to outlining the conditions that make prayer "acceptable to God and which He will hear". There are nine distinct requisites:
Directed to the True God: Prayer must be directed only to the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as revealed in His word.
Knowledge of God's Command: We should pray because God has commanded it. This knowledge assures us that our prayers are acceptable to Him, as the worship He requires cannot be displeasing to Him.
Knowledge of What to Ask: God does not want vague petitions. We must know what we are asking for, which includes both spiritual and temporal things that are approved by and promised by God. The Lord's Prayer serves as a perfect model for this, containing the sum of all necessary things.
True Desire: Prayers must be sincere and come from the heart, not just the lips. An "ardent desire" is presented as the chief element in the definition of prayer.
Sense of Need: This desire should spring from a genuine recognition and feeling of our own want and need for God's help.
True Humility: Prayer requires humility and an acknowledgment of our own unworthiness before God's divine majesty. It must be accompanied by penitence and conversion, as God does not hear "proud sinners".
Trust in Christ the Mediator: We must be assured that our prayers are pleasing to God only for the sake of Christ, our mediator, not because of our own merit. We are commanded to pray to the Father in Christ's name.
Confidence of Being Heard: Faith is essential. We must believe that God is reconciled to us in Christ and will hear our prayer. However, this confidence differs based on what is asked:
For spiritual gifts necessary for salvation, we should pray with full confidence that we will receive them.
For temporal blessings, we should pray with the condition that God will grant them only if they contribute to His glory and our benefit.
Knowledge of the Divine Promise: Our confidence must be rooted in God's promise that He will hear those who call on Him according to these conditions. Without faith in these promises, prayer is of no use.
Why is prayer necessary for Christians?
Prayer is necessary for Christians for two primary and interconnected reasons: it is a fundamental act of worship required by God, and it is the exclusive means by which God has promised to bestow His most essential gifts.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of why prayer is necessary:
1. It is a Requirement from God and an Act of Worship
A Divine Command: Prayer is necessary simply because God has commanded it. The sources cite biblical injunctions such as "Call upon me in the day of trouble," "Ask and it shall be given you," and "When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven" as direct orders from God. Fulfilling this command is a core part of a Christian's duty.
The Chief Part of Thankfulness: Prayer is identified as the chief part of the thankfulness that God requires from us. Thanksgiving, a key component of prayer, is essential; without it, we risk losing the blessings we have already received and failing to receive those we need. True faith inherently leads to thankfulness, as those who have "tasted of the grace of God" naturally show their gratitude and desire more of it.
2. It is the Ordained Means to Receive God's Blessings
Access to Grace and the Holy Spirit: The sources state unequivocally that God will give His grace and Holy Spirit only to those who earnestly and without ceasing ask Him for them and give thanks. Faith itself cannot be "kindled nor increased" in anyone who does not desire or ask for it. The Holy Spirit, who produces faith, is given to those who seek and desire Him.
Obtaining Necessary Blessings: Our own needs make prayer essential. We do not receive the blessings necessary for us, both spiritual and temporal, unless we ask for them, because God has promised them only to those who ask. In this respect, prayer for a Christian is compared to a beggar asking for alms—it is an absolute necessity born of need.
The Interplay between the Holy Spirit and Prayer: The sources address a potential theological puzzle: if the Holy Spirit is required to pray, how can we pray to receive the Holy Spirit? The explanation is that the Holy Spirit is a unique gift that is "given, received and prayed for at one and the same time". God produces in us the desire for the Holy Spirit at the very same moment He gives the Spirit to us. Therefore, the act of asking for the Holy Spirit is both the evidence of His initial work in us and the means to receive Him more fully.
3. Prayer is Intrinsically Linked to Faith
An Expression of Faith: Prayer is a direct outworking of faith. To pray acceptably, one must have confidence that God will hear for the sake of Christ the mediator. This act of confident asking strengthens and exercises faith, particularly when asking for temporal things, as it confirms our trust in God's providence for even the smallest matters.
Rooted in God's Promise: Prayer is necessary because it is the way Christians lay hold of God's promises. Our confidence in being heard is based on the divine promise that God will deliver those who call on Him. Without faith in these promises, prayer is useless ("of no avail"). Therefore, prayer is the necessary action that activates our belief in God's promises.
In summary, prayer is not an optional activity for Christians. It is a divinely commanded act of worship and the primary expression of thankfulness. Furthermore, it is the indispensable channel through which God has chosen to give His most vital gifts, including grace, the Holy Spirit, and everything necessary for both soul and body.
What constitutes the general character of prayer?
The general character of prayer consists in invocation or adoration.
This is the broadest, most fundamental definition offered. It encompasses the entire act of worship directed towards the true God. The source explains this general character through several key points:
Core Action: The foundational act of prayer is "calling upon the true God". This invocation arises from two internal states: an acknowledgment of our own need and a desire to receive blessings from God's goodness.
Adoration as Worship: Adoration is frequently used in the same sense as the whole worship of God, as it signifies that we recognize Him as the one true God whom we worship.
Two Main Components: This general character of invocation is further broken down into two main components, or "species":
Petition: This is a prayer that specifically asks God for blessings that are necessary for both the soul and the body.
Thanksgiving: This is a prayer that acknowledges and magnifies the benefits one has received from God. It also serves to bind the recipient to a sense of gratitude that is pleasing to Him.
In essence, while prayer can be categorized in various ways—such as by purpose (supplication, intercession, etc.) or circumstance (public vs. private)—its overarching, general character is the act of calling upon and worshipping God, which manifests primarily through either asking for His help (petition) or thanking Him for it (thanksgiving).
What is acceptable prayer's first requisite?
The first requisite for a prayer to be acceptable to God is that we call only upon the one true God, who has revealed Himself in His word, for all that He has commanded us to ask of Him.
This primary condition involves several key elements:
The Object of Prayer: Prayer must be directed exclusively to the one true God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Revelation: This true God is the one who has revealed Himself in the church through His word, as delivered by the Prophets and Apostles, and through His works of creation, preservation, and redemption.
Heartfelt Invocation: This act of calling upon God must be done with our "whole heart".
The source emphasizes that failing to direct prayer to the correct God is a foundational error. It notes that the ungodly often "commit an error, as it were, in the very threshold, having an incorrect knowledge of the nature and will of God, and so violate the very first condition necessary to acceptable prayer".
What are prayer's two parts?
Prayer is comprised of two primary parts or "species": petition and thanksgiving.
The source defines these two parts as follows:
Petition: This is a prayer that involves "asking of God those blessings necessary both for the soul and body". It is the part of prayer where one requests help or good things from God.
Thanksgiving: This is a prayer that consists of "acknowledging and magnifying the benefits received from God". It also serves to bind the recipients of these gifts to a sense of gratitude that pleases God. Thanksgiving is offered for benefits received and for evils that have been avoided.
The source explains that these two components are encompassed within the general character of prayer, which is defined as "invocation or adoration".
Who
prescribed the form of prayer?
Christ prescribed the form of prayer.
This form of prayer, which He taught His disciples, is commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. The sources highlight several key aspects of this prescribed form:
Its Purpose: Christ prescribed this form of prayer to teach us the "sum and substance of the things which we should pray for". It serves as a comprehensive summary of all things necessary for both soul and body.
Its Perfection: The prayer is described as "the best, the most expressive and perfect form of prayer that has ever been delivered". This is because it was given by Christ, "who is the wisdom of God".
A Rule and Pattern: It is intended to be a "rule or pattern with which all our prayers ought to conform and agree".
Not Restrictive: While Christ prescribed this form, He did not intend to restrict believers only to these specific words. The purpose was to provide a summary of what to ask for and how to ask. The sources note that we are at liberty to use other words, as long as we do not pray for things different from those encompassed in the Lord's Prayer.