An Acceptable Prayer
By Scott Price
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" James 5:16
What is the ground or basis for true acceptable prayer? The answer is a basic Gospel-related issue. As a matter of fact, the same ground and basis of salvation itself is the same ground and basis of acceptable prayer. The above text mentions who the only ones are qualified to pray, the righteous. Those who Christ represented in every aspect of obedience and merit as He established a perfect justifying righteousness for His people, were reckoned to their account as their acceptance by a just and holy God.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" Heb 4:16 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" Heb 10:19. There is an expectation of certain salvation if it is to be based on the grace of God in Christ alone. Boldness comes from knowing Christ answered all the demands of God perfectly, and I am accepted in Him, for His name's sake.
God will not hear the prayer of the unbeliever who does not believe and trust the promises of the only true God who cannot lie. The unbeliever is at enmity against God (Rom 8:7). The unbeliever cannot call upon God because he does not know Him. The unbeliever is in an unregenerate state, not being able to exercise spiritual gifts since he is spiritually dead. The unbeliever cannot pray acceptably because he is in a constant state of producing dead works without faith, so it would only be more to add to the list of things he thought God would accept. Unbelief is unpleasing to God. "How shall they call upon Him whom they have not believed?" Rom 10:14.
Lastly, prayer is to be done in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:13-14). Prayer is to be done with God's will in mind (1John 5:14-15, James 4:1-2, 4:13-17). God hears our prayer because He loves us, Christ has and is praying for us (John 17), and the Spirit even helps us pray (Rom 8:26-27). These things are an encouragement to pray without ceasing.
Encouraging Unbelievers to "Say Their Prayers"?
"How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed?" Romans 10:14
Some parents encourage their unbelieving children to "say their prayers" before they go to bed. Most people think it is really cute to see the natural religious actions of a little child who does not believe the Gospel to fold their hands, bow their head, and tightly close their eyes to utter words of prayer. Some would accuse us of preaching in such a way that we are afraid that the non-elect will make it to heaven. This accusation quickly appears when parents are warned not to encourage their unbelieving children in general religious activity, such as prayer or singing "Jesus Loves Me", before they believe the Gospel of grace.
Are we being unkind or hateful? No! We, in love, warn of sinful dead works, works done without faith, and tell them the Word of God demands that they stop. Why should we promote anyone, no matter what age, to pray to God when they do not have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? The Scripture says in Romans chapter 10, "how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed?" This is a serious question that needs to be answered. Are you asking them to pray to God the Father without a Mediator in place?
If we know anything about the Gospel, we know that to approach God without the Mediator would be a deadly move. God cannot be approached without the God-Man Mediator, Christ. Emotion, sentimentalism, and superstition are sometimes left over from the old religious days of people promoting such things. Maybe they have not thought it through, or their pastor has not spoken to the issue? If we love our family, we will encourage belief in the Gospel before we encourage prayer. Any other attitude is against the Gospel of Christ!
Coming to Christ By Faith First, BEFORE Prayer
"For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" Romans 10:13-15 MKJV
In the past 150 years or so, there has been much confusion about what is initially involved in coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. Ever since Charles Finney, the famous false prophet, arrived on the religious scene, things have changed for the worse. He is the man who brought in a deceitful brand of works righteousness of the so-called "invitation system". This is the case, so much so that it is an accepted system and thought of as the absolute truth. It is as if people think this was the practice of the Apostles themselves.
The above text, written by Paul to the Romans under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, clears up this present-day mess. Here, Paul gives the order of events that take place in the conversion of a sinner that leads them to the proper object of faith. If we take the order in reverse and see God's flow of evangelical means, we would do well to note the order and to set a guard against false ways of seeking to pervert His Divine order.
Preacher Sent
The Lord God has wisely and sovereignly chosen the means of passing the Gospel on to others. The Gospel is sent by sending an instrument to preach it through various means of communication. Preaching can be captured or recorded in the form of face-to-face. It could be in a written form of a tract, booklet, or book. It could be in electronic writing on the Internet or e-mail. It could be in the form of an audiocassette, CD, DVD, video, etc. Let us not forget that the best preaching is captured in the Word of God itself in Bibles all over the world. This is the preaching of the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ Himself. The form of communication does not matter as long as the Gospel can be preached.
Gospel Declared
God alone has one Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. He does not use a false gospel to convert the souls of men unto Himself. The Truth is what sets free, not a lie. In this Gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, which ensures the offense of the cross remains, and no sinner can have space to boast, but rather Christ alone is preeminent and gets all the glory in their salvation.
Gospel Heard
In God's sovereignty, He gets His Gospel to the elect. The Gospel is heard by the physical ear, or it enters the mind through the reading of preaching. The Spirit of God gives a heart (mind, will, and affections) to hear the Gospel in an understanding way. This is the creation of spiritual life or the giving of a new heart, regeneration, the new birth, a quickening. Knowledge and understanding are granted through a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel of grace.
Believing on Christ
The gift of faith causes the sinner to believe, trust, rest in, lean on, hope in, and love the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord, and friend. Faith is the direct means of coming to Christ. This is done through the Word of God (Rom 10:17). No person comes to Christ who has not first heard the DOCTRINE of Christ. It is unbiblical and utter foolishness to say otherwise. Faith is not the ground of salvation but rather evidence of it. Faith is not even a condition for salvation since Christ met all the conditions in this great salvation of pure grace.
Calling on Christ
Calling on the Name of the Lord is not some 1-2-3 repeat after me prayer formulated by man. It is a Spirit-caused move from the heart (mind) of a justified sinner. Today's false religion has made the "sinner's prayer" the cause of salvation. This is deceptive and wicked. It is a system that must be exposed that seeks to rob Christ of His glory in redemption. Man has tried to take over the ministry of the Holy Spirit and put humanistic ideas as a substitute. Those who tolerate this system are just as guilty.
Conclusion
We cannot encourage people, no matter who they are or how young (or old) they are, to pray BEFORE they believe. Any religious or spiritual action BEFORE faith is dead works and unacceptable to God. It is a sin. God is a God of order. We have no right to change His order. Truth is to be conformed to, so that we don't twist truth to fit our system. I was personally deceived by the Finny-invented alter call, invitation system for more than 10 years. It is one of my enemies, the enemy of the cross, and by God's grace, I will expose it till the day I die. I pray that many others are willing to take this same attitude, in boldness with me.
