calvin on prayer, cont.

Part 2.  A summary of Book 3, Chapter 20 of Calvin’s Institutes.  

 

4. Who to pray through: The importance of a Mediator

5. Different types of prayer: The importance of prayer with thanksgiving

6. Private and public prayer

7. Use of words and singing in prayer

 

 

4. Who to pray through

 

It is impossible for any human to approach God’s presence in his own name, without alarm and dread for God’s majesty.  But God in his graciousness has provided his Son Jesus to be our advocate and mediator, through whom we can approach God boldly, securely, and confidently (Hebrews 4:16), knowing that nothing will be denied to us because nothing is denied to him (1 Timothy 2:5, 1 John 2:1). 

calvin on prayer

Part 1.  A Summary of Book 3, Chapter 20 of Calvin’s Institutes. Surprisingly practical!

 

1. Why is it so important?

2. If he knows everything, why bother praying?

3. Rules of engagement

 

1. Why is it so important?

 

Man is utterly destitute and without hope, were it not for God’s intervention; but God has chosen to give us Christ, and so we call out to him, and the Spirit makes those requests possible. Prayer “digs up those treasures which the Gospel of our Lord discovers to the eye of faith”, and therefore is such a necessity because our only safety is in calling upon the name of our sovereign Father and resting in his omniscience. 

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapter 8

 

 

Chapter 8 The credibility of Scripture

(follows from previous post)

 

We need our assurance of the truth of Scripture to come from an authority higher than our own judgement; nonetheless, there are proofs to its truth and trustworthiness:

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapter 7

 

 

Ch 7: The Spirit and the Church in relation to Scripture

(follows from previous post)

 

How can we know that the Word of God is the Word of God?

calvin’s institutes: book 1, chapter 5

 

Ch 5: Knowledge of God – in creation and governance of the world.

(follows from previous post)

 

True blessedness is found in knowing God.  So, that none may be excluded, God has been pleased “to daily place himself in our view, that we cannot open our eyes without being compelled to behold him.”

“His essence indeed is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought; but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, distinct, and illustrious that none, however dull & illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse.”  (see Romans 1:20).  The heavens and the earth (and the human body, as a “miniature world” in this respect) give innumerable proofs for even “the most illiterate peasant”, indeed for anyone with the gift of sight!  

But if, in order to apprehend God, we need not look further than even our own human bodies, “what excuse can there be for the sloth of any man who will not take the trouble of descending into himself that he may find him?”

calvin’s institutes: book 1, chapter 4

Bk 1, Ch 4: The knowledge of God stifled by men

(follows from previous post)

 

Calvin argues here that even “though experience testifies that a seed of religion is divinely sown in all, scarcely one in a hundred is found who cherishes it in his heart.  Some lose themselves in superstitious observances, and others, of set purpose, wickedly revolt from God.”  In other words, as a pastor recently pointed out , sinful people always tend towards one of two things: either being a Pharisee, or a rebel.  

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapters 1-3

Book 1, Ch 1: Knowledge of God and ourselves is mutually connected

Wisdom, in its entirity = knowledge of God + knowledge of ourselves.  

Which comes first?