John Knox’s Theology of Prayer

John Knox’s Theology of Prayer is continued from the previous page

B. Encouragement to Prayer

People sometimes do not want to pray to God, or are ashamed to do so, because of unworthy feelings arising from what they have done against him in the past. To such persons, Knox advises that they should rather flee to him with “a sorrowful and a repenting heart, saying with David, ‘Heal my soul, O Lord, for I have offended against thee. Before I was afflicted, I transgressed, but now let me observe thy commandments.’”[24] Moreover, Knox reminds them of a two-fold encouragement they have in God to pray: “To mitigate or ease the sorrows of our wounded conscience, our most prudent Physician has provided two plasters to give us encouragement to pray (notwithstanding the knowledge of offences committed): that is, a precept and a promise.”[25]

1. Precept of God

“The precept or commandment to pray,” writes Knox, “is universal, frequently inculcated and repeated in God’s scriptures.”[26] He quotes some verses to support this: Matt. 7:7; Ps. 50:15; Matt. 26:41; I Thess. 5:17; I Tim. 2:1-2, 8.[27] For Knox, therefore, the mandate to pray is not only an encouragement, but also a reason for us to pray. We ought to pray, because God commands us to do so, even if we feel unworthy of being heard. After all, no one is worthy to come to God, but since he commands us to pray, we should pray regardless of circumstances. Knox cites the eighth commandment, “Thou shalt not steal” as an example to elucidate this point. He says: “For in this commandment, ‘Thou shalt not steal,’ is a precept negative; so, ‘Thou shalt pray,’ is a commandment affirmative. And God requires equal obedience of all and to all his commandments.”[28] The sin of prayerlessness is not lighter than the sin of theft. They possess the same guilt, for they both violate God’s sacred law.

This indicates Knox’s high regard for prayer. Indeed, he affirms: “Yet more boldly will I say: He who, when necessity constrains, desires not support and help of God, does provoke his wrath no less than such as make false gods or openly deny God.”[29] Here Knox’s point is that if we need to pray, and we do not pray, we actually inflame God’s holy fury just as when we break his first two commandments. It is not therefore a surprise when he declares: “not to pray is sin most odious:”

O! why cease we then call instantly to his mercy, having his commandment so to do? Above all our iniquities, we work manifest contempt and despising of him, when by negligence, we delay to call for his gracious support. Whoso does call upon God obeys his will, and finds therein no small consolation, knowing nothing is more acceptable to his Majesty than humble obedience.[30]

2. The Promise of God

People who have a strong sense of unworthiness to come to God should be encouraged to pray not only because of God’s precept, but also because of his promise. Despite our grievous sins against God, we may still hope that he will hear us if we come to him with a repentant spirit. As Knox explains:

That we shall not think God will not hear us, Isaiah says, “Before ye cry I shall hear, and while they speak I shall answer.” And also “if at even come sorrow or calamity, before the morning spring, I shall reduce and bring gladness.” And these most comfortable words does the Lord speak not to carnal Israel only, but to all men sorely oppressed, abiding God’s deliverance.[31]

Knox spells out that “the hope to obtain our petitions should depend upon the promises of God,”[32] and not upon us who pray:

O! hard are the hearts whom so manifold, most sweet, and sure promises do not mollify; whereupon should depend the hope to obtain our petitions. The indignity or unworthiness of ourselves is not to be regarded; for albeit we are far inferiors to the chosen who are departed in holiness and purity of life, yet, in that part we are equal, in that we have the same commandment to pray, and the same promise to be heard. For his Gracious Majesty esteems not prayer, neither grants the petition for any dignity of the person that prays, but for his promise sake only.[33]

For this reason, Knox shows that David relied on God’s promise when he said: ‘“Thou hast promised unto thy servant, O Lord, that thou wilt build a house for him; wherefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray in thy sight, now even so, O Lord, thou art God, and thy words are true. Thou hast spoken these things unto thy servant; begin, therefore, to do according to thy promise; multiply, O Lord, the household of thy servant.”’[34]

God does not accept our petitions on the ground of our good works. Knox warns his readers: “Let us not think that we should be heard for anything proceeding of ourselves; for such as advance, boast, or depend anything upon their own justice, [God] repels from the presence of his mercy, and holds with the high proud Pharisee.”[35] To bolster this point, Knox adeptly provides examples of prayers from David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel (Ps. 79:8-9; Jer. 14:7; Isa. 64:5-6, 8-9; Dan. 9:9:5, 18-19).[36] He concludes:

Behold, that in these prayers is no mention of their own merits; but most humble confession, proceeding from a sorrowful and penitent heart; having nothing whereupon it might depend, but the free mercy of God alone, who had promised to be their God (that is, their help, comfort, defender, and deliverer)… Wherefore it is plain, that such men as, in their prayers, have respect to any virtue proceeding of themselves, thinking thereby their prayers are accepted, never prayed aright.[37]

The merciful God hears our prayers in response to his faithful promise to us in his word, never in response to our good deeds toward him. Noticeable here is the way Knox intertwines the appeal to God’s mercy and to God’s promise. To depend on God’s promise is but to depend on his mercy. However, if God does not regard our righteous works, why did David pray this way? “Keep my life, O Lord, for I am holy. O Lord, save my soul, for I am innocent; and suffer me not to be consumed (Ps. 86:2).” Hezekiah prayed similarly: “Remember, Lord, I beseech thee… that I have walked righteously before thee, and that I have wrought that which is good in thy sight (2 Kings 20:3).” At first glance, David and Hezekiah seem to be asking God to listen to them on the basis of their holy and righteous doings, as if God is obliged to hear them. Knox anticipates this kind of question from his readers, so he immediately addresses it:

These words are not spoken of men glorious, neither yet trusting in their own works. But herein they testify themselves to be the sons of God, by regeneration; to whom he promises always to be merciful, and at all times to hear their prayers.[38]

In short, when David and Hezekiah brought up their good works to God, they were expressing their confidence in God that they would be heard by him because they were his children. It was their expression of faith in God that their prayers would be answered in accordance with his promise. Knox puts it this way:

And so their words spring from a wonted, constant, and fervent faith, surely believing that, as God of his infinite mercy had called them to his knowledge, not suffering them to walk after their own natural wickedness, but partly had taught them to conform themselves to his holy law; and that for the promised Seed’s sake; so might he not leave them destitute of comfort, consolation, and defence in so great and extreme necessity. And so they allege not their justice to glory thereof, or to put trust therein, but to strengthen and confirm them in God’s promises.

And this consolation I would wish all Christians in their prayers; a testimony of a good conscience to assure them of God’s promises.[39]

Hence, Knox’s two-fold encouragement to pray: God’s precept and promise. However, Knox seems to add one more encouragement, namely, God’s blessing. According to Knox there are some who say that we do not have to pray since God already knows what we need, and that we do not have to understand what we pray, because after all, God understands the secrets of our hearts. But for Knox “such men verily declare themselves never to have understood what perfect prayer meant, nor to what end Jesus Christ commanded us to pray.”[40] Then Knox gives two purposes why the Lord has commanded us to pray:

First, that our hearts may be inflamed with continual fear, honour, and love of God, to whom we run for support and help whensoever danger or necessity requires; that we so learning to notify [make known] our desires in his presence, he may teach us what is to be desired, and what not. Second, that we, knowing our petitions to be granted by God alone (to him only we must render and give laud and praise), and that we, ever having his infinite goodness fixed in our minds, may constantly abide to receive that which with fervent prayer we desire.[41]

What Knox indicates here is that even if God already knows our necessities, we must still pray, and not only because it is a command, but because there is a blessing that follows. Prayer inflames our hearts ‘with continual fear, honour, and love of God.’ It thus draws us closer to God, and keeps our eyes focused on him. In short, it strengthens our souls. God instructs us to pray not only for his own pleasure, but for our profit as well. Prayer is an instrument through which God showers his blessings upon us. When we ask why we should pray if God already perceives our needs, Knox answers that we should do so for the good of our souls.

Brian Golez Najapfour is a Master of Theology student at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. A member of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and International John Bunyan Society (IJBS), he is originally from the Philippines.