Are we to pray unto God only?

Larger Catechism

Q. 179. Are we to pray unto God only?

A. God only being able to search the hearts, hear the requests, pardon the sins, and fulfill the desires of all; and only to be believed in, and worshiped with religious worship; prayer, which is a special part thereof, is to be made by all to him alone, and to none other.

The God of the Bible alone searches the heart.

1 Kings 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.)

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen.

Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The God of the Bible alone hears prayer.

Psalm 65:2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

God alone is omniscient, knowing the hearts of men.

Only God is omnipresent, hearing the prayers of all people in all places. God alone knows our needs - before we even ask.

The God of the Bible alone is able to pardon sin.

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Only God can pardon sin. The Jewish leaders were right in saying, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Vos states, "God is the person whom our sins have offended, and only the offended party can forgive the sins." King David wrote, "Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned." (Psalm 51:4)

The God of the Bible alone is able to fulfill our desires.

Psalm 145:18-19 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

God alone is omnipotent. "For with God nothing will be impossible." "For with God all things are possible." Since God controls all things, then it is to Him we must address our requests.

The God of the Bible alone is to be believed in and worshiped.

Romans 10:14 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 a preacher?

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

To believe in God is to put our absolute trust and confidence in Him. No one other than the Triune God of Scripture is worthy of such trust or faith. He is always faithful and completely trustworthy. Vos writes, "We believe in him with religious faith; that is, we take him as our God, and entrust ourselves to him for time and eternity, and confess that our destiny is in his hands, and that our chief end is to glorify and enjoy him."

Since there is only one true and living God, and since all other gods are false and no gods at all, then only the God of the Bible should be worshiped. Since prayer is a special part of worship, we should address our prayers to God only and no other. Not man, not angels, not saints, not Mary.

1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

WCF - 21.3 - Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

III. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, is by God required of all men: and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of His Spirit, according to His will, with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and, if vocal, in a known tongue.

Vos: "Is it everyone's duty to pray to God?"

"Yes. Only the Christian can pray acceptably. Yet it is everyone's duty to pray. The prayers of non-Christians, who try to approach God without coming through Christ as their Mediator, cannot be pleasing to God; yet for them to neglect to pray is even more sinful and displeasing to God."¹

1J. G. Vos, A Commentary on the Westminster Larger Catechism