Why Is Prayer a Means of Grace? - by Barry York

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This is a little over 600 words, and about 500 of them are wasted. It seems the author loves writing in the stilted language of professors and theologians, language invented to explain the concepts and categories they also invented to describe matters of faith and doctrine.

Thus the author confuses and obscures simple ideas like prayer.  He doesn't seem to really want to teach about prayer, how to pray, or why. No, for him it's a theological obstacle to overcome.

We must deem this Bad Bible Teaching.

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Why is prayer a means of grace? This is an interesting question, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism simply states that prayer is a means of grace: “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation” (Q&A 88). But why? To give a true answer to this question, we must understand what is meant by a “means of grace.” (So he's not intending to explain prayer in the Bible, he's going to explain the statement of the Catechism.)

Theologians define the media gratia, or means of grace, as the channels by which God works His grace into our hearts. Like the pipes delivering the water into your home’s faucets from the local reservoir, God bestows the blessings of our salvation by using these “outward and ordinary means,” as the catechism states. (Hmm. It doesn't seem to us that these things are "outward and ordinary" at all.)

Perhaps we see God’s use of means ("use of means" is redundant.)

most clearly—and receive help in answering our question—by looking at the first two means that the catechism mentions, which are the Word of God and the sacraments.

By the preaching of the Word, the Lord brings salvation to sinners as His Spirit grants them faith to hear and believe (Rom. 10:17). (There is nothing "outward and ordinary" about the power of the Gospel.)

He then further uses the Word to sanctify His people. As Paul told the Ephesian elders, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32, emphasis added). (There is nothing "outward and ordinary" about the power of the Word.)

Likewise, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are instruments that the Lord uses to bring fully the benefits of salvation to His people. Clearly, we are not speaking of receiving salvation via participating in the works of the sacraments, as the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Rather, by faith already granted and justification already received, the Lord delivers to us the full benefits of our salvation in the sacraments. (The author merely asserts these things as if they were self-evident.)

Our baptism is a sign and seal of the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). (Yes, but how is that a means of grace?)

The Lord’s Supper is a “cup of blessing” that offers to us “participation in the blood of Christ” and “bread that we break” that is “a participation in the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 10:16). (Yes, but how is that a means of grace?)

Sanctifying and strengthening grace is experienced through the sacraments.  (The author merely re-asserts this as if he's proved it to be true, but he hasn't.)

Coming then to prayer, (The author finally gets to the actual subject.)

we similarly see in Scripture that it is a channel through which our Father in heaven blesses us. The psalmist says,

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace. (Ps. 86:6)  

This simple yet profound heart cry shows the psalmist, much like the catechism answer above, assuming that prayer is a means for seeking grace. (Notice the verse does not say, "listen for my plea for you to use this means of grace."

If a person is in trouble, or sick, or desperate, what other "means" would that person seeking a good outcome use except prayer?

Telling us that prayer is a means of grace is like saying a breathing is a means for a person to obtain oxygen. On one hand we have this tidbit of information about a breathing but we are no wiser for knowing it.  And on the other hand we are tempted to say "duh, of course breathing is a means to obtain oxygen. It's the only one when it comes to humans."

So most certainly prayer is a "means" of grace because it employs a "means," a method, a practice, a process, an activity, to communicate with God. Which is in fact the only means to communicate with God. And when God answers, He responds to the "means" of prayer using His own "means." 

This is explaining something that does not need explanation, self-evident but by no means ordinary. 

But for some reason the author wants to attach fluff to a basic, simple truth that we can pray and God answers prayer. Why complicate things with catechisms and obtuse statements like "outward and ordinary means of grace?" Why create terminology that then needs to be defined and explained? Why obscure the simple idea of prayer with high-sounding theological padding?) 

Yet to return to our question, why is prayer a means of grace? (Ugh. The author has only a few sentences left to answer the question.)

As Christians, we are to confidently draw near to the throne of grace where Christ our sympathetic High Priest is seated, knowing as we pray to Him that He will grant us grace in time of need (Heb. 4:15–16). Paul prayed that the church in Ephesus would be strengthened to know the boundless love of God (Eph. 3:14–19). Praying causes saints to grow into a spiritual community (Acts 2:42). Prayers for unbelievers are offered so that Christ might bring the grace of salvation to them (Rom. 10:1). (Suddenly the author becomes clear and cogent, so we know he has it in him.)

Prayer itself is dependent upon the Word of God. (The author's documentation disappears.)

In breathing in the Word of God through hearing it preached or reading its wondrous truths, we are being filled with God’s Spirit. (Also undocumented.)

Then, as we pray, we are exhaling the Spirit’s words and God’s will back to the Lord. (Undocumented.)

What a wonderful means of experiencing grace that makes prayer to be!