1 John 3:22-24 And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.… We must make a wide distinction between a cause and a condition. The cause of anything is the actual reason why it is — the source from which it flows. The condition is something which comes in afterwards — super added — to limit and to guide the actings of the first cause. Just, for example, as the rain is not caused by the particular state of the atmosphere, but it depends upon it; and there must be a certain rarity in the air, without which the rain would not fall. This is its condition. In like manner, "keeping the commandments" is not the cause of our prayers being answered, but it is the condition. Your prayers will not be answered unless yon "keep the commandments." If we ask, "what is the reason why any prayer prevails with God?" the explanation lies very deep. You will find it among the grandnesses of the Holy Trinity. It is because God is a Father, and therefore of Himself loves to listen to His children's petitions, and to give them everything they ask. It is because every believer praying, prays in Christ — he presents Christ — he is in Christ. Hence the almost omnipotence of prayer. It is because whatever true prayer goes up to the throne of God, it is the Holy Ghost who prays it. Thus the whole Trinity meets to make the prayer of the weakest Christian, and this is the cause why prayer gets answered. Who has not asked of God a great many things? Who does not believe that many, at least, of the things which he asks are the legitimate, nay, the covenanted subjects of prayer? Who has not the evidence of his own heart that for many of these things, at all events, he has prayed, and is praying very earnestly. And yet, who has not to feel "My prayers are not answered; I do not obtain what I ask"? And who has not wondered why it is thus with his prayers? Now what is the reason? Certainly the cause cannot be in God; it must be in you. But where in you? I answer deliberately — in your life, in your heart. In some way or other, you are not "keeping" some "commandment," you are not "doing those things that are pleasing in His sight." Let us now pause upon the thought that the life rules the prayer — that according as you are holy, so wilt you receive answers to your prayers — that the condition of prayer is obedience, and without obedience prayer loses its prerogative. If a man is leading a religious life — not grieving his conscience — a man of pure thoughts and holy pleasures — that man grows into such a state of mind that he will only wish such things as God has promised to give him, he will not desire many temporal things; but his tastes will be spiritual, therefore his prayers are always keeping within the bounds of the promises. He will not ask nor long for anything which is not after the will of God to give. The Spirit which is in him will take care of that for him. 1. And here is the first grand secret of the success of a good man's prayer, which arises out of a conformity of his mind to the mind of God, and that conformity of his mind to the mind of God arises out of his daily habits of life. 2. Secondly, blessings may be ready to come down, and they may pour, but unless your heart be in a right state to receive them, they will pour in vain. The heart is hard, and they cannot come in; or it is so crowded that there is no room; or it is so weak that there is no holding. Now any state of wilful sin puts the heart in that state. Hence, prayer cannot be answered — for even should the answer come, it will not find entrance. 3. Thirdly, remember this; that when God says that a man must "keep His commandments" if he will have his prayers answered, part of the commandments is faith in Jesus Christ; and therefore the passage runs thus in very emphatic order — "Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ." 4. And then fourthly, it is quite evident that what God gives to those who are leading a godly and devoted life, He gives to the promotion of His own glory; because, either directly or indirectly, they will use the gift for the extension of His kingdom, and this gives a plain reason why their prayer should be granted. For shall God give to a man whose life has two faces — one face in practice, and another face in prayer? Shall He give to a sheer hypocrite? 5. And once more, why should not our heavenly Father do what all fathers do, love to give His good things to the child who tries to please Him most, and who delights in His society? (J. Vaughan, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. |
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