Westminster Larger Catechism (Q 189-190)

Dear Church Family,

This past Sunday, in our weekly Sunday school lessons in the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC), we studied and discussed questions 189-190. Here is a brief review.

WLC 189  What doth the preface of the Lord’s prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord’s prayer (contained in these words, Our Father, which art in heaven,) teacheth us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and our interest therein; with reverence, and all other child-like dispositions, heavenly affections, and due apprehensions of his sovereign power, majesty, and gracious condescension: as also, to pray with and for others.

There are three main things that we should note with regard to the preface of the Lord’s prayer. First, it begins with the plural “our” rather than the singular “my” indicating that our prayers are joined together with all the prayers of the saints. Second, the fact that we may address God as “Father” speaks to His nearness, immanence, and loving care (Romans 8:15). Third, the fact that God is “in heaven” teaches that He is wholly other, separate, and transcendent (Isaiah 63:15-16).

In his commentary on the book of Matthew, Herman Ridderbos writes, “Only Jesus’ disciples have the privilege to address God as Father. To be a child of God is one of the blessings of the kingdom of heaven that has been granted by Jesus and sealed in the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 8:15). The path of a child, moreover, which Jesus has opened to His followers, is the only way to approach God. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). The address lends a twofold character to the entire prayer. On the one hand it pervades it with a childlike trust (‘Our Father’), on the other hand, with reverence and an awareness of distance (‘in heaven’). Such a frame of mind grants God the honor that is His due and grants the person praying the certainty that he will be heard.”

WLC 190  What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition (which is, Hallowed be thy name,) acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves and all men to honour God aright, we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him, his titles, attributes, ordinances, word, works, and whatsoever he is pleased to make himself known by; and to glorify him in thought, word, and deed: that he would prevent and remove atheism, ignorance, idolatry, profaneness, and whatsoever is dishonourable to him; and, by his overruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory.

‘To hallow’ means to regard and treat as holy. WLC 190 outlines two ways in which we pray that human beings would hallow God’s name and two ways in which we pray that God would hallow His own name.

The first way in which we pray that human beings would hallow God’s name is by His enabling and inclining us and others to know, acknowledge, and highly esteem God and those things by which He is made known (Psalm 86:10-15; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). The second way in which we pray that human beings would hallow God’s name is by His enabling and inclining us and others to glorify God personally in thought, word, and deed (Psalm 19:13-14; Philippians 1:9-11).

The first way in which we pray that God would hallow His own name is by His preventing and removing whatever is dishonorable to Him, e.g., atheism, ignorance, idolatry, and profaness (Psalm 67:1-7; Psalm 97:6-7). The second way in which we pray that God would hallow His own name is by His directing and disposing all things to His own glory (2 Chronicles 20:4-12).

Conclusion

I hope you will join us for our continuing study of the Westminster Larger Catechism on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am as we learn more about how God’s Word directs and helps us to pray!

The Lord be with you!
Pastor Peter M. Dietsch