In connection with the doctrine of the means of grace the question has been discussed whether also prayer may be classified among the means of grace. The query has been affirmed by the Calvinists. Hodge thus writes: "The means of grace, according to the standards of our Church, are the Word, Sacraments, and prayer." (Syst. Theol., III, 466; cp. p. 708.) However, while the term means of grace is a vox ἄγραφος and as such its meaning is not fixed by Scripture, so that we may employ it in various meanings, it is confusing to apply it to prayer in the same sense as it is applied to the Gospel and the Sacraments.
The Word and the Sacraments are, as Luther expresses himself, "God's work upon us," that is, means by which God deals with us; while prayer is the means by which the believer deals with God. Prayer, properly speaking, is a fruit of Christian faith and not the means by which faith is engendered. Through the Word and the Sacraments, God offers and conveys to us His grace and pardon. Through prayer we sue for temporal and spiritual blessings or render thanks to God for gifts received.
Hence, when without further qualification prayer is called a means of grace, the distinctive difference between it and the Word and the Sacraments is ignored, just as also their various purposes are confused. Moreover, if prayer is regarded as a means of grace, then the error must follow that through prayer, or through a work of man, forgiveness of sins and salvation can be merited.
As a matter of fact, those who regard prayer as a means of grace actually declare that God is thereby reconciled. They therefore urge sinners who seek assurance of salvation to pray, whereas they ought to point out to them the grace of God in Christ Jesus, which is offered to all men in the Gospel and the Sacraments, and exhort them to put their trust wholly in the divine promises of pardon and peace.
If the objection is raised that Christ Himself practically makes prayer a means of grace by teaching us to pray: "Forgive us our sins," Luke 11, 4, we reply that believers indeed receive forgiveness of sins as also all other blessings of God by way of prayer, yet not because prayer is properly a means of grace, but simply because a true Christian prayer is an expression of faith in the divine promises. Properly speaking, it is not the prayer itself, that is, the speaking of words, but the Christian faith, of which the prayer is a manifestation, which secures forgiveness. Hence, whenever a true believer prays, he does not regard his prayer as another means of grace, in addition to the Word and the Sacraments, but his prayer rests upon the divine promises that are offered to him in the means of grace. What he really prays for is that God would be gracious to him and forgive his sins for Christ's sake as He has promised to do in His blessed Gospel.
Whenever a person prays on the supposition that his prayer is a meritorious work, on account of which God forgives sins, his prayer is not offered in the name of Jesus, but contrary to the direction of Jesus. It is not a manifestation of faith, but a manifestation of unbelief; it is not a good work at all, but an abomination in the sight of God, Gal. 3, 10. To such a prayer the words of Christ apply: "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking," Matt. 6, 7.
That the Calvinists regard prayer as a means of grace is quite intelligible from their point of view. Because they deny universal grace, they are unable to comfort an alarmed sinner with the general promises of grace offered in the Gospel; for these, according to Calvinistic doctrine, pertain only to the elect. Hence they must look for other means than the Gospel and the Sacraments by which to assure the terrified sinner of salvation, namely, acts of devotion (among which are prayers) that produce a sense or feeling of grace (sensus gratiae). Such assurance, however, since it rests upon human endeavors, is only imagination and not true Christian assurance, as has already been pointed out.
However, not only Calvinists, but also synergists and Arminians regard prayer as a means of grace and also urge the alarmed sinner who desires assurance of salvation to seek this through prayer (Reformed revivalists, Lutheran Pietists). What underlies this unscriptural advice is the denial of the sola gratia and, along with this, the repudiation of the objective reconciliation secured by Christ's vicarious atonement and of the means of grace as the true conferring means (media δοτικά), by which God freely offers Christ's perfect righteousness to all men. From all this it is clear what a fatal mistake it is to regard prayer as a means of grace. Those who pray with the understanding that their supplications are meritorious means, which secure grace and salvation, have practically rejected the Gospel of Christ and lapsed into paganism.