The Lord’s Prayer: Third Petition

103. What do we pray for in the third petition? A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

God is supreme and therefore he has the right to dispose all things according to his good pleasure (Ps. 103:19; Job 12:10; Isa. 46:10; cf. 1 Sam. 3:18).¹ In the third petition, we declare our willingness to know, obey, and submit to God’s will, and we express our heartfelt desire to see that it is entirely fulfilled.

The Will of God

We need to make a distinction between God’s secret will and his revealed will (Deut. 29:29).² God’s secret will is what is carried out according to his decrees and corresponds to what actually happens.³ It is said to be secret because we cannot know it in advance.⁴ For example, we are not told how long we will live; we do not know the events of tomorrow; we do not know the identities of all the elect. God’s secret will is eternal, unchangeable, and can never be broken (e.g., Ps. 33:11; 115:3; Dan. 4:25, 35; Isa. 46:10; Rom. 9:18; Eph. 1:4-5; 1 Pet. 4:19; Rev. 4:11). In contrast, God’s revealed will is his expressed rule for our obedience (e.g., Jn. 7:17; 1 Thess. 4:3). This is plainly revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Unlike God’s secret will, however, his revealed will can be (and is frequently) broken by sinful humans. Each time we sin, we violate God’s revealed will. The distinction is summarized below:⁵

	Secret will	Revealed will
Also known as…	Decretive (decreed) will	Preceptive (prescribed) will
Referred to as…	God’s good pleasure (e.g., Eph. 1:5)	What is acceptable to God (e.g., Eph. 5:10)
For…	God to carry out (e.g., Eph. 1:11)	Us to obey (e.g., Ps. 143:10; Rom. 12:2)
Fulfillment…	Always takes place (e.g., Rom. 9:19); it is “what actually happens”	Often violated (e.g., Mt. 23:37); it refers to “what ought to happen”
Known…	Only to God (e.g., Rom. 11:33-34) until he chooses to reveal it prophetically or providentially (e.g., Acts 1:7; Mk. 13:32)	Plainly to everyone according to the law and gospel (e.g., Deut. 30:14; Rom. 10:8)

Both God’s secret will and revealed will teach us that God is sovereign.⁶ Sometimes, both wills are described together in Scripture (e.g., Jn. 6:38).

This is the case in the Lord’s prayer—a petition that both God’s decrees and precepts would be fulfilled.⁷ With respect to God’s secret will, in our prayers, we submit to the things that God has appointed in our lives (e.g., Lk. 1:38; Mt. 26:42), ask God to accomplish what he has purposed (e.g., Dan. 9:2-3; Eze. 36:36-37), express our delight that God would use us for his services (e.g., Isa. 6:8), and ask that God would remove any reluctance in our flesh to obey him (e.g., Acts 21:12-14). In terms of God’s revealed will, we need to acknowledge that God’s ways are good for us (e.g., Rom 7:22; Ps. 4:8), but because we are unable in our own strength to obey him, that he would graciously help us (e.g., Jn. 15:5; Phil. 2:13; 4:13).

(In)Ability to Obey

We have numerous examples of earthly servants who sought out God’s will, submitted to it, and obeyed (cf. Heb. 11). However, all of them (with the exception of Jesus) were imperfect. As such, we are given better examples in heaven as models for our imitation. In heaven, God receives perfect, personal, and perpetual obedience from his blessed angels (Ps. 103:20-21) and “just men made perfect” (Heb. 12:23). All God’s servants in heaven carry out his will humbly, cheerfully, diligently, zealously, and eagerly in all things without any mixture of sin. Correspondingly, when we pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we indicate our desire to imitate those in heaven:⁸ first, in terms of actual obedience—that everything we do (and others around us do) would agree with God’s revealed will (Ps. 119:112; Isa. 38:3; Mic. 6:8); second, with respect to the manner of our obedience—that we carry out God’s will with the same constancy and eagerness as those in heaven without murmuring or complaining (Ps. 100:2; Rom. 12:11); and third, in the degree of our obedience—that everything should be done exactly as God has instructed us even if we do not completely understand all the reasons for it (2 Sam. 15:25-26; Ps. 119:4-5; cf. Job 1:21).⁹ Recognizing that we are unable to perfectly obey God in ourselves (cf. Isa. 64:6), our prayers imply our desire that God would help us to grow in greater conformity to his most holy, wise, and righteous will.¹⁰

Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430), described the fourfold state of humanity, and its relevance to our obedience. Before the fall, man was able to sin and able not to sin (posse peccare et posse non peccare).¹¹ After the fall, mankind was subjected to total depravity and was not able not to sin (non posse non peccare). This means that fallen humanity is unable and unwilling to know (Job 21:14; 1 Cor. 2:14) or do the will of God (Rom. 1:28-32; Eph. 2:2-3). However, reborn (regenerated) humanity is given new spiritual life and thus able not to sin (posse non peccare). In heaven, glorified humanity will be secured in righteousness, and forever unable to sin (non posse peccare). As it is now, here on earth, we live in one of two possible categories; we are either spiritually dead in our sins by nature (Eph. 2:1), or we are raised up in new life for obedience by grace (vv. 4, 6, 8, 10). Accordingly, we are to pray for God’s grace, so that we can live lives of obedience (Rom. 7:4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Titus 2:14) and that God would remove any hindrances from us (Eph. 1:17-18; 3:16; Mt. 26:41; Jer. 31:18-19).

It is important to point out that in God’s sovereignty, he can control all things without violating creaturely freedom.¹² “He has his own secret entrances to the [human] will, and acts upon it with a power which cannot be resisted, but with a power which makes it willing, and which, therefore, instead of injuring [human will], [God] declares, confirms, and maintains the freedom of the will… Resting on this foundation, let us offer our frequent and earnest prayers, that he may free our will from the bondage of depraved lusts [and sins]… and may dispose us, by ‘his free Spirit’ [Ps. 51:12], to yield a ready and cheerful obedience to all his commandments.”¹³

Practical Application

We need to renounce our own will, making it subordinate to God’s. This is because our will is one of the “enemies of our own household” (Mt. 10:36) and is naturally at enmity against God (Rom. 8:7). Our will is quickly deceived and naturally attached to what is falsely called good. For this reason, Herman Witsius urged, “Till we have subdued that monster [human will], nothing has been accomplished. That idol to which the inhabitants of all countries pay religious adoration must be thrown down from his altar. In this manner we must prepare our minds for saying to God, I have no will, O Lord; thy will is mine.”¹⁴

Submission to God’s will is the secret to contentment (Phil. 4:11-12).¹⁵ Witsius explained, “As it is impossible that every event can happen as we would have wished it, the mind must contend with its lot till it is brought into harmony with Divine Providence.” It is inconceivable that Almighty God can ever bend to accommodate us, but instead we must yield to him. “There is therefore but one way in which peace of mind can be obtained and preserved. Man must, without hesitation, submit all his wishes to God, or rather, he must form no wish but this one, that the will of God may be done.”¹⁶ That is, we need to learn to say, God’s way is the best way (Lev. 10:3; 1 Sam. 3:18; 2 Sam. 15:25-26; Isa. 39:8).¹⁷

The catechism summarizes three of our duties. First, we need to learn the truth so that we can prove what is good and acceptable to God (Rom. 12:2). This involves diligent reading, studying, and understanding the Bible because mere zeal without knowledge is not good (cf. Rom. 10:2).¹⁸ On this, Richard Baxter, the Puritan pastor, warned his congregation:

“If you think, therefore, that you may be excused from knowledge, you may as well think that you may be excused from love and from all obedience; for there can be none of this without knowledge… Were you but as willing to get the knowledge of God and heavenly things as you are to know how to work in your trade, you would have set yourself to it before this day, and you would have spared no cost or pains till you had got it. But you account seven years little enough to learn your trade, and will not bestow one day in seven in diligent learning the matters of your salvation.”¹⁹

Unwillingness to accept biblical instruction is a sign of insincerity.²⁰ In addition to the preached Word of God, we need to take advantage of other effective means of learning the Bible within the corporate life of the Christian community. Examples include Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and family worship. John Owen, the Prince of the Puritans, wrote:

“The mutual instruction of one another in the mind of God out of the Scripture, is also required… thus, when our Saviour found His disciples talking of the things of God by the way-side, He bearing unto them the person of a private man, instructed them in the sense of Scripture (Luke 24:26, 27, 32). And the neglect of this duty in the world, which is so great that the very mention of it, or the least attempt to perform it, is a matter of scorn and reproach, is one cause of the great ignorance and darkness that yet abounds among us.”²¹

Second, upon knowing God’s will, we must submit to it, not presuming to know more than God (Prov. 3:5-6; cf. Acts 21:14). Even if our flesh may find God’s will to be unpleasant or harsh, we still need to accept it cheerfully. Thirdly, we are to obey God’s will by God’s grace (Ps. 119:1, 8, 35-36).²² Thus, we can pray, “And my whole hope is only in Thy exceeding great mercy. Give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.”²³

Footnotes

1
Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 251.
2
God’s secret will is also known as his hidden will, sovereign will, or decretive will. God’s revealed will is also known as his expressed will or preceptive will.
3
The secret will “denotes the decree or purpose of God, by which he determined, in his own mind, from all eternity, what would take place, in time, for his own glory.” Ibid, p. 251.
4
This is the “will” that the Westminster Shorter Catechism refers to in Q7: What are the decrees of God? A: The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.
5
Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Vol. 1. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1992, pp. 220-225; 3.15.2-29.
6
Here is an example to illustrate: God commands all men everywhere to repent from their sins because he has appointed a day for judgment (Acts 17:30-31). This is God’s revealed will. It has been made known to all. God declares that he does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Eze. 33:11; cf. 2 Pet. 3:9). In accordance with God’s secret will, God grants some people repentance unto life but this is not known in advance to us (e.g., 2 Tim. 2:25-26; cf. Acts 5:31; 11:31). Some men, however, will remain unrepentant even unto death (2 Cor. 7:10; cf. Rom. 2:5). Still, in the end, God works all things out for his own glory.
7
Ibid, p. 220; 3.15.3; and Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, pp. 252-253.
8
Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, pp. 255-256.
9
For example, Abraham responded when he was told to sacrifice Isaac (Heb. 11:17-19; cf. Gen. 22).
10
A possible objection is whether it is right to pray for the same degree of perfection which exists only in heaven. In response, Herman Witsius reminds us of the distinction between God’s decrees (secret will) and his commands (revealed will). While it is true that on earth, no one can ever be sinless, our obligation is still to submit to his revealed will. We must always strive towards a greater attainment of holiness: “To love and desire heavenly perfection. To employ our utmost endeavour to obtain it. To express that desire and endeavour in our prayers to God, entreating that, while we are on the earth, he may conduct us as nearly as possible to perfection, till we obtain it in the fullest manner in heaven [Phil. 3:12-14].” Ibid, pp. 256-257.
11
The term peccable comes from the Latin word peccare (sin).
12
This is the doctrine of concurrence. Berkhof, Louis. Summary of Christian Doctrine. WM. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1938, pp. 59-60.
13
“The will of God could not be done in all things, unless the fulfilment of his pleasure on our minds were within the reach of his power.” Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 265.
14
Ibid, p. 257.
15
Consider also, the Heidelberg Catechism’s Lord’s Day 10.
16
Ibid, p. 258.
17
Any “perverse murmuring and complaining against God’s providence arises from the natural sinfulness of the human heart. People wrongly suppose that God owes them happiness, prosperity, good health, and other blessings, and that if any of these are taken away from them, God is cheating them of their just rights.” Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 560.
18
We can only reliably know God’s will through the Word of God. Reason, science, or philosophy are inadequate. Moreover, we need the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word of God to us for us to understand. Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 559.
19
Baxter, Richard. Works. 1707, II:481-482. Moreover, “All the Puritans regarded religious feeling and pious emotion without knowledge as worse than useless… When men felt and obeyed the truth they knew it, it was the work of the Spirit of God, but when they were swayed by feeling without knowledge, it was a sure sign that the devil was at work, for feeling divorced from knowledge and urgings to action in darkness of mind were both ruinous to the soul as was knowledge without obedience. So the teaching of truth was the pastor’s first task, as the learning of it was the layman’s. But how was truth to be taught? Principally from the pulpit, by the systematic analysis and application of biblical texts.” Packer, J.I. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. Crossway Books, 1990, pp. 107-108.
20
For example, people will dismiss sermons, lessons, or classes because they’ll say, “I’ve already learned it!”
21
Owen, John. Works. IV:13.
22
“God commands: let man obey.” Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 262. “Gospel doctrine is to obeyed; truth is to be, not just acknowledged, but done, in the sense of doing what it requires.” Packer, J.I. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. Crossway Books, 1990, p. 99.
23
Augustine. The Confessions of St. Augustine: Translated and Annotated by of J.C. Pilkington. Fine Editions Press, N.D., p. 191; 10.29.

Footnotes

Related Articles

The Lord’s Prayer: Conclusion

The Lord’s Prayer: Sixth Petition

The Lord’s Prayer: Fifth Petition

The Lord’s Prayer: Fourth Petition

The Lord’s Prayer: Second Petition

The Lord’s Prayer: First Petition