NICHOLS: It’s in one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs, so I would have to say no—but really let me say this: I love the Book of Common Prayer—the old one, not the new stuff. They had a prayer for storms at sea, and it was all flowery and over a paragraph long. Then they had a short prayer for storms at sea, and it was: “Father have mercy, Son have mercy, Holy Spirit have mercy. Amen.” That’s it: “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” If that is prayed with a contrite heart, God will hear that prayer.
BINGHAM: So, the thing is not trusting in the prayer, but actually just meaning what you’re saying?
NICHOLS: Exactly. Specifically, it’s the “have mercy on me” part. Now we’re back to unconditional election: “I don’t deserve this at all. I deserve nothing from You. Have mercy on me.” We see it in the text, don’t we? Here’s the publican, beating his breast, saying, “Have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). That’s the prayer; that shows we are beginning to understand.
This transcript is from a live Ask Ligonier event with Stephen Nichols and has been lightly edited for readability. To ask Ligonier a biblical or theological question, email ask@ligonier.org or message us on Facebook or Twitter.
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Stephen Nichols
Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries. He is author of more than twenty books, including Beyond the 95 Theses, A Time for Confidence, and R.C. Sproul: A Life.
Salvation
Resources about the application of redemption from sin, including: adoption, faith and repentance, glorification, the gospel, justification, regeneration, sanctification, and union with Christ.
