This was a thought I had today.
Is an unbeliever able to have their prayers received by God (apart from a prayer of repentance).
Because...if Jesus as our Saviour has come to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father and bridge the gap - through repentance...then before the gap is bridged is an unbeliever just wasting their time praying for needs?
Through Him only,
The Carter
This was a thought I had today. Is an unbeliever able to have their prayers received by God (apart from a prayer of repentance). Because...if Jesus as our Saviour has come to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father and bridge the gap - through repentance...then before the gap is bridged is an unbeliever just wasting their time praying for needs? Through Him only, The Carter
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I was thinking about your question and to be honest I do not know to many unbelievers that pray at all. Most that I know believe that you must work hard for yourself and get or take what you want in life. There is one man that we know and I have prayed for him and his wife to come to know Jesus but even after the loss of a child they still have no desire or need of Jesus. There were no requests for prayers and to the best of my knowledge none spoken at the time their daughter died.
So I guess to answer your question it might be good to consider how many "unbelievers" truly come before the Lord in prayer with a heart that is seeking in earnest any kind of answer? There maybe others out there but for me I do not know of any examples to give.
God Bless
maryjane
I was recently thinking about this question too. An unbeliever certainly does not know God as their Father and cannot truly pray using God's word the way a believer who is subject to God's word can pray with the authority Jesus spoke of when he said "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)
I don't know for sure that an unbeliever is wasting time praying for their needs though, if it's truly a prayer with the heart "God, I NEED you to come through for me." God certainly knows what's being prayed, and might answer- not out of a covenant, as a Father providing for His child- but simply as a witness to the reality that He is God who is in control and is concerned about the individual and with what happens in the world.
A scripture I think of is Paul preaching to unbelievers in Acts 14:16-17: "Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Thus, the answer to a prayer regarding needs could be a way God gives a witness of Himself. Possibly He would do that to prepare someone for a true gospel witness so that the message would really hit home, the hearer being given a deeper realization of their need to repent, having already experienced God's goodness in an undeniable way (Romans 2:4).
Not that God is bound to, but since he is kind to the unthankful and the evil (Luke 6:36) I wouldn't rule it out. It's important to emphasize that earthly provision is no sign of being right with God (Matthew 5:45) as many who don't pray at all get God's blessings and apart from repentance and true faith in Christ one is God's enemy who is storing up wrath for judgment day (Romans 2:4-5, Isaiah 55:6-7).
Maybe God is bridging that gap by hearing and answering them. Isn’t it the kindness of God that leads us to repentance? (Romans 2.4)
I can only speak from my experience, not from theology. I talked to God (approx a year) before I was converted and God answered me. AND I had a conversation with Him (in my mind) sitting there at church while the preacher preached before I was converted. A conversation requires two people!! He initiated the conversation! and indeed spoke back when I asked questions and I was converted in my seat.
Anyway, as mere human beings, who are we to tell someone that they CAN’T pray to God? To me, that is so arrogant, unloving and prideful that I don’t even know where to begin.
To those who believe sinners can’t pray to God, answer me this.... when we tell someone that they can’t receive an answer from God, aren’t we really telling God who He can answer and who He can’t??? Just asking... (I, personally, wouldn’t want to tread on that ground.)
Just my two cents! God bless you,
Lisa
It's important to emphasize that earthly provision is no sign of being right with God (Matthew 5:45) as many who don't pray at all get God's blessings and apart from repentance and true faith in Christ one is God's enemy who is storing up wrath for judgment day (Romans 2:4-5, Isaiah 55:6-7).
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That is a really good point. There are many who are not saved or walking with God and yet they do very well in the terms of earthly needs.
God Bless
Mj
Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciated the responses. Wouldn't it be great if we could all sit around a table drinking tea/juice having these chats .
Bless you guys :)
a double minded man is unstable in all his ways let him not think he will recieve antyhing from the lord ,james also said let him ask in faith ,the contex was asking in faith , if we define the unbeliever as one who has not recieved the gift of faith ,for the bible says jesus is the author and also the finisher of this faith
then the unbeliever is not being herd by god and wont accoring to the bible receve anthing from the lord
i think we need to define what the unbeliever is
are we talking about an an athest
or a believer of other religones
or some one who is not yet saved but is being drawen by the holy spirit ,to recieve saving faith and grace
all three examples can be classed as unbelievers
some might also say that those who have never recieved the gift of the baptism of the holy spirit are still not saved so for them these would be technicly unbelievers , tho i dont agree
the answer would be a different accoring to the defenition and cotex that one is speaking in
and one would need to talk about doctrine regaring the contex , would probale led to a confession of ones belief in either calvinisim ,or arminian to determin ,weather or not the unbeleievr is able to literay call on the lord to be saved , or weather the lord deals first to him or her a measure of faith making him able to call upon the lord in faith ,as evdence that he that he is saved and is acualy calling upon some one he can scence and see with the ineer man
that question could open up a great decsusion on some deeper truthes
good question
bless you all brother gary
How should we consider these people?_and a lot more in the bible.
1. Cornelius
Act 10:1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
Act 10:2 He was a devout man who feared God, as did everyone in his home. He gave many gifts to the poor among the people and always prayed to God.
Act 10:3 One day about three in the afternoon he had a vision and clearly saw an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
Act 10:4 He stared at the angel in terror and asked, "What is it, Lord?" The angel answered him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have arisen as a reminder to God.
Act 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: "Now I understand that God shows no partiality.
Act 10:35 Indeed, whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation.
2. Psalms 107
Psa 107:10 Some sat in deepest darkness, shackled with cruel iron,
Psa 107:11 because they had rebelled against the command of God, despising the advice of the Most High.
Psa 107:12 He humbled them through suffering, as they stumbled without a helper.
Psa 107:13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; he delivered them from their distress.
Psa 107:14 And he brought them out from darkness and the shadow of death, shattering their chains.
Psa 107:15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his gracious love, and for his awesome deeds to mankind.
3. These crowds.
Mat 4:23 Then he went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness among the people.
Mat 4:24 His fame spread throughout Syria, and people brought to him everyone who was sick—those afflicted with various diseases and pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralyzed—and he healed them.
i believe people are saved before baptisim of the holy spirit
i think the bible teaches that we are saved by faith ,and those who truly have faith will be undeniably sealed with the holy spirit baptisim at some stage
connelius had faith in god and feared god comuned with angles he was saved
2
backsliding believers ,like peter was when he sliped in to darkness dening the lord who bought him ,,,,
3 some where defenitly believers ,some were not
the question must also arise ,,can a person be a believer and not yet be a saved believer
maby predestine or pending
if the answer is yes ,then in this contex ,god might hear there prayers
good topic ,
it seems to induce thought
but if he is a double minded man and he would be more then likely not have saving supanatural faith ,,then james seems to think he wont recieve anything from the lord
sisters im not try to push my beliefs , im just asking questions ,to provoke thought
im under the im pression ,,that faith is like a musturd seed ,,it grows in to saving faith ,by the washing of the water of the word ,,,
that no man cane come to christ unless the father by his spirit draws them
and when a person is drawn near to christ his faith grows to a point wher he will pray and talk to god ,, tho at this time i dont believe he realy believes in is heart that god will answer all his prayers , he has a type if wishfull hoping that god will hear ,,,,but is he is one of the elect from the foundation of the world ,god will hear him
he who comes to god must believe he is
and that he is a rewarded of those who seek him
i man comes to a point where the spirit finaly indwels the believer , this is regeneration ,and from there he finaly truly seeks god
belfore that a dont believe a men seeks ,god ,,
but more so acknowlages that god and christ are real
i think man needs arevalation form god of who he is ,and then through knowlage of god and his son,,,he seeks god through unknowably or knowable through the baptisim of the holy spirit
Yes! I prayed to God many times before repentance was involved.
true prayer is comunion with god in a type of relation ship
brother do you realy believe you had true communion in the presesnce of god
iv even herd of athiasts say they have prayed to god
but that was not true prayer
they were talking to the air in the presesnce of the prince of the power of the air ,which the bible say is the spirit that now worketh in thw sons of disobedance
by gazzer:
true prayer is comunion with god in a type of relation shipbrother do you realy believe you had true communion in the presesnce of god
Brother (or Sister?),
The original question in this thread is **Is an unbeliever able to have their prayers received by God (apart from a prayer of repentance)** and I'm thinking it has nothing to do with what you deem 'true prayer.'
I have to ask you rather bluntly (if you don't mind), 'How can you have the chutspah to tell anyone they can't talk to God before repentance?' Brother or sister, I have not meant to offend you in my response but we all need to be careful what we tell God what He can and cannot do and also be careful offending a little one in the Lord (Matt 18.6).
God bless you brother or sister,
Lisa
Thank you, Lisa.
The original poster did not ask about "communion" with God.
Yes, the original question is "Is an unbeliever able to pray to God...?"
If God is able to speak to an unbeliever then an unbeliever is able to speak back to Him. And an unbeliever does not always repent the first time he hears God. For that matter, a Believer does not always repent the first time He is commanded by God to repent. Or the second or the third time. Look how Israel was stiffnecked...like many "believers", today.
maby we are defining prayer as two differt things
i dont believe you can pray apart from the presence of god
and that is what the unbelievr lacks or the athaist lacks
repentance is defined as a turning toward god
how can one one prayer apart from turning toward god
its not about chuppsta ,,,,what does the bible say
it was a great question from our brother ,,,but a question like that has implications and is not just a simple yes or know
how can some one pray to god ,whom he does not believe in
that initself ,, pull said you must firts believe that he is
and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him
that involvs some sort of belief ,and some repentance
bless you brothers and sisters
Your box for God is too small.
The renown, Sadhu Sundar Singh prayed to God, whoever he was, and said that he would place himself in front of an oncoming train the next day if God did not reveal himself to him. Jesus Christ appeared to Sadhu before the next day.
Is an unbeliever able to have their prayers received by God
Good question...but one that defies an answer - I think - because we are not God and and do not always know how he will do things.
Yet...
I have a relative who declares she is a Christian because God answers her prayers - or so she says. In the meantime, she lives in sin. It may be her prayers are being answered but not from God. Or, maybe God is answering her prayers. Who knows? In any case, I am not to judge, but for this person to believe that all is well with her and God based on answered prayers is a very dangerous place to be in.
Answered prayers do not indicate all is well between you and God.
by gazzer:
it was a great question from our brother ,,,but a question like that has implications and is not just a simple yes or knowhow can some one pray to god ,whom he does not believe in
by gazzer:
connelius had faith in god and feared god comuned with angles he was saved
Luke 7.1-10 The centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant. It doesn’t say he was saved, it just said he understood AUTHORITY. Christ answered his heart’s desire and healed his servant.
And Ahab, who was wicked humbled himself and tore his clothes, fasted, and wept softly when he heard of the judgment coming to his house (1 Kings 21.27). God heard his cry and didn’t visit evil in Ahab’s days, only in his son’s days.
God bless you,
Lisa
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