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Should Christians Pray for the Lost?

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M

MB

Well-Known Member
Scarlett O. said:
Jesus was praying for his disciples there. I don't know how clearer that could be.

So what about Paul praying for the lost and Stephen praying for the lost and Christ asking us to do the same?

I gave those scriptures, too.
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I know for a fact that my parents prayed for my Salvation. I also know the Lord answered those prayers. Praise God
MB
 
Scarlett O.

Scarlett O.

Moderator
Moderator
Roy said:
Scolding mature, adult, Christian believers (as if they were a classroom full of misbehaving juvies) for their expressed indignation of Sodomy on parade was inappropriate. You don't know their hearts nor their prayer lives.
Maybe that is all that I should have said yesterday, on that other thread, instead of everything else.
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I didn't feel like I was scolding children, but if that's how you took it, then perhaps I did "scold".

I, too, felt "scolded". That's the problem with message boards. We can't have a dialogue face to face.
 
Particular

Particular

Well-Known Member
Scarlett O. said:
I have lost people that I pray for with regularity.
  • gay people
  • "good" people who go to church but are not saved
  • students/former students who are living depraved lives [from Christian schools and public schools]
  • specifically five former students who are Muslim [some of the most well-behaved, smart, and hard-working students I've ever had, but are bound for hell as they do not know Christ]
  • and more....lots more
Reading some people's posts yesterday and today who profess that we are NOT to pray for the lost gave me great pause. I've always been taught that we ARE to pray for them to be delivered from evil, for God to draw them to Himself, and to be saved. I've never been taught anything else.

So, I've answered my own question from the Bible.

Should Christians pray for lost and hell/bound people?
  • Luke 23:34 = [Jesus praying for the forgiveness of those killing him.] = "And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

  • Acts 7:59-60 = [Stephen praying for the forgiveness those killing him] = "And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 'Lord, receive my spirit.' And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them...'"

  • Romans 10:1 = [Paul explaining that he prays for the salvation of his lost Jewish brethren] = "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved."

  • Matthew 9:37-38 = [Jesus telling people to pray that God will send workers for the "harvest"] = "Then he said to his disciple, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 = [Paul urging Christians via Timothy to pray for all people because God desires all people to be saved] = " First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

  • Matthew 5:44 = [Jesus teaching we are to pray for our "enemies" and those that persecute us] = "But I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...'"

The only conclusion I can draw is that I am SUPPOSED to pray for lost people - no matter their sin, depravity, or abomination - because the Bible says I am supposed to.
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Of course we pray that God might elect to save all the world. It is foolish not to ask.
Now...will God choose to save those who I ask Him to save?
Only God knows. I don't presume upon God that my plans for someone's salvation are God's plan.
The prayer of a righteous man availeth much, but not necessarily for the salvation of those who are dead in their sins. Prayer changes the mindset of the prayer rather than changing the mindset of the prayee. God doesn't change. We change. We receive the mind of Christ.
 
Earth Wind and Fire

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Reynolds said:
The historical Calvinists admit flaws with the doctrine. It is very recently that Calvinists have decided their doctrine is perfect.
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I wouldn’t know. All I know is only God is perfect and everyone misses the mark.

Imagine Christ stooping in the dirt and writing. Scripture does not tell us what He wrote but after the crowd saw the words in the dirt and hearing Him say, you who have not sinned you may throw the first rock, they dispersed.

I need to say this, we need to follow our Saviors lead.
 
Y

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Scarlett O. said:
I have lost people that I pray for with regularity.
  • gay people
  • "good" people who go to church but are not saved
  • students/former students who are living depraved lives [from Christian schools and public schools]
  • specifically five former students who are Muslim [some of the most well-behaved, smart, and hard-working students I've ever had, but are bound for hell as they do not know Christ]
  • and more....lots more
Reading some people's posts yesterday and today who profess that we are NOT to pray for the lost gave me great pause. I've always been taught that we ARE to pray for them to be delivered from evil, for God to draw them to Himself, and to be saved. I've never been taught anything else.

So, I've answered my own question from the Bible.

Should Christians pray for lost and hell/bound people?
  • Luke 23:34 = [Jesus praying for the forgiveness of those killing him.] = "And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

  • Acts 7:59-60 = [Stephen praying for the forgiveness those killing him] = "And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 'Lord, receive my spirit.' And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them...'"

  • Romans 10:1 = [Paul explaining that he prays for the salvation of his lost Jewish brethren] = "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved."

  • Matthew 9:37-38 = [Jesus telling people to pray that God will send workers for the "harvest"] = "Then he said to his disciple, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 = [Paul urging Christians via Timothy to pray for all people because God desires all people to be saved] = " First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

  • Matthew 5:44 = [Jesus teaching we are to pray for our "enemies" and those that persecute us] = "But I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...'"

The only conclusion I can draw is that I am SUPPOSED to pray for lost people - no matter their sin, depravity, or abomination - because the Bible says I am supposed to.
Click to expand...
Pray for any and all to have God reveal the Lord Jesus to them in a saving way, as he knows those who are His, while we do not!
 
Earth Wind and Fire

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Reynolds said:
Correct. When flaws are pointed out in Calvinism, the New Calvinists dismiss it as ignorance on the part of the one making the observation.
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Reynolds said:
Correct. When flaws are pointed out in Calvinism, the New Calvinists dismiss it as ignorance on the part of the one making the observation.
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ok now you are delineating Calvinists from New Calvinists. Was that displayed in ITL’s message?
 
Reynolds

Reynolds

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Particular said:
Of course we pray that God might elect to save all the world. It is foolish not to ask.
Now...will God choose to save those who I ask Him to save?
Only God knows. I don't presume upon God that my plans for someone's salvation are God's plan.
The prayer of a righteous man availeth much, but not necessarily for the salvation of those who are dead in their sins. Prayer changes the mindset of the prayer rather than changing the mindset of the prayee. God doesn't change. We change. We receive the mind of Christ.
Click to expand...
As a Calvinist, do you really think your prayer to save someone will influence who God ordained as elect before the foundations of the world? You are going to change Gods mind? The other position you could take would be the foreknowledge of your prayer, but good Calvinists reject foreknowledge. This sounds like 2+2=6.26.
 
InTheLight

InTheLight

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Particular said:
Prayer changes the mindset of the prayer rather than changing the mindset of the prayee. God doesn't change. We change. We receive the mind of Christ.
Click to expand...

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:13-14
 
Earth Wind and Fire

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
InTheLight said:
Enough to know it is a common tactic.
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Or perhaps it is a reality. Do you really feel you have got a full understanding of it or do you just they are just using bs to blow you off? Perhaps the categories should be modified to Monergist/ Synergist... at least then I could relate to it better.

Let’s change the focus a bit ... do you consider there to be different categories of sin (example, a guy who eats too much all the time) Vs a character who cheats on his wife.
 
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