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Should Christians Pray for the Lost?

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Scarlett O.

Scarlett O.

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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.
 
InTheLight

InTheLight

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Scarlett O. said:
Reading some people's posts yesterday and today who profess that we are NOT to pray for the lost gave me great pause.
Click to expand...

Let me guess...Calvinists?

In addition to the verses you provided, there is this:

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”--Luke 15:10

How can we NOT pray for sinners to repent?
 
H

HatedByAll

Active Member
On the other post, the member who said not to pray for the lost supported their position by quoting Jesus where He prayed I pray for those you gave Me, not the world. . .

Yes, Jesus can pray that, He knows who the Father called.

Not one of us Christians still on earth do.

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Scarlett O.

Scarlett O.

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HatedByAll said:
On the other post, the member who said not to pray for the lost supported their position by quoting Jesus where He prayed I pray for those you gave Me, not the world. . .

Yes, Jesus can pray that, He knows who the Father called.

Not one of us Christians still on earth do.

Sent from my SM-G930R7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
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.
 
H

HatedByAll

Active 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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Scarlett, my statement does not in any way contradict anything in your post. I am just saying that we should pray for the lost if for no other reason than it is a fact that we don't know who God will call in the future. Our part is to pray for all.

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R

Revmitchell

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I know plenty of folks who hold to reformed doctrine who pray for the lost and would completely reject the idea that we shouldnt.
 
Scarlett O.

Scarlett O.

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I wasn't speaking of reformed people. I was speaking of one who said there was no scripture guiding us to pray to the lost [that he could find] and one who took me to task for praying for the lost.
 
Roy

Roy

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Scarlett O. said:
I wasn't speaking of reformed people. I was speaking of one who said there was no scripture guiding us to pray to the lost [that he could find] and one who took me to task for praying for the lost.
Click to expand...

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.

About Exodus

In addition to prayer, if anyone has a true Christian passion for homosexual deliverance, there are organizations out there that are dedicated to that purpose. I don't know anything more about Exodous Global Alliance than what I saw on the Web, but it might be an organization worth supporting. I think that American Family Association also offers resources for homosexuals seeking reform.
 
Reynolds

Reynolds

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davidtaylorjr said:
No it's not, just means you don't understand our position.
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The old ignorance accusation. All who disagree with Calvinism are ignorant. I understand your position. I understand Calvinism. I know several reasons calvinists give for why they do it. My point is you can not show me the logic of why you pray for the salvation of the lost.
 
InTheLight

InTheLight

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Reynolds said:
The old ignorance accusation. All who disagree with Calvinism are ignorant. I understand your position. I understand Calvinism. I know several reasons calvinists give for why they do it. My point is you can not show me the logic of why you pray for the salvation of the lost.
Click to expand...

That's a #5 on my list of faulty arguments used by Calvinists.

#5.YOU ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE
 
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