Praying for the Unsaved

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#41
Also Jesus said to pray for more labourers for the harvest too. So pray continually at all times. People really need to read their new testaments all over again. If we not praying, we cant do anything.
 

GraceAndTruth

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
2,031
637
113
#42
You know your cntext is a little bit screwy. What happened to go out and preadh the Gospel to the ends of the earth………?
That wasn't in that context! :)
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,441
6,711
113
#43
Reading the context is what I'm about........and context is that God is telling HIS people not to lift up those outside the faith, unbelievers.
Here is just part of your context, again. YOu are saying we should not lift up in prayer those who do not believe.

Stop following me around. I do not need your back-ánd-forth posting just to please your needs.

Either you believe God on praying for our enemies and those who are not yet believers, or yu do not.......context is simply a word, and words are printed or verbalizzed expressions of thos concepts. YOu seem to have your own set.
 

GraceAndTruth

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
2,031
637
113
#44
Here is just part of your context, again. YOu are saying we should not lift up in prayer those who do not believe.

Stop following me around. I do not need your back-ánd-forth posting just to please your needs.

Either you believe God on praying for our enemies and those who are not yet believers, or yu do not.......context is simply a word, and words are printed or verbalizzed expressions of thos concepts. YOu seem to have your own set.
Have you lost your mind? I am not following you around. I quoted scripture IN CONTEXT for you to deny. Have at it.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,441
6,711
113
#45
Have you lost your mind? I am not following you around. I quoted scripture IN CONTEXT for you to deny. Have at it.
I have only seen you quote scripture out of context…….You have denied God's Word as I have shared it with you contextually........

You brought u0p one example from the Old TEstament of a people who had turned on God, this is not saying we do not pray for our enemies and people who have not yet heard teh Word, and you know it.

Now, go pester someone else.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#46
gee, yah know God plumb musta forgot to put each and every name of every individual who would ever grace this planet into an already pretty thick document

are you serious? :eek::rolleyes::LOL::LOL::LOL:
Just one example maybe?
 

Ignorun

Active member
Dec 18, 2018
180
69
28
#47
I know instinctively that we are to do so, but can any one point me out an example in Scripture where there is prayer for the unsaved.. for their salvation, or an injunction to pray for the unsaved that they may be saved?


Extra Credit-

For the Arminian...Wouldn't a salvation prayer intefere with the free wiil of the lost?

For the Calvinist... Wouldn't a salvation prayer intefere with God's sovereign choice?
Acts 8.20-24 Simon was told to pray.

For the Arminian-these verses reinforce the truth. They show it. They show free will. Free will to sin, to repent, and to pray for forgiveness.

For the Calvinist-these verses are contrary to Calvin...Calvinism. They show free will. Free will to sin, to repent, and to pray for forgiveness!
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#48
Yes when Jesus prayed for Peter who was going astray. Because satan was sifting him for wheat. He actually told Peter he was praying for him.

See Luke 22:31-32

Also note that Jesus prayed for Peter's conversion.
Didn't he tell Peter the reason why? "That your faith fail not." Which means Peter already had faith in Jesus. That's another good example though.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#49
No one in this thread who loves Jesus needs to be told to pray for others…...No one..
True. But I don't think anyone is telling us to pray for others.At least that is not the purpose of the OP.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,600
17,064
113
69
Tennessee
#51
I know instinctively that we are to do so, but can any one point me out an example in Scripture where there is prayer for the unsaved.. for their salvation, or an injunction to pray for the unsaved that they may be saved?


Extra Credit-

For the Arminian...Wouldn't a salvation prayer intefere with the free wiil of the lost?

For the Calvinist... Wouldn't a salvation prayer intefere with God's sovereign choice?
God always was and always will be, it is God's will and desire that all shall be saved, and that He heard such a prayer even before He created the universe and will certainly consider this prayer of salvation and answer it, and that includes a prayer of salvation for those that are supposedly lost and have died. Who really know what the last thoughts were of anyone who died except for God. It is best not to assume that a person is lost based on visual observations of a person's character and faith.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#52
Oh and James 5:15 as well.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14-15 KJV)

It does say 'among you' so it seems James is speaking to the Church and the 'save' in context appears to be physical healing. Another good attempt though.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#54
Also Jesus said to pray for more labourers for the harvest too. So pray continually at all times. People really need to read their new testaments all over again. If we not praying, we cant do anything.
This is true we do need to pray that the Lord send 'harvesters', but still falls short of praying for an individual's salvation.

What I mean is, that a Calvinist will just say harvesters are needed to reach the 'elect'. etc.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,600
17,064
113
69
Tennessee
#55
I was hoping for scriptures specifically telling us to pray for the salvation of a lost person, or an example of someone doing so.
The thing about praying for the lost in scripture is that the entire Word of God is not yet known. In John's vision in Revelation he was told not to write down what the 7 thunders said. Also, Paul had a vision in which He was told not to tell certain things. When the woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned Jesus did some writing on the ground with His finger. Who knows what He wrote? One day all of these things will become known. Every word in the bible is true and reliable as it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The circumstances I wrote about are part of the Word of God also and may change the whole dynamic of salvation as it is currently perceived and understood. Praying for the lost may not be specifically referred to in the bible but perhaps it can be implied, especially so when the entire Word of God is made known for then it will be specific one way or another, and who lives and who dies.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#56
Acts 8.20-24 Simon was told to pray.

For the Arminian-these verses reinforce the truth. They show it. They show free will. Free will to sin, to repent, and to pray for forgiveness.

For the Calvinist-these verses are contrary to Calvin...Calvinism. They show free will. Free will to sin, to repent, and to pray for forgiveness!
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. (Acts 8:20-24 KJV)

Perhaps a good example except it is Simon asking Peter to pray for him. It would lso be questionable whether Simon was already saved at that point since earlier...

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. (Acts 8:13 KJV)
 
Oct 12, 2012
1,563
929
113
68
#57
How bout, 1 Timothy 2:1-8?
.... prayers.... that all men might be saved....... therefore I desire that men pray everywhere.......😋
Didn't c your response to this one #25? Sorry you got me searching, just throwing things out there for u to judge! 😋
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#58
God always was and always will be, it is God's will and desire that all shall be saved, and that He heard such a prayer even before He created the universe and will certainly consider this prayer of salvation and answer it, and that includes a prayer of salvation for those that are supposedly lost and have died. Who really know what the last thoughts were of anyone who died except for God. It is best not to assume that a person is lost based on visual observations of a person's character and faith.
Since God is not willing that any should perish, do you think Jesus would follow up on your advice and pray for all, even those who have died? That gets a little too close to universalism for my taste.
 

Deade

Called of God
Dec 17, 2017
16,724
10,531
113
78
Vinita, Oklahoma, USA
yeshuaofisrael.org
#59
The thing about praying for the lost in scripture is that the entire Word of God is not yet known. In John's vision in Revelation he was told not to write down what the 7 thunders said. Also, Paul had a vision in which He was told not to tell certain things. When the woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned Jesus did some writing on the ground with His finger. Who knows what He wrote? One day all of these things will become known. Every word in the bible is true and reliable as it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The circumstances I wrote about are part of the Word of God also and may change the whole dynamic of salvation as it is currently perceived and understood. Praying for the lost may not be specifically referred to in the bible but perhaps it can be implied, especially so when the entire Word of God is made known for then it will be specific one way or another, and who lives and who dies.
More of the word is already known than most let on. The Catholics and then the Protestant Reformers have been duped into believing half truths and outright lies. They place such zeal behind their erroneous teachings the whole world is deceived. You get walls and walls of scripture references that do nothing but obscure God's truths. Start obeying the Lord and He will open your eyes. :cool:
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,743
3,670
113
#60
Didn't c your response to this one #25? Sorry you got me searching, just throwing things out there for u to judge! 😋
I seem to be just throwing things out there for us to search and think :) , nothing to get riled up over.