Q.- Does God hear the prayer of non-believers?
A. The bible states that, as a generality, God is not obligated to hear the prayer of those who do not believe in Him.
The psalmist stated it like this in Psalm 34:15,16, the eyes of the lord are on his children, and his ears are open to their prayers, But the face of the lord is against them that do evil.
Psalm 66:18 states, If I bear iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me.
Proverbs 15:8 reveals that God delights in the prayers of the righteous.
There is an abundance of other scriptural references that suggest that God listens only to the prayers of his children.
So it is quite evident that the general rule the bible lays down is this: - Those who do not believe in God, who chose not to become his children, they have no claim on Him for answers if or when they pray.
An excellent example is the relationship with our own children. A child has the privilege or the right to come to his or her parent to ask for something he/she needs, say a meal. However many times when we are approached by a stranger requesting a meal, while we are under no obligation to respond positively, sometimes in our own peculiar judgment, for whatever personal reasons, we grant the request of the stranger. So too, in His sovereignity and great mercy, God can choose to respond to the cry of anyone He decides to answer. There are examples in both Old and New Testaments.
This is the same sense that scripture conveys with regards to God answering the prayers of non- believers.
However there is one call which God answers for all, that is when one calls to him for mercy in repentance
- In John 8 : 38 - Him that comes to me (in repentance) I will not turn away empty.* * *
We remind you to search the scriptures like those noble Berean Christians in Acts 17:11 - " to see if these things be so. "
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Do you have a question you would like answered?
dean@wisdomforlivingministries.org
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