Hi Dan! I wasn't the one who asked this question, but now that I've read the answer, I do have questions. I'm thinking, if God doesn't hear the prayer of a person who has never prayed to receive Christ, isn't that a bit of a contradiction? Or if the hitch is that God answers the prayers of the "regenerate" vs. the "converted," just how much time lapses between the point of regeneration and conversion? Is it days, hours, minutes, years? How can we be sure that God doesn't answer the prayers of those who have received the "inward call?"
I'm asking because my experience (yes, I know experience doesn't trump theology) was that many, many years before I ever knew anything about Christ or spiritual things, God definitely heard my prayers. In fact, that is one of the chief ways that He used to continue to draw me to Himself.
What would you think about a more nuanced approach to the prayer of the unbeliever? Thanks! Deb W.
Thanks Deb. Great questions. I don't have a lot of time to get into an involved answer in that there is so much packed into your comment (soteriology etc). How much time passes between regeneration and conversion? There is a lot of argument on both sides of the coin and in theological circles. I am not sure I could answer that. I will save soteriology for another day.
As for prayer, Jesus' teachings on prayer and our approach to the Father pretty much conclude that God does not "hear" the prayer of the non-believer. He doesn't leave any room for argument. In fact in speaking of the unregenerate he calls them "sons of iniquity" or that their father is indeed the devil. He even speaks of these unregenerate people approaching God and being turned away. So no, I believe the Scriptures are very clear that prayer is only for the regenerate.
As to WHEN God begins to hear prayers and when regeneration takes place etc...I cannot answer that in any persons case. In your prayer before Christ you have to ask yourself, "In who's name was I praying?" Jesus demands that we come to the Father in prayer in his name along and also states that he is indeed the only way to the Father--no one comes to him except by him. So without Christ making intercession how can we approach a holy God with anything?
An unregenerates "answer" to prayer I believe is the product of common grace. The sun rises on the wicked and the righteous. But only a child of God can call God Father in a redemptive way. I hope this helps a bit.
2 comments:
Hi Dan! I wasn't the one who asked this question, but now that I've read the answer, I do have questions. I'm thinking, if God doesn't hear the prayer of a person who has never prayed to receive Christ, isn't that a bit of a contradiction? Or if the hitch is that God answers the prayers of the "regenerate" vs. the "converted," just how much time lapses between the point of regeneration and conversion? Is it days, hours, minutes, years? How can we be sure that God doesn't answer the prayers of those who have received the "inward call?"
I'm asking because my experience (yes, I know experience doesn't trump theology) was that many, many years before I ever knew anything about Christ or spiritual things, God definitely heard my prayers. In fact, that is one of the chief ways that He used to continue to draw me to Himself.
What would you think about a more nuanced approach to the prayer of the unbeliever? Thanks! Deb W.
Thanks Deb. Great questions. I don't have a lot of time to get into an involved answer in that there is so much packed into your comment (soteriology etc). How much time passes between regeneration and conversion? There is a lot of argument on both sides of the coin and in theological circles. I am not sure I could answer that. I will save soteriology for another day.
As for prayer, Jesus' teachings on prayer and our approach to the Father pretty much conclude that God does not "hear" the prayer of the non-believer. He doesn't leave any room for argument. In fact in speaking of the unregenerate he calls them "sons of iniquity" or that their father is indeed the devil. He even speaks of these unregenerate people approaching God and being turned away. So no, I believe the Scriptures are very clear that prayer is only for the regenerate.
As to WHEN God begins to hear prayers and when regeneration takes place etc...I cannot answer that in any persons case. In your prayer before Christ you have to ask yourself, "In who's name was I praying?" Jesus demands that we come to the Father in prayer in his name along and also states that he is indeed the only way to the Father--no one comes to him except by him. So without Christ making intercession how can we approach a holy God with anything?
An unregenerates "answer" to prayer I believe is the product of common grace. The sun rises on the wicked and the righteous. But only a child of God can call God Father in a redemptive way. I hope this helps a bit.
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