Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“To Hear Or Not To Hear”
Categories: DOCTRINE, GOD, PRAYER, RELATIONSHIPS, WORSHIPDoes God answer the prayers of non-christians? I know it says in the Bible that if you are not baptized, Jesus does not know you. So does He listen to everybody's prayers and then just answer those of His people? What about christians that have fallen away from the church?
Sincerely, Asking To Be Heard
Dear Asking To Be Heard,
God recognizes the prayers of the faithful only. There is no doubt that God hears the prayers of christians (Jas 5:16). God hears the prayers of the righteous, but He is far from the wicked (Pr 15:29). God is constantly listening to hear the prayers of christians, but He sets His face against those who do evil. God says that even a christian who isn’t treating others well (specifically their spouse) will have their prayers hindered (1 Pet 3:7).
God does not answer the prayers of those who are ungodly. When Israel turned away from God, He stopped answering their prayers (Micah 3:4). When Judah became wicked and followed false teachings, He stopped hearing their prayers and accepting their worship (Isa 1:13-15). The same would hold true for those who fall away today. God will stop listening to and answering their prayers. It isn’t that He doesn’t hear them - He simply ignores their requests. Those outside of Christ are promised that if they seek God, they will find Him (Lk 11:9). All of mankind has the ability to ask for truth and find it, but only christians can ask God as a child asks a father (Mat 7:11). The ability to seek God’s help through prayer is a blessing given only to those who serve God (Jhn 9:31).
