DOES GOD ALMIGHTY HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THE WICKED?
“Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
–John 9:31
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
–Proverbs 15:8
A recent discussion touched upon the topic of whether it does any good for the wicked to pray to God.
ONE point of view offered that “God does not hear the prayer of sinners.”
ANOTHER countered “Then how is it possible for ANYONE to be saved, seeing as all men are sinners?”
“They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
–Psalm 14:3
God’s Word is clear: God will not hear the wicked.
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”
–Psalm 66:18
“He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”
–Proverbs 28:9
Then how does anyone obtain salvation–which is alone through God’s mercy?
From Matthew Poole’s Commentary:
God is under no covenant obligation to hear sinners; they can challenge no such favour upon the account of any promise: but God, out of the aboundings of his goodness, may hear them, as he heard Ahab and others; he may hear them as his creatures crying in their misery, though he hears them not as children, or upon the account of any covenant.
There are many verses in God’s Word which confirm that God will not hear the prayers of the wicked. Most likely because God knows the hearts of men. The prayers of the wicked to God are usually for two reasons
- For the benefit of other men who can hear or be told of such prayers;
- Out of desperation; i.e.; nothing else worked and a prayer to God is the only thing left to try.
“Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.”
–Jeremiah 11:11
“When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
–Jeremiah 14:12
“Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”
–Ezekiel 8:18
It is said (by men) that the only prayer of the wicked which God hears is a prayer for salvation.
Make that any SINCERE prayer for salvation.
HOWEVER, God saves who he wants to save. None deserve His mercy.
“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
–Romans 9:15
So: IF one has not underwent the transformation into the kingdom of heaven, what can one do?
The following are three suggestions.
1 Pray to God Almighty to not be deceived.
God knows men’s hearts: God will honor the honest prayer.
“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”
–Proverbs 11:3
2 Pray to God Almighty for mercy.
IF the prayer is sincere, God will hear.
“And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”
–Exodus 33:19
3 AS ALWAYS, eternal salvation is through a belief on Jesus Christ. Believe on Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to intercede. Jesus prays for ALL believers.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
–John 14:6
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
–1Timothy 2:5
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word”
–John 17:6,20
HAS the reader put a sincere belief in Jesus Christ on the back burner?
IS the reader keeping repentance and belief in Jesus Christ as a “Plan B” if his own (worldly) plans do not bear fruit?
THOUGH time grows short, there is still yet a little time left to change direction (repent) and call upon the name of the LORD.
Do not wait until it is too late.
Is your calling and election sure?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE
- The Mercy of the Lord
- Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
- God’s Call to Sinners
- Tender Mercies of the Lord: Will Not Always Be Available
- Safety in the Midst of Chaos: God’s Protection
- The Nature of Spiritual Deception
[A portion of this piece originally appeared in There is no Political Solution to a Spiritual Problem.]
RELATED ARTICLES
- END TIMES WARNINGS: Trying to Warn the Deceived
- Do You Know if You are Going to Heaven? Be Sure!
- End Times Apostasy: Storm Warning for the Churches
- WARNING: Seven Warnings for the End Times
- DISOBEDIENCE and REBELLION: The Wisdom of Man OR the Word of God?
- Apostate Church: Breaking Every Chain
- Persecution, Tribulation, Troubles, Trials: What the Bible says to Christians
by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: ETPR file/pd
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-17. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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