If God Elects, Why Pray for the Unconverted?
The answer to that question is not as direct as I could wish.
Several statements bring us to a conclusion:
We are commanded, encouraged, and privileged to pray – to make petitions of our God (I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray continually!” and other verses) We are told that prayer is one of the means God has ordained by which he acts (James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Somehow God incorporates our prayers into his sovereign working. This is a mystery to me but I know God commands us to pray.
We are told to pray for those things which are God’s will. John 14:13 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (See also John 15:7 for the same idea – our prayers need to be consistent with his will, his word. God’s will is that those he has chosen will come to Jesus and be granted eternal life. John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
We are specifically told to pray for boldness in witness and for more workers to witness. Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Luke 10:2 “He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Conclusion: Praying for the unsaved is not only proper but important. Prayer is a means God uses to accomplish his purposes. We don’t know who God will effectively call but it is not our place to know; it is our place to pray, to witness and trust God’s purposes and power.
John 14:13 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Luke 10:2 “He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.