Why Do We Pray for the Lost?

As Phil Johnson once posted,

I often ask Arminians, 'Why do you even pray for the lost? Your theology tells you God has already done everything He could possibly do to save them and now its all up to them. So why do you pray for your lost relatives? Something in you knows that God is sovereign over their hearts'."

Johnson is right. As we read through the Scripture, it is clear we are to pray for the lost. Paul prays for his fellow unbelieving Jews, "Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." (Romans 10:1)

But the Arminian almost always asks,

"Why do YOU pray for the lost if GOD already choose to save them or not."

The Bible is pretty clear on that. No one in the Reformed camp believes that divine election saves anyone, by itself. Predestination does not save. It is simply God's blueprint regarding what he intends to do in time by the redemptive work of Christ through the Holy Spirit as the church indiscriminately casts the seed of the gospel. Salvation comes only as the Holy Spirit opens the ears and hearts of his elect by grace, as they hear the gospel, disarming their hostility that they may have faith in Jesus Christ.

God ordains both the ends and the means. Our prayers and preaching is how God gathers his e"lect.

Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Related Resources

Praying for God to Save the Lost by Sam Storms

12 Prayers for God to Bring Your Friends to Know Christ by John Hendryx

Thu, 05/03/2018 - 17:35 -- john_hendryx

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