Questions 1/8/25

Does God Hear/Answer the Prayers of Unbelievers/Sinners?

God is Sovereign and Hears the Prayers

God is omniscient and hears everything, including the prayers of unbelievers or sinners.

Proverbs 15:3 ESV

3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

God Does Answer Prayers of Unbelievers/Sinners according to His Will

This seems to be based on the heart:

Scripture often associates answered prayers with righteousness and a relationship with God:

Psalm 66:18 ESV

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

John 9:31 ESV

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

However, there were other moments in scripture where we see those with genuine hearts be answered by God. Now, you could possibly argue that these people are believers

Hagar and Ishmael

Hagar cried out to God to protect her son, Ishmael. God not only protected him but also blessed him exceedingly:

Genesis 21:17 ESV

17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

The Gentile Woman's Faith

A Gentile woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon prayed that Jesus deliver her daughter from a demon, and Jesus granted her request. Although, this was Jesus’ ministry to save the lost, including Gentiles.

Mark 7:29 ESV

29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.”

2. God Answers a Repentant and Humble Heart for Salvation

Psalm 51:17 ESV

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Matthew 5:8 ESV

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If those who want to know the truth and genuinely seek God, God will answer and honor that. ornelius the Centurion

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, prayed regularly to God, and God sent Peter to share the gospel with him:

Acts 10:1–6 ESV

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

This man did not know the gospel so to say but He knew who the creator was and prayed to Him. He was a God-Fearer and God answered His prayer and brought Peter to share the gospel.

Does God Hear/Answer the Prayers of Unbelievers/Sinners?

Yes, He does according to His will. Remember, Him answering prayers may often not look like the way you want it to be answered or it might simply be a not yet. This is same for Christians.

This seems to make sense when you think of it as a believer. God answers prayers according to His will, regardless if you’re a believer or not. Now as a believer, if you continue to be more and more humble and seek God more and more, His desires become your desires, His will becomes your will, so you will see God work and answer more. Even Christians and believers will pray for their own stubbornness and God makes no guarantee of answering that sort of prayer.

As a believer though, we should have relationship with God and Christ and it should look much different than an unbeliever and I would say God grants unique powers in a way to believers because of Jesus.

Galatians 5:22-23 Scripture says we can draw near to throne of God and seek God in times of trouble and He offers peace and unbelievers I would say won’t have that prayer answered so to say without Jesus because if someone is praying for peace, the gospel is presented to them or God makes it known to them, then God is answering that prayer. It just may not quite look the same.

Are We in the End Times? How Will We Know?

Signs of the End Times

Jesus provided signs to indicate what the end times will look like:

Wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution.

Matthew 24:7 ESV

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Increase in wickedness and love growing cold.

Matthew 24:12 ESV

12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

The Return of Christ Will Be Unexpected

Matthew 24:36 ESV

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Now this might bring up another question, like how did Jesus not know if He is God and God knows all? Well it seems to be that Jesus gave up some of His heavenly privileges so to say on earth.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

The two words emptied Himself seem to imply some sort of of heavenly privileges and that makes sense. Jesus, on this earth was a human.

God is omnipresent and sovereign and can be everywhere, but Jesus was one man.

Jesus was tempted and understands and can sympathize with our weakness. He never gave in, but understands. However, scripture says that God cannot be tempted and is also not the tempter.

Living in Readiness

Regardless of timing, Christians are to live faithfully, trusting in God’s plan.

Matthew 24:44 ESV

44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

This is really important, you have no idea when Jesus is coming back, and maybe more realistically, you have no idea on when you are going to die.

Live like you’re in heaven. But in heaven, you will be working still for God because work, done well and properly and in balance, is good. Work was created before the fall, not after. You are created to glorify God and worship Him. Do that now, do not wait.

Honestly, I don’t many of us think of heaven and that’s probably not good. The bible mentions many times that thinking of that city that He has prepared for us, gives us hope.

But you don’t know when Jesus is coming back, live like He’s coming back tomorrow. What would you do differently? Be ready.