Why do you pray for somebody else's salvation?

Question

Now before you annoying smart-asses leave your snide remarks, keep in mind this question is directed toward people who do, in fact, pray for other people's salvation. If you don't pray for other people's salvation, the move on. This question is not addressed to you.

To the rest of you, let me explain why I'm asking this question. Most people believe that our decision to embrace the gospel is a free will decision. If it's not by our own free will, then it's not genuine. I often hear people say that love that isn't freely chosen isn't really love at all.

With that being the case, why pray for somebody's salvation? Aren't you, in essence, asking God to DO something to CAUSE somebody to choose to embrace Christ? What do you expect God to do in answer to that prayer?

frndofzion, you've got me all wrong. I didn't give you a thumb down, and I'm not asking this to make anybody feel stupid. I'm asking this because I believe in divine election (I'm a Calvinist), and I'm trying to understand people who do NOT believe in divine election.

Answer 1

When I pray for someone's salvation, I'm just praying that God will show that person His truth. Whether they respond to that truth or not is up to them.

Answer 2

When I pray for someone who may be "unsaved" I ask G-d to help that person to see Him with clear vision so that they may make a choice freely and perhaps make a heart felt, personal decision for Christ, if that is then the person's desire. I for one, sometimes cannot know what I desire, until I can understand or see the options clearly. Then I can know what options are really there for me and what I might like to choose. G-d can reveal Himself to people in different ways. But if they still don't want to believe or come to Jesus, then that is thier choice. G-d will never manipulate or force anyone to do or not do anything.

Answer 3

If you truly want what is best for your neighbour ("love thy neighbour"), then you'd want that neighbour to be saved (same as you want to be saved, correct?). This salvation might entail God revealing Himself to that person in a way that helps the person to decide if they want to worship Him. Since I believe salvation can even start after death (I believe that there is some kind of purgatory), I see no problem in praying for souls who have passed on. Salvation ideally starts in this life, and gets completed afterwards. It's an on-going process during the life of a Christian; not a one-time occurrence during this life (not like a light switch suddenly flipping on).

Answer 4

Not the way you state it. I pray that the God will allow that person to be free of hindrances so that HE might be seen as HE truly is, unshaded by man's embellishments or detractions. I ask that seeds be implanted that might grow into realization that Jesus Christ is real and wants to fellowship with them. In away, yes I am asking that certain things be done, but I am not asking God to force anything on the person being prayed for.

Answer 5

You Pray Because You Care For Them
I Mainly Pray For Relatives Etc.

You Pray To GOd To KEep THem Safe
BUt NOt LYk Make Him Give Me A Game Etc.

Answer 6

When I pray for some one's salvation, I know that God is not going to force them to believe, because that is not how He operates.

Demons are working to cloud unsaved people's minds and keep them from knowing the truth. I believe my prayers strengthen the angels who minister to that person and help create an environment where that person can more freely and accurately perceive the God who is reaching out to them in love.

I believe our prayers make a difference in people's lives. God likes to work through His children to reach other people. Plus praying for other people helps us to keep our minds off ourselves and helps us remember spiritual priorities.

Prayer can help a person see and hear the God who loves them, instead of being blinded by their prejudices, preconceptions and fears. Prayer works to change things in the spiritual realm.

God never forces anyone to be saved. He's given His life for ours, an extraordinary gift. He won't make anyone accept the gift. But we can pray that they'll be prompted to keep picking up the package and looking at it, considering it, thinking about it. Maybe eventually they'll decide to accept it for themselves, and get the treasure inside.

Answer 7

"Why do you pray for somebody else's salvation?" - Because I want them to be happier than they are when I become aware of their life. If I notice that somethings not kosher - then that person needs intervention by GOD. No one should be sadder than me, right?
"What do you expect God to do in answer to that prayer?" - What ever GOD wants - I doubt he listens to a sinner like me first off, but I never think I am making GOD do anything, just asking for more attention to one of GODs creatures, a little extra care. "Heh, teacher Mike needs more help with this problem!" - that's what I do. Tell on people to my teacher :)
"Aren't you, in essence, asking God to DO something to CAUSE somebody to choose to embrace Christ?" - No. Why does GOD only help Christians? I never think that. I think GOD does whatever is needed to move his/her plan along to fulfillment. Only humans think in separationist terms (Your religion - not his or hers or mine) - GOD only sees his/her creations living on the planets she/he made in the universe she/he made - for what purpose no human knows.
Maybe GOD sent Jesus, to the last place on earth to hear these teachings, the Mediterranean area, and Europe, when the rest of the planet heard these teachings already? Doesn't change anything but the need for humans to understand GOD has been - and always will be - supporting us and walking next to us as we mature, and advance into what he/she intends - as part of the plan GOD has put in motion. That's why all the teachings sound so similar - because they all come from GOD but are written by man, who is short lived and has free will - to follow freely or not.

Answer 8

praying for someone can reach out scilently where actions and words can't. This is done by:

1. simply associating yourself with that person, meaning you're not a pedistel above him. It's an act of solidarity in the figtht against that person's sinfulness. It's also a gesture of forgiveness if the person hurt you.

2. To aleviate the pain inflicted on God from our sins. Remeber, God is a suffering God. He asks us, no, he pleads us to beg for mercy for ourselves and the wole world, in order to aleviate his passion*

3. To ask God for more time on behalf of that person - remeber the parable of the fig tree that didn't bear fruit?

4 To receive compassion from God, who gives it freely. Only with compassion can we forgive. Our forgiveness is a reflection of God's forgiveness since all of our graces come from God. And if the person knows we forgave, he might be surprised and start to ask himself why.

this is why I pray for others.... all the best.

Answer 9

Persons don't get themselves saved. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, must draw these persons towards repentance and salvation.

We pray that God will send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to these persons and convict them of their sinfulness.

Here then is the design of prayer: not that God's will may be altered (for it cannot), but that it may be accomplished in His own good time and way. It is because God has promised certain things that we can ask for them with the full assurance of faith. It is God's purpose that His will is brought about by His own appointed means, and that He may do His people good upon His own terms, and that is, by the 'means' and 'terms' of entreaty and supplication. Did not Christ know for certain that after His death and resurrection He would be exalted by the Father? Of course He did. Yet we find Christ asking for this very thing: "And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." (John 17:5)! Didn’t Christ know that none of His people could perish? Yet He sought God the Father to "keep" them (John 17:11)!

It should be remembered that God's will is immutable, and cannot be altered by our pleas. When the mind of God is not toward a people to do them good, it cannot be turned to them by the most fervent and troublesome prayer of those who have the greatest interest in Him: "Then the LORD said to me, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!" (Jer. 15:1). Similarly, the prayers of Moses to enter the Promised Land are another example.

Our prayers are in the predestination, and that God has as much ordained His people's prayers as anything else He has ordained, so when we pray we are producing links in the chain of ordained facts. Destiny decrees that we should pray—we pray; destiny decrees that we shall be answered, and the answer comes to me.

Answer 10

We do it because it is part of the Great Commission. HE asked us to. I am praying for you now. See, no man can come to GOD unless GOD calls him. We pray for GOD to soften your hearts and to take off the blinders so you can see what it is you are headed for.
Now, I know you are going to read this and give me a "thumbs down" cause I do not think you really want an "answer" to this question, I think you just want to make us feel stupid.
That's okay, you gave us another chance to tell how wonderful GOD is and how much you need HIM.