The sinner is separated from Christ...and God does not hear the prayers of sinners. (punishment, belief)
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It's interesting that you used the term "conversion" here. In many ways the story of Cornelius reveals to us that he was in-fact regenerated (born of the Spirit) before being converted to the faith, as it were, or even before having heard the Gospel. Here is an article (written from a reformed perspective) that illustrates this idea with convincing arguments:
Our conversion, and being born of the Spirit, are not necessarily the same thing, nor do they necessarily have to happen at the same time, IMO.
Actually, I am not argueing that he wasn't a believer, my point was he was a Gentile at the time, according to the Jews was outside of the covenant. But God still heard his prayer then and obviously heard his prayers before. Which is the point, I was trying to make. He was a sinner before he became what the bible calls one who feared God, who was outside of the covenant who was not Jewish.. I'm sure he wasn't a devout man before he came to God, he was a sinner.
Last edited by Miss Shawn_2828; 10-19-2010 at 08:43 PM..
Jesus is God and was among sinners and listened to sinners and forgave their sins. How many times do we hear Him say, your sins are forgiven. He is God and He heard them and forgave as He saw fit. We see God answering the prayers of the sinners as we see Him answering them while He is walking the earth.
Jesus is God and was among sinners and listened to sinners and forgave their sins. How many times do we hear Him say, your sins are forgiven. He is God and He heard them and forgave as He saw fit. We see God answering the prayers of the sinners as we see Him answering them while He is walking the earth.
He was working through his father, and we are allowed to forgive sins as well.
2 Corinthians 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,
Colossians 3:13. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
He was working through his father, and we are allowed to forgive sins as well.
2 Corinthians 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,
Colossians 3:13. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Jesus and the Father were working as one. Still the point is, God heard the prayer of a sinner.
Actually, I am not argueing that he wasn't a believer, my point was he was a Gentile at the time, according to the Jews was outside of the covenant. But God still heard his prayer then and obviously heard his prayers before. Which is the point, I was trying to make. He was a sinner before he became what the bible calls one who feared God, who was outside of the covenant who was not Jewish.. I'm sure he wasn't a devout man before he came to God, he was a sinner.
I'm in agreement with you here . We're all sinners before coming to God, or rather before God comes to us.
I believe too that God can and will guide sinners, even when they don't ask for his guidance. God knows their hearts and what is best for their ailment, even when they don't seek God. Jesus is the great Physician. He cures even the inner sins that would seek to prevent Him from healing us.
Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Pro 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD , that shall stand.
Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD ; how can a man then understand his own way?
Jer 10:23 O LORD , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Please pardon my posting skills, unfortunately they are not very clear sometimes .
I'm in agreement with you here . We're all sinners before coming to God, or rather before God comes to us.
I believe too that God can and will guide sinners, even when they don't ask for his guidance. God knows their hearts and what is best for their ailment, even when they don't seek God. Jesus is the great Physician. He cures even the inner sins that would seek to prevent Him from healing us.
Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Pro 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD , that shall stand.
Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD ; how can a man then understand his own way?
Jer 10:23 O LORD , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Please pardon my posting skills, unfortunately they are not very clear sometimes .
Yes, I agree. I guess it confuses me a little when I hear someone say that God doesn't hear or answer the prayers of sinners. If that was the case we would be in big trouble. Oh, it's cool, I'm not clear all the time either.
I'm in agreement with you here . We're all sinners before coming to God, or rather before God comes to us.
I believe too that God can and will guide sinners, even when they don't ask for his guidance. God knows their hearts and what is best for their ailment, even when they don't seek God. Jesus is the great Physician. He cures even the inner sins that would seek to prevent Him from healing us.
Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Pro 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD , that shall stand.
Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD ; how can a man then understand his own way?
Jer 10:23 O LORD , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
AMEN!!
There is a subtle but very very important difference here.
If God is TRULY in control, TRULY the Good Shepherd, TRULY Love, the He is responsible for getting man into heaven.
You can't have it both ways: either God is in control, or man is in control.
Christianity says that man is in control.
God says that HE is in control.
Who should we believe??
Hello, Verna hope you are having a pleasant day today. You know I use to hear the saying that God does not hear the sinner. But I personally don't believe that God doesn't hear them. I know that God can turn His ear away, but He can hear them.
Just think about it, if God never heard sinners, He never would have heard us when we finally came to Him. When we made our confession, we were not yet baptized, we made the confession with our mouth, which means that God had to forgive us, thus hear the sinner. Then we went through the rest of what was needed to complete our walk with God. We are all born into sin, so we have a sin nature, but yes we must be born again to make it into the Kingdom of God.
So, we may believe in something different on this matter. But to me God hears the sinner. I am not for just reading about stories about people lives and believing them. But I hear of people who denied God which is a sin making them a sinner but then confessed with their mouth and God came into their heart instantly.
So, I am thankful that God heard me because if He didn't there is no one in the world who could have saved me.
If you look at the conversion of Cornelius who was a Gentile, who was outside of the covenant before Gentiles were even considered. He wasn't baptized, He wasn't, circumsized, but He prayed to the one True God, but it still wasn't enough to save Him. As He fasted, an angel appeared to Him, which lets us know that God heard His prayers. Then Peter was sent to Him, and thus we read the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles, who were sinners.
God says who ever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. We read of sinners prayers who were answered.
Hagar asked God to protect her son Ishmael (Genesis 21:14-19). God not only protected Ishmael, God blessed him exceedingly.
The Gentile woman from the Tyre and Sidon area prayed that Jesus would deliver her daughter from a demon (Mark 7:24-30). Jesus cast the demon out of the woman’s daughter.
The people of Nineveh prayed that Nineveh might be spared (Jonah 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineveh as He had threatened.
So, yes, there are instances in which God does not answer the prayers of an unbeliever. At the same time, in His grace and mercy, God can intervene in the lives of unbelievers in response to their prayers. Also, when God calls a person to repentance, they are unsaved or not born again.
So, it depends on the circumstance and the faith of the individual whether God will hear and answer their prayers. I mean when God calls the person they are in a sinful state, a sinner. So, to be saved, God has to hear them, because they have to pray to God in their unsaved state and believe what God says that He will do. If God didn't hears the sinners prayer, then there would be no use in praying to God to be saved.
We all are born in sin, which makes us sinners. If God never heard the sinners prayer, then it wouldn't make sense to create sinners if He was never going to hear there prayers. But hey, this is what I believe.
Good morning Miss Shawn...I don't think you quite understand what I mean, as we do agree in many aspects. I've said that God sets His face against those who do evil...who willfully sin and are wicked...who love and live in their iniquities...but that He absolutely does hear a sinners' humble, honest, heart felt cry for help. Yes, only then.
Blessings to you sweet friend.
In Christ's love..and prayerfully in His truth,
Verna. [/quote]
Good morning Miss Shawn...I don't think you quite understand what I mean, as we do agree in many aspects. I've said that God sets His face against those who do evil...who willfully sin and are wicked...who love and live in their iniquities...but that He absolutely does hear a sinners' humble, honest, heart felt cry for help. Yes, only then.
Blessings to you sweet friend.
In Christ's love..and prayerfully in His truth,
Verna.
[/quote]
Oh, ok, I thought you were saying that God didn't hear a sinners prayer at all. There are some who believe that. Take care
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. We're all sinners before coming to God, or rather before God comes to us. 
