Is it even Biblical to Pray for a Person’s Salvation?

If you were told that, probably talked to a hyper-Calvinist.

Paul didn’t ask for prayer for an utterance to be given him so he could make known the mystery of the gospel and then serve caramel apples. Eph 6:19.

Paul also prayed for the salvation of Israel in Romans 10:1. So it would be foolish to think that Paul would pray for the salvation of his Jewish nation but it is verbotten in the remainder of scripture to pray for the lost elsewhere. (And of course, for the Calvinist, if irresistible grace determines the fate of all, and this fact was known to Paul, why would he pray for their salvation?)

Moreover, if Philippians 4:6 says “…but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” what if my request is that my loved ones be saved? Is my request wrong?

[DrJamesAch]

If you were told that, probably talked to a hyper-Calvinist….

(And of course, for the Calvinist, if irresistible grace determines the fate of all, and this fact was known to Paul, why would he pray for their salvation?)

Actually, you are confusing Calvinism (monergism) with non-Calvinism (synergism) here.

Since the monergist (myself and many others) recognize that it is God alone who saves and not God and man working together, with man having the final say in whether or not he is saved (the synergistic view). AND

Since no man can know who the elect are, AND

Since Christ himself, in His high priestly prayer, prayed for those “you gave to me” (John 17:6), and did not “ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,” (John 17:20).

We most assuredly may and should pray for specific individuals to be saved.

As the spoken Word (Romans 10:14-15) is the means by which the elect come to faith, so also prayer for the lost is a means by which God accomplishes His purpose in the salvation of His people.

There was a tract put out years ago by the agency that became Moody Press that said something similar to:

God voted for you

Satan voted against you

You must cast the deciding vote

Although I cannot find a link to that tract, both a Mormon and a Church of Christ site reference the argument.

Since the synergist insists that God has made salvation POSSIBLE for all men without exception, AND

Since man’s decision for Christ is the determining factor in his salvation.

It is actually the synergist who is theologically inconsistent when HE prays for the lost, as he is asking God to DO something more for that individual than God has done for all men without exception.

A prayer for any lost individual is a MONERGISTIC prayer!

Missed you John, hope you have more time to hang around now. Excellent summary of the issue.

Chip,

I skim the threads almost every day but little time to engage!