The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Anjela Paje of Spokane, WA, from the tape, GC 1301-I, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 11."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1980. All Rights Reserved.

Question

Can God hear a Jew's prayers? Prayers of a Jew? Or, really, any unbeliever?

Answer

Of course, God hears everything. The question is whether He answers. The answer, really, to that is that God is under no obligation at all to answer the prayers of an unbeliever. Certainly, He hears them, because nothing escapes His understanding, right? But, He has absolutely no responsibility to answer. In fact, a Christian living in disobedience will not get his prayers answered, either. You know what it says; it says in 1 Peter 3, that we need to make sure our relationship to our wife is right lest our prayers be hindered. So, even our own prayers would be hindered in terms of God’s response if our lives aren’t right. Now, I’m convinced that there are times when God works in the life of an unbeliever for his own causes and his own providences. But, it is for His will and His purposes, not because He is bound in any sense, like if an unsaved person, you know, so many times their child is injured or is ill, and then, they start turning to God and asking God to protect their child or to save the child. God is under no responsible obligation to respond to that whatever. None, at all. The Bible is, over and over, telling us that He hears and answers the prayers of His children. But, He does not have any responsibility to answer the prayers of those who are not His children because they’re not in His family. And, as I say, in His providence, He may choose to do certain things that appear that they are. I mean, some people do get well, and people think, maybe, God answered. But, that was in His providence, and not in response, necessarily, to their prayers.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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