You Can't Pray For Someone To Get Saved

Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

I have often heard Christians say such unbiblical things as, “I am praying for his salvation” or “Please pray for so and so to come to Christ.” Unfortunately, all such praying is in vain, simply because God has given to every human being a free will to decide for ourselves. God never forces anybody to trust His only begotten Son to be saved.

If you are concerned about someone's eternal destination, then all you can do is pray for God to give them another opportunity to be saved. You can pray for God to work in their life and heart with Holy Spirit conviction. But you cannot pray for God to make someone get saved.

I don't like it when people ask me to pray for someone's salvation, because that is not a reasonable prayer request. John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Carefully notice that Jesus didn't say “ye cannot come”; but rather, “ye will not come.” God offers His “free gift” (Romans 5:15-18) of eternal life to every human being.

I vehemently detest the heresies of reprobate John Calvin (1509-1564), who is sadly burning in Hell forever. Calvin foolishly taught that Christ didn't die for all men (aka, the heresy of “Limited Atonement”). What saith the Scripture? 1st John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” The inspired Word of God couldn't be more clear that Jesus died for ALL MEN, not just for the saints. Sadly, Pastor Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a 2-point Calvinist who taught the same tommyrot, poppycock and balderdash of Limited Atonement. Spurgeon also taught the Calvinist heresy of the Perseverance of the Saints (aka, the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation).

You can pray for God to send a soulwinner to share the Gospel with a lost person, but you cannot pray for their salvation. Granted, I think when most people pray for a lost sinner's “salvation,” they don't literally mean for God to force them to be saved; but rather, to work in that person's life in hope that at some point in the future they will come to Christ in faith to be saved. So, I wouldn't criticize someone for praying for another sinner's salvation.

That being said, I wrote this blog to teach you that God never forces anyone to respond favorably to the light of the truth of the Gospel. Jesus plainly said in John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” That is why we are told in Jude 1:22-23, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” We certainly can and should do all that is possible to lead lost sinners to Jesus with the Gospel, but they alone must make the decision, we cannot make it for them.