11

PRAYING FOR THE LOST

Charles Spurgeon related well the priority all Christians must give to praying for the lost:

The soul-winner must be a master of the art of prayer. You cannot bring souls to God if you go not to God yourself. You must get your battle-ax, and your weapons of war, from the armoury of sacred communication with Christ. If you are much alone with Jesus, you will catch His Spirit; you will be fired with the flame that burned in His breast, and consumed His life. You will weep with the tears that fell upon Jerusalem when He saw it perishing; and if you cannot speak so eloquently as He did, yet shall there be about what you say somewhat of the same power which in Him thrilled the hearts and awoke the consciences of men. My dear hearers, especially you members of the church, I am always so anxious lest any of you should begin to lie upon your oars, and take things easy in the matters of God’s kingdom. There are some of you—I bless you, and I bless God at the remembrance of you—who are in season, and out of season, in earnest for winning souls, and you are the truly wise; but I fear there are others whose hands are slack, who are satisfied to let me preach, but do not themselves preach; who take these seats, and occupy these pews, and hope the cause goes well, but that is all they do.1

What Christian does not pray for the salvation of friends and loved ones who do not know the Lord? Yet we must have a broader outlook than that. Scripture supports the perspective that we should all pray for the lost in general.

The Bible gives several examples of prayer for those outside salvation. In Numbers 14:19, Moses prayed, “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” He cried out to God for the forgiveness of the sinning Israelites.

Samuel the prophet also prayed for Israel’s salvation. In 1 Samuel 7:3–5 we read:

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone. Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

Later in 1 Samuel, after rebuking them for their sin in demanding a king, he said, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way” (12:23).

The New Testament relates the testimony of Stephen. While being stoned to death, he prayed what amounted to a prayer for his executioners’ salvation: “They went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59–60).

Paul had a deep desire for the salvation of his fellow Israelites. He expressed that desire in Romans 9:1–4: “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites.” That deep concern could not help but find expression in his prayer life: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation” (Rom. 10:1).

The Bible, then, clearly expresses the appropriateness and propriety of praying for the lost. In addition to the examples noted above, evangelistic praying is the express teaching of 1 Timothy 2:1–8. These verses are polemical in nature; they confront a problem in the Ephesian church. Since Paul here commanded prayer for the lost, we may conclude that such praying had slipped from the priority it should have been at Ephesus.

Since the scope of the gospel call is universal, Paul showed the need to pray for all men. The goal of the church, like Israel before it, is to reach the world with the saving truth of God. Israel failed to be the faithful nation by which God could reach the world, and the responsibility has been passed to the church. Paul wrote out of concern that the exclusivity that caused Israel to fail in her mission should not cripple the church. However, history shows that the church has, in fact, become content with itself and often neglectful of sinners.

The central function of the church on earth is to reach the lost. Paul knew that the Ephesians would never do that as long as they maintained their selfish exclusivism. To carry out their mission in the world, they must be made to understand the breadth of the gospel call. And the first feature in understanding that is to come to grips with evangelistic praying.

The Nature of Evangelistic Prayer

Paul wrote, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made” (1 Tim. 2:1). While the first three terms Paul uses are virtually synonymous, there are among them some subtle shades of meaning that enrich our concept of prayer. Entreaties refers to prayer that arises from a sense of need. Knowing what is lacking, we plead with God to supply it. As we look out on the masses of lost humanity, the enormity of the need should drive us to our knees in evangelistic prayer.

The seventeenth-century English Puritan Richard Baxter wrote:

Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbours. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved? If so, you have sufficient cause to pity yourselves, for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with grace.… Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labour with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls, or the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them; and wilt thou not help them when their souls are almost at the fire of hell?2

Prayers refers simply to prayer in general. Unlike entreaties, in Scripture the term is used only in reference to God. It thus carries with it a unique element of worship and reverence. Prayer for the lost is ultimately directed at God as an act of worship, because the salvation of sinners causes them to give glory to Him.

The Greek word translated petitions comes from a root word meaning “to fall in with someone.” The verb form is used to speak of both Christ’s and the Spirit’s intercession for us (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:26). The Members of the Trinity identify with our needs and become involved in our struggles, revealing empathy, sympathy, and compassion. Praying for the lost should never be cold, detached, or impersonal, like a public defender assigned to represent a defendant. Understanding the depths of their misery and pain, and their coming doom, we must cry to God for the salvation of sinners.

Thanksgivings is the fourth element in evangelistic prayers. We pray with a spirit of gratitude to God that the gospel offer has been extended, that we have the privilege of reaching the lost with that gospel, and that some respond with faith and repentance.

These four nuances enrich our prayers as we pray effectively for the lost. If they are missing, we need to examine our hearts. Do we fully realize the desperate condition the lost are in? Do we really want to see God glorified by the salvation of souls? Do we sympathize with the compelling reality of their lost souls, both for time and eternity? Are we thankful the gospel message is extended to all and for our privilege of sharing it? If those components are lacking in our hearts, we will be indifferent. Often we are indifferent simply because we are not obedient to those urgings.

The Scope of Evangelistic Prayer

We are to offer those prayers “on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1–2). As we discovered in the previous chapter, our prayers are all too often narrowly confined to personal needs and wants and rarely extend beyond those of our immediate circle of friends and family. In sharp contrast, however, Paul called for evangelistic prayer “on behalf of all men.” There is no place for selfishness or exclusivity. We are not to try to limit either the gospel call or our evangelistic prayers to the elect. After all, we have no means of knowing who the elect are until they respond to the gospel call. Moreover, we are told that God desires all to be saved (2:4). He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather delights when sinners turn from their evil ways and live (Ezek. 33:11). So prayer for the salvation of the lost is perfectly consistent with the heart of God. He has commanded all men to repent (Acts 17:30). We must pray that they will do so, and that they will embrace the salvation offered to all (Titus 2:11).

Out of the universal group of “all men,” Paul specifically singled out some who might otherwise be neglected in evangelistic prayer: “kings and all who are in authority.” Because ancient (and modern) rulers are so often tyrannical, and even disrespectful of the Lord and His people, they are targets of bitterness and animosity. They are also remote, not part of the everyday lives of believers. Hence there is a tendency to be indifferent toward them.

To neglect them is a serious sin because of the authority and responsibility leaders have. Paul’s injunction here called for the Ephesian assembly to pray for the emperor, who at that time was the cruel and vicious blasphemer Nero. Although he was a vile, debauched persecutor of the faith, they were still to pray for his redemption. For the sake of their eternal souls, we should pray that all “kings and all who are in authority” would repent of their sins and believe the gospel.

Paul did not command us to pray for the removal from office of evil rulers or those with whom we disagree politically. We are to be loyal and submissive to our government (Rom. 13:1–5; 1 Peter 2:17). If the church today took the effort it spends on political maneuvering and lobbying and poured that energy into intercessory prayer, we might see a profound impact on our nation. We all too often forget that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4). The key to changing a nation is the salvation of sinners, and that calls for faithful prayer.

The Benefit of Evangelistic Prayer

The benefit to praying for the lost is actually quite profound: “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2). Prayer for those in authority will create societal conditions favorable for the church’s evangelistic efforts. First of all, when believers are committed to praying for all their leaders, it removes any thought of rebellion or resistance against them. Instead the people of Christ are turned into peacemakers, not reactionaries. As Paul wrote to Titus:

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. (Titus 3:1–3)

Here Paul again called the believers to tranquility and submissiveness to the pagan or apostate governments over them. We can do so because we understand that they are sinners like we used to be, incapable of righteousness.

When believers begin to pray unceasingly for the lost, especially their troublesome leaders, unbelievers begin to see Christians as virtuous, peace-loving, compassionate, and transcendent, seeking after their welfare. Once unsaved people realize we pose no threat to society, it is easier for us to be treated as welcome friends. And as more come to saving faith through the prayers of Christians, the favorable conditions for the church could increase.

The Absence of Disturbance

The church that is obedient to this mandate will “lead a tranquil and quiet life.” The Greek words translated “tranquil” and “quiet” are rare adjectives. The former, appearing only here in the New Testament, refers to the absence of outside disturbances. The latter, appearing only here and in 1 Peter 3:4, refers to the absence of internal disturbances. When the church manifests its love and goodness toward all and pours itself into compassionate, concerned prayer for the lost, it will lessen the hostility that may exist toward it. As a result, the saints may enjoy freedom from both internal and external disturbances.

The church, while remaining uncompromising in its commitment to the truth, is not to be the agitator and disrupter of the national life. That is the clear teaching of Scripture. If we are persecuted, it must be for Christ’s sake, for the sake of righteous living (cf. 1 Peter 2:13–23).

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul commanded the Thessalonian believers “to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.” Christians are to be known for their quiet demeanor, not for making disturbances. Unbelievers should see us as quiet, loyal, diligent, virtuous people. Although we may hate the evil world system that is the enemy of God, we are not to see those in it as our personal enemies. They are captives of the real enemy, the devil (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24–26). They are not our enemies; they are our mission field.

The Presence of Holiness

To promote a “tranquil and quiet life,” believers must pursue “godliness and dignity.” Godliness translates “eusebeia,” a common word in the Pastoral Epistles. It carries the idea of reverence toward God. Believers should live for the majesty, holiness, love, and glory of God.

Semnot∑s [], translated “dignity,” could be translated “moral earnestness.” Godliness can refer to a proper attitude, dignity to proper behavior. Thus believers are to be marked by a commitment to morality; holy motives must result in holy behavior. Both contribute to the tranquility and quietness of our lives.

That is not to say, however, that the Christian life will be free of problems. “Indeed,” Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:12, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” The Christian life is a war against Satan and the forces of evil. Paul himself was beaten and imprisoned for his faith. His point in this passage, however, is that if we incur animosity and suffer persecution, it is to be for nothing other than our godly attitude and behavior. We must not provoke negative responses by being a disruptive force in society.

The Reasons for Evangelistic Prayer

Why should we pray for the lost? Paul gave the answer in one of the most powerful and dramatic passages in all Scripture on the saving purpose of God:

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1 Tim. 2:3–7)

Morally Right

God defines prayer for the lost as the noble and spiritually proper thing to do, and our consciences agree. The lost suffer the agony of sin, shame, and meaninglessness in this life and the unrelenting agony of eternal hell in the life to come. Knowing that, our most excellent task is to pray for their salvation.

Some might argue the contrary, pointing out that Jesus said in John 17:9, “I do not ask on behalf of the world.” But there, Christ was praying as the great High Priest for God’s elect. Because He is the sovereign, omniscient Deity, His prayer was specific in a way ours cannot be. He was praying exclusively for the salvation of those whom He loved and chose before the foundation of the world to be partakers of every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3–4). “The world” was specifically excluded from the saving design of His prayer.

Our prayers, however, are not the prayers of a high priest; we pray as ambassadors of Christ, whose task it is to beseech men and women on His behalf to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20). We are therefore commanded to offer our “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings … on behalf of all men” (1 Tim. 2:1). Our earnest desire ought to be for the salvation of all sinners (cf. Rom. 9:3; 10:1). We are not to try to limit evangelism to the elect.

There are three reasons we must not limit our evangelism. First, we are commanded to preach to everyone in the world (Matt. 28:19–20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46–47). Second, God’s decree of election is secret. We do not know who the elect are and have no way of knowing until they respond to the gospel. Third, the scope of God’s evangelistic purposes is broader than election. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). Even Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer embraces the world in this important regard. Our Lord prayed for unity among the elect so that the truth of the gospel would be made clear to the world: “that the world may believe that You sent Me … that the world may know that You sent Me” (John 17:21, 23). God’s call to all sinners is a bona fide and sincere invitation to salvation: “‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezek. 33:11).

Consistent with God’s Desire

In some inscrutable sense, God’s desire for the world’s salvation is different from His eternal saving purpose. We can understand this to some degree from a human perspective; after all, our purposes frequently differ from our desires. We may desire, for example, to spend a day at leisure, yet a higher purpose compels us to go to work instead. Similarly God’s saving purposes transcend His desires. (There is a crucial difference, of course: We might be compelled by circumstances beyond our control to choose what we do not desire. But God’s choices are determined by nothing other than His own sovereign, eternal purpose.)

God genuinely “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Yet, in “the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11), He chose only the elect “out of the world” (John 17:6) and passed over the rest, leaving them to the damning consequences of their sin (cf. Rom. 1:18–32). The culpability for their damnation rests entirely on them because of their sin and rejection of God. God is not to blame for their unbelief.

Since God “desires all men to be saved,” we are not required to ascertain that a person is elect before praying for that person’s salvation. God alone knows who all the elect are (2 Tim. 2:19). We may pray “on behalf of all men” with full assurance that such prayers are “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” After all, “The LORD is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Ps. 145:8–9).

The Lord eagerly accepts prayer for the lost because it is consistent with His desire for their salvation. Such prayer is also consistent with His nature as Savior. His saving character is manifested through His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5–6).

God is the “Savior of all men” in a temporal sense, but “especially of believers” in an eternal sense (1 Tim. 4:10).

When God “desires all men to be saved,” He is being consistent with who He is. In Isaiah 45:22, God said, “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 55:1 invites “every one who thirsts” to “come to the waters” of salvation. Again, in Ezekiel 18:23, 32, God stated very clearly that He does not desire that the wicked should perish but that they would sincerely repent (cf. 33:11). In the New Testament, Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

No true biblical theology can teach that God takes pleasure in the damnation of the wicked. Yet, even so, God will receive glory even in the just condemnation of unbelievers (cf. Rom. 9:22–23). How His electing grace and predestined purpose can stand beside His love for the world and desire that the gospel be preached to all people, still holding them responsible for their own rejection and condemnation, is a divine mystery. The Scriptures affirm God’s love for the world, His displeasure in judging sinners, His desire for all to hear the gospel and be saved. They also teach that every sinner is incapable yet responsible to believe and will be damned if he does not. Crowning the Scriptures’ teaching on this matter is the great truth that God has elected all believers and loved them before the world began.

To “come to the knowledge of the truth” speaks of salvation. Epignøsis [] (“knowledge”) is used four times in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; 3:7; Titus 1:1), and in each occurrence it refers to the true knowledge that brings about salvation. Far from desiring their damnation, God desires the lost to come to a saving knowledge of the truth.

Some have argued that 1 Timothy 2:3–7 teaches universalism. If God desires the salvation of all men, they argue, then all will be saved, or God won’t get what He wants. Others argue that what God wills comes to pass, because “all men” refers to all classes of people, not every individual. Neither of those positions is necessary, however. We must distinguish between God’s will of decree (His eternal purpose) and His will expressed as desire. Desire is not from boulomai, which would be more likely to express God’s will of decree, but from thelø [], which Paul used in 1 Timothy 2 and can refer to God’s will of desire. This is precisely the distinction theologians often make between God’s secret will and His revealed will.

God desires many things that He does not decree. It was never God’s desire that sin exist; yet the undeniable existence of sin proves that even it fulfills His eternal purposes (Isa. 46:10)—though in no sense is He the author of sin (James 1:13).

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matt. 23:37). John Murray and Ned B. Stonehouse wrote, “We have found that God Himself expresses an ardent desire for the fulfillment of certain things which He has not decreed in His inscrutable counsel to come to pass.”3 God desires all men to be saved. It is their willful rejection of Him that sends them to hell. The biblical truths of election and predestination do not cancel man’s moral responsibility.

Reflects the Uniqueness of God

One of the most fundamental teachings of Scripture is that “there is one God” (cf. Deut. 4:35, 39; Isa. 43:10; 1 Cor. 8:4, 6). That runs counter to the pluralistic religiosity of our world, which rejects the concept of any exclusive religious truth. We are taught by the over-tolerant spirit of our age that the gods of the Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus are to be considered equally valid. If that were true, there would be many ways of salvation and hence no need for evangelism. But since there is only one true God, then He is the One in whom all must believe to be saved (1 Tim. 2:5). There is no other name under heaven by which sinners may be saved (Acts 4:12). Evangelistic prayer recognizes that all must come to the one true God.

Consistent with the Person of Christ

Not only is there only one God, but “one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Mediator refers to one who intervenes between two individuals to restore peace or ratify a covenant. The concept of a mediator is seen in Job’s lament: “There is no umpire between us, who may lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). Because Christ is the only mediator, all must come to God through Him (Acts 4:12). There isn’t an endless series of aeons, or subgods, as the Gnostics taught. We do not approach God through the intercession of angels, saints, or Mary. Only through “the man Christ Jesus” can people draw near to God. Hebrews 8:6 calls Him “the mediator of a better covenant,” while Hebrews 9:15 and 12:24 describe Him as the mediator of the new covenant. Everyone who comes to God must come through Him.

Reflects the Fullness of Christ’s Atonement

Our Lord freely gave His life when He died for our sins. In John 10:17–18, He said:

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.

He voluntarily went to the cross and gave all of Himself, not merely something He possessed.

Ransom is a rich theological term describing Christ’s substitutionary death for us. It is not the simple word for “ransom,” lutron, but antilutron, with the added preposition intensifying the meaning. Christ did not merely pay a ransom to free us; He became the victim in our place. He died our death and bore our sin. He gave Himself.

The phrase gave Himself as a ransom for all is a comment on the sufficiency of the atonement, not its design. To apply a well-known epigram, the ransom paid by Christ to God for the satisfaction of His justice is sufficient for all but efficacious for the elect only. Christ’s atonement is therefore unlimited as to its sufficiency but limited as to its application. Real benefits accrue “for all” because of Christ’s all-sufficient atoning work. The gospel may be preached indiscriminately to all (Mark 16:15); the water of life and the offer of divine mercy are extended freely to all (Rev. 22:17); Christ is set forth as Savior for all to embrace (1 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 4:14). Moreover, in a temporal sense, when Adam and Eve sinned, the entire race was spared from immediate destruction and judgment (a privilege not afforded to the angels who fell—Heb. 2:16), and individual sinners now experience common grace and delay in God’s judgment on their sins. Nineteenth-century theologian William G. T. Shedd wrote:

The atonement is sufficient in value to expiate the sin of all men indiscriminately; and this fact should be stated because it is a fact. There are no claims of justice not yet satisfied; there is no sin of man for which an infinite atonement has not been provided.… Therefore the call to “come” is universal.4

That does not mean that all will be saved. Christ’s death was sufficient to cover the sins of all men, but it is applied to the elect alone. The price paid was infinite—it was sufficient for all. “Christ’s expiation … is a divine act. It is indivisible, inexhaustible, sufficient in itself to cover the guilt of all the sins that will ever be committed on earth.”5 Therefore salvation can sincerely and legitimately be offered to all, though only the elect will respond. Shedd continued, “The extent to which a medicine is offered is not limited by the number of persons favorably disposed to buy it and use it. Its adaptation to disease is the sole consideration in selling it, and consequently it is offered to everybody.”6

It is crucial to understand that the atoning work of Christ fully accomplishes everything God declared He would accomplish in eternity past with regard to the salvation of sinners. God’s sovereign purposes are not thwarted in any degree by the unbelief of those who spurn Christ. The atonement of Christ does not represent a failed attempt to save anyone who will not be saved. All those whom God purposed to save from eternity past will be saved (cf. John 17:12). Yet, it is worth reiterating once more that while God’s saving purpose is limited to the elect, His desire for the salvation of sinners is as broad as the human race. He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” So Christ “gave Himself as a ransom [sufficient] for all.” How graphically the atoning work of Christ reveals to us the heart of God for the salvation of sinners!

That is why Paul referred to the atonement as “the testimony given [by Christ] at the proper time.” This thought precisely parallels Galatians 4:4–5: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law.” Christ “gave Himself as a ransom” at exactly “the proper time” in God’s redemptive plan. His redemptive work is the most eloquent testimony ever borne to God’s saving desire for sinners. Evangelistic prayer for all men therefore reflects the heart of God and honors Christ’s work on the cross.

In Accord with Paul’s Divine Commission

Paul wrote, “For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle” (1 Tim. 2:7). Paul’s divine commission was based on the great truths that God is our Savior, Christ is our mediator, and Christ gave Himself as a ransom, as discussed in the preceding verses. Preacher derives from the verb k∑russø [], which means “to herald, proclaim, or speak publicly.” The ancient world had no news media, so announcements were made in the city squares. Paul was a public herald proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. An apostle was a messenger, sent on behalf of Christ. If the gospel message were exclusive, that would have undercut Paul’s calling.

We too are called to proclaim the gospel to the lost world. That call, like Paul’s divine commission, is based on God’s desire that all be saved. Evangelistic prayer acknowledges our responsibility.

The greatest example of evangelistic praying is our Lord Himself. Isaiah 53:12 tells us He “interceded for the transgressors.” On the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). God answered those prayers with three thousand converts on the day of Pentecost and countless thousands more through the centuries.

Do you pray for the lost like that? Do you have the passion that inspired John Knox to cry out, “Give me Scotland or I die”? Is your attitude that of George Whitefield, who prayed, “O Lord, give me souls or take my soul”? Can you, like Henry Martyn, say, “I cannot endure existence if Jesus is to be so dishonored”?

God honors your prayers for the lost. Standing among those who killed Stephen was a young man named Saul of Tarsus. Could it be that the great apostle’s salvation was in answer to Stephen’s prayer, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60)? Evangelism begins with prayer.

Are you prepared to be alone with God? You are now armed to go into His presence with much to talk about. Jesus has given you the pattern to use, and the apostle Paul has provided you with a list of priorities. I hope you’ll discover real power and passion as you pray according to these realities. As a result, may you grow to be more like Christ and to see many of the elect enter into the kingdom.

Notes

1 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Soul Winner (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989), 246–47.

2 Richard Baxter, cited in I. D. E. Thomas, ed., A Puritan Golden Treasury (Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth, 1977), 92–93.

3 John Murray and Ned B. Stonehouse, The Free Offer of the Gospel (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1979), 26.

4 William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1980), 2:482.

5 R. L. Dabney, The Five Points of Calvinism (Harrisonburg, VA: Sprinkle, 1992), 61.

6 Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 2:482.