This is an important theological question that many people struggle with. Can God hear and respond to the prayers of someone who is not following Him? There are differing viewpoints on this issue, so it’s important to examine what the Bible says about God’s willingness to hear a sinner’s prayer.
The nature of sin
To understand this topic fully, we first need to think about the nature of sin and how it affects our relationship with God. Scripture teaches that sin separates people from God: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). Sin creates a barrier between us and God, and prevents Him from hearing our prayers.
So does this mean God completely ignores sinners who cry out to Him? Not exactly. God is omniscient, meaning He hears everything, including the prayers of sinners. However, it’s the barrier created by sin that prevents Him from responding to their prayers. Charles Spurgeon said it this way: “He hears but does not answer, because there is some sin harbored in the heart, which it would be dangerous to pardon.”
Examples of God hearing sinners
Although sin blocks God from fully responding to sinners’ prayers, there are examples in the Bible of God still hearing them to some degree. Here are a few examples:
The tax collector
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells a parable about a self-righteous Pharisee and a tax collector. The tax collector, fully aware of his sinfulness, beats his breast and simply asks God for mercy. Jesus says “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.” This shows that the sincere prayer of a sinner seeking God’s mercy is heard and responded to.
King Ahab
Another example is the evil King Ahab in 1 Kings 21. After manipulating a situation to have an innocent man killed, the prophet Elijah confronted Ahab and pronounced judgment on him. Ahab tore his clothes and fasted in sackcloth, and God said to Elijah “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day…” (1 Kings 21:27-29). This shows that even an evil king’s prayer of repentance was heard by God.
The disobedient prophet
Jonah is another example of a sinful person whose prayer was heard. When God told him to preach to Nineveh, Jonah disobeyed and went the opposite direction. After being swallowed by a whale, Jonah cried out to God in prayer and repentance from inside the belly of the fish. God heard his prayer and saved him (Jonah 2).
So in certain situations, it appears God may still hear a sinner’s prayer, especially if it’s a prayer of contrition and repentance. However, this does not mean God will answer and act upon all prayers from sinners who deliberately persist in disobedience.
Does God listen to unbelievers?
What about people who don’t even believe in God? Can they cry out to God in times of need, or does He ignore them since they aren’t His followers? Again, we can find some biblical examples of God hearing unbelievers:
Cornelius
In Acts 10, Cornelius was a Gentile centurion who prayed regularly but did not have saving faith in Christ. One day in prayer, God sent an angel who told Cornelius to send for Peter. Peter came and preached the gospel to Cornelius and his whole household, and they believed and were saved. This shows God heard Cornelius’ prayers as an unbeliever and led him to salvation.
Priests of Baal
Another example occurred when Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal to call on their gods to send fire from heaven. The prophets cried out from morning til noon, shouting Baal’s name and performing religious rituals to get his attention. But there was no answer. Then Elijah prayed a simple prayer to the true God, and fire immediately fell from heaven. This happened even though the prophets of Baal did not believe in the true God. God heard their prayers, but chose not to answer because of their unbelief (1 Kings 18:16-40).
So it appears God may still hear the cries of unbelievers, but will not respond positively unless they seek Him with a humble heart. Their state of unbelief hinders God from working miracles on their behalf.
The sovereignty of God
Ultimately, the extent to which God listens to a sinner’s prayer is tied to God’s sovereignty and divine wisdom. As Creator, God has absolute authority and perfect knowledge. He knows people’s hearts, not just their words. So He chooses if and how to respond to the prayer of sinners based on His infinite wisdom and knowledge of their hearts, not just outward appearances.
The following verses highlight God’s complete sovereignty and discretion when it comes to answering prayer:
| Daniel 4:35 | He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” |
| Job 23:13 | But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. |
| Isaiah 14:27 | For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? |
So God reserves the right to hear or not hear any prayer from sinners based on His greater purposes. As theologian R.C. Sproul wrote, “God reserves the sovereign right to respond to sinners as He sees fit.”
The heart matters more than outward acts
This brings up another important point – with God, the condition of one’s heart means much more than outward displays of religious devotion. Jesus addressed this often during His ministry. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount He warned people not to just pray impressive prayers in public, as the hypocrites do for show. Rather, we should pray simple, humble prayers in private (Matthew 6:5-6).
Likewise, King David wrote “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17). God is much more interested in inward repentance and humility than outward acts like fasting or tithing (Isaiah 58:3-9).
This is consistent with the rest of Scripture. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6). He desires mercy, not religious sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). So we cannot “earn” God’s answer through superficial religiosity. We must approach Him on His terms, with humility and repentance.
From these examples, we see that those who humbly seek God from a sincere heart may find Him, even if they are currently in sin or unbelief. But prideful, insincere prayers from hypocrites and rebels will likely go unheard. The state of one’s heart matters greatly in prayer.
Conclusion
In summary, although sin blocks God from fully answering a sinner’s prayer, it does not completely prevent God from hearing it. God may choose to show mercy to those sincerely seeking Him in humility and repentance. However, God reserves the right to ignore or reject the insincere prayers of prideful hypocrites whose hearts are far from Him. The state of one’s heart when praying matters greatly when it comes to God’s response.
Ultimately, God hears a sinner’s prayer to the extent He chooses based on His divine wisdom and the person’s heart condition. But persistent willful sin will hinder even the most desperate pleas for help. So the solution is for sinners to seek God wholeheartedly in humility and repentance, recognizing His sovereignty and moral perfection. Then they can find a Father willing to forgive and restore those who sincerely call upon Him.