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NASB | Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [Prov 25:21, 22] |
Bible Question: Please bear with me, as I am brand new to this forum and am not quite sure of even how to check if my question has already been asked. I am an 'older Christian' and have been raised and taught in the same church for 40 years. Our doctrinal statement has been the same this entire time. We have been blessed with a new pastor. He is a graduate from the Master's Seminary and I am being made aware of Biblical questions I have never thought to ask and my soul is searching for answers. I don't want to debate...I only want to learn. With this said, I came across a verse from John 17:9 that reads "My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you." This is Jesus talking to His Father. Did Jesus know at that time who was His Father's and who wasn't? If Jesus didn't pray for the 'world', should we? Or should our prayer be for the elect only? Is it futile to be praying for someone to be saved when 'before the foundations of the world' they were already known. I use to hold on to that verse "God is not willing that any should perish" like a bulldog on a bone. But I am now being taught that that verse is really saying "God is not willing that any of HIS CHOSEN should perish" I can't tell you how this has changed my prayer life, my view of my heavenly father. It really has shaken my foundation. I will be grateful for any and all responses. |
Bible Answer: Dear Sonlit, Perhaps this will help: Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "If God would have painted a yellow stripe on the backs of the elect I would go around London lifting shirt tails. But since He didn't I must preach 'whosoever will' and when 'whosoever' believes I know he is one of the elect." Ought we not, therefore, to so pray for all men? Indeed, we are commanded to pray for our enemies. There are many Christian enemies who are, certainly, reprobates. However, the truth of the matter is, until glory, we won't know the wheat from the tare anyway. :-) Does that help? In Him, Doc PS It is good to have your foundations shaken! It means God is correcting your theology. Thank Him for the shaking! |