Donald Cook wrote: |
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Hi, guys —
A Jewish man said, "Now we know that God doesn't listen to sinners." (John 9:31)
Various Old Testament verses agree. Jesus said that the disciples should pray.
- Did a change occur?
- Does God listen to sinners?
Donald |
| { Based on this Bible passage and other Old Testament verses, does God listen to sinners or not? } |
Eric replied:
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Don —
- How are you defining or understanding the term "sinners"?
- Are you applying it to Disciples?
Eric |
Don replied:
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Eric,
Sinner would mean one who sins, not those who had ceased.
I assume that the twelve Disciples had ceased from commiting sins soon after being called by Jesus (except Judas). They did desert Jesus. The brothers were known to sometimes sin. Your perspective probably is better.
Don
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Eric replied:
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Don,
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
(1 John 1:8, RSV2CE) |
The Apostles certainly had not ceased sinning. Peter even denies Jesus; we know that is a sin. Even after Pentecost, he sinned
(Galatians 2:11). |
We know that “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.”
(James 5:16, RSV2CE). |
Obviously, God listens to sinners when they repent, otherwise they would not be converted. Just because the Pharisees say something does not make it strictly so; I think there is some truth to what they said, but it is not the whole truth, I suspect that God listens more to righteous men because they are more in tune with his will.
“You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
(James 4:2–3, RSV2CE) |
So motivation, and detachment from the world, is a key factor.
Hope this helps,
Eric
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Bob replied:
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Dear Donald,
Not all sin is the same, and 1 John 5 points this out. While we are all sinners, some of us remain unrepentant and lack the humility to turn to God for forgiveness. Someone who has no interest in repentance or reforming their life has lost the “ear” of God. Persisting in sin, unrepentant, is deadly.
This is the sense in which the passage makes sense.
Peace,
Bob Kirby |
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