Good argument, and I tend to agree, but to bring the illustration a little closer to home...
Say I am driving down the road, and I pass a traffic accident with an ambulance present. As is my attempted habit, I say a quick prayer for those involved in the accident, and their loved ones. Specifically, I tend to pray for their understanding of God to grow from the event, from whatever point they are at , at that stage in their life, that He would reveal Himself to them.
If the events within time unfolded so that that person died just before I passed by and said that prayer, do you think that prayer is disqualified because that person was dead and I didn't know it? Could it not be possible that God responded to my prayer before the point in time when I actually said it, and the victim had a death bed conversion?
I don't know, but according to my understanding, I would rather err toward saying the prayer. On one hand I tend to think that since God would have all men to be saved and come unto a knowledge of the truth, that He would have postponed their death untill after I passed and prayed if it mattered. On the other hand, this is all speculative, and like you said, there is no example in scripture suggesting it is relevant either.
OK, here is where I think you might be missing something. You asked...
If the events within time unfolded so that that person died just before I passed by and said that prayer, do you think that prayer is disqualified because that person was dead and I didn't know it? Could it not be possible that God responded to my prayer before the point in time when I actually said it, and the victim had a death bed conversion?
We should already know that our prayers don't alert God to things, as He already knows everything. right?. Using your analogy here, a "prayer thats qualified" (or unqualified) as you put it, because you are suddenly alerted to a situation and begin praying doesn't change the outcome of Gods will. When we pray, we are not
moving God into action and wielding Him about with
our Will as we think best, but rather its just the opposite. We are moving into the center of Gods Will through prayer. And God will respond according to His Will regardless to bring about His purpose, and if He is determined to use such a thing for His glory, HE WILL FIND a way,
before this person dies to hear and accept His truth. Here is a good point to bring up God NOT being bound by time. He can foresee the outcome of this accident and move the world to bring about His Will and purpose, in the time frame of that individuals life.
See, Gods got this time thing under control, and He uses it for His glory. We don't need to be time warped back and forth. We are here to serve His purpose on our track of time....He will take care of moving outer worldly things to happen when we need them to happen, because He is God almighty! Doc's time flux capacitor ain't got nothing on God. If Doc think 1.21 gigawatt's is something, he ain't seen nothing yet...lol
I don't know, but according to my understanding, I would rather err toward saying the prayer. On one hand I tend to think that since God would have all men to be saved and come unto a knowledge of the truth, that He would have postponed their death untill after I passed and prayed if it mattered. On the other hand, this is all speculative, and like you said, there is no example in scripture suggesting it is relevant either.
It is true that God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth, but the thought of God being limited to your
availability to pray in present or in some time warp theory, so this person who died 5 mins ago would be saved puts US in charge, not Him. God will do His purpose whether we are obedient and faithful in prayer or not. If we are not, He will find someone who is. So a more likely scenario would be that God would have someone on the scene sharing His Love and Gospel before this person died.
Ecc 3:11 He has made everything
appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Ecc 3:12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good
in one's lifetime;
As I said before. God created you for the very time you are living in.
You are appropriate in this time says verse 11. And God has plans for your
lifetime.
I would rather err toward saying the prayer
If you really want to avoid erring, then allow your prayers to move you towards the center of Gods will and into
action. If you are praying for someones heart to be softened so that they can hear the Gospel, then be sure to follow up and deliver that Gospel message in faith, that God has heard and answered your prayer. If you are praying for victims involved in an accident, for their care and loved ones, then allow God to make use of you and get involved in some active way. When Jesus was here, He did not spend time praying for those who died years ago. And when He prayed for individuals currently living, He got involved with them actively, loving, sharing, teaching.
If you begin to view prayer in this light, you will see that God can use the uniqueness He created you with, in miraculous ways, and people will see Christ in your life like never before. The people who need to hear the Gospel of Christ
in your little corner of the world, are still living, right now. The people who need Gods tender mercies in your
little corner of the world are there, right now! God wants to use you
there,
NOW! This is why we must follow Him and what His word teaches. God wants to use you in this way, but if can't, He will find someone else He can use
there, now!
I know your thinking on this is all well meaning, but in truth, its not scriptural friend, and I do say this with the utmost love. We must live by what His word teaches, and it does not teach us to pray for those who have passed, or those in history. Stick with what it says and you wont err. Start adding and changing things, and you will ALWAYS err!
I love you bro!
Grace and Peace!
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