One more post tonight

[eleneariel]

And this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him. --I John 5:14-15

If we ask what is within the will of God, He answers and we obtain that which we have requested. This is well and good, and I believe it-- until I try to start applying it literally. I understand why God hasn't answered some of my prayers, since it's evident that I don't know what is in His will or not.

But. If it is God's will that "none should perish, but all have eternal life", then does that mean that every time a believer prays for the salvation of another, it will be answered (whether immediately or years later) in the affirmative?

And if someone dies unsaved, is it because nobody prayed for their salvation?

Comments

[equuschick.livejournal.com]

Here goeth me, thinking out loud. Yes, it is God's will that all be saved- But when you look at this verse in the context of the rest of God's Word, it is not God's will that all be saved at the expense of His justice. It is God's will, in short that all meet the perimeters to be saved. If they don't meet the perimeters than He will not save them, even though it may have been God's own desire that they meet those perimeters so that He could justly save them. If an individual refuses to meet those perimeters, then our own prayers can't save them.

Hmm. Tear it apart. I am thinking out loud.

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I know there's a flaw in my thinking somewhere, I just can't find it yet. You sound logical--think away!

[equuschick.livejournal.com]

Gee. You're sure a difficult person to have a discussion with. =P
In all seriousness however, I do think that your flaw lies somewhere in misunderstanding the verse you quote saying "It is God's will that none should perish and that all shall inherit eternal life." It is what God wants for everyone, Mari. God also wanted Israel not to be the stubborn and rebellious nation it grew up to be. What He wants is not always what we choose. There is "God's Will" as in God's Soverign Plan and Will that Has Nothing to Do with Us, and then there is "God's Will" as in, what God would give us if we'd accept it. And now, *cough* this is the part where I always get into trouble with the world at general because the bottom line is Free Will. There's God Will, and our Free Will. There are two things that God will never sacrifice, Mari. His Justice, and our Free Will.

[melyndie.livejournal.com]

There are different wills of God. His will that "none should perish" is what would please him.

The will of God in that first verse is his will that will actually happen, what is actually part of his plan.

Now how could God have a will that doesn't please him? How could there be those who won't be saved since it would please him that none should perish? It's not that way. There are many things that could please God. One is that none should perish. The other is that some perish and some are saved through Christ's death, and both the unsaved and saved bring glory to God. This plan of redemption is ultimately glorifying to God in ways we cannot fathom.

Hopefully that explains it somewhat. I was confuddled about the apparently conflicting will of God too.

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I think Hannah and I have gone 'round and 'round over the various wills of God. =)

[melyndie.livejournal.com]

And? Does it help any?

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I can never remember what we concluded!

[melyndie.livejournal.com]

What do you think of my thoughts above then?

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

You sound logical. =) It's too late at night for me to think about it any more than that. Hee!

[melyndie.livejournal.com]

I will forgive you because of the late hour. ;-)

[emkay-smiles.livejournal.com]

What an interesting thought. I have no answers, but I'm inspired to pray for salvation--and other things--so much more. :)

[maidintheusa.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about the same thing as I have been praying intensely for a friend's salvation. But I do not belive that any person's salvation is dependent upon some other person's doing something. God uses men to spread His gospel, but He also said those that seek would find. And I don't believe God restricts Himself to any one person in spreading the good news to an individual.
But there aren't easy answers. It's still soo confusing.