"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved"
(Rom. 10: 1)
"Primitive Baptist Churches" (Hardshell variety), like other churches, have "announcements" at church services. Generally these come during the introductory remarks of the pastor or speaker and before prayer is led and spoken by the church. They also have "prayer requests." These are most often for a sick member or relative or friend of a member, or some member who is suffering hardship and trial. Sometimes they are for God's blessing on something.
One interesting fact about Hardshell "prayer requests" is that they never include prayer for the lost. Oh, they may occasionally pray "Lord save your people," but they never ask for prayer to be made for a particular lost sinner to be saved. I would love to hear one prayer request that says "pray for my son. He is living in sin. Pray that God will save him."
Is prayer not intercession? Are we not to pray and intercede for all men? Would this not include their salvation?
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men...For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (I Tim. 2: 1, 3-4)
Intercessions, supplications (pleadings, requests) and prayers should be for "all men" and with a view to them being "saved" and enlightened.
I have been in Baptist churches where there were a lot of prayer requests for salvation at the end of services, at a time when opportunity was given for anyone to speak. That is far better than in Hardshell churches where there is never a request for prayer for an unregenerate sinner.
Also, see my postings titled "Praying for the Lost?" (here) and "Hardshell Prayers" (here) and "Watson & Thompson on the Means of Prayer" (here).
Heaven will be full of people who were saved because of a praying mother or father or friend. Many a sinner has turned to God because of God's relentless pursuit of them thru the prayers of loved ones. Woe to those who never loved people enough to pray for their salvation. They may claim to know Jesus, but I am not sure at all that Jesus knows them. If we are to pray for forgiveness of our sins even as we forgive those who sin against us, is this not by extension praying for God to use us to show His mercy? When the Jesus prayed "Father forgive them" was He himself not praying for them to come to repentance?
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