Pray For Others Lest You Sin

Is it a sin to not pray for others? When we think of sin I am sure a failure to pray
for others does not come immediately to mind like say robbery, murder, adultery,
lying, and the list goes on of the more notorious sins. Yet, in the book of 1 Samuel,
chapter 12, verse 23, we read this statement from Samuel spoken to the children of
Israel: “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in
ceasing to pray for you.” (NKJV)

Now I am not a Samuel nor are you but it makes you stop and think does it not?
Samuel was praying for God’s people. Are we exempt from doing the same? Are
we under no obligation?

During Jesus’ ministry he once was asked what the greatest commandment in the
law was. (Matt. 22:36) His response was love for God “with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37 NKJV) but he then went on to talk
about the second greatest commandment which was “love your neighbor as
yourself.” (Matt. 22:39 NKJV) Do we pray for ourselves? If we do are we not under
obligation to pray for our neighbor? We are if we love him and if we do not love
him we stand condemned already.

We are clearly commanded to love one another as disciples of Jesus for none other
than Jesus himself gave the commandment when he said, “A new commandment I
give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another.” (John 13:34 NKJV) Thus in the book of 1 John we read in chapter 3,
verse 16, “by this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we also
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (NKJV)

If I am to love you as Jesus has loved you (and loved me), to the extent he gave
his life for us, then surely I am to pray for you. Jesus prayed for us (John 17:20)
and we are to “be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also
has loved us.” (Eph. 5:1-2 NKJV)

But, we are not just to love (and pray) for the brethren but even for our enemies
for Jesus himself has told us, “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44 NKJV). You cannot
love your enemy without seeking his welfare and that certainly involves praying for
him.

Paul asked the brethren to pray for him and his company, “Brethren, pray for us.”
(1 Thess. 5:25 NKJV – see also 3 Thess. 3:1) The writer of the book of Hebrews
requests prayers when he says simply “pray for us.” (Heb. 13:18 NKJV)

There is one prayer request by Paul that seems to be more than just a request. To
the Romans he writes, “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ,
and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers
to God for me.” (Rom. 15:30 NKJV)

That one especially touches the heart, “I beg you.” Have you ever wished people
would pray for you? I have wished they would pray for me. We often feel alone.
People know us but it seems too many are just figures passing in the night. They
stop long enough to say hello, smile, and ask how you are and then they are off
and gone and you are left alone with every single problem you ever had and no one
cares. That is at least the way it often seems to us. We just wish someone cared
enough to pray for us.

What is wanted is not just “Father, be with (you fill in the name).” What we want is
people that really care, really love us, whose prayer for you will be fervent, zealous,
intent. We want a sincere prayer from the heart for us not just a word said in
passing. When we become the Christians that have taken God’s command to heart
when he commanded us to love one another then and only then will we get the kind
of prayers that are needed.

It is “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man” that “avails much.” (James
5:16 NKJV)

Paul prayed for others continually. To the Romans he says, “without ceasing I make
mention of you always in my prayers.” (Rom. 1:9 NKJV) To the Colossians he
wrote, “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you.” (Col. 1:3 NKJV) To the Philippians he wrote, “in every prayer of
mine making request for you all.” (Philippians 1:4 NKJV) To the Thessalonians he
wrote “we also pray always for you.” (2 Thess. 1:11 NKJV) In a personal letter to
Timothy he says, “without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day.” (2
Tim. 1:3 NKJV)

We ought to pray for one another. Paul says, “imitate me, just as I also imitate
Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1 NKJV) Did Christ pray for his disciples? To ask is to answer.
We are to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17 NKJV) The question we all need
to ask is how much of my praying time am I going to devote to praying for others?
When I do pray for them will it be with a deep heartfelt concern for their welfare or
just to fulfill a requirement? I guess it comes down to how much I really love. That
seems to be the bottom line does it not? Does what is happening in the other guy’s
life make me that much difference?

Jesus tells us to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those
who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matt.
5:44 NKJV)
Paul, in 1 Tim. 2:1-4, adds this, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all
who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (NKJV)

God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
(2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)

In Rom. 10:1 Paul speaks of his praying for those who were not Christians for his
desire for them was that they might be saved. In 2 Cor. 5:11 he spoke of knowing
the terror of the Lord and thus sought to persuade men. We too know something
about the terror of the Lord and ought to be praying for those who need to obey the
gospel, praying fervently in their behalf, praying that such events might transpire in
their life that their eyes will be opened and they can see their need and will turn to
the Lord.

We ought to be praying for the needy, the poor, the sick, the lonely, the alien, for
those who have fallen away, the aged, the young, parents, children, and for many,
many others for the list could go on? I have all of the proof I need to make up my
mind as to whether or not it is a sin to not pray on behalf of others. I will pray for
others and hope they will pray for me.

Will it do any good? James said it would (James 5:16) but it will have to be a
“fervent prayer of a righteous man.” (NKJV) There are so many people who need
prayers beginning with little children to the very aged and yet there is, I fear, a
shortage of righteous men to do the job. It is a good work greatly needed.

“Epaphras,” Paul told the Colossians, “greets you, always laboring fervently for you
in prayers.” (Col 4:12 NKJV) The prayer of a righteous man is a labor of love. May
God send us more righteous men willing to labor fervently in prayer for others and I
hope some of those prayers will be for you and me.