Does God hear sinners when they pray?

I believe there is a common misconception that God doesn’t hear sinners.  This belief comes mainly from the scripture in John when Jesus healed the blind man.

John 9:31 “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”

In order to get the full understanding of this verse in the bible, it should not be taken out of context.  You have to first ask yourself who said this?  Was it Jesus or one of the Apostles?  No, it was a blind man that Jesus had healed.  He was saying this to the Pharisees when they questioned him about being able to see.  He didn't even know who Jesus was.

The Pharisees told him in verse 24 that Jesus was a sinner and he replied that he did not know: 
John 9:24 ^“Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.”
Verse 25 lets you know that he didn’t even know if Jesus himself was a sinner. 
John 9:25  ^“He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

One of the best scriptures I can use to show you that God does indeed hear the prayers of sinners is found in chapter 10 of Acts.  Acts 10:2 teaches us that Cornelius was devout and God-fearing, but it doesn’t teach that he was a Christian.  There are many devout, God-fearing people that are not Christians. 

Acts 10:2 “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.”

Cornelius did not accept Jesus and become a Christian until after he sent for Peter and he heard Peter preach the gospel to him and his household. 

If you read Acts chapter 10 you will see this is clearly the case.  This should not leave you with any doubt as to whether or not God hears sinners.  He heard Cornelius and gave him a vision while he was yet a sinner.

Some may say that Cornelius knew God and that's why he heard him and that may be so, but there are other examples showing that God hears sinners.  Take a look at the harlot, Rahab.  she hid the spies when they were searching out Jericho.

^{Joshua 2:1}  And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

 ² And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

 ³ And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

 ⁴ And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:

Nowhere in the book of Joshua do we read that she was anything but a sinner, a harlot, yet in Hebrews we read that she was saved by faith.  Not because she came to know God, she was still a sinner, but God heard her and saved her because of her faith in what the spies told her they would do.

^{Hebrews 11:31} By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

I believe that just because God hears a sinner does not mean he will give them the answers to their prayers.   Isaiah teaches us that God’s hand is not so short that it cannot save and his ear is not so heavy that it cannot hear.  That it is our iniquities that separate us from God and it’s our sins that cause him to turn his face from us that he will not hear.  He NEVER says that he does not hear, simply that he chooses not to listen.

Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

I believe the sinner must be sincere at heart when asking God for something and just like he heard Cornelius  and Rahab he will turn his face again and hear the sinner. 

I sincerely hope this has helped someone to understand that God hears and see all things.  Whether you are a Christian or a Sinner, he hears.  Whether or not you choose to heed his call will determine if you get the answer to your prayer. 

Author Kathy Wellman

References: King James Bible