Does god answer a sinner's prayer?
Answer
God may answer a sinner’s prayer, just as he may answer the prayer of one who has been forgiven of sin, depending on what is being asked. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3) Anyone who asks for the wrong reasons will not be answered.
We know that God will answer a sinner’s prayer, though, because there are examples in the Bible. In Acts 10:2-6 a sinner named Cornelius prays to God, and God answers him by telling him to send for Peter so he can learn what to do to be saved (forgiven). If God did not answer the prayers of sinners, then many who are seeking him would not be saved.
I don’t agree with those who say that all you need to do to be saved is to pray “the Sinners Prayer.” There is more to salvation than that. However, if that were all that one needed to do to be saved then nobody would be saved if God did not answer a sinner’s prayer. One who prays for forgiveness who had never before accepted God’s grace would never be able to be forgiven. Those who believe that salvation comes when they pray for it had better hope that God answers a sinner’s prayer.