Susan,

I don't believe your citation regarding Cornelius proves your point at all concerning God hearing the prayers of His elect people prior to conversion. It says that he was a God fearing man before he met Peter, indicating that he was a converted man already. This text deals with a man making the transition from Old to New Covenant, not from death to life.

FWIW, I am not outright rejecting the possibility that God hears the prayers of His elect prior to conversion because I have never really thought about that possibility (though intuitively it strikes me as odd), I'm just saying this text does not support it.

As far as this part:

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I think part of the problem is that some are seeing the visible church as the same thing as the invisible church. They believe that when their children are conceived or baptized, they are then members of the Kingdom of Heaven even before their conversions. They don't believe their child is lost and needs a savior, the same way that an unbeliever's child needs salvation.

I truly hope you are not referring here to what Ron or I have written previously on this topic. And if not, who are these people that see the visible and invisible church as the same?

Sincerely in Christ,

~Jason