Paul is asking, urging, praying that we intercede for each other. Do you think that the saints in heaven no longer do this? Is it that they don't love us anymore? Or that they can no longer talk to God?
Paul is asking, urging, praying that we intercede for each other. Do you think that the saints in heaven no longer do this? Is it that they don't love us anymore? Or that they can no longer talk to God?
Respectfully asked...We don't fully 100% know do we? In Revelation it shows that the saints in Heaven were constantly worshipping God along with the angels...the only references to the prayers of saints were these:
Rev 5:
8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.
and Rev 8:
3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Respectfully, neither of these lend much support to the concept of the saints in Heaven interceding to Christ with the prayers of those still alive on earth. In Rev 5 only the 24 elders (who are unnamed) and the four creatures had the prayers of the saints...Rev 8 show the angels as presenting the prayers of the saints...
I'm not judging anyone, just pointing out what scripture shows us...
Again, blessings to you in Christ!
"Paul is asking, urging, praying that we intercede for each other. Do you think that the saints in heaven no longer do this? Is it that they don't love us anymore? Or that they can no longer talk to God?"
Who is Paul speaking to in that verse? I believe he's speaking to people who are alive and can still make the choice to accept Jesus as their Savior. When a person dies the "rules change". One rule that changes is that humans no longer can change their opinion about Jesus, GAME OVER. Of course our relatives who've passed away still love us but where are we instructed to communicate with the dead?