Our bodies die and remain here on earth — dust to dust.
However, our souls are judged at the moment of death — they are fully alive. Then Christ, the judge, will say to them “Begone — and they are sent to hell.” “Come” — and they go with him to heaven. Or “Wait awhile and be purified.” and they are sent to Purgatory but know they are heaven bound.
The souls in Purgatory and heaven, being alive, do know everything that is happening on earth, especially with their loved ones.
They can pray for us. We can ask them to pray for us.
One last time — THE SAINTS ARE ALIVE! (Remember at the Last Judgment, we will all be reunited with our bodies.)
One last time — THE SAINTS ARE ALIVE! (Remember at the Last Judgment, we will all be reunited with our bodies.)
Perhaps you can explain why Christians would be judged twice...
In the record of the rich man and Lazarus, it would be good for you to note that the rich man did not communicate with Lazarus...
There is no doubt that the saints are alive in heaven, but they do not play a role in what happens here other than to cheer us on. In all the 66 books of The Bible find one example of anyone praying to other than God except of course those who worshiped idols and false gods. Just one example. Most all of the book of Psalms is prayer and not a single one to other than the LORD God. In all the New Testament not one prayer to a saint. Remember when Jesus was asked about prayer and He gave us The LORD's prayer to show us how we should pray. He never, never told us to pray to the dead saints, who yes are living souls in heaven, but to us here on earth they are considered in a very real sense dead.
Can a rational person not recognize that if we were to pray to those who have died and are in heaven that The LORD would have told us to do so in His Word and that in the vast amounts of writings in The Bible there would be examples, actually if a normal part of the life of earthly saints (all believers are saints), many examples of people talking to the invisible dead, praying to them or/and asking them to pray for them. This is just so wrong on so many levels.
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1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.