The Bible tells us those in heaven are alive. (Ecumenical)

Catholic Answers | 1/15/2007 | Gamera

[onedoug]

We cannot fathom, yet I think will truly marvel at how God brings our afterlife to be.

[Biggirl]

AMEN to that!

[Biggirl]

It shows that in Heaven those who go before ahead of us are TRULY MORE ALIVE than ever before.

[HarleyD]

At the Transfiguration, the souls of long-dead Moses and Elijah appeared alongside Jesus. "And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him." ...The fact that the Bible shows Moses and Elijah "talking" with Jesus conclusively disproves your friend's idea that souls are "dead" or "asleep" until the general judgment. Scripture shows that heaven’s inhabitants hear us, which they couldn't do if they were "dead."

Our Lord also talked to and calm the sea, but as a note of caution, please do not get out of a boat on rough waters thinking one is going to do the same. It is a very dangerous idea to pretend one has the same latitude as our Lord Jesus. Just because Christ talked to Moses and Elijah doesn't mean we can. You will note during the transfiguration Peter, James and John talk ONLY to Christ-and they were very nervous when they did. They never talked to Moses or Elijah.

The only place in scripture where someone ACTUALLY did talk to someone from the other side (with the exception of Christ) was Saul when he talked to Samuel. (1 Sam 28) This was not included in your analysis. Unfortunately, it did not go well for Saul. One may recall that Saul's judgment for doing such a thing was death. Of course, up to this point God wasn't too happy with him anyway. Saul's chief reason was because he thought that Samual would intercede for him. He was wrong.

As far as thinking God will change His mind based upon us praying to Mary, or Pope Paul, or Fred the plumber, then I would suggest a study of other text:

Jer_15:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

Just because those on the other side might hear us doesn't mean anything. God tells Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel stood before him (which apparently they don't), it would not change His mind. Moses and Samuel were two people who God really liked. Yet they did not know what the will of God was (as they both illustrated-Moses with the rock and Samuel with the anointing of Saul). Intercession by mankind does not work.

The reason is that mankind doesn't know what is the will of the Father. Only Christ understands that:

Rom_8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The reason, like Saul, that one seeks other avenues of prayer is simply because they do NOT want the will of God in their lives. When Christ taught us to pray, He told us to pray to the Father. And He prays to the Father. Now what could be a better role model?

I would recommend that before one starts down the very dangerous path of talking to dead people, that the full text of scripture is investigate. It doesn't do any good talking to the dead and it has severe consequences. Talking to Jesus should be good enough. No matter how good of a plumber Fred was.