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

"And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living," Matt 22:32.

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." Matt 17:3. How could Moses and Elijah "talk" with Jesus if they were "asleep"? Their souls were alive and awake. 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." “Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do His word, hearkening to the voice of His word! Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His ministers that do His will!” Psalm 103:20-21. “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!” Psalm 148:1-2. These verses would make no sense if those in heaven could not hear us.

Those in heaven not only pray with us, they pray for us and can present our requests to God. “When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints,” Rev. 5:8. “Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel,” Rev. 8:3-4. These verses show (1) those in heaven have access to our prayers, and (2) those in heaven can offer our prayers to God. None of this would make any sense whatsoever if those in heaven were "dead" or "asleep."

Part of our spiritual inheritance under the New Covenant is access to the souls of the justified. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, AND TO THE SPIRITS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MADE PERFECT, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Heb. 12:22-24.

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.

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