Secret code ring required:
Sometimes I wonder from what planet these Catholic failures have matriculated!
Wow!
The only one praying in this allegory (meaning it is probably not based on a factual event but a story with a moral) is the rich man in Hades NOT Heaven.
(1)And he is praying for himself First.
(2)then directs his prayer for his 5 remaining brothers
(3) and then his prayer is NOT ANSWERED.
How do you get "who are alive in heaven) praying for us" out of all that???
Let's get the main point of this story. Jesus is addressing His disciples and the Pharisees.
This is about Jesus and the necessity of believing in Him for eternal life as seen in v31. “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 19:31 NASB
The request was made by a person who was already dead from an earthly perspective to another person who was already dead from an earthly perspective.
This is not praying for the dead as the Roman Catholic tries to understand this.
If anything it would be the reverse...the dead making a request for the living.
But in either case there is no communication between individuals who've left this world or those who remain on this earth.
Yet the indication is both are alive for eternity...one in Heaven...the other in Hell. He could not be "cleaned up" so he could enter Heaven.
The rich man was consigned to Hell forever. There was no chance of redeeming his soul. He could not be prayed out of Hell.
The request was a specific one...for Abraham to send someone to his family to warn them. The request was rejected.
Why?
The rich man's family already had what they needed to know how to have eternal life...they had Moses and the Prophets.
"Let them hear" is what Abraham told the rich man.
The rich man made a further request to send someone from the dead.
Abraham told him no....if they wouldn't listen to Moses and the Prophets they would not listen to anyone even if they rose from the dead.
Jesus was directing this story to the Pharisees who were denying Him.
He was telling them they had everything they needed in the OT to understand eternal life.
Today, people who are alive on earth have everything we need to understand how to have eternal life.
God has given us His word so we can read and understand how to have eternal life.
If someone rejects Jesus as their Savior; they will be like the rich man. Consigned to Hell forever with no second chances of Heaven.
Those who have professed faith in Jesus will have eternal life as He has promised in numerous places in the NT.
This lines up with Hebrews 9:26-28 NASB
26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
I hope this helps. Freepmail me if you have any questions.
most sincerely,
ealgeone
How about POSTING the passage in Luke?
Not everyone has the entire Bible memorized by reference.
It's not that hard to do and is a courtesy for everyone involved.