JM I grew up with those books..they are beautiful and insiteful..but are they inspired liturature? I do not believe so . Jesus never quoted them in His teachings..there is no NT teaching on this OT practice.
Steve is correct that the real problem is the book of Machabees is the only place where there can be found any reference to praying for the dead..and purgatory
That is why the church NEEDS those books to support doctrine not found any other place
I have Bibles with the books in my home, but I do not consider them to be the innerrent word of God. I can read and enjoy them the same way I can enjoy books by Yancy or Max Luccadio, or the writings of Luther or Calvin. Something to think about but not ABSOLUTE truth ..Sola scriptura..
The apostles used them. Why were they wrong in doing so?
The deuterocanonicals were in the OT Jesus and the apostles knew and used when they were teaching and preaching.
See this link Deuterocanonical References in the New Testament where there are 112 references to the deuterocanonical books in the 4 Gospels ALONE, and hundreds of references to the deuterocanonical books in the remainder of the NT.
It is clear from the article above, and the references I cite, that these seven books (and parts of Esther and Daniel) were used by the apostles to teach, and were in the bible they used to teach and spread the Gospel. If these books weren't intended by God to be in the Bible, why didn't Jesus say something about it? Why did the apostles teach using them?
It is clear that these books were always in the OT until a Jewish group removed them because they didn't like what they had to say. All early church fathers referenced these books.
Anyway, God bless you.