You are in conflict with Scripture. All believers are called to be saints, not all believers are Saints. Can you show me where Scripture states that those in heaven are dead? Are Moses, Elijah and Enoch dead? If so how did Moses and Elijah appear along with Christ to Peter, James and John? What happened to those saints who were resurrected following the death of Jesus? Did they die again and if so where does Scripture tell us that?
Matthew 27:52-53 "And the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose, And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to many."
BTW The communion of saints means the living church
The communion of saints means the Church Triumphant, the Church Militant and the Church Suffering. The communion of saints is the bond of unity of all believers, the committed followers of Christ.
Heaven isn't part of the living Church? Seems you define living as strictly in the corporeal, mortal sense, which contradicts Scripture.
Mark 12:24 "And Jesus answering, saith to them: Do ye not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?"
Mark 12:26-27 "And as concerning the dead that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him saying: 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. You therefore do greatly err."
How could that be since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all dead when God spoke to Moses?
Are you now answering questions posed to CCWoody?
All believers are called to be saints, not all believers are Saints.
One more time on that . If one does not have a saving belief (in Christ)they are not only not believers they are not Saints.
Can you show me where Scripture states that those in heaven are dead?
They are physically dead.........or else the scripture would not speak of the "dead " rising
Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
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:
So it is obvious that the word of God makes a distinction between physical and spiritual death...they are physically dead
If so how did Moses and Elijah appear along with Christ to Peter, James and John?
Jesus is God . That was a confirmation to the apostles What happened to those saints who were resurrected following the death of Jesus?
Moses represented the Law and Elijah the prophets..This was a confirmation of the divinity of Christ..In Jewish law you need three witnesses..and present there was the Father and the law and the prohets
It was a "vision" and At no point were they told or allowed to interact with them and then they were advised to tell no one. This was not a signal that now communication with the dead was OK:>)
What happened to those saints who were resurrected following the death of Jesus? Did they die again and if so where does Scripture tell us that?
It is appointed to man once to die..Hbr 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.
Note that they did not appear to all..but to a select group (many) Scripture is silent on which saints were raised ( although Revelation indicates it may have been the martyrs) and it is silent on what happened to them..but again Revelation indicated they rose with Christ
Heaven isn't part of the living Church? Seems you define living as strictly in the corporeal, mortal sense, which contradicts Scripture.
The church means the called out ones..and one day we will all be together ..but once again that does not meant that we are to pray to the dead..
How could that be since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all dead when God spoke to Moses?
God is the God of the living and the dead . HE can speak to whomever He chooses..
Are the Dead saints omnipresent? What do you see them doing all day?