4 Biblical Proofs for Prayers to Saints and for the Dead
Actually, the desperate extrapolative recourse such attempts must resort to are an argument against the very invention that can only wish was in Scripture, that of prayer to created beings in Heaven (PTCBIH).
1) Praying to Saints (i.e., Asking Them to Intercede): Rich Man and Lazarus
Zero "proof," let alone any support despite egregious extrapolation. No one here is on earth praying to someone in Heaven to intercede for them to God. Rather, both are in the same realm, as is the case with all two-way communication btwn created beings and those of Heaven, except God, and the rich man is asking Abraham to send Laz with water. And Abraham is not in Heaven anyway, yet.
2) Praying to Saints: Saul Petitions the Prophet Samuel After the Latter’s Death
Ditto. No one here is on earth praying to someone in Heaven to intercede for them to God. Rather, Samuel - if indeed it is him - is summoned into the earth realm by a witch, acting contrary to the word of God, and which is in order to get advice. The fact that Saul is so desperate that he must resort to a witch to engage in what is forbidden, and PTCBIH are so desperate that they must resort to this for support (and forget about "proof") leaves them both desperate in teaching contrary to the word of God!
The Apostle Paul Prayed for the Dead 2 Timothy 1:16-18 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me
Desperation in deception #3. Paul is simply not praying to any created being in Heaven, and what he does express is more that of a desire, for Paul is not reticent to tell us when he prays, while it can only be presumed that Onesiphorus had died. Nor is this even support for RC Purgatory.
Jesus and Peter Simultaneously Prayed to Saints and for the Dead Tabitha was a disciple in Joppa who died. Peter prayed to her when he said “Tabitha, rise.” See Acts 9:36-41.Tabitha was a disciple in Joppa who died. Peter prayed to her when he said “Tabitha, rise.” See Acts 9:36-41. She was dead, and he was addressing her. There is no impenetrable wall between heaven and earth. This is not only praying to the dead, but for the dead, since the passage says that Peter “prayed” before addressing Tabitha first person. And he was praying for her to come back to life.
Which last ditch effort also fails, for once again, there simply is no praying to anyone in Heaven to intercede for them to God, or even to help the supplicant, for instead, as every believer did in prayers in Scripture, Peter prayed to God, and then commanded her to arise.
And no such desperation should be necessary for such a common Catholic practice, seeing there have always been plenty of created beings to pray to, and needful opportunities to do so or to give thanks to such, Yet there are ZERO examples of PTCBIH in Scripture, and despite there being over 200 prayers by believers in the Bible.
Yet Catholicism teaches their tradition (of men) of prayer to created beings in Heaven despite,
"Prayer to Saints" is not restricted to just them, but angels as well, and basically boils down to (based on what we do read in the Bible),
Thank you. There are serious doubts that it was Samuel that was responding to Sauls witch. Besides it was Jesus that taught the Disciples how to pray and it was “ Our Father Who art in heaven”.
Paul Prayed to Saints
The Apostle Paul, (Saint Paul, that is) explicitly asks saints to pray for him in the Bible, just as Catholics today do. The reader may be astonished, but the claim is true. St. Paul prayed to saints. Here’s proof:
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 1:1 KJV)
Here is St. Paul writing to the Ephesians. He calls them saints. At the end of the book of Ephesians (6:18-19), he tells these saints to pray for him:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly…” (KJV)
Spot on, Daniel.
By Catholics definition, any time someone talks to another human being it’s *praying* to them.
Ludicrous.
My dad (Protestant) used to “talk” to his parents. He didn’t go into detail, just mentioned it. I didn’t take it as praying, but I guess it might be considered that. Now that he and my mom are gone I think it is a little odd to be “talking” with them, the thought never crossed my mind. Although there are times when “I wonder what my old man would do in this situation?”
Just awhile ago our pastor said something like “And I know that it is a nice image to have that our loved ones are looking down on us and seeing how we are doing. Pretty sure though, if they are in Heaven, their attention is fixed on God and praising Him.”
I’ve also wondered, if Heaven is Holy and perfect and joyful, how could a parent look down on their child going through hard times, willfully ignoring or going against God, etc.? I suppose as they know that God wins in the end, but still. I imagine that those in Heaven, except for the angels and God, can’t see what is happening on earth.
Hail Mary
Full of grace
The Lord is with Thee
Blessed art Thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and in the hour of our death.
Amen
Go away, Daniel. In the name of God.
The Whore of Babylon is Drunk on the Blood of The Saints and will be cast into the Lake of Fire with the Devil and his Angels
Caths Worship the created and
Not the Creator!
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That’s Idolatry.
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I’m binge watching ‘Ten Commandments’.
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Idolaters getting swallowed up
Is My Favorite part!!