The dead no longer know anything about this world we live in anymore nor can they return
2007-02-25 05:57:42 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Praying to dead people has no biblical basis at all. Consider with me the characteristics of God. God is omnipresent--everywhere at once--and is capable of hearing every prayer in the world (Psalm 139:7-12). A human being, on the other hand, does not possess this attribute. Also, God is the only one with the power to answer prayer. In this regard, God is omnipotent--all powerful (Revelation 19:6). Certainly an attribute a human being does not possess--dead of alive. Finally, God is omniscient--he knows everything (Psalm 147:4-5). Even before I pray God knows my genuine needs, and knows them better then me. Not only does he know my needs, but he answers my prayers according to his perfect will.
So in relation to the attributes of God, in order for a dead person to receive prayers the dead individual has to hear the prayer, possess the power to answer it, and know how to answer it in a way that is best for the individual praying. Only God hears and answers prayer because of His perfect essence. This perfect essence includes that what some theologians call immanence. Immanence is the belief that God is directly involved with the affairs of mankind (see 1 Timothy 6:14-15), which includes answering prayer.
Even after a person dies, God is still involved with that person and his destination. Hebrews 9:27 says so much: "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment." If a person dies in Christ, he goes to heaven to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-9, especially verse 8); if a person dies in their sin, he goes to hell, where eventually everyone in hell will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15). While in heaven or the lake of fire, both groups will be judged for what they have done on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15).
A person suffering in agony will not be able to hear or answer a prayer, nor will a person who is living in heavenly bliss with God. Think about the person and where they are spending eternity at? If I pray to someone and they are in eternal agony, should I expect them to be able to hear and answer my prayer? Likewise, a person in heaven has no concern for that which is on earth, should I expect him to be concerned for my temporal and earth-oriented problems? God has provided his son Jesus Christ to be the mediator between man and God (1 Timothy 2:5). Since Jesus Christ is the mediator between the two parties I can go through Jesus to God. Why else is Jesus called the great high priest in Hebrews 4:14-16? Since I can go through the Son of God, why would anyone think we can go through a sinful dead individual?
2007-02-25 06:45:28 · answer #1 · answered by T M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So if somebody you care for dies, you don't hope they get into heaven? You never once said "God please pardon the sins of my loved one"? This is what prayer is for and is in scripture. There are many verses in the old testament where praying for the dead is permitted and in the bible there is a passage about where it says "pray for your dead for it will help them find grace". You can go look at it if you want. Here is one from 2 Timothy 1:16-18
"May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. "
This is a man praying for the soul of someone who died and he is praying to God to accept him in heaven.
2007-02-25 06:20:13 · answer #2 · answered by cynical 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If people can be baptized for them (1 Cor. 15:29), why not pray for them also? Did not Christ say (permit me to paaraphrase here), the God was God of the living not the dead (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(Mark 12:26-27))?
2007-02-25 06:37:04 · answer #3 · answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is really a pagan ideal that came from the Corinthian church, But it has it's roots farther back also & was carried over into The Corinthian church, Where Apostle Paul brought up those Corinthians pagan ideals. They were being baptized for someone dead. & also The Catholic church hung onto a certain portion of that pagan ideal.
2007-02-25 06:08:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming life continues after death, praying for their souls progression of journey wouldn't be any different than praying for someone who is alive. I would think whoever it is you are praying for, whether living or not, they'll benefit from prayer. So, yes, pray!
2007-02-25 06:05:59 · answer #5 · answered by Greenwood 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try telling these brainwashed fundamentalist wacko blood-cult flesh-eating freaks to realize it....
good luck
2007-02-25 06:17:45 · answer #6 · answered by slipknotraver 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earliest religious superstitions were ancestor worship and veneration.
2007-02-25 05:59:53 · answer #7 · answered by nondescript 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what if there was only one Mind divided into many bodies and one of those bodies die?
does that mean that Mind dies also?
What if there was only one Spirit divided into many bodies and one of the bodies die?
Does the Spirit die also?
2007-02-25 06:05:44 · answer #8 · answered by Ryoudan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is called intercessory prayer and it works. try the rosary,and the St.Michael's chaplet. they both work great.
2007-02-25 06:08:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah I dont get that
2007-02-25 06:03:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋