If you are praying to saints who do you think you are praying to? Is this wrong to pray to saints?

Question

Here are some verses that I found:
As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 16:3

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’ Daniel 7:18

But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. Romans 15:25

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 1 Corinthians 1:2

for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,Ephesians 4:12

Sound to me like the saints are those that follow Christ on earth and in heaven. I would not want anyone to pray to me. Christians should not pray to other believers in God. We should pray to God only.

Answer 1

According to the bible, it is wrong to pray to any being other then God and all prayers to him MUST be directed through/in the name of Jesus. The is only one true God and Creator and only one mediator between mankind and him, Jesus Christ.

The idea and practice of praying to/through religious Icons did not enter the Christian religion until the third century.

The Encyclopædia Britannica says that “during the first three centuries of the Christian Church, . . . there was no Christian art, and the church generally resisted it with all its might. Clement of Alexandria, for example, criticized religious (pagan) art in that it encouraged people to worship that which is created rather than the Creator.”

How, then, did the use of icons become so popular? The Britannica continues: “About the mid-3rd century an incipient pictorial art began to be used and accepted in the Christian Church but not without fervent opposition in some congregations. Only when the Christian Church became the Roman imperial church under Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century were pictures used in the churches, and they then began to strike roots in Christian popular religiosity.”

A common practice among the stream of pagans who now began to declare themselves Christians was the worship of portraits of the emperor. “In accordance with the cult of the emperor,” explains John Taylor in his book Icon Painting, “people worshipped his portrait painted on canvas or wood, and from thence to the veneration of icons was a small step.” Thus pagan worship of pictures was replaced by the veneration of pictures of Jesus, Mary, angels, and “saints.” These pictures that started to be used in the churches gradually found their way into the homes of millions of people, being venerated there as well.

The Bible contains Jesus’ statement: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Paul declared that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus,” and that “Christ . . . pleads for us.” (1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 8:34) This takes on added meaning when we read that Christ is able to “save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) It is in the name of Jesus Christ that we should approach God. No other person, and certainly no lifeless icon, can substitute for him. Such knowledge from God’s Word can help anyone seeking the truth to find the way to worship “the Father with spirit and truth” and experience the blessings of this superior way of worship. Indeed, as Jesus said, “the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him.”—John 4:23.

Answer 2

You couldn't be more right. The sin is in the idea that mankind names Saints when they are called Saints of the Most High. How the Catholic hierarchy got to the point they think they are the Most High I can only imagine.

the people who practice this type of prayer know nothing.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10 "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; ...

The dead are dead and have yet to be risen through Resurrection. They might as well be envoking Baal's help. Elijah would have a riot of a time with saint prayers.

Noone has ascended to Heaven yet. Resurrection is still in the future. Judgement Day hasn't happened. Read your Bible more people!

Answer 3

You are right. Those that pray to saints are worshipping ( yes, that's a form of worship ) false gods. That's right, false gods. We don't even know if any other than God can hear anything by what the Bible says. All we do know about others up there is that they do what God tells them to do. So the whole worshipping saints thing ( that's right, worshipping ) says that you trust them to tell God, who is apparently not able to hear them ( faithlessness) . Those that are trusting in saints fail to trust God for something that He promised to do! That's false religion.

Here is a story about someone else who worshipp others with the intention of focusing on heaven:

2 Kings 21
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

Now are those Roman Catholics going to hell because they do that? NO!

All who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. They are sinning people, and so am I. So I hope that God can forgive them their sinning as they pray, the same as He will forgive me for my sins.

Answer 4

No it is not wrong to pray to saints. It is not wrong to pray to your dear dead dog either. It just wont do you any good. Just try it you will get the same result from praying to God. Or that very special one Jesus Christ. It's all nonsense. You will get about the same result pissing up a tree.
Kisses Betty B.

Answer 5

You surely know the word of God. God will bless you for teaching this.
No, we cant pray to saints of Jesus mother either. God tells us to pray ONLY to Him, thru His son Jesus. PEriod.
Not my writings, but His.
We cant pray to a saint anymore than we could pray to Billy Graham. All are mere men, and none are God.
We can honor Jesus parents by being so glad they did their part is having Jesus and raising Him to be who He was. But, we dont pray to them Only God hears our prayer. we cant even pray to the angels, but God says we may call on them, as He gives us authority to do so When in trouble, we can call on our angels , and they will come to help. But, we dont pray to them either.
I wouldnt want anyone to pray to me either. A true Christian would never allow that at all.
Its sheer blasphemy.

Answer 6

Praying to saints, through saints... it doesn't matter, it is wrong. It is telling Christ that He is insufficient as the one & only mediator between humans & God the Father.

Grace alone, Faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone! By praying to/through the saints Roman Catholicism turns prayer into a good work that saves. It is not a Sacrament or means of grace! The means of grace are quite clearly & simply God's Word (The Holy Bible) & Sacrament (Holy Baptism & Holy Communion), nothing more nothing less.

It is God who does the work of salvation for us, not us, lest we boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Answer 7

It's interesting how much subtle Catholic-bashing goes on. Many of the people who engage in it actually know nothing at all about Catholicism either. In any event, I've always known that when people are busy talking about you-positively or negatively-it's because you're important. Many times, they're also threatened by you too.

Answer 8

Yes , it is wrong to pray to saints, then you would be praying to me, I'm a saint. We are to pray to God only and when we do , we are to pray in the name of Jesus.

Answer 9

you are right

I am glad that we can all be saints in Christ, but I would not want someone to pray to me to intercede on their behalf... That would be diminishing Jesus' sacrifice.

God wants a PERSONAL relationship with us. Ask Him yourself. When asking someone to pray FOR you, you are not to ask because you feel they are closer to God than you are - you ask because where two or more are gathered, there is Jesus among you - that means you pray in AGREEMENT of His presence and His Omnipotence and sovereignty.

blessings :)

Answer 10

Jesus said:
I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father, but through Me.
Jn 14:6