Therefore, should we conclude that there is life on other planets? Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Q: I shared one of your questions of the day about the saints with a fellow (but non-practicing) Catholic co-worker. Let him sing praise. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Is anyone cheerful? Some Christiansmost Protestants, in factdeny that the Bible gives support for devotion to the saints, but they are incorrect. N Needless to say, many of these brothers and sisters of ours remain unconvinced, though they may find it interesting that St. Thomas Aquinas also considers arguments against the saints being able to know our prayers. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. NASB, When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, (Revelation 5:8). And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. In other words, he has this knowledge by virtue of being God, the uncaused Creator and sustainer of all being, including the thoughts of men. The 24 elders around the throne, who are saints, and the angels offer these nuggets of incense for us. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. The graph below shows the locations of each appearance. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Berean Standard Bible And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The Catholic Church has always believed that Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man. Since the Bible says that contacting in the dead is the abominable sin of necromancy (Deut. These critics worry that Catholics will go to hell for offending God with a neo-pagan system of worship. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. http://www.catholic.com/Jimmy Akin explains how it is possible that the saints in heaven can hear the prayers of so many people at once.Jimmy Akin was born i. First, they accuse Catholics of worshipping Mary and the other saints. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. TheBaltimore Catechismexplains the seriousness of the sin of superstition: Superstition is by its nature a mortal sin, but it may be venial either when the matter is slight or when there is a lack of full consent to the act (question 212). The standard Protestant objection is that praying to the saints implies a type of omniscience on the hearers' part. No creature, no matter how good or beautifulno angel, no saint, not even the Virgin Marydeserves adoration. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. The fact that these are prayers "of the saints" in Revelation 5:8 indicates that God hears the prayers of His people. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. The Catholic Church, being a Bible-believing Church (actually, of course, its more than thatthe Catholic Church is the one and only Bible-writingChurch), condemns all forms of superstition and conjuring the dead. Nevertheless, lets take a look at what catholic.com says about that verse. The God who created space and time can also let the saints hear the prayers of millions of timebound humans. We do not need to see apparitions or hear their voices in order to believe they will pray for us in heaven. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 19:31). We should not argue from what we dont know. Pope Dionysius condemned the division of the one God into three gods, for there can be only one God, not three (Letter to Dionysius of Alexandria, A.D. 260). And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 1 Kings 8:29-30. that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, 'My name shall be there,' to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. Romans 8:26-7 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Although Ananias sin of dishonesty had an external dimension (there were some proceeds that he held back), the sin itself wasnt subject to normal observation. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Nothing in that verse says that anyone hears the prayers of the saints. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. Only God is able to hear our prayers and answer them wisely. In that day you will ask nothing of me. One might object, saying, But maybe those werent prayers to the saints but prayers to God! This may well be true. The assembly and church of the firstborn who have been enrolled in heaven and the phrase spirits of righteous ones who have been made perfect can refer only to the saints in heaven. Of course, God is sufficient unless you take your eyes off of God and put it on your tradition. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The saints are alive in heaven because of the life they have received through their faith in Christ Jesus and through their eating of his body and blood. A fourth objection is that the Bible does not instruct Christians to honor the saints, seek their intercession, or keep their relics. This is the teaching of the creeds (Apostles Creed: I believe in one God; Nicene Creed: We believe in one God) and the catechisms (Baltimore Catechism, question 199: By the first commandment we are commanded to offer to God alone the supreme worship that is due him) and the Church councils (Nicaea, in 325; Rome in 382; Toledo in 675; Lateran IV in 1215; Lyons in 1274; Florence in 1442; Trent from 1545-1563; Vatican I from 1869-1870). Can the saints, they ask, even hear our prayers? Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. Because they are alive, we believe that we can go to them to intercede for us with God. Bible verses about Praying To Saints. The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Heres one way to put the argument: P1: If the saints knew our prayers, then they would know our sufferings. Butthe argument goesthey must not be helping us in our sufferings, because we suffer every day. They smell sweet and good. A Psalm of David. Isnt God the Trinity enough? If Catholics were to respond, perhaps I could include their responses in an updated version of this article. Blog, A And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! So too do Catholics make statues to represent the presence of the saints and angels in churches, homes, and elsewhere. Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. English Standard Version praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Can the saints, they ask, even hear our prayers? OpenBible.info But this kind of knowledge doesnt require full comprehension of the divine essence, which is characteristic of omniscience. The Bible encourages Christians to approach the saints in heaven, just as they approach God the Father and Jesus Christ the Lord: But you have approached Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, and the assembly and church of the firstborn who have been enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and spirits of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood which speaks better than that of Abel (Heb. Without any biblical injunction to perform these things, a Christian risks displeasing God. It is a figurative context and is not explicit. Pope Damasus I condemned the worship of other gods, angels, or archangels, even when God gave them the name of god in the Bible (Tome of Damasus, approved at the Council of Rome, 382). We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. They have gone beyond scripture. When the Lamb took the book with the seven seals, the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb in worship, each one having a harp and golden bowls of incenses, which are the prayers of the saints., Similarly, in Revelation 8:3-4 we are told that something similar happened when the Lamb opened the seventh seal of the book: Another angel came and stood on the altar, having a golden censer, and many incenses were given to him, in order that he will give it with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. They have four main criticisms of the custom, all of which they push forward vigorously. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. The second objection to praying to the saints is that, even if Catholics do not worship the saints, they are at least calling upon the spirits of the dead. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If they can, why the focus on Mary? John DamascenesApologetic Sermons Against Those Who Reject Sacred Imagesgives an authentic presentation of the Catholic attitude towards statues and pictures of Mary and the saints: If we were making images of men and thought them gods and adored them as gods, certainly we would be impious. Isaiah 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel . First, God expects us to pray for one another. Let him pray. Or that the Apostles wrote the New Testament before they began to preach. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. The fact that those in the heavenly court can hear our prayers is also indicated in the book of Revelation, where we read: "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose . A Psalm of David. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Can they also hear prayers in different languages, both thought and spoken, all simultaneously from all over the planet? The Catholics are committing the interpretive error called eisegesis. 18:10-11). From this it follows that a saint in heaven may intercede for other people because he still is a member of the Body of Christ. Deuteronomy 18:11 tells us that anyone who "consults with the dead" is "detestable to the Lord." It supposes either the saints are praying for us, in which case we wouldnt suffer, or they dont know our prayers. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. The only place where spirits of perfected righteous people can dwell is heaven. Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. We trust that the saints will accept our requests for help and will present them to Christ for us. 21:9). The Old Testament story in Daniel 2 involving Joseph and his interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzars dream is one example. Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? Q In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. 2:5-6). But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. It is a symbolic reminder that God remembers the prayers of His people. No one should ever ask the saints for intercession. Here are the 25 most powerful Bible scriptures on God hearing our prayers. The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith. And in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. No one comes to the Father except through me. Catholic ones would interpret it in favor of Mary being able to hear our prayers. Samuel was not pleased about returning his attentions to earth. First, they are spirits, not flesh and blood. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. "When you do ask, you do not receive because you are asking for a wrong purpose." James 4:3. His eyes were like a flame of fire. English Standard Version Its knowledge of the interior movements in Ananias heart: How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? They hear them because of their union . Although I think Aquinas is right here, it seems there needs to be a bit more explanation as to how knowledge of our sufferings wouldnt undermine the happiness of the blessed. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. It claims the saints cant possibly know our prayers because if they did, they would respond to our requests for intercession, and we wouldnt have suffering in our lives. 18:10-12), the intercession of the saints seems blasphemous to me. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Answer Praying to the dead is strictly forbidden in the Bible. Not everything in the Bible or every Christian doctrine held has to be made explicit . Good friends are open and sincere. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. In a dream, God commanded King Abimelech to ask Abraham to intercede for him: For [Abraham] is a prophet and he will pray for you, so you shall live (Gen. 20:7). Is anyone among you sick? Our admonition from Scripture is to use the word of God as the footstool upon which we build our truths, not the ignorance of what heaven might be like, and then use it to justify teaching about Mary that is not supported in Scripture. If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at [emailprotected]. Everyone in Christ, whether living or dead, belongs to the Body of Christ. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. H Knowledge of God as a Trinity is something that God alone has by nature. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992. http://www.catholic.com/tracts/praying-to-the-saints, If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at, Leviticus 7:20, 1 Corinthians 11:27, and transubstantiation. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. C2: Therefore, the saints cant know our prayers. Wiersbe, Warren W. Wiersbes Expository Outlines on the New Testament. D Thus, according to Scripture, God wants us to pray for one another. It is clear the Christian has approached a number of heavenly beings: the heavenly Jerusalem, the angels, God the judge, and Jesus the mediator. However, the question reveals a false assumption on the part of the people asking the question. Let him pray. Is anyone among you sick? So, if we ask the saints to pray that we be delivered from a particular difficulty in our lives, and it doesnt come to pass, its because it wasnt Gods will. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them., And Jesus answered them, Have faith in God. Nevertheless, the following are the questions I have for the Catholics. If indeed, 1) God wants us to pray for each other (as He does), and if indeed, 2) prayers of more righteous people have more power (as James 5:16 proves), and if indeed 3) dead saints can hear our . 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. Publisher: OpenBible.info. Z. Psalm 66:17-20 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. When the Catholic Church encourages devotion and prayer to the saints, in no way does it intend for its members to practice some form of superstition. How does the Church integrate this essential doctrine of the faith with the belief that we can pray to the saints? C1: Therefore, the saints cant know our sufferings. The Catholic Church always has taught that a Christian can worship only God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The saints in heaven offering the prayers doesnt mean that they can hear the prayers of people on earth.
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