Some churches have a historic practice of praying to dead saints. Does the Bible teach that we should pray to the saints?
Answer:
Jesus Christ taught His followers to pray to "our Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
See All...), and the example throughout Scripture is that prayer is communication with God and part of our worship of Him.
What else does the Bible say about where prayers should be directed? Paul wanted the Roman church's "prayers to God" (Romans 15:30Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
See All...). Moses was to "pray to the Lord" (Numbers 21:7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
See All...), and David sang to God that "to You I will pray" (Psalm 5:2Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
See All...). Christians can come directly to God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
See All...), and the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
See All...). We don't need saints to do that.
Scripture shows saints (true believers) refusing to accept the worship of people (Acts 10:26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
See All...; 14:8-18). The Bible also tells us not to worship angels (Colossians 2:18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
See All...), and it shows that angels refuse adoration and worship by humans (Revelation 19:10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
See All...).
Notice also Revelation 22:9Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
See All..., where the apostle John saw in vision the time after the resurrection and fell down in awe at the feet of the being talking to him. "Then he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.'"
Righteous created beings, whether human or angelic, refuse to be worshipped and they point us to worship the Creator. Only Satan and his followers seek others' adoration and worship (Matthew 4:9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
See All...; Acts 8:9-11 [9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
[10] To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
[11] And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
See All...; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
[4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
See All...).
In addition to all this, praying to dead saints today assumes the doctrine of the immortal soul, which many people are surprised to find is not taught in the Bible. The Bible teaches that death is like sleep that lasts until the resurrection at Jesus Christ's second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[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:
See All...).
For more information, please read our booklet Who Is God?
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