h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sam

You were shocked at my suggestion that you can ask people in Heaven to pray for you-something Roman Catholics and ‘higher’ Protestants do. Now I am not 100% sure on this subject either but I am going to defend it from the point of view that it is fine, and more so, perfectly Biblical.

You said the dead cannot hear our prayers but in Revelation 5:8, the saints in Heaven our offering our prayers to God. And if they are offering our prayers to the Lord, the must be able to hear our prayers.

Your second point states that we are forbidden to contact the dead and I assume you are referring to Deuteronomy 18:10–11:

‘There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.’

However, this passage is actually against conjuring up spirits for information. A necromancer is somebody who conjures up dead spirits to find out information about the future. This is hardly the same as asking somebody in Heaven to pray for you. Besides, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 so God cannot forbid contact with dead saints. You could argue that Elijah did not die (but then we start the debate about whether Mary died-something the reformers were not sure about-Luther certainly did not believe she died) but Moses certainly did.

It is true there is only one mediator between man and God and that is Jesus Christ:

‘For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the Man Jesus Christ’. 1 Timothy 2:5

However, we have to understand what this means. First of all, we cannot get to God unless we go through Jesus Christ. Nobody comes to the Father except through the Son. Secondly, since He is God and man, he provides a bridge between earth and heaven.

However, this does not condemn prayers for others or asking others to pray for you. In fact, if you read the verses before 1:Timothy 2:5, you will see that it is supported:

‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all me;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;’ 1 Timothy 2:1-3

In the first verse, Paul asks that we make intercessions. An intercession is a prayer for somebody else. Therefore, it is good in the sight of God to pray for others, and, based on the above, the saints in Heaven can pray for us. So what is wrong with asking them to pray for us?

Now I am not 100% convinced but I must say, there is a pretty strong case for it.

GN, you can download a virtual Rosary @ http://www.virtualrosary.org/dload.php

Rev Alan

Thanks but I have already done it! Not used it but having a look. I do have rosary beads but I will still have to do a bit of research.

So any views on the above Sam?