Posted on 11/02/2011 9:26:44 AM PDT by DogwoodSouth
Well, I'm not a theological expert, so I can't explain exactly how praying for anyone (dead or not) works. I just know that we are commanded to pray for one another. Scripture commands us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and specifically demands that we intercede "for one another" (James 5:16) and that we pray "for all" (1 Timothy 2:1). There are no qualifiers in these instructions; nothing that would act as though death has separated the Body of Christ or made prayers ineffective. In addition to this, we know that praying for the souls of the dead was a Jewish practice that Christians continued. 2 Maccabees 12:46 reads: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they might be loosed from sins."
Interestingly, the Apostle Paul seems to refer to praying for the dead (in this case, his friend Onesiphorus) in his second letter to Timothy. Specifically, he wrote (important part highlighted): "May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me (the Lord grant to him to find the Lord's mercy on that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well." At the very least, reasonable people could conclude that at the time Paul wrote this, Onesiphorus had died and left behind a family (i.e. "house"), and that Paul was praying in the highlighted words that Onesiphorus would be granted God's mercy on the Day of Judgement.
(Excerpt) Read more at southernfriedcatholicism.com ...
Great question. I am going to side with - no, it makes no difference, they all get "routed" to God.
I would be interested to see other's thoughts.
Good grief! Catholics believe you are judged and either going to heaven or hell. That’s a done deal. But nothing unclean can enter heaven. Unless you are perfect - and most of us are not - you have the stain of sin on your soul. It is those preparing to enter heaven that must have that stain purged. The souls we are praying for are preparing to enter heaven! They are ALREADY JUDGED! That’s why ‘purgatory’ - (maybe not a PLACE but a STATE), is a place of suffering but also of joy. The souls know they are going to be with the Lord!
I Cor 3:15:
“If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as through the fire.”
Perhaps the Protestants created their own God unknown to their forebears.
eggzactly
eggzactly
Well, we know C Leaf’s thoughts on it. It would be nice to have a decent discussion on this.
"{12:46} Therefore, it is a holy and beneficial thought to pray on behalf of those who have passed away, so that they may be released from sins."
What did Jesus do, and why?
We're not very strong in some matters and especially after many years ... 'letting go' is a difficult thing.
I loved my first wife, but her heart was stopped by cancer and because she was 'born again', ...
went home.
I'll see her again.
I don't visit her grave.
—What name do you use, when you pray? Is it necessary to say, ‘Dear God of the Bible’, when praying? What happens when a Mormon says the “Our Father” or ‘Heavenly Father’?—
No, what I mean is that it is not what you say. It is what you mean. Words are mere symbols that represent a meaning. the meaning is what counts. I do not believe that all mormons are not Christian. Rather, I believe the god of mormonism is not God. WHO a person is praying to is more important than what he/she calls Him.
Words are our limited way of communicating to God, but only a part of our communication. IOW, this whole conversation is somewhat irrelevant, relatiely speaking.
James did not muck that up at all.
Jesus did say ask and you shall receive. Of course, this asking is supposed to be within Gods will. He probably has no interest in you wanting a nicer house.
—Perhaps the Protestants created their own God unknown to their forebears.—
I have a problem with all this label stuff. Protestant, Catholic, Babdis, etc.
In my case, I am none of the above. I am Christian. I pray to the God fo the bible, and try to cover what Jesus did in his example.
Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians reject the novelty of imputed grace.
—James did not muck that up at all.—
I agree. I was being funny. What James mucked up was what so many want to hear, as opposed to what is actually being said in the gospels.
—He probably has no interest in you wanting a nicer house.—
Well, according to James that is true only if your motives are wrong. Problem is, I think that most of the time we pray with wrong motives. If your motive for wanting the house is pure, you’ll get it. On the other hand, if your motive is pure, you may not ask for it.
After all, how many people do you know that have said to a mountain, “Move!” and actually had the mountain move? ;-)
—He probably has no interest in you wanting a nicer house.—
Well, according to James that is true only if your motives are wrong. Problem is, I think that most of the time we pray with wrong motives. If your motive for wanting the house is pure, you’ll get it. On the other hand, if your motive is pure, you may not ask for it.
After all, how many people do you know that have said to a mountain, “Move!” and actually had the mountain move? ;-)
So, again, Jesus’ blood, His sacrifice, is insufficient to get you all the way.
In fact, St Jerome who assembled and translated the Latin Vulgate bible (late 4th century translation from Greek) specifically stated that the Apocrypha books (Macabees) were not found in the Hebrew Bible and were not canon.
Thus Luther did not take out the books, he corrected the mistake of the Council of Trent and returned the canon back to it's prior configuration that had been accepted not only by early church leaders, but had been the position of the Catholic leadership for over a thousand years.
It was the Catholic church who accepted the concept of purgatory despite not being taught by Jesus or the Apostles. They needed this concept to be combined with prayers for the dead in order to sell indulgences and raise money. Thus during the Councils of Trent, the Apocryphal books were accepted by the Catholic leadership to justify purgatory, prayers for the dead and the selling of indulgences.
Funerals are not for the dead, they are for the living. A reminder that we too will soon depart this earth and the time that we have to get right with God is deminishing. It is also a time to strengthen family ties, to be comforted in our loss.
I like my Father's presents.
So, if someone, regardless of their faith, prays to their creator for help, does the one and only God hear him?
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