Angel,
You are welcome for the explanation. Yes we are referred to as saints.
However there is a big difference in asking for prayer by saints, than
praying "to" saints. I pray to my God only, not a godly person. Who else
has the power to do anything about our issues but God? If it were saints
that had the power I'd then ask Pat to heal my eyes, Julie to provide
heavenly assistence with my music, and perhaps yourself for spiritual
wisdom, knowledge and understanding. This is Christianity, not
scientology or any other new age religion in where people themselves are
gods. I can ask for encouragement, yes, help, yes, to come over and laugh,
cry, drink coffee while we talk over life issues, , fix my roof, or
whatever humanly possible, and even pray "for" me, not "to" me, to
petition god's will and my peace on my life, but praying quote "to",
unquote people or saints? That is not Christianity. I've not seen anywhere
in the Bible, the inherent and sole testament of God, where it mentions
praying to a saint. This is neither Prodostant or Catholic list, as I said
before, we agree where we agree and agree to disagree where there are
doctrinal differences. Making comparisons in a seemingly negative manner
regarding non-Catholic statements doesn't help the question of sainthood,
but distracts the issue at hand.
Brad
on 04:16 AM 7/30/2005, Angel said:
Thank you for your explanation. I appreciate it. Now may I ask another
question? Please? I was having a private discussion with someone and she
said we are all saints. The bible say this yes? Doesn't the bible say we
should ask each other for prayer and support. If this is the case does
not
the bible say we should pray to the saints Or are we not saints till we
die. If we are not saints while we live what are we? Isn't this true, we
never die because Jesus has destroyed death? Also, when we are absent
from
the body, are we not present with the lord. We must be sentient beings
while in heaven because those who appeared to Jesus on the mount of
transfiguration were sentient. They spoke with Jesus. This meant they
must
have been able to hear as well. He also spoke with them. Moses and
Elijah
cared deeply for him or they wouldn't have come to speak with him. Jesus
said when in heaven we would be as the Angels are which means we will also
be sentient because the angels are sentient. Even if we are not and
remain
in the ground till judgment are we not still alive because the soul never
dies? If then we never die, because Jesus has destroyed sin and death on
the cross what is the difference between the saints who are on this earth
and the saints who have made their transition to the heavenly realms? If
we
can speak to each other and ask for prayer and support why can we not just
as easily do the same with those who have gone before us? Therefore
discussions concerning praying to the saints would not be off topic I
would
think Why am I wrong? Catholics can show in the word where prayer to the
saints is indeed biblical. Is this just a protestant list, I thought not.
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