But if you pray to the saints you are worshiping them. Whenever discussing a doctrine, it is always effective to define your terms. Any time a Catholic utters a petition to a saint, it is taken for Intercession Of Saints that it is a request for that saint to pray to God for them. What needs to be stressed here is that none of our prayers terminate in the saints, as if they had the power in and of themselves to answer prayers.

If I had a problem at work, why would I take it to the volunteers in the mailroom if I were friends with the CEO himself? The flaw in this objection is that it proves too much. For if Catholics should not ask those in heaven for their prayers since we can go straight to Jesus, then no Christian on earth should ask a fellow believer for his prayers. When one believer asks another for his prayers, it is not because God is too distant or callous to listen to him.

On the contrary, God is so generous he has given the body of Christ such unity that each member can pray for the others. After all, salvation is a family affair. Immediately after requesting that we pray for each other in 1 Timothy —4, Paul affirms that Christ is the one mediator.

Again, let us define our terms. A mediator is one who comes between two parties with the purpose of uniting them. Christ played a role of mediation that only the God-man could, but Christians are still called to serve as mediators between Christ and the world.

In no way does this diminish the unique work of Christ. On the contrary, it manifests it. For example, Christ is our only high priest, but we are all called to be a nation of priests 1 Pet. Christ is the only Son of God, yet we are made sons of God through adoption Gal. Sometimes when discussing doctrines, it is helpful to take a step back and look at the objection from a different angle. So invite the person you are speaking with to imagine a man who spent 80 years on earth serving the Lord and praying fervently for everyone in need.

After passing away, he walked across the clouds to the Pearly Gates. Peter checked the book, his name was there, and he was Intercession Of Saints to enter. To think of those in heaven as unwilling or unable to pray for us is to have a grave misconception of Intercession Of Saints. It is not an isolated part of the body of Christ that exists without concern for the other members of the body who are still working out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil.

In the story of Lazarus and the rich man Luke —31the rich man shows concern for Intercession Of Saints family on earth, even though he is in hell. If a person in hell has such concern, and those in heaven are perfected in love and can finally pray with an undivided heart for the Church of God, how could they not be concerned about our salvation? The book of Revelation is especially helpful in dealing with this, since it describes people in heaven who are aware of the happenings on earth Rev.

Those in heaven are part of the mystical body of Christ, and have not been separated from us by death. Fundamentalists often challenge the Catholic practice of asking saints and angels to pray on our behalf. But the Bible directs us to invoke those in heaven and ask them to pray with us. Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, Intercession Of Saints, praise him, all his host! Thus the saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth. Because he is the only God-man and the mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus Intercession Of Saints the only mediator between man and God 1 Tim. As the following passages show, the early Church Fathers not only clearly recognized the biblical teaching that those in heaven can and do intercede for us, but they also applied this teaching in their own daily prayer life.

But you, [Hermas,] having been strengthened by the holy angel [you saw], and having obtained from him such intercession, and not being slothful, why do not you ask of the Lord understanding, and receive it from him?

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