Why We Don’t Pray for the Dead

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Why  We Don’t Pray  for the Dead

For years,  in various religions,  people have prayed  for the dead.     Sometimes  they pray  for the dead  shortly after death  has taken place — sometimes they pray  for a person  who has been dead  for years.     Either way,  it is not biblical  and should not  be practiced  within the Christian faith  because the practice  has originated  in old-time heathen religions.     But,  since we do see people  around us  praying  for the dead,  we need  to know why God  is against such a practice.

The Bible  is filled  with passages  about the saved  and unsaved people,  who have passed  from this earthly life.     Every reference  shows reasons why  we should not pray  for the dead.     The dead  in Isaiah 26:14 refers to those  who are “dead”  because of wicked unbelief  — being spiritually dead — and physically dead.     Isaiah says,

The dead  will not live,  the departed spirits  will not rise;
Therefore  Thou hast punished  and destroyed them,
And Thou  hast wiped out  all remembrance  of them.

From this  we see that unbelievers  are certainly  “punished  and destroyed”.     We are not to pray  for unbelievers  because we would be contrary  to God’s righteous judgments.

Neither should we pray  for a departed  family member  or friend,  who has led  a supposedly,  reasonably good life — but yet,  did not actually trust  in Jesus.     Psalm 49:7-9  says why,

No man  can by any means  redeem his brother,
Or give  to God  a ransom  for him —
For the redemption  of his soul  is costly,
And he should cease  trying forever —
That he should live on eternally;
That he should not see the pit.

We are not  to pray  for a deceased family member  because  “the redemption  of his soul is costly.”     In other words,  only Christ Jesus is able  to redeem  a soul.     Our lives  are grossly sinful  and totally unfit  for redeeming  anyone.     We can’t even redeem ourselves.     Only Jesus can redeem us  when we put our faith  in His sacrifice  for our sins.

Nobody gets a second chance  at being saved  after dying  on this earth because Hebrews 9:27  assures us,

It is appointed  for men  to die once,  and after this  comes judgment…

Jesus affirmed  that truth  for us  when He told the story  of the rich man  and the beggar Lazarus  in Luke 16:19-31.     The rich man went straight  to hell and poor Lazarus  went straight  to heaven.     And,  in verse 26 Abraham told  the rich man,

“Between us  and you  there is a great chasm fixed,  in order  that those  who wish  to come over from here  to you  may not be able,  and that none  may cross over  from there  to us.”

One simply cannot go  from hell  to heaven — or heaven  to hell.     Lazarus was not even allowed  to return  to earth  to warn  the rich man’s brothers  about hell  because Abraham explained  in verse 31,

If they do not listen  to Moses  and the Prophets,  neither will they be persuaded  if someone rises  from the dead.

The bottom line is  as Jesus explains  in John 3:18,

He who believes  in Him  is not judged;  he who does not believe  has been judged already,  because he has not believed  in the name  of the only begotten Son  of God.

One could present  many more examples,  but this  should make it clear  that our opportunity  for eternal life  is only  through faith  in Christ Jesus  while we are alive  on this earth.     The very moment  we die here,  we are  in the hands  of God Almighty  to say  what He has seen  in our hearts.     He alone knows the truth  of our every thought.

Trusting  in God’s holy righteousness  in judging everyone,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord Jesus,  Your forgiving mercy  is intended  for all mankind  to trust in.     Help us  to let others know  about Your salvation  through faith.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

A 2.67 year old says  I Pledge Allegiance

Pray for our country.

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… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …

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Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect, but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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