God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 Christian music is to teach Bible, to encourage godly behavior and to give testimony to Jesus Christ. God doesn't require noise and shouting. Music is not necessary to win the lost but it is a form of worship to praise to God. Worship must be God-centered, not man-centered. Music, like anything else in the world, can be used for good or for evil. Lucifer was created with a wealth of musical talents, which were evidently to be used for directing the angelic host in the worship of God (Ezek. 28:13 ).
Lucifer's fall (Ezek. 28:11-19) evidently led to the perversion of music, so that its improper use could actually be offensive to God (Amos 5:23; 6:5).
We seem to have forgotten that our worship service is to bring glory and honor to God, and not to entertain ourselves. Some people think that Christianity and the church will be more popular if it’s worldly and entertaining. So, they bring popular culture into the church and will attract more people. It is a false vision from their own heart: “Then the Lord said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart” (Jeremiah 14:14).It is certainly not a vision from God.
Everything should be done “decently” and “in a proper order. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).
Some churches have all kinds of chaos during church service and have adopted heathen music and other carnal pleasures and have boldly brought them into the churches. You will see some people with tears rolling down their eyes. Other people will be jumping up and down and clapping their hands. And others will literally be running around the church or dancing in the middle of the aisles and some others talking in unknown tongues. Shouting is not necessary for the work of God to be accomplished.
Repeated exposure to loud noise can cause permanent damage and hearing loss. If people need to shout to be heard above the music, then the volume is too loud.” it would take continuous exposure to sounds at 100 decibels - such as a very loud worship band and an energetic preacher with a microphone - for about one to two hours, the average length of a church service, to cause permanent hearing loss. We can worship God without yelling, screaming and annoyed with loud music which will make us deaf. Church musicians are at more risk than the rest of the congregation because they are closer to the sound and are exposed to the volume longer. The music is too loud when the volume distracts from worship and when it is no longer musical. When the Lord manifests His presence, it will happen in a peaceful way and will produce peace in the room, not confusion” For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33).
If worshipers are distracted by loud and noisy music very elaborately, then the musician is taking the focus of God’s people off of Him and onto himself. .We need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord with emphasis on the spiritual, not the carnal excitement and entertainment False prophets proclaiming false visions lead the rebellion against sacred worship and offer false worship because they lust after recognition and popularity and money. Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter” (Isaiah 56:10, 11).
Here is what the some of the scriptures says: The Lord very clearly commands us to ". . . prove ALL things. . ."
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. 5:22
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:26
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake…Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. Titus 1:10,11,13
I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. Leviticus 10:3
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." Ephesians 5:19
“When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen” (Isa. 1:15).
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Eph 5:6-8).
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22,23)
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:43
"...It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matt 21:13).
1st Timothy 4:1,2 state, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."
Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. Ezekiel 22:8
In some churches it seems that People come to the listen to religious rock music, not to Jesus Christ. Since Rock music is musical perversion rooted in the carnal and it does not bring a spirit of peace but a spirit of restlessness. To bring carnal music into the sanctuary of the lord is to turn the house of God into the synagogue of Satan. We live in a day where many Christians and church leaders are allowing this demonic music into their churches, claiming that the music is holy and sanctified because the lyrics are changed to include some 'religious' words .Worshippers are more caught up in their fleshly response to the carnal beat rather than the words. World wants their worship service to be "more entertaining", thus they are failing to worship God in spirit and in truth. This type of worship is also vain and unacceptable to God, for Jesus says in Matthew 15:8, "These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Some people gives excuse by saying “But Jesus went out and mingled with sinners” but Jesus Christ never went into a den of iniquity nor did He copy the ways of the ungodly nor he shouted or Jumped made noisy music to praise God. Some people say we have to use Rock Music because this is the only way the youth of this generation can be reached. For them I say The Bible never permits or compromises with evil ways to reach to bring back lost souls. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col 3:16).
Shaila Touchton's Despite of Differences, Come Unity in Jesus Christ!
Showing posts with label catholic idol worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label catholic idol worship. Show all posts
Catholics worship statues!
God forbids the worship of images as gods, but he doesn?t ban the making of images. If he had, religious movies, videos, photographs, paintings, and all similar things would be banned. But, as the case of the bronze serpent shows, God does not even forbid the ritual use of religious images. Catholics do NOT worship statues. Crucifixes, statues, holy pictures, relics, and religious art are not idols. They are prayer aides and reminders. These items are found in Catholic homes and churches to draw one's eyes and thoughts to Godand will be able to focus on God Minds can and do wander.Images bring into our mind the realization of divine remembrances, which help us to worship God better. It says in Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In the Bible, 1 Thess 5:17, Christians are told to pray without ceasing. These items draw the Catholic mind out of the physical realm and into the spiritual, reminding us to pray. Catholics do focus on the body of Christ hanging on the cross, instead of the empty cross. The crucifix is a visual reminder of the suffering and agony Christ endured to make reparation for our sins. Catholics do not worship saints, we simply give them honor and veneration.
Supporting verses:Col 1:15, Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31, Num. 21:8-9, I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67, Ezek. 41:15, Col. 1:15, 1 Chron. 28:18-19,John 3:13-15 ,1 Chronicles 28:11, 17-19
In the Bible, 1 Thess 5:17, Christians are told to pray without ceasing. These items draw the Catholic mind out of the physical realm and into the spiritual, reminding us to pray. Catholics do focus on the body of Christ hanging on the cross, instead of the empty cross. The crucifix is a visual reminder of the suffering and agony Christ endured to make reparation for our sins. Catholics do not worship saints, we simply give them honor and veneration.
Supporting verses:Col 1:15, Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31, Num. 21:8-9, I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67, Ezek. 41:15, Col. 1:15, 1 Chron. 28:18-19,John 3:13-15 ,1 Chronicles 28:11, 17-19
ARE CHRISTMAS TREES EVIL?
Anti-Catholics who oppose Christmas think they can strike a deathblow to the Christmas season with a verse taken from the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 10:2-14
Thus saith the Lord: Learn not according to the ways of the Gentiles. . . . For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe. He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder. They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree, and shall not speak: they must be carried to be removed, because they cannot go. Therefore fear them not, for they can neither do evil nor good. There is none like to thee, O Lord: thou art great, and great is thy name in might. Who shall not fear thee, O king of nations? for thine is the glory: among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms there is none like unto thee. They shall be all proved together to be senseless and foolish: the doctrine of their vanity is wood. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tharsis, and gold from Ophaz: the work of the artificer, and of the hand of the coppersmith: violet and purple is their clothing: all these things are the work of artificers. But the Lord is the true God: he is the living God, and the everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his threatening. Thus then shall you say to them: The gods that have not made heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth, and from among those places that are under heaven. He that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by his knowledge. At his voice he giveth a multitude of waters in the heaven, and lifteth up the clouds from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings for rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is become a fool for knowledge, every artist is confounded in his graven idol: for what he hath cast is false, and there is no spirit in them.
This passage, the anti-Catholic asserts, is condemning the use of Christmas trees! Now, admittedly, at first it might really look like this. But here it is very helpful to know some background, and to examine the passage very closely. There are five important points that must be taken into account here:
The word translated as "workman" is not the same as a "lumberjack." Instead, the original Hebrew word here, charash, means "carpenter" or "craftsman." That is what is meant by "workman." Now, whereas lumberjacks go into the forest to cut down trees, carpenters don't. Rather, carpenters make things (figurines, tools, etc.) out of wood. Thus, Jeremiah 10:3 speaks of carpenters who make wooden idols. "Later in this passage," adds Ralph Woodrow, "the 'workman' is portrayed as plating an idol with silver and gold--clearly not a lumberjack!" (Christmas Reconsidered, 46). The point that the "workman" in question is not a lumberjack but someone who would take wood and make idols out of it is further proven in a parallel passage in Isaiah 40:19-20: "Hath the workman cast a graven statue? or hath the goldsmith formed it with gold, or the silversmith with plates of silver? He hath chosen strong wood, and that will not rot: the skilful workman seeketh how he may set up an idol that may not be moved"; and again in Hosea 8:6: "A workman made it, and it is no god [but an idol]." To equate "workman" with "lumberjack," then, would be unbiblical and eisegetical--it would be a misrepresentation of what the actual biblical text says. Other Bible translations render "workman" as "craftsman" or the like.
The passage talks about the tool of the workman being an "ax." Now, this is not the kind of tool that we would call an "ax" now. What is now called an "ax" is the Hebrew word garzen, which is used throughout the Bible when what we now call an "ax" is meant (e.g. in Deuteronomy 19:5). However, the word used in Jeremiah 10:3 is not garzen but maatsad. Other Bible translations render maatsad as "cutting tool" (NASB), "adze" (NAB), "chisel" (NIV), and "blade" (NJB). One thing is clear: it's not an ax in the contemporary sense of the word. What is meant is a tool used to carve pieces of wood, the kind of tool a carpenter uses. Hence, once again, the "workman" is not a lumberjack but a carpenter.
Verse 5 of the passage says: "They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree. . . ." This can hardly refer to a Christmas tree! Even if having Christmas trees is a practice that Christians have adopted from paganism, this passage is certainly not talking about it! No one fashions a Christmas tree "after the likeness of a palm tree"--not even those in Florida do that! ;-)
There is more evidence that St. Jeremiah wasn't condemning Christmas trees. Let me quote from Woodrow directly: "Jeremiah spoke against worshipping an idol made from a tree, not the tree itself. Though the workman could make the idol look like a living, walking, talking being, yet it was lifeless. [...] If Jeremiah was speaking of a Christmas tree--no one expects a Christmas tree to talk! These idols apparently had legs, yet could not walk. They must be carried, 'because they cannot go' (Jer. 10:5). Had Jeremiah been speaking of a Christmas tree, his whole argument would break down: everyone realizes that a Christmas tree must be carried--no one supposes a Christmas tree should walk" (Christmas Reconsidered, 47-48).
Verse 9 speaks about the idols being clothed in "violet and purple." Again, this is obviously not referring to a Christmas tree, or any tree for that matter, but the idols carved out of the wood from the trees in the forest. They were made to look like men--clothed, and with feet and hands and eyes and mouths, though they can neither speak nor see, nor walk or talk (cf. Psalm 115:4-8 [Psalm 113:4-8 Douay-Rheims]). The great prophet Isaiah proves that this analysis of Jeremiah 10:9 is correct: "The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. [...] The carpenter hath stretched out his rule, he hath formed it with a plane: he hath made it with corners, and hath fashioned it round with the compass: and he hath made the image of a man as it were a beautiful man dwelling in a house. He hath cut down cedars, taken the holm, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest: he hath planted the pine tree, which the rain hath nourished. And it hath served men for fuel: he took thereof, and warmed himself: and he kindled it, and baked bread: but of the rest he made a god, and adored it: he made a graven thing, and bowed down before it" (Isaiah 44:9,13-15).
All of this evidence should give the anti-Catholic pause. Jeremiah described idol worship, not tree worship. And it is absurd to suggest anyway that Christians who have a decorated a tree for Christmas are in any way worshipping that tree. It's as absurd as it is false. I have yet to meet someone who worships a Christmas tree. Besides, when the Christmas season is over, Christmas trees are discarded--burned or otherwise disposed of. As Ralph Woodrow aptly notes, this is "not something people would do with an object of worship" (Christmas Reconsidered, 49). Moreover, if a Christmas tree presented an occasion of sin for Christians because they would be tempted to worship it, as the SDA claim seems to go, then any trees would do so, not just Christmas trees, and one would have to cut down all trees throughout the world in order to keep people from falling into idolatry. Certainly, this is absurd.
Obviously, trees are not evil. Nothing God has made is evil. In fact, if you want to give your anti-Catholic acquaintance one last knockout concerning his anti-Christmas behavior, read to him
Isaiah 60:13: "The glory of Libanus shall come to thee, the fir tree, and the box tree, and the pine tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary: and I will glorify the place of my feet." Here fir and pine (box) trees are used to embellish the sanctuary of the one and only True God!
Jeremiah 10:2-14
Thus saith the Lord: Learn not according to the ways of the Gentiles. . . . For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe. He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder. They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree, and shall not speak: they must be carried to be removed, because they cannot go. Therefore fear them not, for they can neither do evil nor good. There is none like to thee, O Lord: thou art great, and great is thy name in might. Who shall not fear thee, O king of nations? for thine is the glory: among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms there is none like unto thee. They shall be all proved together to be senseless and foolish: the doctrine of their vanity is wood. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tharsis, and gold from Ophaz: the work of the artificer, and of the hand of the coppersmith: violet and purple is their clothing: all these things are the work of artificers. But the Lord is the true God: he is the living God, and the everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his threatening. Thus then shall you say to them: The gods that have not made heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth, and from among those places that are under heaven. He that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by his knowledge. At his voice he giveth a multitude of waters in the heaven, and lifteth up the clouds from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings for rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is become a fool for knowledge, every artist is confounded in his graven idol: for what he hath cast is false, and there is no spirit in them.
This passage, the anti-Catholic asserts, is condemning the use of Christmas trees! Now, admittedly, at first it might really look like this. But here it is very helpful to know some background, and to examine the passage very closely. There are five important points that must be taken into account here:
The word translated as "workman" is not the same as a "lumberjack." Instead, the original Hebrew word here, charash, means "carpenter" or "craftsman." That is what is meant by "workman." Now, whereas lumberjacks go into the forest to cut down trees, carpenters don't. Rather, carpenters make things (figurines, tools, etc.) out of wood. Thus, Jeremiah 10:3 speaks of carpenters who make wooden idols. "Later in this passage," adds Ralph Woodrow, "the 'workman' is portrayed as plating an idol with silver and gold--clearly not a lumberjack!" (Christmas Reconsidered, 46). The point that the "workman" in question is not a lumberjack but someone who would take wood and make idols out of it is further proven in a parallel passage in Isaiah 40:19-20: "Hath the workman cast a graven statue? or hath the goldsmith formed it with gold, or the silversmith with plates of silver? He hath chosen strong wood, and that will not rot: the skilful workman seeketh how he may set up an idol that may not be moved"; and again in Hosea 8:6: "A workman made it, and it is no god [but an idol]." To equate "workman" with "lumberjack," then, would be unbiblical and eisegetical--it would be a misrepresentation of what the actual biblical text says. Other Bible translations render "workman" as "craftsman" or the like.
The passage talks about the tool of the workman being an "ax." Now, this is not the kind of tool that we would call an "ax" now. What is now called an "ax" is the Hebrew word garzen, which is used throughout the Bible when what we now call an "ax" is meant (e.g. in Deuteronomy 19:5). However, the word used in Jeremiah 10:3 is not garzen but maatsad. Other Bible translations render maatsad as "cutting tool" (NASB), "adze" (NAB), "chisel" (NIV), and "blade" (NJB). One thing is clear: it's not an ax in the contemporary sense of the word. What is meant is a tool used to carve pieces of wood, the kind of tool a carpenter uses. Hence, once again, the "workman" is not a lumberjack but a carpenter.
Verse 5 of the passage says: "They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree. . . ." This can hardly refer to a Christmas tree! Even if having Christmas trees is a practice that Christians have adopted from paganism, this passage is certainly not talking about it! No one fashions a Christmas tree "after the likeness of a palm tree"--not even those in Florida do that! ;-)
There is more evidence that St. Jeremiah wasn't condemning Christmas trees. Let me quote from Woodrow directly: "Jeremiah spoke against worshipping an idol made from a tree, not the tree itself. Though the workman could make the idol look like a living, walking, talking being, yet it was lifeless. [...] If Jeremiah was speaking of a Christmas tree--no one expects a Christmas tree to talk! These idols apparently had legs, yet could not walk. They must be carried, 'because they cannot go' (Jer. 10:5). Had Jeremiah been speaking of a Christmas tree, his whole argument would break down: everyone realizes that a Christmas tree must be carried--no one supposes a Christmas tree should walk" (Christmas Reconsidered, 47-48).
Verse 9 speaks about the idols being clothed in "violet and purple." Again, this is obviously not referring to a Christmas tree, or any tree for that matter, but the idols carved out of the wood from the trees in the forest. They were made to look like men--clothed, and with feet and hands and eyes and mouths, though they can neither speak nor see, nor walk or talk (cf. Psalm 115:4-8 [Psalm 113:4-8 Douay-Rheims]). The great prophet Isaiah proves that this analysis of Jeremiah 10:9 is correct: "The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. [...] The carpenter hath stretched out his rule, he hath formed it with a plane: he hath made it with corners, and hath fashioned it round with the compass: and he hath made the image of a man as it were a beautiful man dwelling in a house. He hath cut down cedars, taken the holm, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest: he hath planted the pine tree, which the rain hath nourished. And it hath served men for fuel: he took thereof, and warmed himself: and he kindled it, and baked bread: but of the rest he made a god, and adored it: he made a graven thing, and bowed down before it" (Isaiah 44:9,13-15).
All of this evidence should give the anti-Catholic pause. Jeremiah described idol worship, not tree worship. And it is absurd to suggest anyway that Christians who have a decorated a tree for Christmas are in any way worshipping that tree. It's as absurd as it is false. I have yet to meet someone who worships a Christmas tree. Besides, when the Christmas season is over, Christmas trees are discarded--burned or otherwise disposed of. As Ralph Woodrow aptly notes, this is "not something people would do with an object of worship" (Christmas Reconsidered, 49). Moreover, if a Christmas tree presented an occasion of sin for Christians because they would be tempted to worship it, as the SDA claim seems to go, then any trees would do so, not just Christmas trees, and one would have to cut down all trees throughout the world in order to keep people from falling into idolatry. Certainly, this is absurd.
Obviously, trees are not evil. Nothing God has made is evil. In fact, if you want to give your anti-Catholic acquaintance one last knockout concerning his anti-Christmas behavior, read to him
Isaiah 60:13: "The glory of Libanus shall come to thee, the fir tree, and the box tree, and the pine tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary: and I will glorify the place of my feet." Here fir and pine (box) trees are used to embellish the sanctuary of the one and only True God!
Catholics Pray for Dead people?
Catholics don't think heaven is a "dead" place. Catholics believe people in heaven are alive. (Mat 19:29, 25:46, Mat 10:17-22, Mk 10:30, Lk 10:25-30, Lk 18:18-30, Jn 3:15-16). We see Lazarus alive by Abraham's side (Lk 16:22). And at the transfiguration we see Moses and Elijah alive beside Jesus. (Mat 17:3) There seems to be a lot of conversing in Heaven in Revelation (i.e. Rev 4:10). The Church thinks heaven is a lively place with lots of singing etc.
Jesus opened the gates to Heaven. "Graves of the dead were opened and they went into town to preach the Gospel." (Mat 27:52). Jesus said "Now he is a God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." (Lk 20:39-40)
The Catholic Church believes that Deuteronomy 18:10-12 speaks about the occult, soothsayers, sorcerers, spells, ghosts and spirits. It is not about heaven, angels and Jesus. Ghosts have not entered into heaven so it would displease God to talk with them. Also this passage occurs before Jesus was on the scene so no one was in heaven. Samuel was in the ground (1 Sam 28:8-25). They were all in Sheol (dead) so the passage makes sense.
Supporting verses are:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions?it is by grace you have been saved.?Ephesians 2:4-5
Jn 3:15,16, ...that believe in Him may not die but have life everlasting.
Jn 5:25, ...the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of GOD; and they that hear SHALL LIVE
Rom 6:8, Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Rom 8:11, ...the Spirit shall quicken your mortal bodies.
1Cor 15:52, ...the dead shall be raised incorruptible.
Eph 5:14, ...awake from your sleep and rise from the dead...
Jesus opened the gates to Heaven. "Graves of the dead were opened and they went into town to preach the Gospel." (Mat 27:52). Jesus said "Now he is a God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." (Lk 20:39-40)
The Catholic Church believes that Deuteronomy 18:10-12 speaks about the occult, soothsayers, sorcerers, spells, ghosts and spirits. It is not about heaven, angels and Jesus. Ghosts have not entered into heaven so it would displease God to talk with them. Also this passage occurs before Jesus was on the scene so no one was in heaven. Samuel was in the ground (1 Sam 28:8-25). They were all in Sheol (dead) so the passage makes sense.
Supporting verses are:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions?it is by grace you have been saved.?Ephesians 2:4-5
Jn 3:15,16, ...that believe in Him may not die but have life everlasting.
Jn 5:25, ...the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of GOD; and they that hear SHALL LIVE
Rom 6:8, Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Rom 8:11, ...the Spirit shall quicken your mortal bodies.
1Cor 15:52, ...the dead shall be raised incorruptible.
Eph 5:14, ...awake from your sleep and rise from the dead...
The Bibe teaches us to pray and venerate saints!
Protestants, who claim to be obedient to Scripture, are the first ones to level these accusations against Catholics, not without a Bible quote or two, which seem to back them up, but little do they realize that the Bible actually teaches that we should pray to and venerate saints.
God uses His angels as messengers
1 Chronicles 21:18: “And the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to tell David…”
4 Kings 1:3: “And an angel of the Lord spoke to Elias the Thesbite, saying…”
Acts 8:26: “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying…”
Throughout the Bible God uses His angels to deliver messages, to give instructions, to deliver justice and to answer prayers.
Numbers 20:16: “And how we cried to the Lord, and he heard us, and sent an angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt…”
Isaias 37:36: “And the angel of the Lord went out, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand…”
God answers prayers by sending angels, and this is so frequent and natural that not only are they sent by God, but they are also besought and entreated by men.
Judges 6:12-13: “The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men. And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us?”
Angles can be prayed to
Osee 12:3-4: “In the womb he supplanted his brother: and by his strength he had success with an angel. And he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened: he wept, and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us.”
Not because they are God, of course, but because they are powerful supernatural servants of God.
St. Luke 1:10-13: “And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the alter of incense. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”
The angel heard the prayer and responded.
How does this relate to saints?
Matthew 22:29-32: "And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
St. Luke 20:34-36: “And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
Saints in heaven are as the angels. Do angels mete out God’s justice? Yes. Answer prayers on behalf of God? Yes. Receive supplication and prayer? Yes. Therefore the saints of Jesus do all of those things. Now that we have made the link between angels and saints, we need to consider a few more things in this regard. The intercession angels, on behalf of God, is extraordinarily powerful and effective. They transmit the message of the Almighty so frequently that in many passages it is not clear if the angel is speaking or if God is speaking.
Zacharias 12:8: “In that day shall the Lord protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that hath offended among them in that day shall be as David: and the house of David, as that of God, as an angel of the Lord in their sight.”
St. Luke 2:9: “And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.”
The Bible shows us the importance of the witness of angels and saints.
St. Luke 12:8-9: “And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.”
Jesus considers His confession before angels to be very significant, much like His confession to His Father (Matthew 10:32).
St. Luke 15:10: “So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.”
Angles have a connection with and influence over the salvation of men. They rejoice when a man converts because their intercession assits his conversion. They cheer him, they help him and intercede for him. That’s why Catholics understand the intercession of saints to be so important. Saints in heaven are as the angels of God, they are intimately involved in man’s salvation under Jesus Christ. When one prays to them, they in turn pray to God who commonly grants His graces on their behalf and because of their close relationship with Him. The Bible also teaches that angels are present in the assemblies of the faithful.
1 Corinthians 11:10: Therefore ought the woman to have a power (head covering) over her head, because of the angels.
This verse tells us that because of the angels, not God, the woman should cover her head. Veneration is also due to angels, since they are the worthy servants of God almighty.
Jesus described St. John the Baptist as an angel.
St Matthew 11:9-10: “But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.”
In Hebrews we find a description of the Church of Jesus Christ and its heavenly majesty. Notice that the Christian coming before the heavenly description of the Church, comes before the spirits of the just men made perfect, the saints in heaven. The Christian is warned before about coming before all of the following:
Hebrews 12:22-23: "But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect"
Prayers to them are Biblical and of tremendous value, since God is glorified and not detracted by His saints.
2 Thessalonians 1:10: “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made wonderful in all them who have believed; because our testimony was believed upon you in that day.”
As we see, Saints do not diminish God’s glory, they augment it. Those who are closest to the king can gain favours that are not always given to those who are further away from him. Just like in any other hierarchy, family, company team, etc.
The communion of saints
This is the true and Catholic view of heaven. To use an analogy, it’s like the magnificent palace of the king where there are dozens of levels of servants, assistants and attendants. Each level is full of them, they wait on the king and they have dedicated everything to him. They are his true friends in addition to being his servants. Their lives of service, their extraordinary examples strike each visitor with awe. All of the king’s servants possess their own splendor, which is given to them as a result of their place of honour in the palace.
The king has bestowed some of his own glory on everyone with him, even though theirs is infinitely less than his own. Their personal glory contributes to the glory of the entire place. The thought of the profound glory of the kings servants and friends strikes one with awe at the thought of the unique glory of the king himself whom all of these magnificent creatures serve. As you see more of the palace and move closer to the king, the glory of his friends and servants increases. In creation itself, the brilliant diversity of God’s masterpiece, with differences in snow capped mountains, flowing rivers, serene lakes, green jungles, beautiful woods and rolling hills, strike one with wonder. In heaven there is a countless variety of people, each with a different story, a different trial, a different sacrifice, a different gift, all of which were dedicated and used for God to the fullest and which culminated in perfect happiness in heaven. This stunning variety stirs one to even greater love and awe of the Almighty.
This is the true and Catholic view of heaven and the heavenly hierarchy. It is easy to see in this description how the glory of the saints does not detract from the glory of God, but magnifies it.
St. Luke 1:46: “And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.”
The Protestant view on the other hand is much different. It’s comparable to a palace that is filled only with the king. In this palace there is nothing and no one that can move your attention away from him. Which king is the more glorious? Which image of the heavenly kingdom is the true one? Which is the Biblical one? The answer is that the Bible teaches the Catholic view, the communion of the saints.
Daniel 7:10: “A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.”
The mind-boggling number of servants who minister to God only enhances the majesty of the appearance of God.
St. Matthew 25:31: “And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty.”
God comes with and is glorified by his ministers and his angels and his saints. The Catholic view is the correct and Biblical view of heaven and the heavenly hierarchy. Next we will talk about how the Bible teaches that men can intercede with God.
Jeremias 15:1: “And the Lord said to me: If Moses and Samuel shall stand before me, my soul is not towards this people: cast them out from my sight, and let them go forth.”
Intercession of saintly men helps influence what God does for people and what God does to them, as this last verse shows, even if it wouldn’t have helped in this particular case.0
Exodus 32:9-15: “And again the Lord said to Moses: See that this people is stiffnecked: Let me alone, that my wrath may be kindled against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation. But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is thy indignation kindled against thy people, whom thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou sworest by thy own self, saying: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven: and this whole land that I have spoken of, I will give to you seed, and you shall possess it for ever. And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people. And Moses returned from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides.”
Moses influence with God was so great that God even asked Moses to let Him alone that he might destroy them, but ultimately He relented because of Moses. Not all men are equal before God or have the same intercessory power before with Him. Moses is an exceptional case as is Abraham.
Genesis 18:26-33: “And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes. What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty. And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty. Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty. I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten. And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.”
God at times accepts the sacrifices and prayers of saintly men on behalf of sinners, as in the case of Job.
Job 42:7-10: “And after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Themanite: My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, because you have not spoken the thing that is right before my, as my servant Job hath. Take unto you therefore seven oxen, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust: and my servant Job shall pray for you: his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you: for you have not spoken right things before me, as my servant Job hath. So Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite went, and did as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord accepted the face of Job. The Lord also was turned at the penance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Another example involving Moses, where his intercession played a key role in obtaining the help of God:
Exodus 17:11-13: “And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel overcame: but if he let them down a little, Amalec overcame. And Moses' hands were heavy: so they took a stone, and put under him, and he sat on it: and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands on both sides. And it came to pass that his hands were not weary until sunset. And Josue put Amalec and his people to flight, by the edge of the sword.”
It is clear that God grants certain things through the intercession of holy men.
Protestants like to argue that praying to saints is against Scripture, and one of the few passages they use to try and prove this is as follows:
1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
As we will see, this objection is false for many reasons.
In John 10:16: “And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”
Jesus calls Himself the one shepherd but, in John 21:15-17, he appoints St. Peter over his flock. “Feed my lambs… feed my lambs… feed my sheep”.
Another example is that Jesus says that He is the supreme judge, in John 9:39 and many other passages. Certain Christians will also act on His behalf as judges in heaven, even of angels.
1 Corinthians 6:2: "Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things of this world?”
St. Matthew 19:28: “And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus is the unique mediator, since He united man to God. Jesus alone did this by His passion and death for those who cooperate with it. That does not mean that in the one mediation of Christ there are not others who participate in His mediation. In fact the Bible clearly teaches that there are.
If Jesus’ unique mediation excluded praying to saints then it would also exclude asking a fellow man to pray for you. There is no way around this. When you ask a fellow man to pray for you, you are asking another person to act as a mediator with Jesus for you. Therefore if prayers to saints are excluded by the unique mediation of Jesus, then asking another to pray for you is excluded as well.
St. Paul himself repeatedly asks others for prayers.
Romans 15:30: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the Holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God.”
He also tells others that he is praying for them.
Colossians 1:3: “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you…”
The Bible also says this about the suffering of St. Paul:
Colossians 1:24: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church.”
This verse might be a shock to some non-Catholics that are not familiar with it. St. Paul says that he fills up for the Church those things that are wanting or lacking in the sufferings of Christ. Christ’s suffering was perfect and of infinite value, so what does this mean? What St. Paul means is that many sufferings are still wanting and needed for the members of the Church to work out their salvation, which was made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. This verse is teaching that in addition to his prayers, his sacrifices and sufferings can intercede with God so that God gives others graces to convert or to remain faithful. Those people must still cooperate with the grace, but the efforts, sacrifices and prayers of members of the Church can help grant the graces. All of this proves the Catholic teaching on the communion of saints. It refutes Protestant objections in this area. The fact that man can go to other men for prayers and that the saints in heaven can answer prayers and intercede, is all rooted in the Biblical teaching on the unity of the body f Christ. There is a union among the true members of the Church of Jesus. This union does not cease when members die.
Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
And while true members of the Church can assist each other by prayers, the prayers and intercession of saintly men is particularly powerful. That is exactly what we saw in the cases of Moses, Abraham and Job. These saintly men, even after death, are interested in earthy affairs.
St. Matthew 17:2-3: “And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
Hebrew 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation? ”
Psalms 90:11: “For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Samuel, some time after he had died (1 Kings 25:1), appeared to Saul to rebuke him.
1 Kings 28:18: “Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.”
Apocalypse (Revelation) 8:2-4: “And I saw seven angels standing in the presence of God; and there were given to them seven trumpets. And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.”
In truth, a real Christian does not follow any man, rather this verse means that he venerates the saints and tries to imitate them in their tremendous spiritual lives and fidelity to the Gospel. This is because saints, like the great Saint Paul, literally can help save lives and souls, as seen in the following example. During a voyage by sea of St. Paul, there came a terrible storm that threatened to destroy the ship.
Acts of the Apostles 27:21-25: “And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship. For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me this night. Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.”
Undeniably, angels and saints are very active and interested in the affairs and events taking place on earth.
Canonizing Saints
Saints, because of their fidelity to Jesus Christ, are models worthy of imitation, as taught by the Bible.
1 Corinthians 4:16: “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.”
Philippians 3:17: “Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model.”
That’s why the Catholic Church canonizes saints for us to imitate. The Bible also teaches exactly the same thing:
James 5:10: “Take, my brethren, for an example of suffering evil, of labour and patience, the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.”
Hebrews 11 even goes through a whole list of heroes of faith, the Old Testament saints, including Abel, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Esau, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David and Samuel. The first verse of the next chapter exhorts us to have confidence, knowing that all these saints are in heaven praying for us.
Hebrew 12:1: “And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us.”
Relics of Saints
The Bible teaches that even relics of the saints are to be used and venerated and can be miraculous.
St. Matthew 9:20-22: “And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed. But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
The garment of Jesus is one thing, since Jesus is God. But does God allow miracles to be worked through the relics of his saints, or is this superstition and idolatry? Those who believe it is superstitious or idolatrous are unaware that the Bible teaches otherwise.
Acts 19:11-12: “And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles. So that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them.”
In this verse we see that St. Paul was not only given miraculous powers, but the handkerchiefs and aprons he touched were given miraculous power. Similar miracles are worked through the shadow of St. Peter:
Acts 5:15: “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least, might overshadow any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities.”
The same is seen regarding relics of saints in the Old Testament.
4 Kings 2:14: “And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias, that had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is now the God of Elias? And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.”
4 Kings 13:21: “And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet.”
This is particularly interesting, because the bones of saints are a common relic used by Catholics, far from being idolatrous or superstitious.
Statues and images
Protestants like to use the following verse as an objection to the Catholic practice of venerating images and statues of saints.
Deuteronomy 5:8: “Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any things, that are in heaven above, or that are in the earth beneath, or that abide in the waters under the earth.”
This argument fails for many reasons. If we take this verse on its own and literally, then that means we can make no likeness of anything at all, such as a picture of an animal or another person. Protestants reject that understanding and even carry pictures of family, coins upon which are the images of men, etc.
To get the full context of the passage all we need to do is read the verse that comes right after it.
Deuteronomy 5:8-9: “Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any things, that are in heaven above, or that are in the earth beneath, or that abide in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, and thou shalt not serve them. For I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children unto the third and fourth generation, to them that hate me.”
Thou shalt not adore them and serve them. The idolatrous worship of creatures, that is what God forbids. Catholics do not worship statues or images and to say otherwise is a lie. In fact, God commands the use of statues and images for religious purposes.
Exodus 25:18-19: “Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle.”
Other passages where we see references to images and statues being sanctioned, even commanded by God for use in religion.
Exodus 26:1: “And thou shalt make the tabernacle in this manner: Thou shalt make ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, diversified with embroidery.”
There are many more examples of this, for example in 3 Kings 6 and 3 Kings 7:25-36.
Numbers 21:8: “And the Lord said to him: Make brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.”
God commanded Moses to make an image of a serpent for the people to look upon and be healed. It should also be noted that non-Catholics who consider use of religious statues or images to be idolatrous not only condemn the Bible passages we just covered, but they also share their belief with Muslims.
Another false idea that must be addressed is the idea that Catholics worship statues because they sometimes kneel or bow before them in prayer. This objection is false and is clearly refuted by the Bible. The posture of kneeling and even of lying prostrate on the ground does not necessarily mean worship or adoration. It does signify that in certain religious contexts and in some false religions. But bowing, kneeling or even going completely prostrate can be merely a sign of respect, a humble posture. Anyone who has taken the time to read the Old Testament knows this is true. Throughout the Old Testament we see holy figures bowing down prostrate before other men, not as a sign of worship, but of respect and humility.
Genesis 33:3: “And he [Jacob] went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near.”
This is the same Jacob who Jesus says in Luke 13:28 will be in the kingdom of heaven. He was not an idolater of course.
We read a similar thing of Abraham in Genesis 23:12. There are many other examples like this in the books of Kings. Other passages which show that men bow before other men, not idolatrously, but merely out of respect are Genesis 19:1 Ruth 8:10.
These passages are sufficient to refute the false assertion that Catholics worship statues when they kneel or bow to assume a humble and respectful posture while invoking the heavenly figure whom the statue represents.
Conclusion
We have seen in much detail that the Bible teaches the communion of saints, that praying to saints is Biblical and efficacious. We’ve seen that Jesus teaches that the saints in heaven are as the angels. We’ve seen that saints who have died and gone to heaven pray and intercede for men. We’ve seen that relics and statues are not idolatrous, but Biblically based. None of this is to suggest that one cannot pray directly to Jesus. True Catholics pray directly to Jesus every day, but praying to saints and invoking their intercession is extremely effective and powerful and often obtains from Jesus graces that He is otherwise not inclined to give. It is particularly important and necessary in the case of the greatest of all the saints, the Mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the vessel He chose to come to earth.
The example, the devotion, the miracles and the lives of Catholic saints have been among the most important things in the spread of the Gospel throughout the earth. And the necessity to venerate and invoke the saints was recognized from the very beginning of the Christian Church by the Fathers of the Church. All of what the Catholic saints are and have done is by the grace of Jesus Christ. By cooperating with it they spiritually conquered the world for Christ, a world which is sadly falling into apostasy from that Catholic heritage that defined it.
John 14:12: “Otherwise believe for the very works' sake. Amen, amen I say to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he also shall do; and greater than these shall he do.”
The Bible teaches the communion of saints. Praying to and venerating saints does not detract from God’s glory, on the contrary, it inspires us to center our whole lives more zealously around Christ and doing His will, as they did. Throughout her history, the Catholic Church has remained faithful to the teachings of Jesus and the Bible on angels and saints. This is because the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Jesus Christ. You need to learn the true Catholic Faith, and convert to it, or you cannot attain salvation.
God uses His angels as messengers
1 Chronicles 21:18: “And the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to tell David…”
4 Kings 1:3: “And an angel of the Lord spoke to Elias the Thesbite, saying…”
Acts 8:26: “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying…”
Throughout the Bible God uses His angels to deliver messages, to give instructions, to deliver justice and to answer prayers.
Numbers 20:16: “And how we cried to the Lord, and he heard us, and sent an angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt…”
Isaias 37:36: “And the angel of the Lord went out, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand…”
God answers prayers by sending angels, and this is so frequent and natural that not only are they sent by God, but they are also besought and entreated by men.
Judges 6:12-13: “The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men. And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us?”
Angles can be prayed to
Osee 12:3-4: “In the womb he supplanted his brother: and by his strength he had success with an angel. And he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened: he wept, and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us.”
Not because they are God, of course, but because they are powerful supernatural servants of God.
St. Luke 1:10-13: “And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the alter of incense. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”
The angel heard the prayer and responded.
How does this relate to saints?
Matthew 22:29-32: "And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
St. Luke 20:34-36: “And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
Saints in heaven are as the angels. Do angels mete out God’s justice? Yes. Answer prayers on behalf of God? Yes. Receive supplication and prayer? Yes. Therefore the saints of Jesus do all of those things. Now that we have made the link between angels and saints, we need to consider a few more things in this regard. The intercession angels, on behalf of God, is extraordinarily powerful and effective. They transmit the message of the Almighty so frequently that in many passages it is not clear if the angel is speaking or if God is speaking.
Zacharias 12:8: “In that day shall the Lord protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that hath offended among them in that day shall be as David: and the house of David, as that of God, as an angel of the Lord in their sight.”
St. Luke 2:9: “And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.”
The Bible shows us the importance of the witness of angels and saints.
St. Luke 12:8-9: “And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.”
Jesus considers His confession before angels to be very significant, much like His confession to His Father (Matthew 10:32).
St. Luke 15:10: “So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.”
Angles have a connection with and influence over the salvation of men. They rejoice when a man converts because their intercession assits his conversion. They cheer him, they help him and intercede for him. That’s why Catholics understand the intercession of saints to be so important. Saints in heaven are as the angels of God, they are intimately involved in man’s salvation under Jesus Christ. When one prays to them, they in turn pray to God who commonly grants His graces on their behalf and because of their close relationship with Him. The Bible also teaches that angels are present in the assemblies of the faithful.
1 Corinthians 11:10: Therefore ought the woman to have a power (head covering) over her head, because of the angels.
This verse tells us that because of the angels, not God, the woman should cover her head. Veneration is also due to angels, since they are the worthy servants of God almighty.
Jesus described St. John the Baptist as an angel.
St Matthew 11:9-10: “But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.”
In Hebrews we find a description of the Church of Jesus Christ and its heavenly majesty. Notice that the Christian coming before the heavenly description of the Church, comes before the spirits of the just men made perfect, the saints in heaven. The Christian is warned before about coming before all of the following:
Hebrews 12:22-23: "But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect"
Prayers to them are Biblical and of tremendous value, since God is glorified and not detracted by His saints.
2 Thessalonians 1:10: “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made wonderful in all them who have believed; because our testimony was believed upon you in that day.”
As we see, Saints do not diminish God’s glory, they augment it. Those who are closest to the king can gain favours that are not always given to those who are further away from him. Just like in any other hierarchy, family, company team, etc.
The communion of saints
This is the true and Catholic view of heaven. To use an analogy, it’s like the magnificent palace of the king where there are dozens of levels of servants, assistants and attendants. Each level is full of them, they wait on the king and they have dedicated everything to him. They are his true friends in addition to being his servants. Their lives of service, their extraordinary examples strike each visitor with awe. All of the king’s servants possess their own splendor, which is given to them as a result of their place of honour in the palace.
The king has bestowed some of his own glory on everyone with him, even though theirs is infinitely less than his own. Their personal glory contributes to the glory of the entire place. The thought of the profound glory of the kings servants and friends strikes one with awe at the thought of the unique glory of the king himself whom all of these magnificent creatures serve. As you see more of the palace and move closer to the king, the glory of his friends and servants increases. In creation itself, the brilliant diversity of God’s masterpiece, with differences in snow capped mountains, flowing rivers, serene lakes, green jungles, beautiful woods and rolling hills, strike one with wonder. In heaven there is a countless variety of people, each with a different story, a different trial, a different sacrifice, a different gift, all of which were dedicated and used for God to the fullest and which culminated in perfect happiness in heaven. This stunning variety stirs one to even greater love and awe of the Almighty.
This is the true and Catholic view of heaven and the heavenly hierarchy. It is easy to see in this description how the glory of the saints does not detract from the glory of God, but magnifies it.
St. Luke 1:46: “And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.”
The Protestant view on the other hand is much different. It’s comparable to a palace that is filled only with the king. In this palace there is nothing and no one that can move your attention away from him. Which king is the more glorious? Which image of the heavenly kingdom is the true one? Which is the Biblical one? The answer is that the Bible teaches the Catholic view, the communion of the saints.
Daniel 7:10: “A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.”
The mind-boggling number of servants who minister to God only enhances the majesty of the appearance of God.
St. Matthew 25:31: “And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty.”
God comes with and is glorified by his ministers and his angels and his saints. The Catholic view is the correct and Biblical view of heaven and the heavenly hierarchy. Next we will talk about how the Bible teaches that men can intercede with God.
Jeremias 15:1: “And the Lord said to me: If Moses and Samuel shall stand before me, my soul is not towards this people: cast them out from my sight, and let them go forth.”
Intercession of saintly men helps influence what God does for people and what God does to them, as this last verse shows, even if it wouldn’t have helped in this particular case.0
Exodus 32:9-15: “And again the Lord said to Moses: See that this people is stiffnecked: Let me alone, that my wrath may be kindled against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation. But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is thy indignation kindled against thy people, whom thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou sworest by thy own self, saying: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven: and this whole land that I have spoken of, I will give to you seed, and you shall possess it for ever. And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people. And Moses returned from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides.”
Moses influence with God was so great that God even asked Moses to let Him alone that he might destroy them, but ultimately He relented because of Moses. Not all men are equal before God or have the same intercessory power before with Him. Moses is an exceptional case as is Abraham.
Genesis 18:26-33: “And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes. What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty. And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty. Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty. I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten. And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.”
God at times accepts the sacrifices and prayers of saintly men on behalf of sinners, as in the case of Job.
Job 42:7-10: “And after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Themanite: My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, because you have not spoken the thing that is right before my, as my servant Job hath. Take unto you therefore seven oxen, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust: and my servant Job shall pray for you: his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you: for you have not spoken right things before me, as my servant Job hath. So Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite went, and did as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord accepted the face of Job. The Lord also was turned at the penance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Another example involving Moses, where his intercession played a key role in obtaining the help of God:
Exodus 17:11-13: “And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel overcame: but if he let them down a little, Amalec overcame. And Moses' hands were heavy: so they took a stone, and put under him, and he sat on it: and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands on both sides. And it came to pass that his hands were not weary until sunset. And Josue put Amalec and his people to flight, by the edge of the sword.”
It is clear that God grants certain things through the intercession of holy men.
Protestants like to argue that praying to saints is against Scripture, and one of the few passages they use to try and prove this is as follows:
1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
As we will see, this objection is false for many reasons.
In John 10:16: “And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”
Jesus calls Himself the one shepherd but, in John 21:15-17, he appoints St. Peter over his flock. “Feed my lambs… feed my lambs… feed my sheep”.
Another example is that Jesus says that He is the supreme judge, in John 9:39 and many other passages. Certain Christians will also act on His behalf as judges in heaven, even of angels.
1 Corinthians 6:2: "Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things of this world?”
St. Matthew 19:28: “And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus is the unique mediator, since He united man to God. Jesus alone did this by His passion and death for those who cooperate with it. That does not mean that in the one mediation of Christ there are not others who participate in His mediation. In fact the Bible clearly teaches that there are.
If Jesus’ unique mediation excluded praying to saints then it would also exclude asking a fellow man to pray for you. There is no way around this. When you ask a fellow man to pray for you, you are asking another person to act as a mediator with Jesus for you. Therefore if prayers to saints are excluded by the unique mediation of Jesus, then asking another to pray for you is excluded as well.
St. Paul himself repeatedly asks others for prayers.
Romans 15:30: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the Holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God.”
He also tells others that he is praying for them.
Colossians 1:3: “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you…”
The Bible also says this about the suffering of St. Paul:
Colossians 1:24: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church.”
This verse might be a shock to some non-Catholics that are not familiar with it. St. Paul says that he fills up for the Church those things that are wanting or lacking in the sufferings of Christ. Christ’s suffering was perfect and of infinite value, so what does this mean? What St. Paul means is that many sufferings are still wanting and needed for the members of the Church to work out their salvation, which was made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. This verse is teaching that in addition to his prayers, his sacrifices and sufferings can intercede with God so that God gives others graces to convert or to remain faithful. Those people must still cooperate with the grace, but the efforts, sacrifices and prayers of members of the Church can help grant the graces. All of this proves the Catholic teaching on the communion of saints. It refutes Protestant objections in this area. The fact that man can go to other men for prayers and that the saints in heaven can answer prayers and intercede, is all rooted in the Biblical teaching on the unity of the body f Christ. There is a union among the true members of the Church of Jesus. This union does not cease when members die.
Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
And while true members of the Church can assist each other by prayers, the prayers and intercession of saintly men is particularly powerful. That is exactly what we saw in the cases of Moses, Abraham and Job. These saintly men, even after death, are interested in earthy affairs.
St. Matthew 17:2-3: “And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
Hebrew 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation? ”
Psalms 90:11: “For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Samuel, some time after he had died (1 Kings 25:1), appeared to Saul to rebuke him.
1 Kings 28:18: “Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.”
Apocalypse (Revelation) 8:2-4: “And I saw seven angels standing in the presence of God; and there were given to them seven trumpets. And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.”
In truth, a real Christian does not follow any man, rather this verse means that he venerates the saints and tries to imitate them in their tremendous spiritual lives and fidelity to the Gospel. This is because saints, like the great Saint Paul, literally can help save lives and souls, as seen in the following example. During a voyage by sea of St. Paul, there came a terrible storm that threatened to destroy the ship.
Acts of the Apostles 27:21-25: “And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship. For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me this night. Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.”
Undeniably, angels and saints are very active and interested in the affairs and events taking place on earth.
Canonizing Saints
Saints, because of their fidelity to Jesus Christ, are models worthy of imitation, as taught by the Bible.
1 Corinthians 4:16: “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.”
Philippians 3:17: “Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model.”
That’s why the Catholic Church canonizes saints for us to imitate. The Bible also teaches exactly the same thing:
James 5:10: “Take, my brethren, for an example of suffering evil, of labour and patience, the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.”
Hebrews 11 even goes through a whole list of heroes of faith, the Old Testament saints, including Abel, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Esau, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David and Samuel. The first verse of the next chapter exhorts us to have confidence, knowing that all these saints are in heaven praying for us.
Hebrew 12:1: “And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us.”
Relics of Saints
The Bible teaches that even relics of the saints are to be used and venerated and can be miraculous.
St. Matthew 9:20-22: “And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed. But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
The garment of Jesus is one thing, since Jesus is God. But does God allow miracles to be worked through the relics of his saints, or is this superstition and idolatry? Those who believe it is superstitious or idolatrous are unaware that the Bible teaches otherwise.
Acts 19:11-12: “And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles. So that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them.”
In this verse we see that St. Paul was not only given miraculous powers, but the handkerchiefs and aprons he touched were given miraculous power. Similar miracles are worked through the shadow of St. Peter:
Acts 5:15: “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least, might overshadow any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities.”
The same is seen regarding relics of saints in the Old Testament.
4 Kings 2:14: “And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias, that had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is now the God of Elias? And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.”
4 Kings 13:21: “And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet.”
This is particularly interesting, because the bones of saints are a common relic used by Catholics, far from being idolatrous or superstitious.
Statues and images
Protestants like to use the following verse as an objection to the Catholic practice of venerating images and statues of saints.
Deuteronomy 5:8: “Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any things, that are in heaven above, or that are in the earth beneath, or that abide in the waters under the earth.”
This argument fails for many reasons. If we take this verse on its own and literally, then that means we can make no likeness of anything at all, such as a picture of an animal or another person. Protestants reject that understanding and even carry pictures of family, coins upon which are the images of men, etc.
To get the full context of the passage all we need to do is read the verse that comes right after it.
Deuteronomy 5:8-9: “Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any things, that are in heaven above, or that are in the earth beneath, or that abide in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, and thou shalt not serve them. For I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children unto the third and fourth generation, to them that hate me.”
Thou shalt not adore them and serve them. The idolatrous worship of creatures, that is what God forbids. Catholics do not worship statues or images and to say otherwise is a lie. In fact, God commands the use of statues and images for religious purposes.
Exodus 25:18-19: “Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle.”
Other passages where we see references to images and statues being sanctioned, even commanded by God for use in religion.
Exodus 26:1: “And thou shalt make the tabernacle in this manner: Thou shalt make ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, diversified with embroidery.”
There are many more examples of this, for example in 3 Kings 6 and 3 Kings 7:25-36.
Numbers 21:8: “And the Lord said to him: Make brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.”
God commanded Moses to make an image of a serpent for the people to look upon and be healed. It should also be noted that non-Catholics who consider use of religious statues or images to be idolatrous not only condemn the Bible passages we just covered, but they also share their belief with Muslims.
Another false idea that must be addressed is the idea that Catholics worship statues because they sometimes kneel or bow before them in prayer. This objection is false and is clearly refuted by the Bible. The posture of kneeling and even of lying prostrate on the ground does not necessarily mean worship or adoration. It does signify that in certain religious contexts and in some false religions. But bowing, kneeling or even going completely prostrate can be merely a sign of respect, a humble posture. Anyone who has taken the time to read the Old Testament knows this is true. Throughout the Old Testament we see holy figures bowing down prostrate before other men, not as a sign of worship, but of respect and humility.
Genesis 33:3: “And he [Jacob] went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near.”
This is the same Jacob who Jesus says in Luke 13:28 will be in the kingdom of heaven. He was not an idolater of course.
We read a similar thing of Abraham in Genesis 23:12. There are many other examples like this in the books of Kings. Other passages which show that men bow before other men, not idolatrously, but merely out of respect are Genesis 19:1 Ruth 8:10.
These passages are sufficient to refute the false assertion that Catholics worship statues when they kneel or bow to assume a humble and respectful posture while invoking the heavenly figure whom the statue represents.
Conclusion
We have seen in much detail that the Bible teaches the communion of saints, that praying to saints is Biblical and efficacious. We’ve seen that Jesus teaches that the saints in heaven are as the angels. We’ve seen that saints who have died and gone to heaven pray and intercede for men. We’ve seen that relics and statues are not idolatrous, but Biblically based. None of this is to suggest that one cannot pray directly to Jesus. True Catholics pray directly to Jesus every day, but praying to saints and invoking their intercession is extremely effective and powerful and often obtains from Jesus graces that He is otherwise not inclined to give. It is particularly important and necessary in the case of the greatest of all the saints, the Mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the vessel He chose to come to earth.
The example, the devotion, the miracles and the lives of Catholic saints have been among the most important things in the spread of the Gospel throughout the earth. And the necessity to venerate and invoke the saints was recognized from the very beginning of the Christian Church by the Fathers of the Church. All of what the Catholic saints are and have done is by the grace of Jesus Christ. By cooperating with it they spiritually conquered the world for Christ, a world which is sadly falling into apostasy from that Catholic heritage that defined it.
John 14:12: “Otherwise believe for the very works' sake. Amen, amen I say to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he also shall do; and greater than these shall he do.”
The Bible teaches the communion of saints. Praying to and venerating saints does not detract from God’s glory, on the contrary, it inspires us to center our whole lives more zealously around Christ and doing His will, as they did. Throughout her history, the Catholic Church has remained faithful to the teachings of Jesus and the Bible on angels and saints. This is because the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Jesus Christ. You need to learn the true Catholic Faith, and convert to it, or you cannot attain salvation.
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