Praying for the dead

Bob8102 · Nov 20, 2021

I read or heard one time that a guy inquired if praying for the dead might do some good because God, who knows the future from eternity to the past, knew, before they died, you would pray for that person. I found this a very iffy concept. But the more I have thought about it, the more I have considered it possibly worthwhile to pray for the dead. God knew that prayer would be made from eternity to the past, before the prayed-for person was ever born. God is willing that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Praying for the dead reminds God of that. I have heard it is reasonable to remind God of His promises.

Also, I sometimes pray for people whose death I will hear about in the future and will wish I had prayed for them while they were still alive. I am praying for any such, in advance of their death! I also pray for anybody, dead or alive, whom I will later wish I had prayed for them earlier. One time, after I started praying these kinds of things, I heard about a famous basketball player who died in a helicopter crash. There was a news report that he had received communion shortly before going on the helicopter ride. While it is probably not the case, it came across as if God was letting me know that my retro-prayers were answered!

Daniel Marsh · Nov 20, 2021

You are a winner friend.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Bob8102 said:
I read or heard one time that a guy inquired if praying for the dead might do some good because God, who knows the future from eternity to the past, knew, before they died, you would pray for that person. I found this a very iffy concept. But the more I have thought about it, the more I have considered it possibly worthwhile to pray for the dead. God knew that prayer would be made from eternity to the past, before the prayed-for person was ever born. God is willing that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Praying for the dead reminds God of that. I have heard it is reasonable to remind God of His promises.

Also, I sometimes pray for people whose death I will hear about in the future and will wish I had prayed for them while they were still alive. I am praying for any such, in advance of their death! I also pray for anybody, dead or alive, whom I will later wish I had prayed for them earlier. One time, after I started praying these kinds of things, I heard about a famous basketball player who died in a helicopter crash. There was a news report that he had received communion shortly before going on the helicopter ride. While it is probably not the case, it came across as if God was letting me know that my retro-prayers were answered!

Curious what one would pray for after death? Afterall, one must be regenerated while alive to recieve His Holy Spirit. One must repent from unbelief to belief in order to recieve remission of sins through His Holy Spirit.
Blessings.

Albion · Nov 20, 2021

Praying for the dead has a long history among the Christian churches. We do not know, of course, how God will act in response, but prayer is invited.

What should not be confused with this are the following (not that you included any of them in your message)--

1. Praying with the belief that such prayer will get anyone out of Purgatory.

2. Praying TO the dead, as opposed to praying FOR the wellbeing of those souls.

3. Praying TO particular saints, expecting that these beings can deliver on their own volition any benefit to the person doing the praying.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Albion said:
Praying for the dead has a long history among the Christian churches. We do not know, of course, how God will act in response, but prayer is invited.

What should not be confused with this are the following (not that you included any of them in your message)--

1. Praying with the belief that such prayer will get anyone out of Purgatory.

2. Praying TO the dead, as opposed to praying FOR the wellbeing of those souls.

3. Praying TO particular saints, expecting that these beings can deliver on their own volition any benefit to the person doing the praying.

Thank you but I'm still confused on what one would pray for ?

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Albion said:
Praying for the dead has a long history among the Christian churches. We do not know, of course, how God will act in response, but prayer is invited.

What should not be confused with this are the following (not that you included any of them in your message)--

1. Praying with the belief that such prayer will get anyone out of Purgatory.

2. Praying TO the dead, as opposed to praying FOR the wellbeing of those souls.

3. Praying TO particular saints, expecting that these beings can deliver on their own volition any benefit to the person doing the praying.

How is prayer invited? Scripture please. Thank you.

Albion · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
How is prayer invited? Scripture please. Thank you.

1 John 5:14

Matthew 7:7-8

Luke 11:9-10

John 14:14

etc.

Bob8102 · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
Thank you but I'm still confused on what one would pray for ?

Well, I realize why those who say it is pointless to pray for the dead say so. God is willing that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Since God is willing for this anyway, then there is no need to get Him to give more than enough time and motivation for anyone to seek Him and repent and believe the gospel. But sometimes, people remind God of His promises. Also, if one prays for a dead person, one can know that God heard that prayer in eternity to the past. So, one might pray for a dead person the same as they would pray for a living person, that the person repent and believe the gospel, before death.

Jipsah · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
Curious what one would pray for after death? Afterall, one must be regenerated while alive to recieve His Holy Spirit. One must repent from unbelief to belief in order to recieve remission of sins through His Holy Spirit.
Blessings.

A person's death doesn't affect God, Who can answer a prayer before it's prayed as easily as after. Our Lord didn't say "before Abraham was, I was", He said "before Abraham was, I Am". We're bound by time, He isn't. That's one of those "God can't...." ideas that annoy me so much. God most certainly can!

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Albion said:
1 John 5:14

Matthew 7:7-8

Luke 11:9-10

John 14:14

etc.

That is not what I am asking. I am asking specifically how praying for a dead individual benefits them. Thanks.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Bob8102 said:
Well, I realize why those who say it is pointless to pray for the dead say so. God is willing that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Since God is willing for this anyway, then there is no need to get Him to give more than enough time and motivation for anyone to seek Him and repent and believe the gospel. But sometimes, people remind God of His promises. Also, if one prays for a dead person, one can know that God heard that prayer in eternity to the past. So, one might pray for a dead person the same as they would pray for a living person, that the person repent and believe the gospel, before death.

This is a real stretch. Jesus Christ of Nazareth made it clear that the dead are dead. " Let the dead bury the dead". There is nothing in scripture to support that claim. One must repent before death... period.
Thanks for engaging.

Albion · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
That is not what I am asking. I am asking specifically how praying for a dead individual benefits them. Thanks.

We ask God, and he knows how he will respond. There is no guarantee that our petitions will be accommodated, and some people become peevish when they don't get immediate results, but the Bible is pretty clear that we are to ask God for anything and that he expects us to ask. Some such prayers are for God's mercy and others ask God for the continued growth in holiness of the departed.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Jipsah said:
A person's death doesn't affect God, Who can answer a prayer before it's prayed as easily as after. Our Lord didn't say "before Abraham was, I was", He said "before Abraham was, I Am". We're bound by time, He isn't. That's one of those "God can't...." ideas that annoy me so much. God most certainly can!

What are you praying for? It seems no one so far can give me that prayer. Please say the words if you are willing. Thank you.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Albion said:
We ask God, and he knows how he will respond. There is no guarantee that our petitions will be accommodated, and some people become peevish when they don't get immediate results, but the Bible is pretty clear that we are to ask God for anything and that he expects us to ask.

Yes understood. But you are not answering my question. What would you pray for ? Thanks.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

By the way, this is exactly what it means to " sin unto death". There is no forgiveness or salvation after death.

"If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that." 1 John 5:16

Albion · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
Yes understood. But you are not answering my question. What would you pray for ? Thanks.

Each Sunday when there is a Holy Communion service, the congregation and priest pray this: "...beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love and service.''

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Also, the "unforgivable sin" verifies this " sin unto death". There is no salvation if one dies in unbelief.

Maria Billingsley · Nov 20, 2021

Albion said:
Each Sunday when there is a Holy Communion service, the congregation and priest pray this: "...beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love and service.''

Ok, I guess you do not know. Thank you for engaging. Blessings.

Albion · Nov 20, 2021

Maria Billingsley said:
Ok, I guess you do not know. Thank you for engaging. Blessings.

LOL

I gave you the exact words that I pray. :doh:

Do you not know what any of them mean??

Der Alte · Nov 20, 2021

Bob8102 said:
I read or heard one time that a guy inquired if praying for the dead might do some good because God, who knows the future from eternity to the past, knew, before they died, you would pray for that person. I found this a very iffy concept. But the more I have thought about it, the more I have considered it possibly worthwhile to pray for the dead. God knew that prayer would be made from eternity to the past, before the prayed-for person was ever born. God is willing that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Praying for the dead reminds God of that. I have heard it is reasonable to remind God of His promises.
Also, I sometimes pray for people whose death I will hear about in the future and will wish I had prayed for them while they were still alive. I am praying for any such, in advance of their death! I also pray for anybody, dead or alive, whom I will later wish I had prayed for them earlier. One time, after I started praying these kinds of things, I heard about a famous basketball player who died in a helicopter crash. There was a news report that he had received communion shortly before going on the helicopter ride. While it is probably not the case, it came across as if God was letting me know that my retro-prayers were answered!

I have a pastor friend who baptized both of my wives and buried one. He told of ministering to the invalid husband of a church member. The man was bedridden and uncommunicative. The pastor would read scripture and pray for the man. Prior to the man's death he became alert, unable to speak he made motions he wanted to write something. He wrote "Bro T was here. I am ready."
But is after death repentance scriptural?

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Isaiah 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Isaiah 26:14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 88:10-11
10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
JPS Pro 24:20
(20) For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Ephesians 2:12
(12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
1Thessalonians 4:13
(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Psalms 115:17
17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Praying for the dead

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