Oh when the saints......!

[Tellyontellyon]

What is your relationship with Christian saints? How should saints be regarded? Venerated? Worshipped? Prayed to?
Can they help you?
Have you had any communication or mystical experiences with a saint? Would you trust that?
Protestants seem to be a bit less into venerating saints than Roman Catholics or Eastern Catholics... Or maybe I'm getting it wrong?
TIA

 

[musicalpilgrim]

Well, born again Christians are saints, according to the New Testament.
The saints who have died are venerated by Roman Catholics I believe.
That is certainly an interesting question. I look forward to seeing more comments.

 

[dogs4thewin]

What is your relationship with Christian saints? How should saints be regarded? Venerated? Worshipped? Prayed to?
Can they help you?
Have you had any communication or mystical experiences with a saint? Would you trust that?
Protestants seem to be a bit less into venerating saints than Roman Catholics or Eastern Catholics... Or maybe I'm getting it wrong?
TIA

As stated by the other poster according to the New Testament all believers are saints.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

As stated by the other poster according to the New Testament all believers are saints.

A) Can you quote please...

B) But some seem to be venerated as being special... could you also talk about that.

 

[Tigger45]

It’s pretty black and white within Christianity where you either do or don’t pray to and venerate canonized Saints.
Orthodox and Catholics do where Protestants don’t.

I believe that we are (...surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,) Hebrews 12:1

That departed believers and angels pray for us but I don’t typically invoke them to pray for me.

 

[dogs4thewin]

A) Can you quote please...

B) But some seem to be venerated as being special... could you also talk about that.

As I am not a Catholic I cannot really help you there.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

As I am not a Catholic I cannot really help you there.

But? You did say all Believers are saints according to the NT... So that must come from somewhere in the NT? Where?

What's being Catholic got to do with it? ... You could talk about why you don't venerate saints?

Thank you.

 

[dogs4thewin]

But? You did say all Believers are saints according to the NT... So that must come from somewhere in the NT? Where?

What's being Catholic got to do with it? ... You could talk about why you don't venerate saints?

Thank you.

I meant that according to the New Testament all believers are saints ( stated in various places, but Catholics are the ones that pray to them and have saints of various things.

 

[Anthony2019]

I believe in the communion of saints, which includes those who remain here on earth and also the faithful that have departed. I also believe that the saints that have passed on to glory are not dead but alive, as is shown in Revelation 5:8: "“golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints”. They understand our needs and are praying for us.

In the same way we would ask a Christian friend here on earth to pray for us, can we not ask Mary and the Saints to intercede for us? I believe that we can and countless Christians over the centuries have testifed that their intercessions have been very effective in deepening their faith and drawing them closer to the Lord.

I think we have to be very careful that our focus on the intercession of saints does not distract us from our primary purpose. Fundamentally, our prayer and worship should be to God alone. Our love and worship of Christ should be central to everything we do.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

I meant that according to the New Testament all believers are saints ( stated in various places, but Catholics are the ones that pray to them and have saints of various things.

Sorry... I'm not a Christian, I'm asking for help, I don't know this stuff or why things are like this.
Would you please help me with the 'why'?

 

[crossnote]

Sorry... I'm not a Christian, I'm asking for help, I don't know this stuff or why things are like this.
Would you please help me with the 'why'?

If you are not a Christian then asking about the veneration of saints is nowhere near what your main concern should be.
Anyways, I view as some others here, that saints are those set apart (sanctified) through faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for their sins.
Those saints in heaven, yes are alive, but I don't think they are sullying their pure minds and hearts by witnessing all the crud down here.
The cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews eleven are referring to all the examples of faith mentioned earlier in the chapter, that's all.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

If you are not a Christian then asking about the veneration of saints is nowhere near what your main concern should be.

Perhaps I should give you my password so you can ask all the questions that I should be interested in?

 

[crossnote]

Perhaps I should give you my password so you can ask all the questions that I should be interested in?

No need for your password. You'll find out one day what questions you should be asking.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

No need for your password. You'll find out one day what questions you should be asking.

Lol, one day... but for the time being I'll ask these questions, and get some answers. That I'm here at all must mean something? ☺

 

[Tellyontellyon]

Those saints in heaven, yes are alive, but I don't think they are sullying their pure minds and hearts by witnessing all the crud down here.

I'm sure they are interested in the fate of every lost soul... And don't be so cynical... There is a lot of crud, no doubt, but there is also a lot of beauty, and a lot of kindness and love. Always have hope.

 

[crossnote]

I'm sure they are interested in the fate of every lost soul... And don't be so cynical... There is a lot of crud, no doubt, but there is also a lot of beauty, and a lot of kindness and love. Always have hope.

Cynical? Love simply tells the truth, simply.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

Cynical? Love simply tells the truth, simply.

But isn't there something in the NT about there being all that joy in heaven about one sinner saved? The prodigal son parable?
That's not a story of an indifferent heaven. So... you do sound a bit cynical... though if you are right you could quote some scripture to prove it? Please put some biblical authority to what you are saying. I'm trying to learn about Christianity, so you have to understand, that I want to be able to check up on what people are telling me here on this forum. Otherwise I will simply count it as your own opinion.

 

[Albion]

What is your relationship with Christian saints?

They are for us good examples of lives lived in the love and service of the Lord.

How should saints be regarded? Venerated? Worshipped? Prayed to?

Memorialized (such as by naming churches, universities, and our children after them or by making special remembrances of them on certain days of the church calendar).

Can they help you?

We do believe that the departed do pray for us, the living.

Have you had any communication or mystical experiences with a saint?

No.

Protestants seem to be a bit less into venerating saints than Roman Catholics or Eastern Catholics... Or maybe I'm getting it wrong?

Not wrong.

That would be fair to say. However, it is the particular form of the "venerating" that is the issue which divides these Christians.

There is some, but not much, controversy over simple commemorations such as I mentioned earlier in this reply.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

That would be fair to say. However, it is the particular form of the "venerating" that is the issue which divides these Christians.

Please explain this to me.

 

[crossnote]

But isn't there something in the NT about there being all that joy in heaven about one sinner saved? The prodigal son parable?
That's not a story of an indifferent heaven. So... you do sound a bit cynical... though if you are right you could quote some scripture to prove it? Please put some biblical authority to what you are saying. I'm trying to learn about Christianity, so you have to understand, that I want to be able to check up on what people are telling me here on this forum. Otherwise I will simply count it as your own opinion.

There surely is a verse that states the angels rejoice in heaven when one sinner comes to repentance. I pray that one day, you will be the object of their rejoicing. (no cynicism there, only sincereness).