The concept of praying to saints is one that has been a subject of debate for many centuries. It is not found in the Bible and yet, it is a practice that is practiced by many religious groups. According to the Catholic Church, it is acceptable to pray to the saints for intercession and assistance. But, what does the Bible say about praying to saints?
God’s Power
The primary message of the Bible is that God has all power and authority. He alone is omnipotent, omniscience and omnipresent. He is the only one who can provide help and guidance in our times of need. Praying to saints signifies that we do not have full belief in God’s power and so, we are dependent on the help of another being, the saints. This contradicts the basic message of the Bible which is that God alone is to be relied upon.
Taking His Place
The Bible also notes that we have been given the right to approach God without mediation. We have the privilege to speak directly to God and ask for His help. We are instructed not to take the place of God by going to an intermediary to get our requests granted. By praying to saints, we are usurping the place of God and giving the saints that prerogative, as if they are on His level.
God’s Will
God is the one who decides what is best for us. He knows what we need even before we ask and He answers our prayers in accordance with His will. But, when we pray to saints, we are relying on a medium. We depend on the saint to carry our petitions to God and ask for them to be granted. This implies that the saints have a greater influence than God, which contradicts the message of the Bible.
Focusing All Prayers On Jesus
The Bible tells us that we should always direct our prayers to God and no one else. Jesus is our mediator and He is the one who can make intercessions on our behalf. We are instructed to pray in faith and believe that God will grant us our requests in accordance to His will. Praying to saints implies that Jesus is not our sufficient mediator and we need someone else to ask God on our behalf, which the Bible does not advocate.
No prayers To Dead
The Bible teaches that when a person dies, they are no longer able to have influence on the living. The plan of God is that we should live our lives on earth and make choices that will have an eternal impact. We should not look to the dead to answer our prayers, but instead, turn to God, our living Lord and Savior. Praying to saints begs the question as to why go to a dead person for help when we can look to God who is alive and will answer our prayers.
Conclusion
Praying to saints is a practice that is not advocated in the Bible. God has provided us with a direct line to Him, through Jesus. He is sufficient and no other being can take His place when it comes to making intervenientaions on our behalf. Praying to saints implies that we do not fully trust God’s power or His will for our lives and so, we must rely on others to get our prayers answered.
