Bible Discussion Thread

Where may I find information on the saints? How was a saint made a saint? Do we pray to the saints? Which ones?

I believe we are to go directly to the Lord with our prayers. Our Father, placed within all Christians a helper: Holy Spirit that has many gifts that can intercede on our behalf. I know Saints are in many of the KJV books. I wonder if praying to Saints is a form of an idol? I am not sure. Saint's roles are to sing hymns, play instruments, make requests to Christ and offer prayers on our behalf. It's a good question. I'm perplexed but would love to know what additional information you acquire on the topic...

Hello Gilbert,

There is not a Scripture reference where we are ever instructed to pray to those who have already died. But there are Scripture references that tell us not to do such things. Leviticus 19:26 is one reference. There are many others. Praying to those who have died is prohibited by Scripture because it has to do with sorcery and divination.

A saint is anyone who believes the Gospel of Jesus and in Him for salvation. So, all believers alive today are saints, as are all the believers who have died. Only the regenerative and salvation work of God makes one a saint. No one who has died before us is any more saintly than any other believer because it is the righteousness of Jesus imputed upon us that makes us holy.

We are to pray to God alone. We certainly can ask other believers to pray for us. Scripture instructs us to pray for one another.

So, Gilbert, there is only one Mediator between God and man, Jesus. So it is in His name that we pray to the Father. We need no other go-between (mediator) but Jesus. It can be difficult to shed some of the practices of Catholicism that are contrary to Scripture, but praying to saints who are dead is one practice every Catholic needs to stop doing because it violates Scripture and substitutes another mediator between God and man in the place of Jesus.