Bible Questions Answered:
“Why do you american churchs not pray
for the dead as we are to do?”
Renan/ Rio de Janeiro Brazil
South America
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Canonized Scripture (66 books), do not
teach anything as prayer for the dead!
One would have to resort to uncanonized
literature to find any belief in such.
II Maccabees 12:39-45 NRSVA (Prayers
for Those Killed in Battle-Judas Maccabeus.)
38 Then Judas assembled his army and
went to the city of Adullam. As the seventh day was coming on, they
purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the sabbath
there.
39 On the next day, as had now become
necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen
and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the sepulchres of
their ancestors.
40 Then under the tunic of each one of
the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the
law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this
was the reason these men had fallen.
41 So they all blessed the ways of the
Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; 42
and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been
committed might be wholly blotted out. The
noble Judas exhorted the people to keep
themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what
had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen.
43 He also took up a collection, man by
man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to
Jerusalem to provide for a sin-offering. In doing this he acted very
well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection.
44 For if he were not expecting that
those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous
and foolish to pray for the dead.
45 But if he was looking to the
splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in
godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made
atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their
sin.
This is just one more reason, why
apocryphal literature remained “uncanonized,” by the early
Christian Church.
Apocryphal
Of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
Of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.
(Dictionary.Com)
The Word Of The Lord teaches
that after this life (of decision), judgment comes, and it
is eternal.
Just as the mold-able, clay pot that
has gone into the kiln, is forever set, so to the life that has
passed from earthly existence to that which is eternal.
Ezekiel 18:20 NLT
The person who sins is the one who
will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and
the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous
people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked
people will be punished for their own wickedness.
Luke 16:19-26 KJV (Death
seals someones fate (life time decisions) forever.)
19 There was a certain rich man,
which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously
every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar
named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came
and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in
this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember
that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us
and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass
from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would
come from thence.
Luke 23:43 KJV
(Repentant thief on the cross.)
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I
say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.
Romans 2:5-11 NLT
5 But because you are stubborn and
refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment
for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous
judgment will be revealed.
6 He will judge everyone according
to what they have done.
7 He will give eternal life to those
who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and
immortality that God offers.
8 But He will pour out His anger and
wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey
The Truth and instead live lives of
wickedness.
9 There will be trouble and calamity
for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and
also for the Gentile.
10 But there will be glory and honor
and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also
for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
II Corinthians 5:6,8,9 KJV (For
the Christian.)
6 So we are always confident, even
though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at
home with The Lord.
8 Yes, we are fully confident, and
we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will
be at home with The Lord.
9 So whether we are here in this
body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him.
Philippians
1:23,24 NLT (Paul the Apostle.)
23 I’m torn between two desires: I
long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.
24 But for your sakes, it is better
that I continue to live.
Hebrews 9:27 KJV
And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment:
Prayers are only good for the living!
Who goes to heaven?
Matthew 7:21 KJV
Not every one that saith unto Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
John 3:16-18 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that
He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is
not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of The Only Begotten Son Of
God.
Acts 2:21 KJV (A personal decision that
must be made while alive!)
And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of The Lord shall be saved.
