Praying to the Dead for Intercession

Pope Francis recently announced the canonization of “Mother Teresa” as a Roman Catholic saint. The pope “approved the findings of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which found the 2008 healing of a Brazilian man with a brain infection and kidney disease had been due to the intercession of Mother Teresa. The Catholic Church normally requires one ‘medical’ miracle before a deceased Catholic can be declared ‘blessed,’ and another such miracle, occurring after that declaration, before he or she can be canonized as a saint” (Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2015). “Catholics believe a saint is someone who lived a holy life and who’s already in heaven… [They are] believed to be capable of interceding with God on someone’s behalf when a request for help is made in prayer” (CNN, December 18, 2015).

By contrast, the Bible reveals that the dead are asleep (Job 14:12) and that “the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10). Isaiah records God’s warnings, “should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19). We are told in the Scriptures that Jesus Christ came to be our one and only intercessor before God the Father (Romans 8:34). The Bible contains many warnings that false teachings will abound as we come closer to the end of the age (Matthew 24:3-5), and that in the last days, an influential religious leader will deceive the world with great signs and miracles (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Revelation 13:13). The true saints of God must keep His commandments and not fall prey to these misleading teachings (Revelation 14:12). To learn more about these coming events, read our booklet Who or What Is the Antichrist?