The Shocking Reason We Should Stop Praying to Saints

Here’s a post about the truth why Christians should never pray to saints. The truth may shock you. Read on to find out the truth!

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Every year, on November 1, a Christian festival is held in honor of all the saints who have lived and died. The All Saints’ Day confirms the belief that we should pray to saints to make our prayers more effective. However, does the Bible really support this idea? Does God give His stamp of approval for people to pray to saints? Does it really matter whether we pray to the saints or not?

The answer is not plainly taught in big churches today. In fact, most people are blinded to this truth. The majority of Christians in the world follow traditions of men rather than the commandment of God. It is time for you to know the shocking truth about praying to saints!

the-shocking-reason-we-should-stop-praying-to-saints

Why do people pray to saints?

I found an article explaining why Catholics pray to saints. They claim that our relationship with fellow Christians does not stop at death. When a Christian dies, his soul goes to heaven and has already been perfected. Since they are closest to heaven and they constantly pray to God, then it follows that they can be asked to pray for the living.

Priests, Catholics, and adherents to this belief system argue that they don’t pray to saints, but rather pray with the saints. They claim that they don’t worship saints but rather ask them to pray for them.

History of praying to the saints

It is worth noting that praying to the saints is rooted on praying for the dead. Most pagan religions believe that when a person dies, the living should pray for his/her departed soul. During the syncretism of paganism and Christianity many centuries ago, this doctrine insidiously crept in the church.

Since pagans were already praying to their deities and it was hard to turn them to true worship, the adulterous church willingly compromised their beliefs to accommodate new converts. Pagans can still pray to dead people and their gods and goddesses but with a Christianized version. For example, instead of praying to the pagan mother goddess, the false church directed that they should pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus/Yeshua instead. They still pray to their gods and goddesses, but with a different name.

As we can see, praying to the saints is no new teaching. Its concept has long existed before the Christian era. And now, it is time to know what the Bible really teaches about praying to the saints.

The astounding truth revealed!

Here’s the number 1 reason that we should stop praying to saints: they are already DEAD!

Dead people can’t pray to God anymore. They don’t even have any knowledge of the affairs of men. The Bible tells us:

“For the living know that they will die;
BUT THE DEAD KNOW NOTHING,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten” (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

Even King David, one of the most prominent saints, has not ascended into heaven. Don’t you believe that? Read Acts 2:29, 34:

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both DEAD AND BURIED, and his tomb is with us to this day… For David did not ascend into the heavens…”

If that’s unbelievable, wait until you read what Yeshua Christ has to say. He plainly and clearly stated:

“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  NO ONE HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven” (John 3:12-13).

Part of the confusion why people believe that righteous people go to heaven is they assume that there is an immortal soul. However, this is also one BIG satanic deception. Nowhere in the Bible can you find the term “immortal soul.” From Genesis to Revelation, you won’t find a single passage supporting this claim.

The Bible tells us that God alone has immortality (I Timothy 6:16). The Bible even repeatedly states that the soul that sin shall die (Ezekiel 18:4, 13, 20).

Will you still pray to saints?

Yeshua, our Messiah, commands us that when we pray, we must pray to “our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Paul even wants us to lift our “prayers TO God” (Romans 15:30). Christians can directly come before God’s throne of grace (Hebrews 4:6), and Christ is the one who will intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). With these passages, it is clear that we don’t need any dead saint to make an intercessory prayer for us!

When people pray to saints, they kneel before their pictures and statues and give an offering to the point that they worship the saint more than God. In our country, the Philippines, we have MORE festivals dedicated to saints than the festivals we have dedicated for God or Christ!

Can you believe that? And people still like to think that they don’t worship dead saints but only pray with them?! Let us stop fooling ourselves and OPEN OUR EYES to the plain truth that God is not pleased with this type of worship! God would so far call it an abomination and idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:29-31)!

Praying to saints is a VAIN religious practice. It is time to stop praying to dead people and let us start directing our prayers to God in the name of His Son, Yeshua Christ. OUR FOCUS OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER SHOULD CENTER TO GOD and not to any dead saint. It is time for us to stop following human tradition. It is time for us to stop praying to saints!

39 thoughts on “The Shocking Reason We Should Stop Praying to Saints

  1. Hi Joshua! Wow, you are back to writing already. This article is timely with all saints day just around the corner. Thanks for taking the time to write and share it. Noticed also that you are using Yeshua as the name of Christ. I could be wrong, but I thought the spelling is Yahshua?

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  3. We ask the saints to pray for us on our behalf. If in fact we are granted eaternel life then the saints are alive or their spirit to be concise it is totally reasonable that strength in numbers and in prayers is beneficial including our saints prayers. It is unfortunate that many Christians including Catholic Christians have this misunderstanding. Even more unfortunate that Christians use this to judge and paint a misinformned picture of Catholics the parent of protestant denominations. Leave the Judging to God do not speak ill of your brother.

    • Hi Garth,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      The truth is there’s no living saints in heaven right now. Christ Himself clearly said that no one ascended into heaven (John 3:13).

      So, what’s the use of praying to the saint if they are dead in their graves? They know nothing.

      Cheers,
      Joshua

      • Joshua, What angels have been sent among us? Did Mary not Ascend to heaven? You want to appear to know the bible, but it appears you don’t.

      • Hi Jim!

        Not too sure what you mean by your comment, but how can you prove through the Bible that Mary ascended into heaven? If you really know the truth, I’m sure you’ll reply. I’d love what you have to say.

        Regards,
        Joshua

      • So you kinda sorta don’t bother to read John 3:15 or 3:16? That would not fit your narrative, right? Sucks if you have to read the whole Bible, and not just pick and choose random verses.

      • I think something to think about on this is that that message isn’t to be taken in a literal sense. This is saying there is no way to heaven without Christ. And that Christ is the only one who has been to heaven and returned is Christ. To ask on your thought on this: if no one is in heaven and given eternal life through God, why should we strive and work to be good Christians? Just a thought.

      • I definitely don’t believe in worshiping, identifying, communicating with, or having any relationship with departed Christians. Yet, there is something to “being absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord”…and “spirits of just men made perfect”. I think the “great cloud of witnesses” are watching, but unable to participate with us. Our fellowship is in Christ, spiritually, and by walking with Him, we somehow walk in the past faithful’s footsteps, we are a part of them, as the church. In this way, Paul, though dead, still speaks…because his words were from the Holy Spirit.

    • Hi Garth, Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. Since he is God, He does not need any help praying to the Father by any saints that have gone on before us. We are all sinners, God is not a respecter of persons and thinks no more highly of St Paul or St Peter etc…than any other person. It is an Affront to God to pray to anyone or through anyone, but Him. When God sees us (saved Christians), He sees the righteousness of his son Jesus, and we can come Boldly before the Throne of Grace directly to the Father. We need not and dare not pray to the dead Christians.

    • It is not “judgement” when a brother strays from truth. Scripture instructs us to call out the insurrection. If they who strayed will not stop the deviation, we are to have no more to do with them.

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  5. This is the most heretical teaching, “no immortal soul?”, then why do we became Christians if it weren’t to save our souls.

  6. This article is a blatant MISREPRESENTATION of true, Catholic teaching on praying to the saints. Go to Catholic website & type in communion of saints in the search bar & you’ll find a plethora of reasons why this article is completely unfounded.

    • Hi Milia,

      Thanks for your message.

      Please note that nowhere did I say that there are no saints. In fact, the people of God are called saints.

      The main point of the article is that we must not pray to the saints because they are dead. They know nothing as what the Bible says.

      I hope that clarifies things.

      Regards,
      Joshua

      • I guess Jesus must have lied or been confused when he said in John 14:2, “…I go to prepare a place for you…” and repeated again in John 14:3 “…I go to prepare a place for you…” Was he just talking about a beach house on the Sea of Galilee, where the disciples could retire?

      • Hi John,

        No, Yahshua didn’t lie. We read:

        1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” John 14:1-4

        The audience of Christ at that time understood what He was saying. He was referring to offices where the saints will serve. Notice, nowhere in the passage says that we will go to heaven, but rather, Christ will go back here on earth so that wherever He is, there we will also be.

  7. Thank you, Joshua for giving truth!
    Ive asked many through the years and no priest or catholic has Ever been able to prove from God’s word or Jesus teachings that we should pray to Mary or dead saints. It’s always , “The church says, the Catholic belief is, our faith is, etc. Never canonized references or scripture,, always man made rules, religion, and tradition. I’m still challenging Catholics and I always will . I pray they see they’re following a false religion that controls for personal and financial gain.
    Praise the Lord!

  8. Yes it’s true that we should not pray to the dead, but did you suggest that there is no resurrection? If not then you need to clarify. Jesus talks about the resurrection, and that we will live forever (“eternal life” is the phrase) if our names are written in the Book of Life. But those whose names have been blotted out from the book will perish in everlasting torment in hell.

  9. I’m just so sad to hear this kind of article, stop misleading, and stop misguiding other people just to suit your point of view. You can’t just jump to conclusions while not having explored other verses and just only read one verse and you’re a good way to go to your interpretation session.

  10. Mt 17:1-9
    Tells us about Jesus communing with Moses and Elijah. To be a Christian is to be Christ like, we therefore can imitate Christ. God bless you.

  11. transfigured – his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. Peter offered to put up three shelters. A bright cloud enveloped them and a voice said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

    The disciples fell to the ground, terrified. “Get up” said Jesus, “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up they saw no-one except Jesus.

    Background
    Moses and Elijah are two key figures from the Old Testament.

    Moses led God’s people, the Israelites, out of slavery in Egypt. He then met with God on Mount Sinai and gave the people God’s laws, the Ten Commandments. Moses’ face was radiant after such close contact with God.

    Elijah was a prophet, one of God’s messengers. He also went to Mount Sinai, where God revealed himself in a gentle whisper.

    Their roles can be summarised as follows:

    MOSES = THE LAW
    ELIJAH = THE PROPHETS
    In the Bible, God’s presence is often shown by cloud or fire. Mountaintops were often the location for appearances from God. This special cloud or fire was called ‘shekinah’ in Hebrew.

    Understanding the text
    The word ‘transfiguration’ means a change of form or appearance. In this passage Jesus’ appearance changes so a glimpse is given of his full heavenly glory, “His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light”.

    In Matthew 16:13-20 Peter has shown understanding of Jesus’ identity, that he is the Christ (Messiah). This experience is to help deepen this understanding. It is so special that only Jesus’ three closest followers – Peter, James and John – are chosen to witness it. Jesus wants them to understand that his role of Messiah will involve suffering and death, but this will not be the final outcome of his mission. Jesus has come from Heaven and he will return there when he has completed his task on Earth.

    This story is filled with Old Testament references, which Matthew’s readers would easily pick up. It takes place six days after Peter’s declaration of faith, and this may be a link to Moses who spent six days in preparation before he was called to approach God in a cloud on Mount Sinai. This incident also takes place up a mountain and a cloud symbolises the presence of God.

    Moses and Elijah appear and stand beside Jesus. This symbolises that Jesus is their successor and has fulfilled both. He is now bringing a new covenant from God for all people.

    When God’s voice is heard, He is reassuring the disciples that even though Jesus must suffer they must listen to him and obey him. Jesus again commands the disciples not to tell others of the experience. The time for this will be later, after his death and resurrection.

  12. Hello Joshua.
    I am Catholic and I totally agree with you. The reason why I still practice Catholicism is because there is no perfect religion. With that been said,I rely completely in the Word of God for my salvation. There are so many verses in the bible where My Lord Jesus Christ says, ” I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me”. John 14:6. Paul the apostle says in Act 4:12 “there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” These two verses alone are enough for me to focus only in Jesus Christ for my salvation.

    On another note,
    I have a question either for you or any catholic that might read my comment. What does the bible say about praying to St Michael the Archangel? The priest at the church that I attend everyday, prays to St Michael the Archangel for protection. I don’t get why we should ask an angel for protection and not God in the name of Jesus. Am I wrong?
    Catholics, please forgive me if my comments offend you. It is not my intention to offend anybody.
    God Bless

    • Hi LK,

      No need to apologize for telling the truth. Praying to angels are like worshiping angels, which is forbidden in the Scripture. Moreover, the Bible is clear that we should only pray to the Father and Yahshua.

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