Why not just pray to the Father in Jesus’ name? We do pray directly to God. But we also realize that our prayers are more powerful when joined with others. As Jesus tells us, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 18:19). All prayers are not the same. We know “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Those saints in heaven have already been made perfect (Heb. 11:40, 12:23). On earth the saints continue to sin: “For a just [man] falleth seven times” (Proverbs 24:16). Sin effects the effectiveness of our prayers: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]” (Psalm 66:18) and “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). We seek prayer partners in the presence of God who have ceased from all sin, along with prayer partners on earth. When we pray and worship, we are not only with God, but also with the angels and human saints in heaven. After describing the Old Testament saints in Hebrews 11, Paul (or the author of Hebrews) tells us: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we are looking to Jesus and have our eyes on Jesus we are surrounded by these saints in heaven. Is it polite to ignore them as they cheer us on? “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.” (Heb. 12:22-24). Notice that in our worship and prayer, we don’t just come to Jesus, but to innumerable companies of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect (i.e. the saints in heaven). Some will argue that the Bible forbids contact with the dead since necromancy is forbidden in Deut. 18:10-11. If one reads the context, one will see that this is forbidding contacting the dead as through a medium as at a séance. Moses died (Deut. 34:5), but that didn’t stop Jesus from communicating with him and Elijah at the mount of transfiguration. (Matt 17, Mark 9, Luke 9). What was Jesus talking to these “dead” guys about? They were talking about our salvation, i.e. His “exodus” (Luke 9:31). The saints are not dead; they are more alive than we are. The Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection. Jesus told them, “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” (Luke 20:36-38). Should we honor the saints in heaven, or should all of the honor and glory go to God? God receives more honor and glory by raising up honorable children. Jesus became man to share His glory with us. Jesus told this parable: “And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him: And he that invited thee and him, come and say to thee: Give this man place. And then thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee. Because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11). Jesus tells us to humble ourselves so that we may “have glory.” Paul promises glory and honor to those who live the Christian life: “But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God: Who will render to every man according to his works. To them indeed who, according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life: But to them that are contentious and who obey not the truth but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But glory and honour and peace to every one that worketh good: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:5-11). Peter promises Christians: “And when the prince of pastors shall appear, you shall receive a never fading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:4). Paul writes to the Corinthians: “And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness.” (1 Cor 12:23) and “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Cor. 12:26). Christians must rejoice when other Christians are honoured. The Ten Commandments tell us to worship only God. The first commandment describing our duties to other men tells us to “honour your father and mother.” Scripture is clear that we don’t give the same level of honour to everyone: “Let the presbyters [priests] who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching (1 Tim. 5:17). In our society, we honour sports stars, politicians, military heroes, actors, musicians, singers, and almost everyone except those who are examples of the Christian life. Don’t we have things backwards? The Bible tells us to imitate these other Christians. Paul tells the Corinthians: “Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye imitators of me as I also am of Christ. For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord. Who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus: as I teach every where in every church.” (1 Cor. 4:16-17). Later he tells them: “Be ye imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that in all things you are mindful of me and keep my ordinances as I have delivered them to you.” (1 Cor. 11:1-2). Paul tells the Thessalonians: “For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nothing: but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you. Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.” (2 Thes. 3:7-9). The book of Hebrews tells us: “Remember your prelates who have spoken the word of God to you: whose faith imitate” (Hebrews 13:7).
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 21:43:23 +0000
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