Intercession of the Saints

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Intercession of the Saints
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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (1)

• The people who deny the intercession depend on
  the words of St. John we have an Advocate with
  the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous 1John.21
• They also refer to St. Paul when he said For
  there is one God and one Mediator between God and
  men, the Man Christ Jesus 1Tim.25

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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (2)

• The mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ is an
  atonement, which means that He mediates for the
  forgiveness of our sins, being the Atoner who
  paid our debts.
• His mediation means that He says to the Father
  Do not count their transgressions because I have
  carried their iniquity Is.536

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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (3)

• Thus, the Lord Christ stands as the only Mediator
  between God and man hence He can mediate for us
  through His blood which was shed for us.
• That what St. Paul meant when he said For there
  is one God and one Mediator between God and men,
  the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom
  for all 1Tim25,6

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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (4)

• This type of mediation is utterly unquestionable.
  It is attributed to Christ only, whereas the
  intercession of the saint has no connection with
  atonement or redemption.
• The intercession of the saints for us is merely
  praying for us it is pleading intercession
  different from Christs atoning mediation.

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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (5)

• This is approved by the Holy Bible when says
  pray for one another Jas.516.
• The saints themselves asked people to pray for
  them. St. Paul said to the Thessalonians pray
  for us 2Thess.31 and asked the Hebrews the same
  request (Heb.1318)

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1. The difference between the mediation of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Intercessions of the
saints (6)

• If intercession, which is prayer, is considered
  mediation, and every mediation is unacceptable,
  then every mans prayer for the sake of another
  is an unacceptable mediation since we have only
  one Mediator!

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2. God requests people to ask the intercession of
the righteous (1)

• The story of our father Abraham and king
  Abimelech in Geneses 20. Now therefore, restore
  the mans wife for he is a prophet, and he will
  pray for you and you shall live Gen.207

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2. God requests people to ask the intercession of
the righteous (2)

• The story of Job and his three friends in Job 42.
  the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My
  wrath is aroused against you and your two
  friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is
  right, as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take
  for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to
  My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a
  burnt offering and My servant Job shall pray for
  you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you
  according to your folly Job 427,8

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2. God requests people to ask the intercession of
the righteous (3)

• The intercession of Abraham for Sodom. God could
  have punished Sodom without letting Abraham know
  about the matter. But the Lord revealed the
  matter to him and gave him an opportunity to
  plead for the people of Sodom and accepted his
  intercession.

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2. God requests people to ask the intercession of
the righteous (4)

• God willed to destroy the Israelites because they
  worshipped the golden calf. Moses said to Him
  Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from
  this harm to your people. Remember Abraham,
  Isaac, and Israel Your servants, to whom You
  swore by Your own self. Then the Bible says So
  the Lord relented from the harm which He said He
  would do to His people Ex.32 7-14

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (1)

• The Lord explained this fact when He said have
  you not read what was spoken to you by God,
  saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of
  Isaac, and the God of Jacob Matt.2231,32
• We should not forget as well the appearance of
  Moses and Elijah with the Lord Christ on the
  mount of Transfiguration.

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (2)

• The saints who departed has great favor with God
  to the extent that He has mercy on people for
  their sake even without the praying.
• When king Solomon sinned, God decided to tear his
  kingdom away from him, but He said but I will
  give one tribe to your son for the sake of My
  servant David 1Kin.1112,13

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (3)

• In one chapter (1kings 11) the Lord repeats the
  phrase for the sake of My servant David three
  times. If David has such favor with God, how much
  more has the Virgin Mary, the angels, or John the
  Baptist who is the greatest born of women.

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (4)

• We notice in the Scripture how God sometimes
  associate His name with their names. He said I
  am the God of your father the God of Abraham,
  the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob Ex.36
• We also recall that when King Hazael of Syria
  oppressed the Israelites, the Holy Bible says
  But the Lord was gracious to them, had
  compassion on them, and regarded them, because of
  His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 2
  Kin.1323

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (5)

• The bones of the prophet Elisha were capable of
  performing a miracle. They were a blessing and
  brought a dead person back to life by mere
  contact, without prayer. They were only bones
  with no life in them (2Kings 1321). How much
  more effect would Elishas soul have in heaven?

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3. The saints who departed are still living and
they have a great favor with God (6)

• If the handkerchiefs and aprons which touched
  Pauls body had the power to heal the sick and
  driving demons out (Acts 1912), How much more
  effect would Pauls soul have in heaven?
• Another example of the saints favor with God is
  the Lords words to His Apostles He who hears
  you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me
  Lk.1016. and If anyone serves Me, him My Father
  will honor Jn.1226

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4. The knowledge of the saints (1)

• During his lifetime, Samuel the Prophet was asked
  about a lost donkey and it was said about him
  there is in this city a man of God, and he is an
  honorable man all that he says surely comes to
  pass. So let us go there perhaps he can show us
  the way that we should go 1Sam.96

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4. The knowledge of the saints (2)

• When Elisha was alive, he perceived what Gehzi
  did in secret when he accepted the gifts from
  Naaman the Syrian (2Kings 525-27)
• One of the officers of the King of Aram said
  about Elisha to his master the king but
  Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the
  king of Israel the words that you speak in your
  bedroom 2Kings 612

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4. The knowledge of the saints (3)

• Elisha also perceived, at the time of the famine,
  that the king of Israel had sent a messenger to
  kill him (2Kin.632)
• If Elisha, while still in the flesh, had the gift
  of knowing secret things, how much more would he
  know in heaven after putting off his body?

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5. The knowledge of the saints (4)

• Likewise, St. Peter the Apostle knew what Ananias
  and Saphira did in secret.
• Also, St. Paul knew that after he will leave,
  savage wolves would come in among the Ephesians
  and would not spare the flock (Acts 2029)
• If the Apostles knew that much while they were
  still in the flesh, how much more would the Lord
  reveal to them in heaven

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (1)

• There is no doubt that knowledge in heaven is
  greater than that on earth. St. Paul says about
  that For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then
  face to face. Now I know in part, but then I
  shall know just as I also am known 1Cor.1312
• So, in the next world our knowledge will increase
  and many secrets will be disclosed to us when we
  take off this body which binds the soul.

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (2)

• The knowledge of the angels is shown clearly in
  the Lords words there will be more joy in
  heaven over one sinner who repents than over
  ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance
  Lk.157

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (3)

• The angels know our prayers because they carry
  them to Gods throne. Then another angel, having
  a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And
  he was given much incense, that he should offer
  it with the prayers of all the saints upon the
  golden altar which was before the throne. And the
  smoke of the incense, with the prayers of all the
  saints, ascended before God from the angels
  hand Rev.83,4

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (4)

• The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16)
  tells us that Abraham knew about Lazarus
  suffering and the life of the rich man as well.
  He also knew about Moses who came hundred of
  years after him.
• The Lord also said about Abraham that he saw His
  day Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day,
  and he saw it and was glad Jn.856

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (5)

• Another testimony comes from the souls of the
  martyrs. St. John writes about that in the book
  of Revelation saying When He opened the fifth
  seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those
  who had been slain for the word of God and for
  the testimony which they held. And they cried
  with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord,
  holy and true, until You judge and avenge our
  blood on those who dwell on the earth?

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (6)

• The amazing story about the Prophet Elijah
  (2Chronicle 21). It is written about king Jehoram
  that he killed all his brothers, walked in the
  ways of king Ahab, built high places on the hills
  of Judah, and led Judah astray.
• Then he received a letter from the prophet Elijah
  who had departed from earth and ascended to
  heaven many years before!

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5. Do the angels and saints know our condition on
earth? (7)

• The letter read Thus says the Lord God of your
  father David Because you have not walked in the
  ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways
  of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the ways
  of the kings of Israelthe Lord will strike your
  people 2Chr.2112-14

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6. Examples of the intercession of the angels (1)

• The intercession of the angel for the sake of
  Jerusalem The angel prayed and said O Lord of
  hosts, how long will You not have mercy on
  Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against
  which You were angry these seventy years
  Zech.112
• If the angel interceded for Jerusalem even
  without the latter asking him, how much more will
  he intercede if we ask him for his prayers?

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6. Examples of the intercession of the angels (2)

• Another example is the intercession of the angel
  of the Lord for the sake of Joshua the high
  priest. The angel stood against Satan who was
  going to bring an accusation against Joshua, and
  said to him The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The
  Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this
  not a brand plucked from the fire? Zech.31,2

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The spirituality of asking for the prayers of the
saints (1)

• Asking for the intercession of the saints implies
  belief in the life to come, belief that the
  departed are still living and have their work to
  do, belief in the relationship between heaven and
  earth, and belief in venerating the saints whom
  God Himself honor.

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The spirituality of asking for the prayers of the
saints (2)

• Intercession is a fellowship of love between the
  members of the One Body. We plead for the
  departed in our prayers and they intercede for us
  through their prayers it is an inseparable
  relationship.
• Those who believe in intercession benefit from
  the mere connection with the souls of those who
  departed. They add to their own prayers the more
  profound and powerful prayers of those abiding in
  the next world, without any loss on their part.

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The spirituality of asking for the prayers of the
saints (3)

• Intercession also entails meekness and humbleness
  of heart. Those who believe in intercession are
  not conceited about their relationship with God,
  but takes the position of the sinner who requests
  the intercession of others for his sake. The
  reverse is also true about those who ask What is
  the difference between me and those saints?!!!

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The spirituality of asking for the prayers of the
saints (4)

• Intercession is a proof of Gods justice in the
  principal of equal opportunities. If God permits
  Satan to fight against His children and tempt
  them in false visions and dreams, then according
  to His justice, He permits the angels and the
  souls of the righteous to help His children on
  earth.

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Objection and reply

• It is said that in asking for the intercession of
  the saints, we pray to them.
• We reply that we do not pray to the saints we
  only ask their prayers and their support.
• Our talk to the virgin Mary is not a prayer to
  her but it is a filial talk from children to
  their mother a sort of confiding the secrets of
  our hearts to her and not praying to her.

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The intercession of the saints for us is not
merely a theological research, text-proved from
the Holy Bible, but it is a living reality we
experience.