By Rev. Dr. Curian Kaniyamparambil
This was discussed earlier. The following quotations will show that the saints who have died are having much more knowledge & understanding, and that they are living with the angels.
1 Cor. 13:12 For now we see through a mirror, darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (The dead will see our Lord and will receive wisdom)
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad (John 8:56). (i.e. Abraham wanted to see the day of the Savior and he saw it which means that Abraham is alive). John also wrote in Revelations that the souls of the dead are with the angels.
They (angels) rest not day and night saying holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty The four and twenty elders fall dawn before Him, that sat on the throne and worship (Rev 4:8-10).
"And one of the elders said to me, Weep out; behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David, has prevailed and open the book" (Rev 5:5). ". In the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Sprits of God sent forth into all the earth" (Rev 5:6). "twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, and everyone of them had a harp and a cup of god full of incense and these were prayers of saints" (Rev 5:8). "And I looked, and I heard as it were the voice of many angles round about the throne and the animals and the elders; and their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" (Rev 5:11). "And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him who lives for ever and ever" (Rev 5:11). "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the sake of the word of God and for the testimony of the Lamp which they had. And they cried out a loud voice saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth. And a white robe was given to every one of them; and it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little while, until the time should be fulfilled when their brethren should be killed also as they had been" (Rev 6:9-11).
And another angel came and stood at the altar, and he had a golden censor; and abundant incense was given to him, that he might offer it with prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne (Rev 8: 3, 4).
"All angels fell down around the throne and elders (Rev 7:11; 14:17). And the four and twenty elders who sat before the throne of God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God (Rev 11:16).
"Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, even Moses pointed it out (for he referred to it at the Bush) saying, The Lord God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, God is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to him (Luke 20:37,38). Since it is said God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even though they were physically dead, it shows that they still live in God.
Even the saints who stay with the angels have the attributes of angels. Some of the characteristics of angels are:
There are many incidents both in Old and New Testaments where angels talked to men such as Joseph, Peter, Paul, Cornalious, etc... Angels talked to John (Rev 17:1, 19:9, 10:21, 5:6-9; 22:9-10). The saints also talked to John (Rev 5:5, 7:13, 10:8, 14:13)
The messengers will protect you from evil and prevent you form it. (Gen. 48:16)
The angels will pity and pray for the relief of the people (Zech 1:12)
The angels will rejoice about a sinner who repents (Luke 15:10)
They will minister to those who inherit salvation (Heb 1:14)
They act as a mediator between God and man. (Luke 1: 11-26, Mathew 3)
They praise God. (Isaiah 6:3)
If angels are endowed with all these abilities, the saints also have them. Are all these abilities inherent? No, God gives it to them.
Do saints (or people who lived in God) with exceptional abilities lose them when they are with Jesus? (i.e. if they had some abilities when they were alive, will those abilities be taken away or destroyed when they die?) If this is the case how can we say that the 'people who die in Jesus Christ are blessed?'
What abilities?
Blind prophet Abijah could recognize the wife of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:4-6)
Elisha was able to learn what Arameans were thinking in their war against Israel (2 Kings 6:8)
He was able to find out the cheating of his servant Gehazi (2 Kings 5:25)
Peter was able to decipher that both Ananyas and Saphira lied to him. (Acts 5:1-11)
Again in James 5:16-18 it is stated fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. So what does this mean? Should we request to a righteous man for his prayers? Again St. Paul told the Colossians "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col 1:9).
Will St. Paul who said this, cease to pray for us when he is with Jesus Christ?
See Also: Questions on Mediators, Saints and Intercession
TOC Section 1 (Q 1-26) | Sec 2 (Q 27-56) | Sec 3 (Q 57-81) | Sec 4 (Q 82-115) | Sec 5 (Q 116-135) | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
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