Is it beneficial for the dead to pray for them?

[Guest K9Buck]

17 minutes ago, turtletwo said:

@marvelloustime said, "He transforms us by His Holy Spirit to make us more like Him." (I hope it is okay if I answer for her  She can add on, if she wishes. But this is one verse showing it is scriptural.)

"And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Cor 3:18)

 

Thank you.  That's awesome to know!  

The only question I have though is how that might contradict the idea of free will.  For instance, when we die, we take our worldly desires with us, right?  If not, then it seems that we lose our free will in that our desires are changed by another.  I'm not trying to be particular or argumentative, I just don't understand the nuances of being transformed with regard to free will.  

It would seem to me that we retain free will in the hereafter and that our rejecting of worldly desires would be a choice that we make.  Of course, once we are no longer in the physical and, as another poster mentioned earlier, it's quite possible that we naturally no longer desire things of the physical.  

I suspect that we won't all understand every nuance of God's ways until after we have departed this realm, and that's ok.  

[Guest K9Buck]

12 minutes ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

 

JESUS only saves and how it makes my spirit just soar with joy to see others standing for the true faith .

I think all of us here in this thread are in agreement on this; I don't believe anyone has argued otherwise, certainly not I.  

[Wesley L]

On 1/20/2020 at 6:13 AM, K9Buck said:

Or is it pointless?  I suppose the answer depends upon whether or not you believe that one can be saved after their physical death.  

What is your belief?  Thank you.

I think it depends.
If you pray that this person after his/her death still gets a chance to be saved. Than this prayer is futile. Because the bible states clearly, after death comes judgement.

But, when people who have died, the moment before their death. Who can say they know what goes through their hearts and minds? Who can say they know whether they had put their faith in Christ or not? Nobody knows but God. God's sovereignty is beyond space and time.
Prayer must always be in line with God's word, God's will. In that case, I think you could pray for that moment.

I have no scripture to back that up, this just popped into my mind.

 

[marvelloustime]

9 hours ago, turtletwo said:

@marvelloustime said, "He transforms us by His Holy Spirit to make us more like Him." (I hope it is okay if I answer for her  She can add on, if she wishes. But this is one verse showing it is scriptural.)

"And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Cor 3:18)

Thank you @turtletwo Great scripture to explain what I said.

@K9Buck I hope the scripture puts your mind at rest. You are doing the right thing, checking that everything is biblical.

God bless.

[Wesley L]

12 hours ago, K9Buck said:

 

The only question I have though is how that might contradict the idea of free will.  For instance, when we die, we take our worldly desires with us, right?  If not, then it seems that we lose our free will in that our desires are changed by another.  I'm not trying to be particular or argumentative, I just don't understand the nuances of being transformed with regard to free will.  

It would seem to me that we retain free will in the hereafter and that our rejecting of worldly desires would be a choice that we make.  Of course, once we are no longer in the physical and, as another poster mentioned earlier, it's quite possible that we naturally no longer desire things of the physical.  

I suspect that we won't all understand every nuance of God's ways until after we have departed this realm, and that's ok.  

When we choose to repent and trust in Christ, we actually choose to follow Christ (free will) to deny our sinfull desires. We believe that Christ is the truth the way and the life. We die and rise with Christ, baptism in the spirit. When we become born again christians, we are still in our old flesh, with worldly desires. The truly born again christians who has the Holy Spirit living inside will overcome.

Once we die, our body dies goes back into the ground. One day we will be resurrected in our heavenly bodies. Because of our repentance and trust in Jesus, we choose to belief, we choose to follow Christ, we choose to receive our new heavenly bodies, and we will sin no more.

I think God's plan works perfect with keeping free will intact. God gave us free will because of love.
If God chose to make "sinless robots" out of Adam and Eva, they would had no free will.
God's plan is now that we have free will, free to obey or disobey. The ones who choose to obey, repent and trust in Christ will be saved and will get to live in heaven without sin.

(I believe in heaven we will have desires. Just not sinfull desires, something I really can do without)

Edited January 22, 2020 by Wesley L
added last sentence

[marvelloustime]

9 hours ago, K9Buck said:

 

Thank you.  That's awesome to know!  

The only question I have though is how that might contradict the idea of free will.  For instance, when we die, we take our worldly desires with us, right?  If not, then it seems that we lose our free will in that our desires are changed by another.  I'm not trying to be particular or argumentative, I just don't understand the nuances of being transformed with regard to free will.  

It would seem to me that we retain free will in the hereafter and that our rejecting of worldly desires would be a choice that we make.  Of course, once we are no longer in the physical and, as another poster mentioned earlier, it's quite possible that we naturally no longer desire things of the physical.  

I suspect that we won't all understand every nuance of God's ways until after we have departed this realm, and that's ok.  

Our worldly desires are of the flesh. Once we leave our physical bodies and go to be with the Lord, all worldly desires are left behind.

1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

[other one]

On 1/19/2020 at 11:13 PM, K9Buck said:

Or is it pointless?  I suppose the answer depends upon whether or not you believe that one can be saved after their physical death.  

What is your belief?  Thank you.

Most of the Catholics I know believe in purgatory and pray for the  people they think is there.  I'm not sure which denominations pray for the dead maybe except at funerals.   Except in Maccabees, I have not seen anything that would give me the idea that purgatory exists and I just can't go there....

From that viewpoint I just don't see any positive result for praying for the dead.    We can't tell God anything about the person that he doesn't already know  and I do think that he is much more merciful that most of us....    so what's the point?

[The Survivor]

15 hours ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

YES .

ONE WORD SUMMED Up your question .       YES they will be .   And it is why , oh man its why ,   we need to get up and do as did the early church 

and let the entire world and anything that draws breath ,  KNOW JESUS ALONE Saves .   THE GOSPLE is that dire important .   ITS more than relevant 

its totally necessary if one wants eternal life and not etnernal damnation .      its that black and white .      

 

Daily I am counter attacked by people of their "faiths" (even the faith of no God) being the right one. I am not teacher to throw out quotes or scripture or such to answer questions. I am a poor witness in this form. Leading by example not work since, for example, people I work with are "legally married" to same gender people and they not going to divorce someone because "God loves all and this company loves its 'PRIDE'."

I think I had a point, or I just rambled.

[frienduff thaylorde]

5 hours ago, The Survivor said:

 

Daily I am counter attacked by people of their "faiths" (even the faith of no God) being the right one. I am not teacher to throw out quotes or scripture or such to answer questions. I am a poor witness in this form. Leading by example not work since, for example, people I work with are "legally married" to same gender people and they not going to divorce someone because "God loves all and this company loves its 'PRIDE'."

I think I had a point, or I just rambled.

Survivor .   We always speak truth , and whatever folks do with it , is on them .      

Never ,   ever once ,   not even once ,   let a man , woman or child ,  feel safe in a lie .

 

[LonerAndy]

On 1/21/2020 at 12:09 AM, K9Buck said:

 

So there's no point in praying for the departed at a funeral, for instance, right?  

 

None.  They are already gone.   You can do nothing for the dead.  Nothing.   Praying for the dead, is like getting aspirin for the dead.   Their headache is over now.  No need.