2 Cor. 5:1-11, Who are the saints? (4)

Here is our final reference to the Catholic Catechism.

·       #956: “Being more closely related to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness – they do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.”  This is accompanied by quotes from various “saints” before their death.  St. Therese: “I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.”  St. Dominic: “I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.” 

Does Scripture speak of such things?  Some refer to John 16:7 when Jesus spoke of the value of His departure.  But He was speaking of establishing the New Covenant and sending the Holy Spirit.  That is not what “sainthood” is talking about.

Some might speak of Samuel who came from the dead to speak to King Saul.  But Samuel’s response was, “why have you disturbed me” (1 Sam. 28:15)?  Or you might speak of Moses and Elijah who appeared to Christ (Luke 9:30-31) and spoke to Him of His coming death.  But this is Christ, the Word who is God and became flesh.  We do not see this as normative.  Rather, consider Jesus’ teaching in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. No one was going to be sent back to encourage the rich man’s brothers.  It was sufficient that they had Scripture (Luke 16:27-31). 

In the preceding paragraph, all the passages were from “narrative” sections, not sections that are intended to teach doctrine.  What is the doctrine concerning believers who are now with the Lord?  In today’s passage (2 Cor. 5) they are at rest, free from the groanings of this life.  They are not doing good works on earth.  The day for preaching the gospel, carrying out the ministry of reconciliation, is over for them. 

What did the Psalmist mean when he said that the dead do not praise God any more (Ps. 6:5; 115:17; 88:10-12)?  Certainly, he was not referring to the praise they give in heaven.  Read the context.  He was wanting to be delivered from trouble so he could continue to praise God on earth.  The opportunity to “effect” good things on earth is past when we die.  For that reason, we then stand in judgment because the time of our testing is finished (Heb. 9:27).  The “witnesses” of Heb. 12:1 encourage us only by their legacy and our memory of their faithfulness.

The “prayers of the saints” in Rev. 5:8 also do not fit Catholicism.  These prayers are in “bowls full of incense.”  We are not told that the saints are praying in heaven.  It says that the prayers of God’s people on earth, which have been long delayed in being answered, are filling heaven with a sweet smell.  These are the “how long” prayers, many recorded in the Psalms (e.g. 6:3; 13:1), and many prayed by Israel when the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham was in doubt (e.g. 79:5; 80:4).  If you really want to see the fallacy of Roman Catholicism, it is in this, that they consider the Church to be the “new Israel” and that God is not going to fulfill His word to Abraham and the nation of Israel.