CAN prayer influence the destiny of departed souls? James Linders D.Th; D.D (h.c), D.Min (h.c)

📷

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

The date of our birth and that of our death holds NO particular significance. Its the period inbetween.

The opinions expressed in THIS article are based on a monotheist perspective; in particular Christianity. It’s common knowledge in the circles of various Christian denominations that each of them OFTEN interprets texts and scriptures from the Bible DIFFERENTLY. The latter in turn leads to division and opposition in the organization and favors and promotes false teaching and misconceptions. To eliminate THIS possibility my arguments are solely based on the ACTUAL scriptures as recorded in the Word of God…NOTHING added and NOTHING omitted. Little or NO room is left for speculation OR assumption. Most Christian denominations believe that those who died as sinners will rise to eternal condemnation at judgment day, and those who died in Christ will rise to eternal glory. There is, however, a minority among them who believe QUITE the opposite; the souls of the wicked who died in sin CAN still escape condemnation AFTER death through intercession …prayer. This belief is founded on the concept of purgatory… a place between heaven and hell where the dead who have NOT sinned so much during their human lives, are sent to be cleansed and purified and in this way STILL inherit the kingdom of heaven. The Merriam Webster Learner’s Dictionary defines the word purgatory as follows: “a state after death according to Roman Catholic belief in which the souls of people who die are made pure through suffering before going to heaven.” But what does the WORD of God says? CAN prayer influence the destiny of the dead? Daniel the prophet made this statement in Daniel 12:2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”. In John 5:28 - 29 Y’shua Himself has THIS to say about the subject: “…Marvel not at this: for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment“. It can CLEARLY be concluded from the statement in Luke 16:19-31 that praying for the dead is not a biblical concept. Our prayers have NO bearing on someone once he or she has died. At the point of death, one’s eternal destiny is ALREADY determined. He is either saved through faith in Christ OR his wickedness has condemned him to the eternal flames of hell. The story of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar provides us with an illustration of THIS truth. Y’shua used THIS story to teach us that the unrighteous are eternally separated from God, that they remember their rejection of the gospel, that they are in torment, and that their condition cannot be remedied after death. The Bible teaches us that the eternal destiny of mankind is determined by his actions during his life on earth. “The soul who sins is the one who will die. . . . The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him” (Ezekiel 18:20).

The writer to the Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 9:27 that no change can be brought about in one’s spiritual condition AFTER his death; either by himself or the living. If it is useless to pray for the living, who is committing continuous sin without seeking God’s forgiveness, how could prayer benefit them who are already dead, since there is no post-mortem plan of salvation? (1 John 5:16).

Once life is over we have no choice but to face judgment. The prayers of others won’t change the outcome. The time to pray for a person is while he or she lives and there is still the possibility of his or her heart, attitudes, and behavior being changed (Romans 2:3-9). According to the Bible, death is final, and no amount of praying can change the eternal destiny of a person who has rejected salvation in life.