It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to the place the late person used to worship for prayers.

Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment.

Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one and grant him or her eternal rest.

Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.

Do people's prayers really avail after death?

FreedomfromtheT:
■ It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to their house of worship for prayers. Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment. Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one.
Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.
Do people's prayers really avail after death?

1. According to God, He does not answer the prayers of the unrighteous because their requests are made filthy and an abomination by their sins. This means that God does not answer prayers said by sinners and the unrighteous — not even their many pleas for the forgiveness of sins are heard and answered by Him. God only answers all — not some —of the prayers of the righteous. The righteous refers to individuals who through continuous submission and obedience to His teachings and commandments—not to be confused with doctrines and traditions of the churches of men — have proved themselves worthy to God Himself.

So, if God does not already answer any of your many petitions for the living, why would you worry about whether He responds to your petitions said for the dead?

FreedomfromtheT:
It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to the place the late person used to worship for prayers.
Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment.
Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one and grant him or her eternal rest.
Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.
Do people's prayers really avail after death?

It's not a bad idea to question ideas but it is good for one to mind one's business and focus on important personal matters

Ynix:
■ It's not a bad idea to question ideas but it is good for one to mind one's business and focus on important personal matters

1. It is an even better idea to visit reality often as regards many of the rituals we engage in so we do not continue to wallow in the muddy pool of ignorance for longer than is necessary.

Kobojunkie:
1. It is an even better idea to visit reality often as regards many of the rituals we engage in so we do not continue to wallow in the muddy pool of ignorance for longer than is necessary.

So what do you want to achieve with the answer to the question you are looking for

Ynix:
■ So what do you want to achieve with the answer to the question you are looking for

1. I think sanity — as opposed to wadding through delusions —, is an awesome thing to have in this life.

Ynix:


It's not a bad idea to question ideas but it is good for one to mind one's business and focus on important personal matters

I am going to die some day.
This is one of the most important matters to me because it has eternal consequences.
What if I believe that prayers for me after death will work and thus continue in sin and to my chagrin it doesn't?
Will there be any remedies?

FreedomfromtheT:
■ I am going to die some day. This is one of the most important matters to me because it has eternal consequences. What if I believe that prayers for me after death will work and thus continue in sin and to my chagrin it doesn't? Will there be any remedies?

1. Prayers didn't work while you were alive, but you still believe they will work after you are dead?

Kobojunkie:
1. According to God, He does not answer the prayers of the unrighteous because their requests are made filthy and an abomination by their sins. This means that God does not answer prayers said by sinners and the unrighteous — not even their many pleas for the forgiveness of sins are heard and answered by Him. God only answers all — not some —of the prayers of the righteous. The righteous refers to individuals who through continuous submission and obedience to His teachings and commandments—not to be confused with doctrines and traditions of the churches of men — have proved themselves worthy to God Himself.

So, if God does not already answer any of your many petitions for the living, why would you worry about whether He responds to your petitions said for the dead?

No sinner can become saved and therefore righteous who never prayed for forgiveness while alive. However, for such prayers to be answered, such a one must be sincere and not willing to continue in the repented sin.

Kobojunkie:
1. Prayers didn't work while you were alive, but you still believe they will work after you are dead?

If your own prayers do not work while you are yet alive, mine has worked and has been working.
Thank you.

FreedomfromtheT:
It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to the place the late person used to worship for prayers.
Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment.
Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one and grant him or her eternal rest.
Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.
Do people's prayers really avail after death?

I really like people that ask critical questions like this, I've also asked this question myself but I've not gotten a convincing answer. Hopefully someone knowledgeable enough will do justice to the questions unlike these ones throwing tantrum above

FreedomfromtheT:
■ No sinner can become saved and therefore righteous who never prayed for forgiveness while alive.
■ However, for such prayers to be answered, such a one must be sincere and not willing to continue in the repented sin.

1. This claim of yours makes no sense given that God Himself said He does not answer the prayers of sinners. If God does not answer the prayers said by sinners how can you go on to conclude still that righteousness cannot be attained without answers to prayers by God? No be insanity be this kain reasoning you dey bellow for here?

2. Bullsheet! Again, God said He does not — absolutely doesn't — answer prayers tainted by one's sins, and this is whether the sinner is sincere or not. So why do you keep trying to change God's Words to accommodate the sins of men?

FreedomfromtheT:
■ If your own prayers do not work while you are yet alive, mine has worked and has been working. Thank you.

1. So, you are telling us here that God is a liar and all your prayers said in sin and unrighteousness are instead answered by Him?

Kobojunkie:
1. This claim of yours makes no sense given that God Himself said He does not answer the prayers of sinners. If God does not answer the prayers said by sinners how can you go on to conclude still that righteousness cannot be attained without answers to prayers by God? No be insanity be this kain reasoning you dey bellow for here?

2. Bullsheet! Again, God said He does not — absolutely doesn't — answer prayers tainted by one's sins, and this is whether the sinner is sincere or not. So why do you keep trying to change God's Words to accommodate the sins of men?

To follow your logic, God will never answer anyone's prayers because we have all sinned.
Even those who have never read the Bible or been to church know that if they repent genuinely and pray for forgiveness sincerely, that they will be forgiven and saved just like the repentant thief on the cross, Zaccheus the corrupt tax collector, the woman caught red handed in adultery, Saul the persecutor, the Philippian jailor and others.
Are you not just making a jest of yourself by your unnecessary fault finding and attempt at contradicting and discrediting someone's message?

Kobojunkie:
1. So, you are telling us here that God is a liar and all your prayers said in sin and unrighteousness are instead answered by Him?

You are simply a modern day Pharisee.

FreedomfromtheT:
■You are simply a modern day Pharisee.

1. Are you certain I am the pharisee here because you are the one resorting to name calling when all I have done is ask you straight up whether you believe then that God is a liar?

FreedomfromtheT:
I am going to die some day.
This is one of the most important matters to me because it has eternal consequences.
What if I believe that prayers for me after death will work and thus continue in sin and to my chagrin it doesn't?
Will there be any remedies?

After you are gone, you are gone forever either to eternal life or eternal doom, no prayers is needed again thereafter. Only that some believe that prayer can change a bad destination after death which I don't believe

FreedomfromtheT:
■ To follow your logic, God will never answer anyone's prayers because we have all sinned.
■ Even those who have never read the Bible or been to church know that if they repent genuinely and pray for forgiveness sincerely, that they will be forgiven and saved just like the repentant thief on the cross, Zaccheus the corrupt tax collector, the woman caught red handed in adultery, Saul the persecutor, the Philippian jailor and others.
■ Are you not just making a jest of yourself by your unnecessary fault finding and attempt at contradicting and discrediting someone's message?

1. The logic belongs to God Himself who said He does not answer the prayers of those who are unrighteous and hence are sinners as a result. If you are not Holy — living in complete compliance with God's Laws and statutes as revealed in His Law — you are a sinner, and so you cannot meet God's standard of righteousness no matter how much you pray. That is God's Logic!

2. There is no scriptural backup for any of the claims you have here, do you even begin to realize that at all?

■ Zaccheus, an Old Covenant Israelite, was justified by God's standard as declared by God Himself in Ezekiel 18 vs 1 - 32 & Ezekiel 33 vs 10 - 20 .
■ The woman caught in adultery, who was also to be condemned according to the Old Law of Moses, was not justified but told by Jesus Christ to go and sin no more.

The standards of righteousness, are as declared by God Himself, and no man or woman can circumvent that to attain the righteousness that is acceptable by God.

3. You religious folks spend your days making a mockery of God and His Word, yet, you think by pointing this out, I make jest of myself?

fidelmarshal199:



I really like people that ask critical questions like this, I've also asked this question myself but I've not gotten a convincing answer. Hopefully someone knowledgeable enough will do justice to the questions unlike these ones throwing tantrum above

You are welcome beloved.
Thank God for your openess and sincerity.
To answer your question, it is only NOW that one is privileged to be alive that he or she can pray for forgiveness and be heard (Isaiah 55:6, Hebrews 9:27, 2nd Corinthians 6:2; 2nd Corinthians 7:9,10, Hebrews 2:2)
It is also only NOW that another person who has a good standing with God can pray for another to be forgiven and saved and be heard (Exodus 32: 11- 14, Ezekiel 22:30; 1st Timothy 2:1-4, 2nd Timothy 2:26).
So all prayers for the dead are exercise in futility.
God bless you.

Ynix:

After you are gone, you are gone forever either to eternal life or eternal doom, no prayers is needed again thereafter. Only that some believe that prayer can change a bad destination after death which I don't believe

Well said beloved. It is not a matter of you believing or otherwise.
There are just two possible destinations after death - eternal life in heaven or eternal suffering in hell.
There is also no change of destination after death no matter who prays and the volume and length of such prayers
according to the infallible word of God.

Kobojunkie:
1. This claim of yours makes no sense given that God Himself said He does not answer the prayers of sinners. If God does not answer the prayers said by sinners how can you go on to conclude still that righteousness cannot be attained without answers to prayers by God? No be insanity be this kain reasoning you dey bellow for here?

2. Bullsheet! Again, God said He does not — absolutely doesn't — answer prayers tainted by one's sins, and this is whether the sinner is sincere or not. So why do you keep trying to change God's Words to accommodate the sins of men?

Please don't mix things up.
God does not answer the prayers of sinners who remain in their sins yet are asking for His favours.
But He answers the prayers of sinners who are penitent and desire His mercy, pardon and salvation.

Kobojunkie:
1. The logic belongs to God Himself who said He does not answer the prayers of those who are unrighteous and hence are sinners as a result. If you are not Holy — living in complete compliance with God's Laws and statutes as revealed in His Law — you are a sinner, and so you cannot meet God's standard of righteousness no matter how much you pray. That is God's Logic!

2. There is no scriptural backup for any of the claims you have here, do you even begin to realize that at all?

■ Zaccheus, an Old Covenant Israelite, was justified by God's standard as declared by God Himself in Ezekiel 18 vs 1 - 32 & Ezekiel 33 vs 10 - 20 .
■ The woman caught in adultery, who was also to be condemned according to the Old Law of Moses, was not justified but told by Jesus Christ to go and sin no more.

The standards of righteousness, are as declared by God Himself, and no man or woman can circumvent that to attain the righteousness that is acceptable by God.

3. You religious folks spend your days making a mockery of God and His Word, yet, you think by pointing this out, I make jest of myself?

You are simply showcasing your willful ignorance.

Kobojunkie:
1. Are you certain I am the pharisee here because you are the one resorting to name calling when all I have done is ask you straight up whether you believe then that God is a liar?

You are mischievously or ignorantly misquoting God's word simply because you want to pick holes and find faults.

FreedomfromtheT:
It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to the place the late person used to worship for prayers.
Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment.
Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one and grant him or her eternal rest.
Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.
Do people's prayers really avail after death?

I would not answer your question but I would only add some verses from the bible.
Hebrews 11
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The last verse states that all these people who have died without us should not be made perfect.
The question is, what role do we play in the lives of the dead?

FreedomfromtheT:
It is traditional for some religious groups to organize prayers for their dead members. Some relatives of the deceased usually carry the corpse to the place the late person used to worship for prayers.
Others offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the dead before internment.
Even after burial, some observe 8 days, 40 days, a year prayers etc for God to forgive the sins of the departed one and grant him or her eternal rest.
Even some religious adherents who don't believe in praying for the dead would be quick to type RIP to show their love.
Do people's prayers really avail after death?

No Sir!
Prayer DOESN'T work on the dead. It's too late

tctrills:

I would not answer your question but I would only add some verses from the bible.
Hebrews 11
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The last verse states that all these people who have died without us should not be made perfect.
The question is, what role do we play in the lives of the dead?

The simple answer to your question is that we owe the dead decent burial and perhaps honour their wishes while alive. Nothing more.
Our prayers cannot change anything.
None of the old Testament saints was perfect in the sense that they lived before Christ came to die for sinful humanity.
Therefore Christ after His death and burial had to go and release the old Testament saints from Abraham's bosom into heaven.
Thank you.

TenQ:

No Sir!
Prayer DOESN'T work on the dead. It's too late

You are right.
I hope the people who hope on other people's prayers after their death will make their ways right before God NOW.

FreedomfromtheT:
You are mischievously or ignorantly misquoting God's word simply because you want to pick holes and find faults.

If I have indeed been misquoting God as you conveniently claim, how come you haven't been able to successfully use God's own Word to counter any of what I have revealed using His very own Word?

FreedomfromtheT:
You are simply showcasing your willful ignorance.

Are you certain that it is my ignorance that is scripturally being revealed here?,

FreedomfromtheT:
■ Please don't mix things up. God does not answer the prayers of sinners who remain in their sins yet are asking for His favours.
■ But He answers the prayers of sinners who are penitent and desire His mercy, pardon and salvation.

1. If that is in fact the case, then you ought to have absolutely no problem providing by way of scriptural reference, God's very own words stating this fact you claim.

2. So, even though God made it clear He does not answer the prayers of the unrighteous ---an unholy individual without righteous works to His name -- you are saying that God made an exception for unholy individuals in the case of penitence? Did Jesus Christ know this at all since His Gospel indicates that it only those whom He abides in that will have their prayers answered - John 15 vs 7 - 11 - and He, Jesus Christ said He, the Truth of God, abides only in those who have been set free from slavery to sin by Himself, the Truth of God - John 8 vs 31 - 44. It is like God needs to catch up with your belief or something cause His Will, Jesus Christ, says something entirely different from everything you continue to claim.

FreedomfromtheT:
■ The simple answer to your question is that we owe the dead decent burial and perhaps honour their wishes while alive. Nothing more.
Our prayers cannot change anything.
None of the old Testament saints was perfect in the sense that they lived before Christ came to die for sinful humanity. Therefore Christ after His death and burial had to go and release the old Testament saints from Abraham's bosom into heaven.
Thank you.

1. Jesus Christ did what now? Where is this story of yours found in scripture?

2. So, what you are saying is that even the prophet Isaiah was trapped and had to be released by Jesus Christ from the bosom of Abraham, to then, without being born-again at all -- an absolute necessity according to Jesus Christ ‐-- enter into Heaven in the Kingdom of God?

yes