Previous Questions and Answers
Can a Christian pray for a soul of a
dead man? Should we pray for our dead relatives? I know that
purgatory does not exist but my Catholic friends think that we
should pray for a soul of a man who died.
There is nothing that your prayers can
do for a person who has died. Luke 16:19-31 says,
“19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in
purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at
his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs
came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he
lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the
tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember
that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou
art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from
hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come
from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore,
father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith
unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear
them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went
unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said
unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
As you read, there is no way to get from hell to heaven. Verse 26 says, “And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”
There is nothing that you can do to help a person who has died, that is why it is so important to reach them before they die. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” God is going to hand out to them the exact judgment that they deserve, and there is nothing that your prayers can do to change that, because God is holy and just. Revelation 20:11-15 says, "11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
