Prayers to the Virgin Mary an other Saints

[DarkNLovely]

I was curious to hear some opinions on this subject. I asked some of my Orthodox friends and they were very open and gave me some great answers. What do you think about this?:scratch:

[Spiritofprophecy]

Greetings in the name of Jesus:

I always wondered what offense God would take upon men who prayed in different ways and to different things.

Personally I believe God loves us so much, no matter who we pray too or for, God is happy we even acknowledge there is a God. Like God won a small battle against evil or something and hears all. Except maybe if you pray to Satan. That probably would not be counted as prayer.But Anti faith prayer.

But if One prays to Mary or Through mary; And is aiming your prayer unto God. I am absolutely sure, God hears your prayer.

The question is to me:

If we pray through Mary or Paul or Peter: And God hears our prayer. Does the merit or value of prayer lose any quality or substance unto God by taking a detour and handoff ?

Thats good question to Ask God when we get there.

I pray no offense is taken by my comments of Heavenly things which No one really knows the truth about. But we all have opinions. And I gave mine. I call it my Guess.

God bless C.F. and all who use it.

[RefrusRevlis]

1 Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time

Praying to saints is to no avail, God is the only one a person should pray to. Jesus is the only mediator.

Refrus

[christianmomof3]

It is my understanding that the groups and people who believe in praying to "Saints" and other dead people have a different view of death than some Christians.
They believe (and someone will correct me I am sure if I get this wrong) that when Christians die they go straight to heaven where they are not dead and they can see and hear living people and listen to their prayers and join them in prayer and pass their prayers on to God. Some of them also believe that these "Saints" and Mary were or are (a bit confusing since they insist they are not dead) more righteous than we poor living people are so their prayers are somehow better than ours.

Other Christians do not share that view.

I don't.

[BrBob]

I agree whole-heartedly with Refrus above. There is only one mediator, Jesus.

Bob
Spearfish, SD

[prophecystudent]

1 Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time

Praying to saints is to no avail, God is the only one a person should pray to. Jesus is the only mediator.

Refrus

RIGHT ON THE MONEY.

You beat me to it.

The bible also CONDEMNS praying to idols, etc other than God. It is called idolatry.

Fred

[Spiritofprophecy]

Greetings in the name of Jesus:

I agree with all posters about Jesus being the mediator, and the way and life. Which I pray to Jesus: Never though mary or another.

I am not sure if People actually pray too mary, but pray to God through mary.

this is not something I do: or am versed by God to condemn such actions: but to only say:

People Can pray to Frogs; and God will hear.

I know Jesus is the way: And whom I put my prayers and trust: But since all salvation is based on Faith and grace. I would not condemn any for praying in faith.

I would only comment, that I believe we have a Direct path to God with Jesus. And to me, to not use and be personal with Jesus, is a loss of communion. In my opinion.

I would only suggest about prayers directed To God, with detours through mary. One should not Judged the Grace of God and value of others who pray. Counseling to all that Jesus can be directly addressed, is Great: But judging actions of Others, should not be done in haste.

God bless all who are with us in Jesus.

I pray no one takes offense in my words.
God bless C.F. and all who use it.

[LadyMist]

I too believe christ is the mediator.
Why pray to the created when you should pray to the creator and the one he said to come to god through?

Mary was blessed to be chosen. But she is no higher than any other human, nor is any saint for that matter. I would find it sinful to pray to humans who have died before us, or through them for that matter.

Remember Jesus said he is the way. He didn't say my mother mary is the way nor john or any other.

[Svt4Him]

Personally I believe God loves us so much, no matter who we pray too or for, God is happy we even acknowledge there is a God.Ya, and my wife loves me so much, it doesn't matter who I go home to, she's happy I'm with someone. Only I think is she'd get jealous (and rightly so)...kind of like one of the Names of God.


God is omnipresent, no one else is ever given that characteristic. If I go to my prayer closet and pray to Mary, she would have to be there to hear, or be omnipresent. If I pray to an angel for healing, that angel would have to be there, or be omnipresent. The story is that it's no different than going to your friend and asking them to pray for you. The HUGE difference is I don't go to my prayer closet and pray to my friend, I call them.

[Floatingaxe]

People Can pray to Frogs; and God will hear.



No he won't.

God's ears are bent over heaven straining to hear the voices of those who are His own, and those who come to Him in repentance through Jesus Christ. His ears are stopped at all others.

Proverbs 15:29
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

[InFathersArms]

Personally I believe God loves us so much, no matter who we pray too or for, God is happy we even acknowledge there is a God. Like God won a small battle against evil or something and hears all. Except maybe if you pray to Satan. That probably would not be counted as prayer.But Anti faith prayer.

But if One prays to Mary or Through mary; And is aiming your prayer unto God. I am absolutely sure, God hears your prayer.

The question is to me:

If we pray through Mary or Paul or Peter: And God hears our prayer. Does the merit or value of prayer lose any quality or substance unto God by taking a detour and handoff ?



Great question!

I believe God looks at our hearts, and is fully aware of our various religious upbringings. I also believe he is completely capable of understanding how we miss the mark (sin) and loves us enough to cover that sin provided our heart is in the right place (humble, contrite before Him).

However, I also believe that he holds us accountable for what we do know, for the things which have been revealed and when they have, been attested to by the Holy Spirit.

Bottom line - He knows what's in our hearts, and since God is love, and love covers a multitude of sins...

You get the picture.

[MoNiCa4316]

I was curious to hear some opinions on this subject. I asked some of my Orthodox friends and they were very open and gave me some great answers. What do you think about this?:scratch:

While I believe that Christ is the only mediator we need, I understand the position of those who pray to saints/Mary...rather, to be more correct, they ask them for their prayers. The reason is that they believe that you can ask the dead (in heaven) to pray for you like you would ask earthly friends.

I don't know, to be honest. I've just never felt the need. God doesn't have favourites, and it's by His grace that we can approach His throne, not because of any goodness we might have...the Apostles are a thousand times better Christians than I am, but I believe God hears me anyway because He loves me. I can't possibly earn the right to pray to Him, it's too big of a gift! I mean..it's talking to the Creator of the universe!! How can I ever be good enough for that?

One of my friends said that she likes to pray to Mary because she (Mary) is compassionate and kind...I'm sure she is, but I've always felt oki praying to Jesus for the same reasons.

So..I understand people who do this, but I've never been able to relate to them much. I've read something once, that if we pray to God without Mary our prayers are not effective...that's taking it way too far. I think it's oki to pray to saints if you do it for the right reason and intend for God to answer the prayer...He knows our hearts and understands our reasons for our actions.

God bless!


monica

[Aymn27]

Friend,
Those who pray "to" the saints join their voices not with the "dead" but with those who are alive in Christ Jesus. The church is made up of me (a saint by Christ's rigtheousness), you (also saints in the same manner) and saints who have gone before us (also in the same manner). Hebrews refers to them as "the cloud of witnesses" - we are all joined together in prayer to the Father through the Son (Mary is no different)...we pray together in the Body of the one Mediator, Christ Jesus...as the Bride...living and passed - in which nothing can seperate us from the love of God.