1.    Why is it that we pray to God?

What do the following attributes of God have to do with why we pray to Him?

Omnipotent (God is all powerful)

Omnipresent (God is everywhere)

Omniscient (God is all-knowing)

2.    Who can intercede for us?

(Rom 8:34 NIV)  Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

(Rom 8:26 NIV)  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Who are the two persons that the Bible specifically mentions can intercede for us?

Why were priests unable to intercede for us in heaven?

Why is Jesus able to intercede for us in heaven?

3.    What was one of the duties of priests in the Old Testament days?

To intercede means to come between two parties and to mediate. Who fulfills this role during the Old Testament days?

(Heb 5:1-3 NIV)  Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. {2} He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. {3} This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

4.    Are they still fulfilling this role after they have died?

(Heb 7:23-25 NIV)  Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; {24} but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. {25} Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

5.    Does the Bible teach that believers who died now have supernatural abilities such as supernatural knowledge?

6.    Does the Bible teach that we should pray to Mary, who can intercede for us?

7.    Does the Bible teach that we should have communion with dead saints?

Heb 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

What does the Bible say about fellowshipping with other believers?

Does the Bible teach us to have fellowship with other believers who have died?

8.    Should we invoke the prayers of the Saints? Can they intercede for us?

Luke 16:27 (NIV) “He (ie the man in hell) answered, ‘Then I beg you, father (Abraham), send Lazarus to my (earthly) father’s house…

Does this verse teach that we should be praying to saints?

9.    Is praying to the saints the same as asking other believers on earth to pray for us?

10. Does the Bible teach that we can intercede for one another?

(Gen 20:7 NIV)  Now return the man’s wife, for he (i.e. Abraham) is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.”

(Rom 15:30 NIV)  I (i.e. Paul) urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

11. Does the Bible teach that we should pray for the dead?

Is there a passage in the Bible that teaches that we should pray for the dead?