A Biblical Analysis
I'll concede from the start that this case is not explicit in scripture. However, I think the implicit case is compelling. I'll attempt to make four main points:
1) Those who have died in God's good grace are alive and that these people are aware of what is happening on earth.
2) Those in heaven are concerned about what happens on earth.
3) That our prayers can be carried by intercessors to God.
4) That the prayers of the righteous are worth pursuing.
1)Those who have died in God's good grace are alive and that these people aware of what is happening on earth.
Mark 12
Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses,‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”
In Heb 11, the achievements of the Old Testament saints are reviewed with an emphasis on their faith. It ends by stating that they had not yet received salvation:
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Heb 12 starts like this:
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
I believe this makes the case that those who have died physically are still alive and that they are witnesses to what occurs on earth.
2) Those in heaven are concerned about what happens on earth.
Luke 15
7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
3) That our prayers can be carried by intercessors to God.
Rev. 8
3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.
4) That the prayers of the righteous are worth pursuing.
James 5
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
To summarize, Catholics, as well as several other faiths, believe that once we are alive in Christ we remain alive in Christ. We also believe that those in heaven are aware and concerned about those still on earth. For this reason, we seek their intercessions given that they have been deemed righteous, if, in fact, they are in