Prayers TO and FOR the dead

I did not mean to respond harshly towards you - I just wanted to point out that the context and the point - "require" that the Sadduccees be led from "common ground of agreement" into a box where ONLY the resurrection would "solve the puzzle". (Which is in fact the only way to frame a compelling argument with a hostile audience).

Actually it does because it requires you to presume a state of the dead that is compatible with Sadduccees - in order to make the case that the resurrection is "the only solution".

And IF you do that -- you are negating the basis for Purgatory to work at all.

See my previous sentence.


But as for my rhetorical point that “the dead in Heaven are much more alive than you and I...,” Yes, they saints in Heaven are the “dead in Christ” (the references to Lazarus and the Maccabean soldiers take place before the Resurrection of Christ and, therefore, before the opening of Heaven)[/quote]

I also included the reference to 1Thess 4 where the dead saints ARE called "The DEAD IN CHRIST" explicitly. In fact that is where phrase comes from - not from John 11 pre-cross, but from 1Thess 4 POST CROSS!

In Christ,

Bob

 

Let me put it this way.

I have no problem at all with this text from Paul.

It "exactly" represents my views - no words changed!

In Christ,

Bob

 

Of course if you would like to start a new thread about 1Thess 4 -- feel free.

In Christ,

Bob