The Bible makes it clear that there is to be no veneration or adoration of Saints as intercessors with God. Our approach to the Father can only be through Jesus. (John 14:6, 14; 1 Tim. 2:5)
Concerning this, notice what Peter's response was to a certain situation in the account of Acts 10:25, 26, JB:
"As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. `Stand up,' he said `I am only a man after all!'"
Peter did not approve of such adoration when he was personally present. He understood what Jesus clearly stated in John 14:6, 14 that our approach to the Father can be only through Jesus and that our requests are to be made in Jesus' name:
"Jesus said: `I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it.'" (JB)
1 Tim. 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (NASB)
Note what Martin Luther wrote concerning the reverence of Roman Catholic Saints:
"The pity is that we are so blind that we do not leave the devil alone to play his tricks in his own way; rather, we support him and multiply them. I wish people would leave the saints in peace, and not mislead humble folk. What spirit was it that gave the pope authority to canonize saints? Who tells him whether they are holy or not? .... God is just in judging us with His wrath and in allowing the devil to lead us hither and thither, to institute pilgrimages, ... to set about canonizing saints and other foolish things." - p. 458, Martin Luther, Selections From His Writings, Dr. John Dillenberger, Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961.
Additional Reading:
Should I Pray to Saints? (JW.ORG)
The Bible’s Viewpoint - Is It Appropriate to Pray to “Saints”? (AWAKE! NOVEMBER 2010; JW.ORG)
Saints (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)
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Concerning this, notice what Peter's response was to a certain situation in the account of Acts 10:25, 26, JB:
"As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. `Stand up,' he said `I am only a man after all!'"
Peter did not approve of such adoration when he was personally present. He understood what Jesus clearly stated in John 14:6, 14 that our approach to the Father can be only through Jesus and that our requests are to be made in Jesus' name:
"Jesus said: `I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it.'" (JB)
1 Tim. 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (NASB)
Note what Martin Luther wrote concerning the reverence of Roman Catholic Saints:
"The pity is that we are so blind that we do not leave the devil alone to play his tricks in his own way; rather, we support him and multiply them. I wish people would leave the saints in peace, and not mislead humble folk. What spirit was it that gave the pope authority to canonize saints? Who tells him whether they are holy or not? .... God is just in judging us with His wrath and in allowing the devil to lead us hither and thither, to institute pilgrimages, ... to set about canonizing saints and other foolish things." - p. 458, Martin Luther, Selections From His Writings, Dr. John Dillenberger, Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961.
Additional Reading:
Should I Pray to Saints? (JW.ORG)
The Bible’s Viewpoint - Is It Appropriate to Pray to “Saints”? (AWAKE! NOVEMBER 2010; JW.ORG)
Saints (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO HOME PAGE INDEX
