False Doctrine: Praying To And For The Dead?
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, June2, 2026 (Donate)
Ever hear of people claiming to pray to saints
or other people who have died? Ever hear of people praying for the
dead? When someone does either of these things they have deviated from the
clear teachings of the Bible and gone into false doctrines.
Praying To The Dead?
Based on the 66 books of the Bible, there is no command,
example, or encouragement to pray to the dead. Scripture consistently teaches
that prayer is directed to God alone.
Jesus instructed His followers to pray to the Father
(Matthew 6:9), and believers are told to make their requests known to God
(Philippians 4:6). Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God's people
prayed to God, not to deceased believers, prophets, apostles, or angels.
Furthermore, attempts to communicate with the dead are
forbidden. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 condemns practices such as consulting the dead,
and Isaiah 8:19 asks, "Should not a people seek their God? Should they
seek the dead on behalf of the living?" Saul even fell into this mistake by
calling on the which of Endor to speak to Samuel who was deceased and it cost
him dearly (1 Samuel 28:7-20).
The Bible presents Christ as the sole mediator between God
and man: "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the
Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5, NKJV).
Praying For The Dead?
The Bible also teaches that the dead are conscious and
continue to exist after death, but they are separated from the affairs of the
living. In Jesus' account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), the dead
are shown in distinct places awaiting final judgment, with a great gulf fixed
between them.
Hebrews 9:27 states, "it is appointed for men to die
once, but after this the judgment." Scripture never presents a
second opportunity for salvation after death, nor does it instruct believers to
“pray for the dead” in hopes of changing their eternal condition. When they die
it’s too late! One must be saved through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection
in this as it echoes for eternity (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Regarding praying for the dead, the Bible do not provide a
clear command or example of believers offering prayers on behalf of deceased
individuals. The commonly cited passage outside of the Bible is 2 Maccabees
12:39-45, which describes prayers for fallen soldiers, is found in the
Apocrypha and is not Scripture. Within the canonical Scriptures, prayers are
consistently offered for the living. While believers are encouraged to mourn,
remember, and honor those who have died (Genesis 50:1-3; Acts 8:2; Hebrews 11),
they are never instructed to pray for their souls after death.
Final Thoughts
The biblical hope for the dead is not found in prayers
offered on their behalf after death, but in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
Those who die in faith are described as being with the Lord (Philippians 1:23;
2 Corinthians 5:8), while unbelievers await final judgment (Revelation
20:11-15). Therefore, according to the 66 books of the Bible, prayer should be
directed to God alone, through Jesus Christ, for the living. The Scriptures
neither authorize praying to the dead nor teach that prayers offered for the
dead can alter their eternal destiny after death.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
