It’s good for saints to pray for each other (Ja 5:16a), and effectual, fervent prayers of righteous souls can make a real difference. (16b) Paul asks his brothers to pray for himself and for those working alongside him (He 13:8), at times even begging in the strongest possible language. (Ro 15:30) So, is it reasonable to ask saints in Heaven to pray for us?
Though all saints are part of Christ’s body, the Church (Ep 5:25-27), including those in Heaven (He 12:23) there are some difficulties with this idea.
Firstly, it presumes the souls to whom we’re praying actually are in Heaven, that they’re true believers. However, unless scripture explicitly affirms this it’s presumption. There’s nothing stopping God from working through an unregenerate soul (Samson? King Saul? Jonah? Nebuchadnezzar?) to accomplish His purposes. We can therefore safely claim salvation for only very few, such as Abraham (Lk 16:23), the Twelve (except Judas: (Jn 17:12)), Paul (2Ti 4:7-8), etc. For example, scripture doesn’t explicitly tell us that Mary, Christ’s mother, ever came to true faith; she evidently lived many years after His birth without it. (Mt 12:47-50) She’s likely in Heaven, but there’s no way to be sure.
Secondly, praying to Heavenly saints presumes they can hear us across the immense expanse of the universe, which is, again, presumption; there is zero indication of this in Scripture.
Further, if it’s right to pray to saints at all, it’s right for a billion souls to pray regularly to a given saint (e.g. Mary), yet this is essentially attributing infinite capability to a finite soul, elevating them to godlike status. Distinguishing this from an affirmation of omnipresence and omniscience is semantics at best; the practice is therefore evidently unreasonable and problematic.
So, given such uncertainties, why would we spend any time at all asking saints in Heaven to pray for us? (Co 4:5) If it could be a waste of time (and it certainly could be), can it be excellent? (Php 1:10a) If we can’t prove it’s the will of God (Ro 12:2), why would anyone recommend it? On what authority?
If it’s good and right to ask saints in Heaven to intercede for us, and we’re unable to verify this from Scripture alone, Scripture must be incomplete as a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path. (Ps 119:105) We then require other (and necessarily fallibly human) sources of light. Yet this violates 2Ti 3:16-17; a fundamental claim that Scripture alone is sufficient to perfect us, to equip us to all good works. It’s one thing for teachers to show us how to rightly interpret Scripture, it’s another thing altogether to require secret, extra-biblical revelation or knowledge to live a godly life: this is Gnosticism.
Finally, since Christ Himself (He 7:25) and the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:26) are always praying for us, why would we need others in Heaven to intercede for us as well? They certainly aren’t any closer to God than God Himself.
God knows what we need before we ask (Mt 6:8); our prayers don’t inform God. Evidently, the purpose of prayer is primarily to engage us in pursuing and experiencing God’s will, which makes sense for believers on Earth. When we ask according to His will, we know He hears and answers us. (1Jn 5:14-15)
In presuming Christ came to start a new religion, which appears to be inherent in such ideas, we invariably find ourselves in error. He didn’t. (Mt 5:19) Ultimately, if what we’re saying and doing isn’t grounded in Torah itself, it’s darkness. (Is 8:20)
Luke 15:7 – “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.”
This verse explicitly shows how those in heaven are alive and aware of what happens here on earth, so much so that they celebrate when we make decisions to give ourselves over to Christ. However, this does not imply the saints themselves can hear us when we pray, or that they are actually able to observe us in real time. We don’t know how these saints become aware of our behavior; God or angels may update them on what’s going on down here.
Revelation 8:3 – “Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quality of incense to offer with the prayers of the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne.”
Some might say this reinforces the notion that prayers can be offered to the Father from those already in heaven. However, this golden vial evidently symbolizes the prayers of ALL saints of ALL time, and seems to me to be part of a unique, future event related to the final judgements of God. I think this particular event may depict God calling to remembrance all of the godly prayers of all saints of all time, especially prayers for divine judgment, that God’s will be done and that He be glorified, etc., as He ramps up for the judgments in the 7 trumpets. I see no indication in this text that God hasn’t already heard and answered these prayers in time past. I don’t think it is reasonable to deduce from this text that angels are continually in the habit of providing a conduit of prayers between us and the Father.
Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that has been set before us.”
This is likely the best biblical text in support of Saintly Intersession, but I don’t think it implies the saints in heaven can observe us in detail in real time. The key phrase may be, “we also” in verse 1: Paul seems to be saying we ourselves are part of the cloud of witnesses observing the saints of old, yet we didn’t observe them in real time; we’re witnesses of their behavior through God documenting it for us. God is evidently documenting all the details of every single person’s life and will reveal it all at the Great White Throne of Judgment, one life at a time. In this way, we all have a great cloud of witnesses, effectively the entire universe, even though we’re unable to comprehend the behavior of millions of people all at once in real time.