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Should a Christian Pray for the Dead (Ecclesiastes 9:5)?
Prayers on behalf of the dead have no meaning, for nothing can be changed by
them. God’s Word shows that the dead no longer have any physical or mental
activity (Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10). Each person who dies sleeps in
his grave in unconsciousness until the resurrection (John 5:28-29; Daniel
12:2; Job 19:25-26; 14:12-14; John 3:13; Acts 2:29, 34). Clearly, prayers
should be for the living while there is still hope of repentance, not for the
dead, who can do nothing.
Prayers for the dead are based on the false teaching that man possesses an
immortal soul. Some believe that at death a wicked person’s “immortal”
soul is tormented in hell. Friends and relatives then pray that the departed
“soul” be spared some of its suffering. However, the Bible says that the
soul itself can die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20; also, compare the last parts of
Genesis 2:7, 17). In addition, Solomon says the human spirit returns to God,
not to some place of punishment (Ecclesiastes 12:7; see Job 32:8). God
preserves the spirit until He can return it in the resurrection from the dead
when eternal judgment—to either eternal life or eternal death—is determined
(see Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:6-8). There are absolutely no
biblical grounds for the doctrine of the immortality of the soul.
God promises to resurrect those who have died before being called and offer
them salvation. This includes most of humanity! In the future, God will
resurrect to physical life the billions of people from all of earth’s
history who have not had their minds opened to the truth of God’s way of
life (Revelation 20:11-13). For the first time, these people will be able to
accept or reject God’s gift of eternal life. God’s Plan to convert humanity
is so much more hopeful and loving than the traditional belief of an
ever-burning hell as the destiny of those ignorant of Him and His Word!
可否为亡者祈祷
(一)圣经中明列为亡者祈祷的经文:
◎以利亚三次伏在孩子的身上，求告耶和华说：“耶和华─我的　神啊，求你使这孩子的
灵魂仍入他的身体！”列王纪上71:21
◎他们就把石头挪开。耶稣举目望天，说：“父啊，我感谢你，因为你已经听我。我也知
道你常听我，但我说这话是为周围站着的众人，叫他们信是你差了我来。”说了这话，就
大声呼叫说：“拉撒路出来！”约翰福音11:41-43
(二)当有亲人死亡时，我们会想念他，这时我们当然只能跟神说，我们想念他，而亲人若
是基督徒，我们相信他在天上与父同在，当然也会希望上帝照顾他，及希望他在天上过的
好。而经上记着:
◎时候将到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要用心灵和诚实拜他，因为父要这样的人拜他
。约翰福音4:23
所以我们也不能隐藏自己的想法，当然将想念及希望跟天父讲。虽然知道他在天上一定过
的好。
(三)若死去的亲人不是基督徒
经上记载:
◎他藉这灵曾去传道给那些在监狱里的灵听，就是那从前在挪亚预备方舟、　神容忍等待
的时候，不信从的人。当时进入方舟，藉著水得救的不多，只有八个人。彼前3:19-20
所以，如果亲人不信主，我们仍可以祷告，求神传福音给家人听。但祷告只是告诉神我们
的希望，主权仍然在神。
圣经又记载: 他们说：“当信主耶稣，你和你一家都必得救。”使徒行传16:31
若我们信主时，亲人都早已过世怎么办，或是胎儿在未出生前就死亡及那些尚不能分辨左
右手的孩儿死亡呢?
我们仍可以向耶稣祷告，把我们的祈求告诉耶稣。但主权仍在神。