Praying for the Dead by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed on very recently. I walked into a restaurant, and there it was, right on TV as a news item. They said he died at age 79. His body was subsequently placed in repose at the Supreme Court not long after his death. There are two ways of doing that, open casket, or closed casket. The photos I saw were of a closed casket, a flag-draped coffin. And then, several days after his death, there was the funeral service. Scalia was a Catholic, and his son, a Catholic Priest, delivered a homily at the funeral. And so, because Justice Scalia was a Catholic, does that mean he went to heaven? Possibly, but not necessarily. I believe most Baptists will go to heaven. And most Assembly of God people. And most Foursquare people. And most Pentecostal Holiness. But with Catholics, it's a somewhat different story. When we lived in Houston, TX, my wife and I broke bread with Charles and Elizabeth Melton. We met them at Lakewood Church in Houston. Charles was an Usher at Lakewood Church. Now an Usher is not the top office at a church, but I believe it's important work, and that the Lord will give Charles a full reward on Judgment Day for his work as an Usher. I believe Charles was a top notch Christian. Charles prayed to the Lord about his situation at the office where he was employed. Apparently, at that office where Charles worked, they used pencils in their work. He said the Lord told him, "I want you to pray over every pencil." I, too, have worked at offices. But the Lord never told me, "I want you to pray over every pencil." Apparently, that was a special ministry the Lord gave to brother Charles. I believe the Lord will reward him for his obedience to the Lord. I remember a gathering of Christians one time where we were at someone's home. A lady there told about a problem she was having. I felt an urge to speak a word to her, but I wasn't entirely sure that I should. Then, brother Charles spoke out the word that I would have spoken (or sentence), and I believe it was the answer to that lady's problem. I wish I had spoken out what the Lord wanted me to speak. Charles and Elizabeth Melton said that they had come out of the Catholic church. (Please see my book, "Come Out of Her, my People.") The Meltons said, "When we were in the Catholic church, we weren't taught what Jesus said (John chapt 3) You Must be Born Again, but rather, we were taught that you would go to heaven if you were a good Catholic." But, you see, there is no membership that you could have in any church, not even if you follow all their rules, that will automatically get you to heaven. No, you must be born again, like Jesus said in John chapt 3. So, if Justice Scalia was born again, he went to heaven. But if, instead, he was trusting in the Catholic church to get him to heaven, without being born again, then, what a shame. The Apostle Paul said this in Phil 2:12-- "So, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING." But why do we have to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling? Because it's so easy to get sloppy about our walk with the Lord, it's so easy to get lazy, to neglect daily Bible reading, to neglect daily prayer, that if we don't use fear and trembling, there is the definite possibility of our going to hell. Please see my book, "Can Christians Lose their Salvation?" This notion some people have that once your saved, you can't lose your salvation, is just a lie. If Justice Scalia was working out his own salvation with fear and trembling, no doubt he went to heaven. Otherwise, how sad. If you're trusting just in the Catholic church to get you to heaven, that's like trusting the wild bull to harvest your crops and bring them into the barn-- 10 Can you tie the wild bull with his ropes in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after you? 11 Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? 12 Will you believe him, that he will bring home your seeds, and gather them into your barn? (from the book of Job chapt 39) No, the wild bull won't harvest your crops, and the Catholic church won't get you to heaven. "Come out of her, my people." (Rev 18:4) You have to get yourself born again. More about this later in this book. I didn't really catch much of the funeral service. I'm not a Catholic. But when watching TV, I channel surf, so I caught a little of the funeral on C-Span. At one point, a priest was apparently praying. I heard, "...hear our prayers." King Solomon prayed like that to God in the Bible, in the Old Testament. Don't know whether this next thing was said at Scalia's funeral, but I remember seeing a movie where there was a death and a funeral, and at the funeral, the Priest asked God to receive the soul of the person who had died. IT DOES ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD TO PRAY THAT WAY. The funeral service doesn't immediately follow the death of the one who died. It usually happens a day or more later. When that person died, their spirit and soul immediately were carried by the angels to heaven if that person died a Christian, or, that person went down to hell if they were not a Christian. The dead body, of course, stays behind on Earth. "...it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment..." (Heb 9:27) We have to get right with God during our lives on earth, because once we die, there's no more opportunity to get right with God if we didn't accomplish that during our lives on earth. So then, it's no good to ask God at the funeral service to receive the soul of the departed. That decision has already, irrevocably been made. They either went up, or they went down. Praying about that won't change anything. That person went up to heaven if their name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life which is in heaven. (Rev 13:8) When we Christians are absent from the body, we're present with the Lord. (2 Cor 5:8) Your name is in the Lamb's Book of Life if you're a born again Christian. More on that later in this book. Chapter 2 But there is mention in the scriptures of baptism for the dead. The Apostle Paul mentions this in 1 Cor chapt 15-- 12 Now if Christ is preached that he rose from the dead, why are some among you saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there's no resurrection of the dead, then Christ hasn't risen, 14 And if Christ hasn't risen, then our preaching is for nothing, and your faith is also for nothing. 15 Yes, and we are found to be lying about God, because we've testified that God raised up Christ, whom he didn't raise, if the dead don't rise. 16 For if the dead don't rise, then Christ hasn't been raised. 17 And if Christ hasn't been raised, your faith is for nothing, you're still in your sins. 18 Then those also who've died in Christ have been destroyed. 19 If we have hope in Christ only in this life, then we are the most miserable of all men. 20 But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who've died. 21 For since death came by man, by man also came the raising of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ's when he comes. 24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule, until he has put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is clear that He’s an exception who is putting all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued to him, then the Son himself shall also be subject to Him that put all things under him, so that God will be all in all. 29 Otherwise what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead don't rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 And why do we stand in danger every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I've fought with animals at Ephesus, what good is it for me, if the dead don't rise? Let us eat and drink, since we'll die tomorrow. 33 Don't be deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and don't sin, for some don't have the knowledge of God, I say this to your shame. 35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 You fool, that which you plant doesn't come alive, unless it dies. 37 And that which you plant, you don't plant the body that shall be, but carry grain, it might be of wheat, or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there's one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, for one star is different from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is planted in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is planted in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is planted in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is planted a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, "The first man, Adam, was made a living soul," the last Adam was made a living spirit. 46 But what is spiritual was not first, but what is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy. The second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are those also that are earthy, and as is the heavenly, such are those also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have carried the image of the earthy, we shall also carry the image of the heavenly. (from 1 Cor chapt 15) But although the Apostle Paul mentions baptism for the dead there (vs 29), Paul is not advocating baptism for the dead. In the religion, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," (the Mormons), they look up in genealogies to find out who their ancestors are, so that they can go and get baptized for the dead. Well, Paul mentions baptism for the dead in 1 Corinthians, doesn't he? He mentions it, but he's not saying that we should do so. Notice vs 12, above. Some were saying that there's no resurrection from the dead. So Paul then argues that there is resurrection from the dead. He only mentions that some were being baptized for the dead in his effort to prove that there is resurrection from the dead. He is not approving the baptizing for the dead. Jesus and God the Father and the Apostle Paul want us to understand that there is resurrection from the dead. But for the same reason that we should not pray for the dead, we should also not get baptized for the dead. That person who died has already gone to heaven or hell. Getting baptized for that person won't change where they are. Another Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was said to have officiated at a Gay Wedding. That's strange. I surely did think that she was Jewish. And the Bible clearly forbids homosexuality in the Jewish Laws of Moses, in the Old Testament books of the Pentateuch, the five books written by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. It says that man shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind, it is abomination. (Lev 18:22) So, God hates homosexuality, both male and female homosexuality. Female homosexuals are also called Lesbians. (And see Rom chapt 1, 1 Cor 6:9,10) Does a person give up their Jewish religion when they become a Supreme Court Justice? But Justice Scalia didn't give up being a Catholic. And there have been U.S. Supreme Court decisions recently favoring homosexuality. God will surely punish those Supreme Court Justices who voted in favor of those decisions. It is one of the responsibilities of the U.S. Supreme Court to try to determine the Constitutionality of our various laws. The Constitution of the United States came from our Founding Fathers, centuries ago. It would be a very good idea, therefore, if the Supreme Court, as they determine the Constitutionality of things, to remember that the Founding Fathers had Judeo-Christian values. But it rather seems that some of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices don't see a need to bear that in mind. Surely, my God will take note of it. In my retirement, I sometimes watch cops and robbers type TV programs. In one show that I started to watch recently, a boy had died. The detectives, doing their investigations, talked to a Pastor. The Pastor said the boy had had demons in him. From the description of the boy's behavior, it did sound like the boy had been demonized. But in the story, the Pastor said a dumb thing. He said that their prayers at that church were overcoming the demons. Of course, those words came from a man who was no doubt not a Pastor, but just an actor playing the role of a Pastor, but those words were very much incorrect Theologically. NO ONE PRAYS DEMONS OUT OF SOMEONE, demons must be cast out of the person, like Jesus did when he was on earth, and also the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts. (Acts chapt 16) We cast out demons in Jesus' name. (Mark 16:17,18, Luke 10:19) Please see my book, "How to Cast Out Demons." Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.