Saints in the bible

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blake7
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Blake7

Guest
Hello, where in the Bible does it say we can have saints? Like protestests say everyone is saints.
 
Last edited:
We are all called to be saints Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (Saints), let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

Saints

Mk 12:26-27 … "not God of the dead, but of the living."

Jn 15:1-8 … vine and its branches.

1 Cor 12:25-27; Rom 12:4-5 … body of Christ.

Eph 6:18; Rom 15:30; Col 4:3; 1 Thess 1:11 … intercessory prayer.

Jos 5:14; Dan 8:17; Tob 12:16 … veneration of angels united with God (Mt 18:10).

1 Cor 13:12; 1 John 3:2 … saints also united with God.

Lk 20-34-38 … those who died are like angels.

2 Mac 15:11-16 … deceased Onias and Jeremiah interceded for Jews.

Rev 8:3-4; Jer 15:1 … saints’ intercession.
 
Last edited:
If any non-Catholic protestant is asking you questions I would say to turn the tables on them and ask the questions. Answer their question with a question, “Do you believe in the Bible alone?” If they say yes ask them why they believe this? Where did they hear about the Bible alone? Their pastor? Sunday school? This questioning takes the belief that they have of the Bible alone and puts it on others (something they learned from someone else). This way they will not feel offended when you start to question if the Bible alone is even Biblical.

After this questioning, ask if they can show you, using the Bible alone, where the Bible teaches the Bible alone?

This is my opinion. Always get to the Bible alone question. Once you have settled that dispute, everything will be easier.

Hope this makes sense.

ZP
 
‘The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs’ by Fra Angelico
 
See also Sirach chapters 44 to 50 to show how the Jews singled out and venerated especially holy persons.

Of course, this is a book the Protestants removed from the Bible…
 
Or you could actually address their question rather than try to avoid the subject.
 
We did not remove it from the Bible. We recognize it as deuterocanonical literature just as the Jews and Jerome did.
 
The word saint is used throughout the Bible, in both Old and New Testament. Its normative usage is to refer to those who have faith in God and have been set aside for special purpose as God’s elect people. You see this used frequently in the Psalms for example for the assembly of Israel. You also see this frequently used in the New Testament literature to refer to those who are in the Churches that Paul and other authors were writing to. So the Protestant usage is quite correct. I assume however, you are asking about veneration of saints through whom God demonstrated some profound measure of grace. I would say there is an appropriate veneration of saints as examples in this manner, although I would caution against taking the veneration of saints much farther than this.
 
Interesting. In my experience, most Protestants consider them apocryphal, which is different than deuterocanonical. The latter is still authoritative, while the former can be dismissed at will.
 
Last edited:
Greetings,

The subject is not being avoided at all. If you want to get into Biblical apologetics with someone you need to take control of the conversation by asking questions rather than continuing to answer them. Sola Scriptura or Bible alone needs to be dealt with first. A non-Catholic protestant Christian has to get past that it. Look at Dr. Scott Hahn’s conversion story. It was not until he dealt with the Bible alone that he was able to look at Catholic teaching in light of Sacred Tradition.

In my opinion, turn the conversation toward Bible alone, then once you have tackled that issue, which might take weeks, you can begin speaking on the other teachings of the Church. Remember that the Bible was not meant to be put in a hotel room dresser drawer so that someone picks it up and has a come to Jesus moment. It was made for the Liturgy.

ZP
 
Last edited:
That would just be because of a misunderstanding of the terms deuterocanonical and apocryphal. I am quite certain many Catholics misunderstand theological terms as well.
 
Again, since the Bible actually addresses this question, it is a poor apologetic to then attack the Bible as God-breathed revelation about his Son and his Church to communicate God’s revelation about the nature of saints. You are actually undercutting your foundation. Interestingly enough Mormons and Muslims would agree with your epistemology.
 
Hodos said:
it is a poor apologetic to then attack the Bible as God-breathed revelation about his Son and his Church
Click to expand...
The Catholic Church wrote the New Testament, canonized the New Testament, and has properly and rightfully interpreted the New Testament. And, you have the audacity to claim that someone who doesn’t believe in Sola Scriptura as attacking the Bible?!
 
Again, the Bible addresses the question which is being asked in this thread and the response being provided back by the person I was responding to was we don’t go to the Bible for that stuff. Call it what you will. I also find it funny that you keep defining the Church as the author of the New Testament when the New Testament writers themselves give the credit to the Holy Spirit. Lastly, the word “canon” means measuring stick. When you toss aside the “measuring stick” and use another measuring device (tradition, infallible magisterium, papal infallibilty, whatever you choose to substitute) you cannot then claim to have the Canon of Scripture.

All of this is funny, because I am pretty certain you would agree with what I said about the normative use of the word “saint” in scripture, which would be in line with the Catholic definition. What we see here is you just trying to initiate an argument for the sake of initiating an argument.
 
Last edited:
Hodos said:
I also find it funny that you keep defining the Church as the author of the New Testament when the New Testament writers themselves give the credit to the Holy Spirit
Click to expand...
The New Testament writers were Catholic, every one of them. You don’t think they were Lutheran, do ya? 😉
 
Attacking the Bible as God-breathed? Not at all. This is how I handle Biblical apologetics. Doesn’t mean it’s the only way or best way. Learned this from this from the Institute of Catholic Culture. It’s free and has over 800 hours of archived video talks on apologetics, Scripture study, Liturgy, history, the Saints and so much more!

Peace,
ZP
 
We could actually debate that. The theology of the New Testament authors regarding justification was far closer to Augsberg than Rome.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top