What is Ancestor Worship?
Ancestor Worship involves religious beliefs and practices consisting of prayers and offerings to the spirits of dead relatives. Ancestor worship is found in many cultures all across the world. Prayers and offerings are made because it’s believed the spirits of ancestors live on in the natural world and are thus able to influence the futures and fortunes of the living relatives. Ancestors’ spirits are also thought to act as mediators between the living and the Creator.
Why practice Ancestor Worship?
Death was not the sole criterion for being worshiped as an ancestor. The person must have lived a moral life with great social distinction in order to attain that status. Ancestors are believed to influence the lives of later generations by blessing or cursing them, in essence acting as gods.
So praying to them, presenting them with gifts, and making offerings are done to appease them and gain their favor.
Where is Ancestor Worship practised?
Evidence of ancestor worship has been found at sites in the Near East in Jericho dating to the 7th century before Christ. It existed in ancient Greek and Roman cultures as well. Ancestor worship has had its greatest influence on Chinese and African religions and is found in Japanese and Native American religions where it’s better known as ancestor reverence.
Even though China is understood as an Atheist country Anscestor Worship is practised in many places and has a role in Taoism. Taoism is a rich and complex religion that offers a perspective on life, emphasizing harmony with the natural world, simplicity, and living in accordance with the fundamental principles of the universe.
How to practice Ancestor Worship?
There are many ways how Ancestors are worshiped and most (folk)-religions have a kind of practice. This practice involves rituals such as maintaining ancestral altars with spirit tablets or photos, making offerings of food, incense, and symbolic paper money, and visiting gravesites to clean and honor the dead.
What does a Christian belief about Ancestor Worship?
Christians rely on the Bible as their source for belief. Therefore, it is important to know what the Bible communicates about Ancestor Worship. First we will show references from the Bible, next some reflection on what the Bible communicates about the theme.
How do Christians understand Ancestor Worship?
Since the Bible is clear about the existence of Ancestor Worship, how do Christians than understand this in a practical way?
Satan and his demons have the ability to influence and communicate into the spiritual world. Since they are spiritual beings, they are unseen do know what is going on in the physical (human) realm. In this way, when a person seeks and communicate with the spirit of a ancestor it is understood that a demon is consulted. A demon, due to its very nature, is able to communicate with the spirit of the human person. Communication often takes place through dreams or a medium.
Satan has always sought to supplant God and he uses lies about worshiping other gods and even ancestors to try to lead people away from the truth of God’s existence. Ancestor worship is wrong because it goes against God’s specific warnings about such worship, and it seeks to replace Jesus Christ as the Divine Mediator between God and mankind.
When Ancestor Worship is practised, Christians understand this as asking Satan for guidance or pleasing him. Therefore, Ancestor Worship is rejected. It is therefore important for Christians who have practised Ancestor Worship to ask forgiveness for this specific sin practised in ignorance. Some people cannot easily come free from the influences of demons. Then specific prayers need to be performed to receive the cleansing of the Holy Spirit.
If you have been involved in rituals of Ancestor Worship and expierence influences from the past, askJesus to come and set you free. Consult a Christian you know, find a church of contact CSMN and we will bring you in contact with somebody that can help you further in your spiritual journey.
But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.
Ancestor Worship involves religious beliefs and practices consisting of prayers and offerings to the spirits of dead relatives. Ancestor worship is found in many cultures all across the world. Prayers and offerings are made because it’s believed the spirits of ancestors live on in the natural world and are thus able to influence the futures and fortunes of the living relatives. Ancestors’ spirits are also thought to act as mediators between the living and the Creator.
Why practice Ancestor Worship?
Death was not the sole criterion for being worshiped as an ancestor. The person must have lived a moral life with great social distinction in order to attain that status. Ancestors are believed to influence the lives of later generations by blessing or cursing them, in essence acting as gods.
So praying to them, presenting them with gifts, and making offerings are done to appease them and gain their favor.
Where is Ancestor Worship practised?
Evidence of ancestor worship has been found at sites in the Near East in Jericho dating to the 7th century before Christ. It existed in ancient Greek and Roman cultures as well. Ancestor worship has had its greatest influence on Chinese and African religions and is found in Japanese and Native American religions where it’s better known as ancestor reverence.
Even though China is understood as an Atheist country Anscestor Worship is practised in many places and has a role in Taoism. Taoism is a rich and complex religion that offers a perspective on life, emphasizing harmony with the natural world, simplicity, and living in accordance with the fundamental principles of the universe.
How to practice Ancestor Worship?
There are many ways how Ancestors are worshiped and most (folk)-religions have a kind of practice. This practice involves rituals such as maintaining ancestral altars with spirit tablets or photos, making offerings of food, incense, and symbolic paper money, and visiting gravesites to clean and honor the dead.
What does a Christian belief about Ancestor Worship?
Christians rely on the Bible as their source for belief. Therefore, it is important to know what the Bible communicates about Ancestor Worship. First we will show references from the Bible, next some reflection on what the Bible communicates about the theme.
- First, the Bible tells that the spirits of the dead go to either heaven or hell and do not remain in the natural world (Luke 16:20-31; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15). The belief that spirits continue to reside on earth after death and influence the lives of others is not scriptural.
- Second, nowhere in the Bible are we told that the dead act as intermediaries between God and man. But we are told that Jesus Christ was given that role. He was born, lived a sinless life, was crucified for our sins, buried in a grave, resurrected by God, seen by a multitude of witnesses, ascended into heaven, and sits now at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes on the behalf of those who have placed their faith and trust in Him (Acts 26:23; Romans 1:2-5; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:3-4). There is only one Mediator between God and man, and that is God’s Son, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 8:6, 9:15, 12:24). Only Christ can fill that role.
- Third, the Bible tells us in Exodus 20:3-6 that we are not to worship any god other than the Lord God. Furthermore, people that search in the spiritual realm and contact the dead, were also expressly forbidden by God (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31, 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:10-11; 1 Samuel 28:3; Jeremiah 27:9-10).
How do Christians understand Ancestor Worship?
Since the Bible is clear about the existence of Ancestor Worship, how do Christians than understand this in a practical way?
Satan and his demons have the ability to influence and communicate into the spiritual world. Since they are spiritual beings, they are unseen do know what is going on in the physical (human) realm. In this way, when a person seeks and communicate with the spirit of a ancestor it is understood that a demon is consulted. A demon, due to its very nature, is able to communicate with the spirit of the human person. Communication often takes place through dreams or a medium.
Satan has always sought to supplant God and he uses lies about worshiping other gods and even ancestors to try to lead people away from the truth of God’s existence. Ancestor worship is wrong because it goes against God’s specific warnings about such worship, and it seeks to replace Jesus Christ as the Divine Mediator between God and mankind.
When Ancestor Worship is practised, Christians understand this as asking Satan for guidance or pleasing him. Therefore, Ancestor Worship is rejected. It is therefore important for Christians who have practised Ancestor Worship to ask forgiveness for this specific sin practised in ignorance. Some people cannot easily come free from the influences of demons. Then specific prayers need to be performed to receive the cleansing of the Holy Spirit.
If you have been involved in rituals of Ancestor Worship and expierence influences from the past, askJesus to come and set you free. Consult a Christian you know, find a church of contact CSMN and we will bring you in contact with somebody that can help you further in your spiritual journey.
But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.