Many people, including mainstream "christians" worship the dead. Most do not realize they do so while some people of other religions, such as catholics and mormons, do so knowingly (even though they deny it) by paying to get a loved one out of (the fictitious) "purgatory" or by "baptizing for the dead".
One of the biggest obstacles in leading someone to follow Messiah Yeshua and obeying Yahweh is because of their loved ones and, especially, their deceased loved ones. This is especially true of those that come from a religion that is embraced and practiced by their family such as Judaism (especially the orthodox and ultra orthodox), islam, as well as those that claim to be christian such as catholicism and mormonism. It is also common among mainstream "christianity" where one is trying to show them the importance of obeying Torah.
When showing someone the importance of obedience to Yahweh and accepting Yeshua as Messiah, many people refuse because of the 'memory of their parents' (or other loved ones) that are deceased. If they accept Yeshua, it is an admittance that their deceased loved ones are in hell and will be there for eternity. This is a grave realization for most people and most people cannot accept the realization and would rather reject the truth and delude their self into believing something that makes them feel better about their deceased loved ones.
For some people, it is not the thought of their deceased loved ones that they do not accept Yeshua but because of their loved ones that are still alive. They do not want to go against the will of their families, especially their parents, either due to the family religion or because they will suffer loss - maybe of inheritance and claim they will follow Yeshua after their loved ones are deceased as shown in this passage:
Matthew 8
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
So many people self-delude their selves by imagining that their loved ones, even their deceased loved ones, are in heaven by widening the narrow road of Messiah Yeshua to make room for their loved ones. This does nothing for their loved ones but opens the self-deluded into following false doctrines and seducing spirits that are along the road they had widened to make room for those that are not on it or were on it. Yeshua says the road is narrow and does not give anyone the prerogative into widening it.
Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
I know what it is like to realize loved ones are in hell. Nearly all of my dad's family were mormon and my paternal grandmother was a mormon when she died. I remember after getting my driver's license when I was 16 driving over to her house (my paternal grandfather died as an atheist when I was 10 years old) to try and witness to her about Yeshua and she refused to listen. She died two years later and I sometimes think of her as well as my grandfather in hell. Nothing I could do can change that and if I deluded myself into thinking they were in heaven, all it would do is put myself in a position of being seduced to follow other false doctrines and seducing spirits to hell.
There is NOTHING you can do about the eternal condition about those that are deceased. Yahweh gave them the opportunity and He is fair and just. You have to understand He is God and you are not. In eternity we will understand fully and until then, we have to just accept it. Broadening the road to think good thoughts of the deceased does nothing for them and it does lead you open to being seduced and following deceiving spirits into hell. It also blinds you to the fact that those that are on the road you have widened for them will spend eternity in hell unless they repent. If you accept those on the road you widened for them as fellow brothers and sisters, you are allowing them to go to hell without warning them of the need to repent.
Messiah says the road is NARROW and FEW find it. This includes those who claim to be "christians" and who are "doing things for Him" - they refuse to obey and by refusing to obey, they show they are following a false Jesus of their own imagination - just as they have widened the narrow road by their own imagination:
Matthew 24
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Matthew 7
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. G458
Strong's number G458 iniquity (transliterated as anomia) :
anomia
1) the condition of without law
a) because ignorant of it
b) because of violating it
2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 2
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 5
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
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