If you will visit the Catholic Encyclopedia on the internet you will find four pages devoted to “hagiography.”  It is defined as “The name given to that branch of learning which has the saints and their worship as its object.”  It is not surprising that those four pages include not one mention of the Bible.  The reason that there is no Bible authority mentioned is simple:  There is no Bible authority for the practice!
    It is not okay to worship saints alive or dead.  When Paul and Barnabas, who were sanctified and were therefore saints (see last weeks article on “What is a saint” at our web site), were regarded as gods and the men of Lycaonia were about to worship them, heard these things “they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out . . . We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God.”  (Acts 14:14,15)  If worship of saints is fine then why could Paul and Barnabas not simply have explained that they were from the living God and then let the worship continue?  They could not because men alive or dead are men.  Also notice that twice (Revelation 19:10; 22:8,9) John was told not even to worship angelic beings (who, by the way, were said to be a little higher than the form Christ took, i.e. man-Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7,9).  If we can’t worship angels, then we surely cannot worship men!
    So who can we worship?  The angel told John, on both occasions, “Worship God.”  John 4:24 says, “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  Where is the verse that says “departed saints are spirits: and they that worship them must worship in spirit and in truth?”  I don’t think its there.
    Hebrews 4:14-16 teaches that Jesus is our “great high priest . . . yet without sin.”  Why worship fallible men (living or dead) when we can worship the Son of the living God?  I Timothy 2:5 says “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus.”  I John 1:5-2:2 teach that Jesus is our advocate, our propitiation, it is His blood that cleans our sin.  Why then should we worship any other?  Why should we pray to any other?  Why should we pray through any other?  “Worship God.”