While the Bible says, “trust in the Light so that [we] may become sons of Light” (John 12:36), there is no command that worshipers should actually light candles to connect with God. The New Testament records no worship service that incorporated candle lights. While candles can give a nice atmosphere to a room, in and of themselves, candles have no mystical or spiritual powers.
Among the Christian denominations, the Catholic church uses candles as part of their church services. Candles are lit before the images of the Lord or the saints, before the tabernacle to signify the Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament, and during the celebration of the Mass. But these ceremonies with their rituals have no biblical support (Exodus 20:2-6; Mark 12:30).
To Catholics, the lighted candle symbolizes a prayer offering where a worshiper presents his/her petition to God and the saints during times of need. In addition, a burning candle in a Catholic church is thought to continue the prayer of the devotee even after he/she leaves the church. The truth is that candles can’t accompany our prayers to heaven or make them more effective. Only Jesus can.
Even though candles don’t have any spiritual significance, they are often used in association with the unbiblical rituals of the Emerging Churches, New Age, Eastern religions. These religions promote mysticism and gaining new experiences of higher knowledge through feelings and the bodily senses instead of the Word of God.
Through their rituals, worshipers attempt to open the mind to undefined spiritual dark entities that the Bible warns against (Isaiah 8:20). The Scriptures clearly teach that “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). The Bible teaches that true worshipers should seek the Lord only through His truth by faith and not by sight or bodily experiences.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
