Talking to God Through Jesus

[Waterfall]

Do we need to pray through Jesus in order to talk to God? Why?

Or can we just go straight to God? If so why do we need to pray or worship Jesus?

 

[Jaebius]

 

[Seeler]

Do we need to pray through Jesus in order to talk to God? Why?

Or can we just go straight to God? If so why do we need to pray or worship Jesus?

When I pray, I pray to God. I do not pray to Jesus.

 

[unsafe]

There is much said about prayer in God's words ----

Questions

Should we just pray any old way we choose or should we pray the way God wants His Children to pray to Him ?-----
Should we please ourselves when we pray or please God when we pray? ------

 

[chansen]

There is much said about prayer in God's words ----

Questions

Should we just pray any old way we choose or should we pray the way God wants His Children to pray to Him ?-----
Should we please ourselves when we pray or please God when we pray? ------

Exactly. Stop taking the easy way out by simply lowering your head and putting your hands together. Go out there and kill some livestock. Put some effort into it.

 

[Jaebius]

Exactly. Stop taking the easy way out by simply lowering your head and putting your hands together. Go out there and kill some livestock. Put some effort into it.

Yeah, yeah, that's essentially what @unsafe was saying.

 

[Mendalla]

Nowhere does Jesus talk about praying to God "in my name" that I can recall.

Certainly not here:

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 6:5-15 - New International Version

Nor here:

Bible Gateway passage: Luke 11:1-13 - New International Version

I think there's a passage somewhere that is the basis for the practice (hopefully someone more Biblically literate than I knows), but given these two, I hardly think it required.

My own prayers, rare as they are, are directed to "God". I'm neither Christian nor Trinitarian nor traditionally theistic for that matter.

 

[unsafe]

 

[Jaebius]

I think there's a passage somewhere that is the basis for the practice...

"And if you ask for anything in my name [C asking “in my name” means acknowledging that Jesus is the mediator between God and human beings; the name represents the person], I will do it for you so that ·the Father’s glory will be shown [L the Father might be glorified] ·through [or in] the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it" - John 14:13-14 (EXB).

 

[Mendalla]

"And if you ask for anything in my name [C asking “in my name” means acknowledging that Jesus is the mediator between God and human beings; the name represents the person], I will do it for you so that ·the Father’s glory will be shown [L the Father might be glorified] ·through [or in] the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it" - John 14:13-14 (EXB).

Merci beaucoup, M. Jae.

 

[unsafe]

 

[revsdd]

I don't think it necessary to pray "in Jesus' name." However, Jesus is the high priest according to Hebrews; the one who mediates between God and humanity; the one who is both fully human and fully divine. We approach God through Jesus; God came to us in Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name seems a reasonable enough practice. I often do. I don't always. I don't think it's necessary (God will hear prayers and know the sincerity behind them regardless of what words are used) and as with all things if it becomes just a formula (a recitation of words with no thought behind what the words are saying) then it's meaningless. So I think it's good practice actually not to pray "in Jesus' name" every time one prays. But I do think it has deep meaning to pray "in Jesus' name" sometimes.

 

[Waterfall]

When I pray, I pray to God. I do not pray to Jesus.

I tend to most of the time also. Curious what your reasonings are behind it?

 

[Mendalla]

I do not pray to Jesus.

The phrase I usually hear, though, is "in the name of Jesus Christ", which is not the same thing as addressing the prayer"to Jesus Christ". You are directing your words to God but invoking Jesus as the source of your authority/right to do so, in essence.

 

[Waterfall]

There is much said about prayer in God's words ----

Questions

Should we just pray any old way we choose or should we pray the way God wants His Children to pray to Him ?-----
Should we please ourselves when we pray or please God when we pray? ------

Do you pray in Jesus name every time or some times?

 

[Waterfall]

I don't think it necessary to pray "in Jesus' name." However, Jesus is the high priest according to Hebrews; the one who mediates between God and humanity; the one who is both fully human and fully divine. We approach God through Jesus; God came to us in Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name seems a reasonable enough practice. I often do. I don't always. I don't think it's necessary (God will hear prayers and know the sincerity behind them regardless of what words are used) and as with all things if it becomes just a formula (a recitation of words with no thought behind what the words are saying) then it's meaningless. So I think it's good practice actually not to pray "in Jesus' name" every time one prays. But I do think it has deep meaning to pray "in Jesus' name" sometimes.

So after the resurrection of Jesus, He remains fully human and fully divine? Or did He slip back into just God "mode" again? This is sort of why I was wondering why we need to address Jesus with our prayers now.

 

[Waterfall]

The phrase I usually hear, though, is "in the name of Jesus Christ", which is not the same thing as addressing the prayer"to Jesus Christ". You are directing your words to God but invoking Jesus as the source of your authority/right to do so, in essence.

I was thinking that @Seeler doesn't believe Jesus was God? But I may be wrong.

 

[revsdd]

So after the resurrection of Jesus, He remains fully human and fully divine? Or did He slip back into just God "mode" again? This is sort of why I was wondering why we need to address Jesus with our prayers now.

Because Jesus is alive. The resurrected Jesus was human. He ate, etc. Now? I don't claim to know exactly the nature of God. I believe that Jesus remains alive in some fashion and continues to be the one who "intercedes" for us - in exactly what fashion I don't know. These are details that may be interesting but I don't spend my time worrying about them.

 

[Waterfall]

Because Jesus is alive. The resurrected Jesus was human. He ate, etc. Now? I don't claim to know exactly the nature of God. I believe that Jesus remains alive in some fashion and continues to be the one who "intercedes" for us - in exactly what fashion I don't know. These are details that may be interesting but I don't spend my time worrying about them.

Just wondered if it becomes a form of idol worship by not focusing on God and using Jesus as a mediator, similar to how we sometimes "honour" the cross?

 

[Mendalla]

I was thinking that @Seeler doesn't believe Jesus was God? But I may be wrong.

But that is exactly why you would pray "in the name of" rather than "to". "In the name of" does not put Jesus in the position of "God" but in the position of mediator or intercessory. Just as Catholics who follow the cults of saints or The Virgin don't seen them as "God" but as intercessors. Much like Steven describes in his response to you:

Because Jesus is alive. The resurrected Jesus was human. He ate, etc. Now? I don't claim to know exactly the nature of God. I believe that Jesus remains alive in some fashion and continues to be the one who "intercedes" for us - in exactly what fashion I don't know. These are details that may be interesting but I don't spend my time worrying about them.