Christians get closer to God spiritually through prayer. In prayer, it is common for Christians to mention God’s name and also the name of Jesus, not forgetting the Holy Spirit. This is the Christian way and tradition of conducting prayer. But what I, as a Christian, desire to know is, should I pray to God or to Jesus?
According to Ephesians 6:18, we should pray to God through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:11-16 adds that He enabled Christians to communicate with God directly through Him. Jesus is the intermediary between God and Christians, as God has supreme power and authority, Christians cannot access Him directly, thus needing someone to take their requests to God. This “someone” is Jesus Christ.
What is the difference between praying to God and Jesus? Does the Bible say to pray to God or to Jesus? Who did Jesus say we pray to? Why do we direct our prayers to Jesus? Keep reading this article for answers to these questions and more.
What is the difference between praying to God and Jesus?
According to the Bible, see John 10:30. Jesus says He and the Father are one; this means that God and Jesus are one, so there is no difference between praying to God and praying to Jesus. However, Jesus taught his disciples to direct their prayers to God the Father through Him—Jesus, who is God the Son.
God is holy, and we can have a relationship with Him, but only through an intermediary, and by dying for our sins on the cross, Jesus became the intermediary. This is why we pray to God through Jesus Christ because we are not worthy of talking directly to God. Instead, we talk to God through Jesus, our high priest.
As Beloved Women put it, we cannot just go and talk to the president of a country unless invited; the same is true with God, so Jesus invited us to do so. So when we approach God, we do so under the authority of Jesus Christ, and it is only through Him that we can talk to God in prayer.
Does the Bible say to pray to God or to Jesus?
According to the Bible, all prayer should be directed to the Holy Trinity, which includes God the Father, God the Son, who is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Biblically, we should pray in the Spirit, as directed in Ephesians 6:18, to God the Father, through Jesus Christ. This simply means that we cannot separate persons in the Holy Trinity.
Although we have three different identities in the Holy Trinity, they all serve as one and are united as one. However, they have different levels of interaction with us humans, but all of them serve the same purpose. This is the same aspect we use in our governments in that we have different people tasked with different jobs, but all of these people have the same purpose: developing a country and serving its people.
Who did Jesus say we pray to?
Jesus Christ taught his disciples to direct their prayers and requests to God the Father, but through Him, anything they would ask for in His name, they would be given. Jesus Christ addressed His prayer to God the Father when teaching His disciples how to pray. This is the famous Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus’ prayer to God the Father is recorded in the bible verse Matthew 6:9–13, which says, “This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Give us our daily bread today. And forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation,] but deliver us from the evil one.’
This shows that Jesus Himself prayed to God the Father, and we, as Christians who follow His footsteps, should also direct our prayers and requests to God the Father, but in the name of Jesus Christ, because only through His name will we receive what we ask for. See John 16:23
Why do we direct our prayers to Jesus?
We approach God in prayer through the authority given to us by Jesus Christ. We, as mere humans, cannot directly speak with God; God is holy. This is why we direct our prayers to Jesus because He is the only way and link to God we humans can use to speak with God in prayer and present our requests. We can only receive what we ask for if we ask in the name of Jesus Christ.
Why can we pray to Jesus?
Jesus and God are one, as mentioned in the Bible verse John 10:30, which states, “I and the Father are one.” Jesus Christ, being God the Son, is a member of the Holy Trinity, so He deserves worship, and we can pray to Him because praying to Jesus is the same as praying to God and the Holy Spirit. All three members of the Trinity are holy and exist as one; although they are different persons, they deserve praise and worship as they all represent God, our creator and supreme ruler.
What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?
Praying in the name of Jesus Christ simply means using the authority given to us by Jesus to speak directly to God in prayer. God is holy and perfect. Therefore human beings cannot directly speak to him unless through an intermediary, who is Jesus Christ. This is why we pray in the name of Jesus because He is the only way we can communicate with God.
Jesus Christ accepted God’s judgment by being the sacrificial lamb of God. He was crucified and died on the cross for man’s sins so that the relationship between God and mankind would be redeemed. In doing so, Jesus broke the traditional way of praying that included sacrifices and offerings to God through chosen priests of God, who were the only people who would take people’s prayers to God.
After Jesus died, the tearing of the temple curtains (see Mark 15:38), which was a place in the temple where the presence of God resided, signified that we would no longer be separated from God by the curtain. This is because Jesus replaced the old ways of praying with a new, easier way to interact with God. Through Himself, Jesus became the intermediary, and through praying in His name, we can directly speak to God.
Can I pray directly to God?
According to the Bible, we can pray directly to God through Jesus Christ. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the temple curtain that barred people from entering the presence of God was torn in half as a symbol that we could now approach God on an individual level because of Christ’s sacrifice, Mark 15:38.
Only priests were permitted to represent the people in the presence of God. Because we are no longer apart from God, we can confidently approach His throne. Furthermore, the act of Jesus’ death and resurrection enabled everyone to approach God’s throne with confidence.
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What is the difference between praying to God and Jesus?
Does the Bible say to pray to God or to Jesus?
Why do we direct our prayers to Jesus?
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
