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Is praying to Jesus appropriate?

P

PacificCoastMommy

Member
We are told in the Bible that Jesus is Lord. So should we pray to Him? Or should we only pray to the Father as indicated by Jesus in the Lord's Prayer? (when he was asked, how should we pray he gave the Lord's Prayer) Also, with regards to the Lord's prayer - the way I learned it has way more words than what is written in the Bible versions I have (NIV, RSV, KJV) - where did these extra words come from?
 
Well, if you look at Paul's epistles, he always prays to the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, we can talk to Jesus and listen to Jesus. I don't think it would hurt to pray to Him at all, but it is not the biblical model.
 
Jesus isn't concerned about how we address Him. He is God... in the bosom of the Father. They are One....One God, and Jesus has been returned to His former glory.
 
I remember when I was a child and didn't have a real grasp on the Trinity, I would feel one of the three would feel slighted if I didn't pray to each of them. :lol

The Trinity is a mystery that I don't know if I'll ever fully understand, but I feel that I'm further along than I used to be. As glorydaz said, they are One God. As faithtransforms said, while it's not the model used in Jesus' direction, He is God, and I don't see a problem with praying to him. What about praying to the Holy Spirit to move someone's heart? I hear that a lot and don't see a problem with that. :shrug
 
I ask this because my husband is very opposed to praying to Jesus. My husband feels that by giving us the model of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is telling us not to pray to him but to the Father.
 
PacificCoastMommy said:
I ask this because my husband is very opposed to praying to Jesus. My husband feels that by giving us the model of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is telling us not to pray to him but to the Father.
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Jesus did say -- ask anything of the Father in my name, and he shall give it to you.
 
Mysteryman said:
PacificCoastMommy said:
I ask this because my husband is very opposed to praying to Jesus. My husband feels that by giving us the model of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is telling us not to pray to him but to the Father.
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Jesus did say -- ask anything of the Father in my name, and he shall give it to you.
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I agree! I believe when all appropriate verses are addressed, we are taught to pray to the Father, through Jesus.

The pivotal verse in conjunction to what MM posted is this:

1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
 
Mysteryman said:
PacificCoastMommy said:
I ask this because my husband is very opposed to praying to Jesus. My husband feels that by giving us the model of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is telling us not to pray to him but to the Father.
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Jesus did say -- ask anything of the Father in my name, and he shall give it to you.
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Yes, and Jesus said that while He was in the flesh.
 
glorydaz said:
Jesus isn't concerned about how we address Him. He is God... in the bosom of the Father. They are One....One God, and Jesus has been returned to His former glory.
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are you not trinitarian glory?
 
glorydaz said:
Mysteryman said:
PacificCoastMommy said:
I ask this because my husband is very opposed to praying to Jesus. My husband feels that by giving us the model of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is telling us not to pray to him but to the Father.
Click to expand...


Jesus did say -- ask anything of the Father in my name, and he shall give it to you.
Click to expand...

Yes, and Jesus said that while He was in the flesh.
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... and Paul wrote this (below)through inspiration, as Jesus us was then and now, seated at the right hand of the Father. ;)


1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
 
watchman F said:
glorydaz said:
Jesus isn't concerned about how we address Him. He is God... in the bosom of the Father. They are One....One God, and Jesus has been returned to His former glory.
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are you not trinitarian glory?
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Perhaps not as some count it. There is only one God....three beings, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are not three distinct "persons" as some like to say. That is giving human atributes to God, who is Spirit.

I am body, soul and spirit, but just one person....created in the image of God.

Jesus was God come in the flesh, called the Son. The Holy Spirit is God dwelling in us.

God cannot be separated, so how we pray to God isn't what's important. He can interpret our groanings and knows every thought we have. I do think people get confused over what Jesus said as a man, and try to keep Him in the flesh even though His work in the flesh is finished. He has returned to the glory He had from the beginning.
 
Vic C. said:
... and Paul wrote this (below)through inspiration, as Jesus us was then and now, seated at the right hand of the Father. ;)


1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
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And I have to admit, I usually pray to the Father in Jesus' name because it was His work on the cross that put Him in the position as mediator. However, I realize that all of God is in the name of Jesus...the Father and the Spirit, as well as the Son. You can't have one without the other...as they say. :biglaugh
 
I assume you know I agree with the first part. :yes We have one Deacon in particular that occasionally leads the prayer and praise portion of service. He stresses that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus and it sends shivers of agreement up and down by being. :amen

As for the second part... I am not Oneness. :ohwell
 
Vic C. said:
I assume you know I agree with the first part. :yes We have one Deacon in particular that occasionally leads the prayer and praise portion of service. He stresses that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus and it sends shivers of agreement up and down by being. :amen

As for the second part... I am not Oneness. :ohwell
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Well, there's "oneness" and there is "separateness" with extremes on both ends. I won't go the the outer reaches of either. I think God is bigger than man's ability to fully comprehend.

I'm sure you believe there is only One God. Right? And I'm betting you believe Jesus is God, too. Sorta takes the umph out of the idea of not being "oneness", doesn't it? :)
 
To the extreme, I will have to say I'm basically triune in belief, though I lean a bit towards binitarianism. I don't argue from that point though, because it's fruitless to argue over whether or not one can consider the HS person or spirit. Most all triune debates hinge around whether or not Jesus is God, or better yet, God the Son. ;)

If you are suggesting oneness means one (and not one in unity, as the word "echad" would suggest in Deuteronomy 6:4) then I would have to disagree.

Anyway, I pray to the LORD in the name of the Lord, How's that!? :D
 
Vic C. said:
To the extreme, I will have to say I'm basically triune in belief, though I lean a bit towards binitarianism. I don't argue from that point though, because it's fruitless to argue over whether or not one can consider the HS person or spirit. Most all triune debates hinge around whether or not Jesus is God, or better yet, God the Son. ;)

If you are suggesting oneness means one (and not one in unity, as the word "echad" would suggest in Deuteronomy 6:4) then I would have to disagree.

Anyway, I pray to the LORD in the name of the Lord, How's that!? :D
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Ya got me there...I've never heard of "binitarianism".

I'll go along with your verse...
Deuteronomy 6:4 said:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
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What do you think of this one?
Isaiah 9:6 said:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
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Vic C. said:
Oh, LOL, I'm one who believes it has been partially mistranslated. It should say, "father of the everlasting". ;) Besides, Isaiah 9:6 is not good proof text for either side, in part because of this mistranslation.

Here, you wanna read something interesting?

http://www.carm.org/religious-movements ... ing-father

Later!
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That article was dumb (sorry for being blunt). Someone trying to weasel out of what scripture says. God's name is Jesus, and in the name Jesus inhabits all the attributes of God including Eternal Father, and the rest.
 
watchman F said:
That article was dumb (sorry for being blunt). Someone trying to weasel out of what scripture says. God's name is Jesus, and in the name Jesus inhabits all the attributes of God including Eternal Father, and the rest.
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Jesus is not God's name, it is God the Son's name.
 
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