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Land Between the Lakes church of Christ

TO WHOM DO WE PRAY? By Gilbert Goins, Hillsboro, TX

 

People pray to Jesus. They pray to the Holy Spirit. They pray to God the Father. That there is a tremendous amount of confusion about where to address our prayers is not difficult to observe. Literally thousands of religious bodies in the United States are teaching different things about where to address our prayers. We know God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33); so therefore He is not the origin of denominations and their doctrines. One particular doctrine that has been on the rise is that a person is saved from sin through "the sinner’s prayer.” Each denomination has a different slant about this, but one way or another they pray to Jesus to receive forgiveness of sins; by this they "accept Jesus.” His followers asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). He taught that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us, answers our petitions (I John 5:14,15). Only Jesus forgives sins. He came for that purpose (I Tim. 1:15). While walking the earth, Jesus forgave sins immediately (Mt. 9:1-6). Jesus ascended into heaven, so now we pray directly to the Father through Christ (Heb. 4:16). Jesus is our heavenly advocate before the Father’s throne of grace (I John 1:8-2-2). Now before the throne of grace we approach in the name and by the authority of Jesus (Col. 3:17; Acts 4:7). In the mountain sermon Jesus told the crowd to pray to the Father in heaven. Prayers are to be directed only to the Father in heaven through the name of Jesus (Mt. 6:5-15). Again He said, "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (John 16:23). We do not pray to Jesus, nor to the Holy Spirit, nor by any authority the Spirit might possess. We pray to the Father through Christ. God gave all authority in heaven and in earth to Jesus only (Mt. 28:18). That authority is enabled in the all authoritative words of Jesus. And His Words will be the basis and standard of judgment on the last day (John 12:48-50). It is at repentance and baptism one loses his sins, not through prayer. Kindly take notice to carefully observe Acts 22:16 - "and now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (via Bulletin Briefs)