DENOMINATIONAL DOCTRINES: You Can’t Pray to Jesus

LIBERTY AND LOVE #130

Prayer in Jesus’ name is taught in John 14:13-14: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Another one is: “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).

People abuse verses like these in a variety of ways. Jesus, for example, was not giving blanket statements that say he will do anything you ask him to do. These are statements of principles.

He also did not mean that saying the words “in Jesus’ name” is a magical formula. You can pray in Jesus’ name and never say those words. He was talking about the attitude with which you approach God. What do you trust in when you pray? To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray by his authority.

There is no “formula” to prayer. Praying in Jesus’ name does not mean that you cannot pray to Jesus. That is man-made legalism. Do what you feel led to do and say. The Father doesn’t get offended if you talk to the Son. In Acts 7:59, Stephen prayed directly to Jesus.

It is interesting that I have heard so many legalists in man-made religion say that because the “Lord’s Prayer” starts with “Our Father who art in Heaven,” and because Jesus said we pray to the Father in his name, then that means that is a law which says we can only pray to the Father.

Yet one of their favorite songs is Just As I Am. A worship song is a prayer set to music. Who are they talking to when they sing Just as I am? “But that thy blood was shed for me.” They are singing that directly to Jesus. If you can sing directly to him, then you can certainly talk directly to him.

Every prayer that the believer prays should be addressed to the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one and if they are one, then a prayer addressed to one is a prayer addressed to all three.

Dewayne Dunaway