Praying to God, through Jesus? (Mormon, doctrine, churches, Revelation)
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I am a recovering Catholic, and decided to attend Christian/non-denominational churches instead a few years ago. I have learned so much in those years, and of course, have much, much more to learn. This weekend, I was told that we pray to God, in Jesus' name, because God is too perfect for us to come directly to Him.
Now I'm stressing because that's how I've always prayed. "Dear God." Whether I'm asking for something, thanking Him for something, telling Him I love and appreciate Him. And now I'm told that was somehow "wrong"? I've been wanting to get to know Jesus better, but have struggled. I've always just been a Dear God kind of gal.
How should I take this new information? Is it correct? Should I change?
I am a recovering Catholic, and decided to attend Christian/non-denominational churches instead a few years ago. I have learned so much in those years, and of course, have much, much more to learn. This weekend, I was told that we pray to God, in Jesus' name, because God is too perfect for us to come directly to Him.
Now I'm stressing because that's how I've always prayed. "Dear God." Whether I'm asking for something, thanking Him for something, telling Him I love and appreciate Him. And now I'm told that was somehow "wrong"? I've been wanting to get to know Jesus better, but have struggled. I've always just been a Dear God kind of gal.
How should I take this new information? Is it correct? Should I change?
Are you sure you were a Catholic?
The Trinity is among the most basic doctrines of the Catholic Church and Christianity. DO you remember in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen? Did you take catechism as a kid?
Here is a brief synopsis to refresh your mind:
Quote:
"But in the one true God and Trinity it is naturally true not only that God is one but also that he is a Trinity, for the reason that the true God himself is a Trinity of Persons and one in nature. Through this natural unity the whole Father is in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, and the whole Holy Spirit, too, is in the Father and in the Son. None of these is outside any of the others; because no one of them precedes any other of them in eternity or exceeds any other in greatness, or is superior to any other in power" (The Rule of Faith 4 [c. A.D. 523).
There are many Bible references, but, the direct teaching of Jesus is perhaps the most compelling:
John 14:6-14
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
That said, recognize that your relationship with God is not based on ‘legalism’ or 'denominational doctrine.' God knows your heart and knows to whom you are speaking. The important thing is that we understand that God’s grace and our 'eternal life' is availed by man through Jesus Christ!
I am a recovering Catholic, and decided to attend Christian/non-denominational churches instead a few years ago. I have learned so much in those years, and of course, have much, much more to learn. This weekend, I was told that we pray to God, in Jesus' name, because God is too perfect for us to come directly to Him.
Now I'm stressing because that's how I've always prayed. "Dear God." Whether I'm asking for something, thanking Him for something, telling Him I love and appreciate Him. And now I'm told that was somehow "wrong"? I've been wanting to get to know Jesus better, but have struggled. I've always just been a Dear God kind of gal.
How should I take this new information? Is it correct? Should I change?
Hi Aneye. If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, and therefore have trusted in Him alone for your salvation then you are not only eternally saved, but because as a believer you are entered positionally into union with Christ Jesus you are a priest. Jesus Christ is our great high priest.
Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed throught the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
And because as believers we are in Christ, we are priests.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10] for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Revelation 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
As believer-priests we therefore have the privilege of representing ourselves to God the Father, but we do so through Christ Jesus who is our Lord and Savior. We come to the Father for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. And as adopted sons of God we are family of God. But that is because of Jesus Christ. As adopted sons in the royal family of God, God is our Father, and we talk to Him through prayer. But it is because of Jesus that we are able to do so.
A part of our priesthood is prayer. We are to pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the power of the Spirit.
Jesus taught us how to pray. He began by addressing Himself directly to the Father.
Matthew 6:9 ''Pray then in this way; 'Our Father who is in heaven...''
I only quoted the beginning of the prayer to show that we are to address ourselves directly to the Father. What Jesus prayed was a model prayer of course. Jesus was showing us how to pray. Not what to pray. You give thanks in prayer, you pray for the needs of others, and for your own needs.
As a believer priest you pray to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. This means that you must first name or admit your known sins to God the Father as per 1 John 1:9.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And again, you can confess, admit, acknowledge, cite, name your sin directly to the Father because you are a believer-priest and represent yourself to the Father. But just as we come to the Father through Jesus Christ for eternal life, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ who is our great high priest and intercessor.
As believers we are either under the control of our sin nature and said to be carnal, or we are under the control of the Holy Spirit and said to be spiritual. When you pray therefore, you want to be under the control of, in the power of the Spirit.
So, we pray directly to the Father, in the name of Jesus who is our very life, and in the power of the Spirit.
I hope that removes any confusion about the fact that we pray directly to the Father but do so in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You may not be aware of the fact that when we trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life God credits us with His very own perfect righteousness.
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? ''Abraham believe God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'' 4] Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5] But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
When God looks at the believer He sees His own perfect righteousness in that believer. Because God has credited His own righteousness to the one who simply relies on Christ for his eternal salvation He pronounces the believer justified in His sight. While the believer might be disobedient and come under divine discipline in time, he always has God's own righteousness credited to his account and is eternally secure. I just wanted you to know, in case you didn't, that as believers we have God's perfect righteousness imputed or credited to us.
Well, I'm turned off already. You say it like it was a disease or something.
Quote:
This weekend, I was told that we pray to God, in Jesus' name, because God is too perfect for us to come directly to Him.
Well, since I see Jesus as being every bit as perfect as His Father, that reasoning doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I personally believe that we should pray to "Our Father which art in heaven," because Jesus said this is what we should do. He also said, on occasions too numerous to mention, that we should pray "in my name." So we address the Father in prayer and ask for His blessings in the name of the Son.
Well, I'm turned off already. You say it like it was a disease or something.
This is not meant to be disrespectful to those that are no longer in the Catholic Church. Most folks that leave the CC have a very poor understanding of Catholicism and are therefore prime candidates to leave for a charismatic form of Christianity. The less they know the greater the chance they could leave.
And there is no one more anti-catholic than a former Catholic. But, maybe I am wrong here.
And there is no one more anti-catholic than a former Catholic. But, maybe I am wrong here.
And likewise there is no one more anti-Mormon than a former Mormon. I've heard the phrase, "recovering Mormon," too, and it's also a big turn-off to me. It's a slur, period. If someone says, "I'm a former Catholic," we know they left the Catholic Church for whatever reason. That's all that any mature individual really need say.
And likewise there is no one more anti-Mormon than a former Mormon. I've heard the phrase, "recovering Mormon," too, and it's also a big turn-off to me. It's a slur, period. If someone says, "I'm a former Catholic," we know they left the Catholic Church for whatever reason. That's all that any mature individual really need say.
You are correct:
It is like the difference between an agnostic and an Atheist. The latter tends to be very anti-religion whereas the agnostic has an open mind.
On another note:
Catholicism is not simple and it has a rather complex doctrine. I don't blame Luther for simplifying.
However, I simply prefer the complexity and rich history. It is a matter of taste.
I am a recovering Catholic, and decided to attend Christian/non-denominational churches instead a few years ago. I have learned so much in those years, and of course, have much, much more to learn. This weekend, I was told that we pray to God, in Jesus' name, because God is too perfect for us to come directly to Him.
Now I'm stressing because that's how I've always prayed. "Dear God." Whether I'm asking for something, thanking Him for something, telling Him I love and appreciate Him. And now I'm told that was somehow "wrong"? I've been wanting to get to know Jesus better, but have struggled. I've always just been a Dear God kind of gal.
How should I take this new information? Is it correct? Should I change?
You are in Christ now, so in affect you are praying in Jesus name whether you verbalize it or not. Consider the Lords prayer and how He said to pray in like manner. That prayer has no mention of Jesus but says, "Our Father who is in Heaven---". It is quite appropriate to pray to the God as Father, or as God, or to pray in Jesus name because you are in Christ forever as you pray whether you feel it or not.
Don't be led by feeling or mans opinions. Jesus called Him Father [more intimate] and also God denoting the All Powerful One. Each title expresses a wonderful attribute about our God and fulfills our varying needs of Him.
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