Worship Jesus

Worship Jesus

by | Jun 20, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Worship Jesus

Can We Worship & Pray to Jesus?

There is much confusion about worshipping Jesus or praying to him. Many people struggle with those questions, especially those in the biblical unitarian faith because they don’t want to show confusion, which could lead some to think that they believe in the trinity.

Unfortunately, trinitarians don’t differentiate the worship of the Father, Jesus, or even holy spirit (which isn’t even a being!) They believe they are worshipping God no matter who they address.

God Desires That We Worship Jesus

From my study and understanding, The Father, God, desires that we give his son, the Messiah, honor and praise. Philippians 2 tells us that God, his God, has given him the name above every name (except His own, of course) and has exalted him because he was humble and obedient.

We see in 1 Corinthians 15 that God gave Jesus authority to put everything under his feet (even with the clause in case people would be confused, except the One who gave him that authority.) But, after that work is done (after the Great White Throne judgment since then death will be conquered and it will be no more – thrown into the Lake of Fire) Jesus will give everything back to God so that the Father may be all in all.

Worship Jesus (Just Not as God)

The Bible shows us that we are to give Jesus honor and praise for WHAT HE DID, not because we think he is God. We are not praising him as almighty God, but as Messiah.

Back in Philippians, we see that when we do this and exalt him, just as God did, ultimately glory goes to God, the Father, his Father, and ours.  When we praise Jesus, we are giving glory to God for what Jesus did, as well as to God for giving us His son. We are letting Him know that we accept His Messiah and are thankful.

Even the disciples “worshiped” Jesus, yet he did not deny it or correct them.  But again, they were not worshiping him as God.

Can I Pray to Jesus?

In regards to prayer, many ask if we can pray to Jesus. I talk to both, although probably more to the Father.

We must remember though, that God made Jesus head of the church so we can and should talk to him as well. 

Jesus also said, “ask me…” and that is a petition, and so a prayer. He is our high priest and he goes before the Father on our behalf.

“In Jesus’ Name”

When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” it isn’t so much just concluding our prayer with those words (which we certainly can do so those listening know that we go to the Father through Jesus), but it is with that mindset we pray.

We have accepted God’s gift and bow our knee to Jesus, again, for what he did, his sacrifice for us, not because he is God or a god. It is in his “name,” or the authority of his name, that GOD GAVE him, that we pray.  So, the mindset is that we acknowledge his given authority and trust him as high priest to represent us.

We can now go directly to the Father (the veil has been torn) in Jesus’ name, with his authority.

Worship Both God & Jesus

So, the bottom line is, we can and should worship them both for WHO they are, the Father as Almighty God, and Jesus, the son, as Messiah. When we accept the son we can go to the Father in the son’s name because of the authority he was given.

We must remember that it was God, the Father, who exalted Jesus. He didn’t exalt himself. Jesus opened the door and we may enter in.

Jesus Submits

Jesus Submits

by | Jun 9, 2020 | Simple Bible Truth

Jesus Submits

Jesus, the Son of God, Submits to His Father

Why would Jesus, the son of God, need to submit if he were equal to God or if he were God?  Jesus knew his place in relation to his Father.  As a result, he did not try to take more authority than was given to him.

Why did the Jesus Submit?

Jesus willingly submitted to his Father because his Father was a higher power and obviously had more authority.  He acknowledged this fact and knew his place.

Jesus only spoke and acted as God inspired him.  He humbly acknowledged that he could do nothing on his own.  Jesus repeatedly stated that he could do nothing on his own initiative, but spoke only those things as the Father taught him.  Again, Jesus emphatically confessed that he could do nothing without the Father.  (John 5:19,  8:28-30)

Authority from the Father

Jesus possessed nothing in and of himself.  He received his authority from the Father, from his God.  Jesus understood that the Father is the giver and him, the son, the receiver.  That authority Jesus received will ultimately be given back to the Father after the 1000-year reign.  (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)  (And an interesting side note, Jesus has the power to give authority to the church. Revelation 2:26)

Jesus had a Choice

Jesus willingly submitted to his Father.  He had a choice to obey or disobey, follow his own will, or his Father’s will.  This was not an easy choice, even for Jesus. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus wrestled with his own will to the point of sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44).  But, in the end, Jesus chose to submit his own will (his desire to reconcile man to God in a different way), to the Father’s will.  He agreed to follow through with the Father’s plan and go to the cross.

Creator VS Created

Everyone understands that you cannot be the creator and the created.  A father creates a son, and without a father, a son does not come into existence.  Therefore, using the logical mind that God gave us, something created cannot be its own creator.

It is essential for Christians, followers of Christ, to understand who Jesus is and the different roles the Father and the Son have.

The Son Submits, Unlike God

The Father, who alone is God, submits to no one, not even to Jesus.  On the other hand, Jesus humbly and willingly submits to his Father, and his God. He acknowledges the Father as being superior and that he, Jesus, can do nothing without the Father.  Even after his resurrection, Jesus is still following his Father’s plan.

Can the Son be the Father?  Even trinitairians would say no.  This would make 3 gods.

So, can this same Jesus (the Son of God, Messiah), also be God?  The Bible states over and over again that there is only one being that is God, and that is the Father.  Jesus submitted to and accepted his role in God’s creation.  Why do professing Christians have such a hard time accepting what Jesus himself accepted?