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.