 Should We Pray to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit?
Dear Teacher:
Should we pray to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as some do? I just don't understand the relation of the members of the Godhead, especially the Holy Spirit. - Emily
Dear Emily:
Your question is both reasonable and stimulating. God has revealed himself to humanity through the book we call the Bible. In it, the word "God" is applied alike to three divine persons, the Father, The Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. At the same time it tells us that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Across the centuries, as godly men have struggled to grasp and understand the nature of God, they have used different analogies to express what they perceive. There is one seat of divine government in the world, just as there is one central government over the USA. There are three branches of our government - executive, legislative and judicial. So there are three divine persons that constitute the one godhead or government of heaven - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All share the nature of godhead. Each is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, etc. Together they administer the affairs of creation and salvation.
While all have a part in our salvation, care and protection, each member had and has a specific role:
- The Father loved us and sent His Son (John 3:16). Jesus came down and lived and died among us.
- Jesus taught us to pray to "Our Father who art in heaven" (Mathew 6:9).
- The Holy Spirit came to guide the apostles into all the truth (John 15:13) and is given to all who obey Christ in salvation (Acts 5:32). The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit helps us with our prayers (Romans 8:26-28).
- Jesus is the one mediator between God and man" (I Timothy 2:5) - thus we offer our prayers "in his (Jesus) name."
You will never go wrong when you follow that divinely given formula. The concept of the Divine Trinity is not unreasonable; however, it is beyond our ability to fully comprehend John Waddey |
