Elevation to the exclusion of?

[Jenna]

Hello there.

I've been thinking on this a great deal since I began reading and posting at Christian message boards.

So many times I see praises and glory given to Jesus, to the exclusion of the other two persons of God. I understand that Christians feel grateful and ever joyous because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, but should that warrant the neglect (for lack of better word) of the other persons of the trinity? I am forever reading prayers and thoughts that are more or less directly to Jesus, foregoing any mention of God in any of his names. When Jesus instructed the apostles how to pray, he didn't tell them to pray to him, but to the Father. Always, the Father was given glory for the good works of the Son.

Has our perception of God somehow changed(generally speaking)? I'm just confused. I know that we are free to ask for things in Jesus' name. Do you think that that is the basis for people relating to the Son alone?

I was just wondering if anyone else had noticed this trend, and what your thoughts were on this.

 

[Auntie]

Hello Jenna,

This confuses me too. I pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus. I most definitely believe in the Trinity. It is hard for me to understand tho. When I pray to God, it *feels* like I am leaving Jesus out, even tho I believe Jesus is God. I believe the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf, and helps me to understand the scriptures.

I'm not giving a good answer, sorry! I believe that God-Jesus-Holy Spirit are One, so even if I pray to the Father, I am really praying to Jesus and the Holy Spirit too! I go to the Father thru Jesus.

 

[GraftMeIn]

I noticed this trend, and this can get confusing.

Jesus wasn't seeking Glory for himself.

Jesus said in John 8:50
I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

When jesus prayed for us he said in John 17:20-26

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

I pray to God when I pray, But I remember that Jesus is what enables me to do this, and I'm thankful for it. Jesus did direct us to pray to the Father when we pray, so that's how I pray.

 

[Shimon]

Yeshua said: "I and the Father are one,"(John 10:30) and "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father."(John 14:9).

Isaiah prophecied that Yeshua would be called "Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6 and 63:16).

When you give glory to Yeshua, you are giving glory to the Father -- they are one and the same.

Shalom!


Shimon