Expert: Phillip Senn - 6/24/2005

Question
hi phillip i truly hope that you dont find my question offensive in any way..i got 1 question..i hope u answer it.. my question is how come Christians pray and ask forgiveness from Jesus and not God? i.e "I prayed that jesus christ forgave me from my sins" why don't they say i prayed that God forgave me from my sins..why do people wear crosses and praise jesus more than God isn't the whole point of God sending prophets is to let the people pray to Him and only Him..how come now they praise jesus christ more..? thank u so much for answering me.

Answer
Dana,

I am not offended in any way by your question. It should never offend anyone to be asked a question, even if it causes them a challenge to answer it. The simple answer to your question is, people don't get "saved" because they ask God or Jesus to forgive their sins. When they place their faith (confidence) in Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross for their sins, believing that He arose the third day, God counts their faith to them as righteousness. God then is just in forgiving their sins because they have faith in the Lord Jesus.

Jesus is not the Father, to whom he prayed. But Jesus is God. The doctrine of the Trinity is a much misunderstood doctrine, but one that is Biblical. Jesus is diety (God), the Holy Spirit is diety (God), and the Father is diety (God). This is not a three headed god, as some teach, nor  does the Father become the Son nor the Son become the Holy Spirit. Rather, theu each co-exist as diety at all times. So if someone prays to the Father, they are praying to God. If they pray to Jesus, they are praying to God. If they pray to the Holy Spirit, they are praying to God.

But regardless of which member of the Trinity a person mentions in their prayer that they are praying to, the prayer is not the means of receiving Eternal Life. If a person has the Son, they have life. If they do not have the Son, they do not have life (1 John 5:12). Eternal Life comes as a result of faith in Him, for we receive the promise of God through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. When a person trusts in Christ Jesus as their Saviour, they have also trusted in the Father as their Saviour, and they have trusted in the Holy Spirit as their Saviour. Their is only one Saviour, that is God. The Scripture says that God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven us.

I hope this has answered your question without causing even more confusion. If I may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. Please rate this answer so that I may know how I did, and also that I may know areas that need improvment.

With Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn