Question: Why do we pray in the name of Jesus?
Jesus is our mediator and intercessor
1 Tim 2:5 shows that Jesus is the only mediator between man and God. Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25 and 1 John 2:1 state that Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us. So God hears our prayers and answers them through the Lord Jesus Christ alone. None other has the power or authority to intercede on our behalf – not priests nor Mary nor the Pope. John 14:13 is another promise about praying in Jesus’ name.
Why do we need a mediator? Each unsaved person by his nature is a sinner and therefore an enemy of God. Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So sin has separated men from God. God is holy and cannot accept the sin. Therefore sinners do not have access to God through prayer (for more on this, read – Does God hear an unbeliever’s prayer?) Only children of God (believers in Jesus Christ) have access to God through their prayers and God promises to hear their prayers. Also read – Why is Jesus our mediator and intercessor?
Therefore because Christ is our High Priest, our sacrifice, our propitiation, our intercessor, He is the mediator between children of God and God the Father. Only because of His precious blood shed for our sins does a child of God have access to the throne of grace in prayer (Hebrews 4:16). It is only because of Christ’s indescribable sacrifice that our sins can be forgiven and we can have peace with God and receive the gift of eternal life.
