WCF’s Larger Catechism answers, “To pray in the name of Christ is, in obedience to his command, and in confidence on his promises, to ask mercy for his sake; not by bare mentioning of his name, but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation.”
WCF’s answer busts some misconceptions of what it means to pray in the name of Christ.
1. “Over and out”
“Over” is a verbal indicator used in two-way radio communication to show that the person talking has finished. Praying in the name of Christ is not simply a way of signing off on the conversation with God. “In Jesus’s name, Amen.“ “That's all, God. Over and out.” Now is it inherently wrong to end a prayer with a phrase like, “In Jesus’s name, Amen”? Absolutely not. But some have become so accustomed to hearing or using this phrase to conclude a prayer that they no longer recognize the significance of what it means to pray in the name of Christ. Praying in the name of Christ has become nothing more than signing off on the communication. "Over and out, God."
2. Abracadabra…Hocus Pocus
Unless you think you’re Harry Potter, you should not think that praying in the name of Christ is simply the magic words that guarantee a favorable answer. “In the name of Christ. Amen” or “In Jesus’s name. Amen” is not a biblical version of "abracadabra" or "hocus pocus." As the WCF Catechism states, praying in the name of Christ is not merely a "bare mentioning of his name." A wooden and isolated interpretation of John 14:14 has likely contributed to this abuse and misconception: “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” There you have it! Abracadabra.
But Jesus isn't offering a carte blanche or blank-check promise. As with many of God's promises in Scripture, there are conditions. Think of the promise you hear at a wedding between the bride and the groom. What is usually the only condition in traditional wedding vows? "Till death do us part." If death separates the couple, then the bereaved is no longer bound by the promise. They met the condition. The promise of Jesus comes with conditions. For one such condition, look back at the verse prior, 14:13, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” The glory of the Father is a condition of the promise. The glory of the Father is a condition of what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. Based on verse 13, praying in the name of Jesus cannot mean less than seeking the glory of the Father in what we ask; the glory of the Father is a condition of the promise.
3. Mama’s Magic Words
Praying in the name of Christ is not a biblical version of Mama’s magic words, the “please” and “thank you” of prayer. While Mama may not give the candy bar if her kid doesn’t use Mama's magic words, praying in the name of Christ isn’t just polite niceties. Praying in the name of Christ is our only "hope of acceptance in prayer." Apart from Christ, we have no grounds for coming to the Father for mercy. It is only in his name. Apart from his mediating work, we have no grounds for encouragement, boldness, strength, or hope in prayer. Praying in the name of Christ is not optional. There is no other way to pray.
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