Asking in His Name by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 1, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 13.

Asking in His Name

By Editor

Editorial

Asking in His Name.—In John 16:23 we read in the words of our Lord, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” A wonderful promise, yet little realized!

What It Is Not.—This does not mean using the mere word “Jesus” or “Christ.” It is not a use of the word to conjure with, a mere charm to drive away evil spirits and accomplish good results. And yet it is often used as the superstitious man uses his horseshoe or rabbits’ foot or dried potato, to insure good luck or to ward off disease. And, like all these idolatrous, superstitious, foolish things, its use in this way amounts to nothing but disappointment, for the prayers go unanswered. The petitioner moans, “Did I not ask in Jesus’ name? and did he not promise my request?”

What Names Mean.—Names, when given of God, are indicative of character. “Jacob” means “supplanter,” and well described the overreaching, mercenary, covetous character of Isaac’s younger son, who, taking advantage of Esau’s appetite, purchased his birthright and obtained by fraud the father’s blessing, designed for his brother. (See Genesis, chapters 25 and 27.) But when the supplanter met God at the Ford Jabbok on that eventful night, and by persevering faith won the victory of his life, his character was transformed, and his name could “be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Gen. 32:28. In Jer. 20:3 we have another instance of God’s naming men. To the persecuting priest Pashur, whose name meant “prosperity everywhere,” on account of his sins God gave the name of Magor-Missabib, “Fear roundabout,” showing the character and the fear that would possess him in the future. “Michael,” the name of Christ, as the chief of all the angels, means “who is like God.” “Gabriel” means “man of God;” Elijah, “my God is Jehovah.” These are illustrations of names of those whose characters were true to their names.

The Name of the Son of God.—Before his birth in this world it was said: “Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.” “They shall call his name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matt. 1:21, 23. Jesus therefore means “one who saves.” Its equivalent in the Hebrew is Joshua, defined to mean “Jehovah is salvation.” So Jesus became our Saviour, by Jehovah becoming his Saviour. He was God with us. He became one of us, one with us, a partaker of flesh and blood, “born of a woman, born under the law,” “in all things . . . made like unto his brethren.” Such was Jesus, having all the weaknesses of humanity . He “suffered being tempted,” “in all points tempted like as we are.” In other words, the mind, the character, that was in Jesus Christ, was to empty himself, make himself of no reputation, yea, give up all of self, all of hope in self, till the climax of the demonstration of his unselfishness was reached,—his death upon the cross. All these wondrous facts we may read in Hebrews, chapters 2, 4, and 5, Gal. 4:4 (R.V.), Phil. 2:5–8 (R.V.), and other scriptures. His name therefore means absolute self-denial, self-abnegation, self-effacement, that God might be manifested and glorified. He emptied himself; this was his mind, his name, his character; and God filled him with all the infinite fulness of the Godhead, and was glorified in him. In other words, Jesus yielded himself to do the will of God, wholly, without reserve. Thus, as he stood in man’s place, for man, Jehovah was his salvation, that Jesus might be our Saviour.

In His Name.—Asking in the name of Jesus is, therefore, asking with a heart and will submitted to God’s will. It is asking in self-denial, in self-effacement, in self-abnegation, in self-emptiness. Praying in the name of Jesus is seeking above all things else God’s will, or pleasure; for he whose name it is, declares: “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30); “I have glorified thee on the earth” (John 17:4); and we are to ask in Jesus’ name “that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

If in our human longing we desire some blessing of comfort, life, or health, yet above the petition in which we ask for it will rise the one that God’s will shall be done. We may pray with agonized prayer, “Let this cup pass,” but if we pray in Jesus’ name, above that will we plead, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”

Unqualified Petitions.—There are some things for which we may pray with the profoundest assurance. We may plead for forgiveness of sin, for a new heart, for the outpouring of God’s Spirit, for increase of faith, for a better, truer knowledge of his Word, for our sanctification; for all these things we have the express promise of God’s Word. We know that it is his will to grant all these. To grant them will glorify him through us. If we do not receive, it is because our own hearts do not really desire the things we ask; we do not ask that God may be glorified. And yet we may ask in the fullest assurance of faith if self and sin are surrendered to God.

The Prayer of the Publican.—The publican asked in the name of Jesus, altho it is not recorded that he mentioned the name. But self was left out of the question. In fact, he saw in himself only a poor, wretched, lost, undone sinner, hopeless only for the loving mercy of God; and from the broken, contrite heart there wells forth the petition, “God, be merciful to me the sinner.” Luke 18:13, R.V. He felt as feels every other truly contrite soul, as

felt the apostle Paul, as tho he were the chief of sinners. He saw not others, he compared not himself with others; he saw but himself revealed in the light of the presence of God, in whose temple he worshiped. He was empty of all good, a recipient of mercy; God was everything. He prayed most truly in the name of the Son of God; and he went down to his house justified.

The Prayer of the Pharisee.—How different the prayer of the Pharisee, who “stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” He probably told no lie as to his outward performances; but he did not pray in Christ’s name. Nay, he did not pray to God at all. He prayed “with himself.” There was no room for aught else. He could see but self, and therefore he praised self, and exalted self. Had he seen God, he would have abhorred self. But he came with self, he went away with no other justification than self could give.

“Into My Name.”—Note the promise our Lord gives: “Where two or three are gathered together in [literally “into”] my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Gathered together into his name does not mean a gathering of mere professors; but those who come together with the mind of Christ, with hearts submitted to God’s will, with desire that he alone may be glorified, will be heard of God; they will have his presence; he will guide them in judgment. The name of Jesus is his mind, his character. It means humility, meekness, self-denial, self-sacrifice, self-extinguishment, and simple faith and trust in God. Coming to the Father in his name is asking according to God’s will always; and such prayers can never be denied. Then, Christian, present thy petitions in his name, nothing doubting.