Some of our friends in the faith close their letters to me "in Jesus name" or "in Jesus Christ’s (or, Yahshua Messiah’s) name." I do not condemn them for doing this, but I should explain why I don’t close my letters invoking the name of my Savior.

John 14:13-14 states, "And whatsoever you shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." Also John 15:16 says, " . . . whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."

Closing our prayers in our Savior’s name demonstrates that He is our mediator, "For through Him we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the Father," Ephesians 2:18. We state by whose authority we are coming to the Father’s throne. To say "in His name" is the same as saying "by His authority and power." Thus, we are told to close our prayers to our Heavenly Father with the Savior’s name. He has given us the authority to do so. Therefore, our prayers must be in accordance with the Almighty’s will!

A letter is different from a prayer. In a letter, we share ideas and conversation with a faithful friend. We are not going before our Heavenly Father with our Savior backing us up. Our letter is not backed up by the authority of the Messiah. We are not writing "down" to our friend as the representative of the Son of God. Our letter should be pleasing to our Creator, but to end a letter with "in His name" is to put it on a higher plane than is warranted.

Paul says "be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ," I Corinthians 11:1. Fourteen of his epistles (letters) to brethren became part of Scripture. How did he close his letters?

He gave glory to our Savior and pronounced a spiritual blessing. Romans 16:27, "To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen." I Corinthians 16:23-24, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen." II Corinthians 13:14, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." Galatians 6:18, "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." Ephesians 6:24, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity [with incorruption]. Amen." Philippians 4:23, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Colossians 4:18, " . . . Grace be with you. Amen." I Thessalonians 5:28, and II Thessalonians 3:18, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." I Timothy 6:21, " . . . Grace be with you. Amen." II Timothy 4:22, "The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen." Titus 3:15, "All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen." Philemon 25, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." Hebrews 13:25, "Grace be with you all. Amen."

Peter, John and Jude also wrote letters to the churches. How did they end their letters?

I Peter 5:14, "Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen." II Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen." I John 5:21, "Little children, keep yourself from idols. Amen." II John 13, "The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen." III John 14, " . . . Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name." Jude 25, "To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Revelation 22:21, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

James' epistle (5:20) does not end with the "Amen" closing common to others. Hence, some believe it to be incomplete, the ending deliberately left off so as not to reveal the location of the twelve tribes of Israel scattered abroad (1:1). There is a salutation but not an "Amen" in III John, indicating incompleteness, such as the whereabouts of the Satanic counterfeit of the true religion.

Nearly all New Testament letters close with an expression of the grace of our Savior being with the ones written to, and close with "Amen," (so be it). Our prayers end with "Amen," so in one respect they are a little like our letters to the brethren. Prayers and letters are both intimate communication. However, no Biblical example shows the use of "in His name" at the close of a letter. This is reserved for going before our Heavenly Father.

May the grace — the Spirit’s peace, joy, and love — of our Master be with you all, now and for all eternity. Amen. W

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