WEB Col 3:17 - Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him."In the name of" simply means "as an authorized agent of"; it does not mean everything done must be specifically pre-authorized.
It means asking, "Is my action honoring to the authorizer, in accord with his wishes?" It does not mean, "Is my action specifically authorized by the authorizer?"
The concepts are easy to confuse, but they are not the same.
You can make a donation to the anti-cancer society in the name of your deceased friend; that doesn't mean the deceased friend authorized you to make that donation; it means you do it in honor of your friend, in a way with which he would agree.
To do all in the name of the Lord means to do everything as an authorized spokesperson/ambassador of the Lord. It means you have the keys to Jesus' kingdom, locking and unlocking doors as you judge best, as long as you do so in honor of and in accord with the wishes of Jesus. Specific authorization is not required; adult, faith-led, decision-making capability is.
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