Some believers actively and openly practice their piety, even praying in public to demonstrate that they are so close to God (cf. Matt. 6:1). Personal prayer is meant to be private and in your prayer closet, wherever that is. Religiosity is one reason to be rejected from military service--you can't have overly religious or superstitious soldiers on the battlefront.
If a brother is caught in the error of his way, you who are spiritual restore such a one, so that he may come to the knowledge of the truth (Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24). We cannot be independent spiritual Lone Rangers who only listen to their inner voice and not to the what the body of Christ is saying. It is a matter of humility to submit to the authority of your brother and take advice and counsel. If you don't listen to anyone what makes you think you'd listen to Jesus--He will not save those He cannot command (through His body the church). We are not to be mystics either, just listening to what we feel God is telling us and ignoring others.
Our conscience is held captive to our brother's and we cannot just do what is right in our own eyes like Israel did ("In those days Israel did not have a king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes," says Judges 21:25). We must not be accused of doing our own thing or doing things our way. "All we like sheep have gone astray, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6a, ESV). Things are not always they look to us.
It is not unusual to have an intense hunger for the Word as a baby believer, but to make it look like all Christians do is sit around and read the Bible is a bad witness. If you do that, do it alone and not to be seen in public. The aim is not to fall into the condemnation of the devil and to have a witness that doesn't offend, not be an offensive Christian (Christ should be the offense--not you). We don't say public prayers either, just to be seen by men and demonstrate our piety or religiosity.
Corporate and private prayer are different and we need to put them in their place. Let's not be ashamed of Christ in public, but witnessing for Him has a greater impact than just being religious., like crossing yourself as Catholics do. Many people are completely turned off by religion and its religiosity and we don't want to create barriers, but build bridges and not make pseudo-issues. Soli Deo Gloria!
If a brother is caught in the error of his way, you who are spiritual restore such a one, so that he may come to the knowledge of the truth (Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24). We cannot be independent spiritual Lone Rangers who only listen to their inner voice and not to the what the body of Christ is saying. It is a matter of humility to submit to the authority of your brother and take advice and counsel. If you don't listen to anyone what makes you think you'd listen to Jesus--He will not save those He cannot command (through His body the church). We are not to be mystics either, just listening to what we feel God is telling us and ignoring others.
Our conscience is held captive to our brother's and we cannot just do what is right in our own eyes like Israel did ("In those days Israel did not have a king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes," says Judges 21:25). We must not be accused of doing our own thing or doing things our way. "All we like sheep have gone astray, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6a, ESV). Things are not always they look to us.
It is not unusual to have an intense hunger for the Word as a baby believer, but to make it look like all Christians do is sit around and read the Bible is a bad witness. If you do that, do it alone and not to be seen in public. The aim is not to fall into the condemnation of the devil and to have a witness that doesn't offend, not be an offensive Christian (Christ should be the offense--not you). We don't say public prayers either, just to be seen by men and demonstrate our piety or religiosity.
Corporate and private prayer are different and we need to put them in their place. Let's not be ashamed of Christ in public, but witnessing for Him has a greater impact than just being religious., like crossing yourself as Catholics do. Many people are completely turned off by religion and its religiosity and we don't want to create barriers, but build bridges and not make pseudo-issues. Soli Deo Gloria!
I have nothing against public saying of grace or of praying in public when necessary or when no convenient alternative is available. We are never to be ashamed to own our Lord and of being His ambassadors. But we should never think it is a ministry to pray in front of others to demonstrate our piety (Matt. 6:1 says not to practice your righteousness before men to be seen by them or you will lose your reward). Motives are what God looks at and the Pharisees were showoffs. Sometimes we do indeed need to drop everything we are doing and pray on the spot, and I know there are exceptions to the rule.
ReplyDeleteWe must note that, in the principles of biblical interpretation, we test our experiences by the Word of God, not the Word of God by our experiences. We don't want to become mystics going by their own inner light--not listening to or submitting to authority. There is a place for public piety/prayer or corporate piety/prayer, and we are to let our "good works" (or deeds) be seen by men so they will glorify our Father in heaven, but prayer is different and basically between us and God, as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI want to also suggest that there is a time and place for everything and sometimes we may be insensitive to others feelings or to their privacy. Private or personal petition ought to be persona,l and public or corporate prayer is different. I would not hold a prayer meeting at the restaurant to show my piety. But I have been in a situation where I've had to pray in the streets because there wasn't any other place to go and it was urgent.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most powerful tools Christian motorcycle Association has Is " a biker Blessing " where we or they take the opportunity to pray for a biker for their safety . That opens the door to pray for what's on their heart and their spiritual life . This could not be done if you could only pray in the closet . I have done this not just in the Bible belt , But Overlooking Mount Rushmore with a Hells Angels biker . & as a Chaplain I was asked to pray out loud and commonly with a sound system . To hundreds of motorcyclists by someone I knew not to be a professing Christian . To each his own Ministry of evangelism and discipleship .
ReplyDeleteI think you misunderstand my point that your private piety is to be private and not a show of how spiritual you are or that you are a cut above other believers in so doing. There is a time and place for every matter under the sun and public prayer is even done at the inaugural address of the President and before meeting of Congress.
DeleteI am aiming my guns at purposely or unwittingly showing off your personal, not public piety and there is a time and place for public prayer and its exercise such as at the opening session of Congress or the inaugural address, etc. Praise God for open doors! We should never compromise our faith and seek to be a faithful witness at such a time. ("Who knows if I was born for such a time as this...if I perish, I perish.") We are not show-offs and there is a difference between being seen and to be seen. The Pharisees loved to stand on the street corners and prayer to be heard by men--surely, Jesus said, they've had their reward.
ReplyDelete