Do you Chrisitians take this scripture verse seriously?

In another topic I was searching for some scripture that says not to force religious belief onto others. In my research I discovered another interesting point in the Bible.

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful that you don't practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."

I have a limited knowledge of the bible. I have read it front to back, both testaments, yet I have never been to a bible study (which is probably why I may have overlooked some key points such as this verse). So perhaps I am not reading it correctly, or at least how it may be intended.

Could someone explain to me just how far "practicing your religion" goes? I am honestly, and humbly curious.

a reply to: Ghost147

I believe the intent here is to not practice your faith in front of people, just to be doing it in front of people..

Showing off as it were...

There are several passages that clearly state one should pray in private for the very same reason.

It also is clear to not deny your faith if asked; for if you refuse to acknowledge Him here, He will refuse to acknowledge you before the Father.

Well, I am probably not considered a christian anymore so I don't think I qualify. I have read the bible to combat my overzealous mother in the past quite a bit and actually read it to see if it was really saying what people say it says.

Most people are interpreting the bible to suit their beliefs. It is no different than how a republican interprets things. People are pretty opinionated as far as their beliefs, atheists actually see things to fit their beliefs also.

The fact that people see things in a way that fits their beliefs kind of irritates me. I can't believe how people can twist things out of proportion so easily.

a reply to: Ghost147
It is exactly as you read. And the same as the Muslim religion (I cant remember the exact words) , but not to pray in front of the "heretics". To witness or profess to someone is the method that is used for shall we say to try and convert a non-believer.
Be careful that you don't practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention
That is generally the actual worship . And it is written as such (in some opinions) to prevent the idea that someone would believe that someone practicing their religion would feel as if they were trying to show they were better.
Hard to put into words , but as close as I can get.

originally posted by: semperfortis
a reply to: Ghost147

I believe the intent here is to not practice your faith in front of people, just to be doing it in front of people..

Showing off as it were...

There are several passages that clearly state one should pray in private for the very same reason.

It also is clear to not deny your faith if asked; for if you refuse to acknowledge Him here, He will refuse to acknowledge you before the Father.

Ah I see. Thanks for the information

originally posted by: rickymouse
The fact that people see things in a way that fits their beliefs kind of irritates me. I can't believe how people can twist things out of proportion so easily.

I could not agree more! It's incredibly frustrating, and at times very hypocritical.

originally posted by: Gothmog
a reply to: Ghost147
And it is written as such (in some opinions) to prevent the idea that someone would believe that someone practicing their religion would feel as if they were trying to show they were better.
Hard to put into words , but as close as I can get.

Actually, I believe you presented it quite clearly. This makes a lot of sense. I can definitely see the attempt to not show misconceived arrogance as being highly important and in accordance to much of the christian belief.

Well stated!

Yes, I take the verse seriously as a Christian. We are to praise and petition the Lord from a place of humility and love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13

a reply to: Ghost147

Plain English:

When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.



Now go to 6:2

2 “Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. 3 But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing 4 so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

a reply to: Ghost147

I'm also curious to see what explanations are offered.
I spent about five years intensely studying the words of Christ and comparing them to what I heard from various religious leaders. The praying in public and giving alms (charity) in public were two of the issues that really bothered me.

These verses in particular are pretty clear in my mind---and yet not one single "Bible scholar" could reconcile the practice of public prayer (outside the public worship service) and public recognition of charity giving with these admonitions.

Matthew Six:
Giving to the Needy

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The "prayer in school" thing was most confusing to me in light of these verses and yet no defender of prayer in school could ever explain how it was not a contravention of these very clear instructions on prayer given by Christ.
In addition, getting a tax deduction for charitable giving? That seems to be exactly what is prohibited by the words of Jesus since he prohibited the left hand from knowing the activities of the right hand.
These sorts of blatant contradictions are what drove me from organized religion.

a reply to: Ghost147

Yeah SemperFortis pretty much nailed it. Think about people that would prostate and flail themselves, chant in the streets for hours on end or smack themselves in the head with boards like in Monty Python's Holy Grail

This pretty much rules out anyone who attends church on a regular basis, because what other reason is there to go to church other than to be seen by others while practicing your religion?

James 1
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Mathew 6
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

This rules out pastors and preachers as well, they do not keep a tight reign on their tongues, they practice their religion to be seen.

If they deceive themselves, that means they are blind. What did Jesus say about blind leaders?

Matthew 14
14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

So with all this in mind, those who follow preachers and pastors (who deceive themselves by talking too much) are being lead into a pit. This is pretty much saying that the church is a blind guide, yet so many people still follow them and their teachings.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Ghost147
When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.

Makes a lot of sense to me

But how far does it extend. Does it only apply to good deeds and prayer? Or does it go further? Is a person who refuses to serve a particular group, due to it's perceived negative appearance in the bible, effecting this particular passage?

I know that there is a verse (can't remember which one) which states that a christian can defend their religious views if those views are being attacked. However, if there is no aggressive actions taking place, then would this scenario still be justified by that verse?

a reply to: Ghost147

Im with Infolurker. Its a warning to not show off your good deeds. But I think debating moral issues, biblical interpretations and such are safe. If Christians arent allowed to express faith in the Bible out loud, then how are we to share the gospel???

a reply to: diggindirt

Public recognition of God is fine. Praying in public is fine.


Praying and babbling like a fool to show off or pretend that their "public actions" justify some moral or holy superiority over other brothers and sisters in Christ who not out showing off like it is a competition on who can have the prettiest prayer is what is being referenced.

Think of a couple of TV preachers trying to out-pray each other publicly for that Dollar. My prayer is better than his, I am more Holy.

That kind of crap.





Matthew 28:16-20New English Translation (NET Bible)

The Great Commission

16 So the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: Ghost147

...But I think debating moral issues, biblical interpretations and such are safe. If Christians arent allowed to express faith in the Bible out loud, then how are we to share the gospel???

This is what I'm so curious about. Does this verse counter these actions? or are they considered something else?

a reply to: Ghost147

Jesus was telling people not to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees, so I take it in that context. They loved advertising their prayer and good deeds.

originally posted by: Ghost147
In another topic I was searching for some scripture that says not to force religious belief onto others. In my research I discovered another interesting point in the Bible.

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful that you don't practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."

I have a limited knowledge of the bible. I have read it front to back, both testaments, yet I have never been to a bible study (which is probably why I may have overlooked some key points such as this verse). So perhaps I am not reading it correctly, or at least how it may be intended.

Could someone explain to me just how far "practicing your religion" goes? I am honestly, and humbly curious.

The word that you quoted as "religion" in your post actually translates closer to "righteous acts" and if you read further, you will see that Jesus was specifically referring to giving money to the poor. He was suggesting that we shouldn't "make a show" of giving to the poor. Our concern should be for the welfare of the poor, not for our own social status.

In a wider sense, you can see that Jesus is implying that our motivations, even to do something good, can be self seeking and we need to be aware of, and avoid, the failings of human nature in that regard.

When reading the bible, we should always consider context. Too often it is easy to get the wrong idea simply by taking a pithy or poetic remark out of context.

The Chapter and verse divisions were added much later to the text to assist with memorization. Many of the verse divisions are quite arbitrary, even cutting sentences in half in some instances (The apostle Paul produced a lot of "run-on" sentences and as a result of this, there are quite often verse divisions in the middle of sentences in his letters).

originally posted by: chr0naut

originally posted by: Ghost147
In another topic I was searching for some scripture that says not to force religious belief onto others. In my research I discovered another interesting point in the Bible.

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful that you don't practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."

I have a limited knowledge of the bible. I have read it front to back, both testaments, yet I have never been to a bible study (which is probably why I may have overlooked some key points such as this verse). So perhaps I am not reading it correctly, or at least how it may be intended.

Could someone explain to me just how far "practicing your religion" goes? I am honestly, and humbly curious.

The word that you quoted as "religion" in your post actually translates closer to "righteous acts" and if you read further, you will see that Jesus was specifically referring to giving money to the poor. He was suggesting that we shouldn't "make a show" of giving to the poor. Our concern should be for the welfare of the poor, not for our own social status.

Ah, ok. That explains my other question

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
This pretty much rules out anyone who attends church on a regular basis, because what other reason is there to go to church other than to be seen by others while practicing your religion?

I think you've removed the context here. It seems to me that Christ was speaking of public behavior---"on the streets" isn't a worship service. I have no idea why other folks attend worship services but when I attended, I went there to learn and to find strength in knowledge of a power higher than me---not to show how religious I was.

James 1
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Mathew 6
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

This rules out pastors and preachers as well, they do not keep a tight reign on their tongues, they practice their religion to be seen.

That's a pretty broad brush you're using there. While I can agree that those guys you might see on TV would fall into this category, not all of them are the same.

If they deceive themselves, that means they are blind. What did Jesus say about blind leaders?

Matthew 14
14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

So with all this in mind, those who follow preachers and pastors (who deceive themselves by talking too much) are being lead into a pit. This is pretty much saying that the church is a blind guide, yet so many people still follow them and their teachings.

I don't think most Christians follow pastors or preachers but rather attempt to follow the teaching of Christ. The pastors are there to tend to the flock and in my opinion, most of them do just that. It's another case of the minority giving the majority a bad name. Just to be clear here---I did "leave the faith" so far as organized religion is concerned because of all the conflicting opinions on how to be a good person.

a reply to: Ghost147

I think this has to do with Jesus teaching to prey inwards instead of out loud. I also skipped bible study