Two men are reading the same bible...

Two men are reading the same bible, one is always alone, the other is always in [high] Church services.

Which one is apt to see the services in the written scripture when any portion of one is mentioned?

Forgive me...

FenderTL5 said:

Coming from a Baptist background; even evangelical lynch-pin verses are made clear and come alive when one is immersed in the Liturgy. e.g. Romans 10: 9-10.

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I was also raised baptist. It was a fine beginning!

Forgive me...

nonaeroterraqueous said:

That would be the one who's high in church services. You'd have to be high to read that into your Bible. The early church had services resembling old Jewish synagogues, and scarcely resembled what you're thinking, but it's human nature to see the familiar in the obscure, or to read what you think you know into something that doesn't actually say that.

...but I'll forgive you for it this time. Don't let it happen again.

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I am curious to know how you know what I'm thinking. Have you ever been to services in an Orthodox Church? That's a 'yes or no' question. If you say no, then you couldn't possibly know what I'm talking about. Please say yes. If you can find a Church whose services are more like the services in 1st century Jewish synagogues, I'd like to know about them. As for us, we maintain an menorah, burn fresh olive oil and incense.

As for the last portion of your post, you seem to be inferring that the Holy Spirit could not be guiding in this way, during services. Yet, I would suppose you believe that the thousands of opinions of 'scriptural reading' when 'alone', are all led by the same Holy Spirit? Interesting the limits you place on God.

Forgive me...

Halbhh said:

I can imagine it partially like I could imagine trekking Antarctica from reading in a journal.

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This is the point. We are reading about it, we are even reading "it", and not realizing what we are reading.

When you come to the Psalms, do you sing any of it? Of course not. Not if you've never heard them sung.

Example for Psalm 1

"Blessed is the man... the man who walks not, in the council of the wicked.
Allelu-i-a, Allelu-i-a, Alle-lu-ia
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Allelu-i-a, Allelu-i-a, Alle-lu-ia
.....
Salvation belongs to the Lord, thy blessings be upon thy people.
Allelu-i-a, Allelu-i-a, Alle-lu-ia"


You see?

99.9% of us would not know what Psalms go with what services... sunup, sundown. etc.

Halbhh said:

Thank you for this wonderful singing.

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You are most welcome. I hope it leads you further into Christ's Church!

It helps a lot that these things are now in English!

Forgive me...

Halbhh said:

Christ's church is surely everywhere, even when one of His is trekking in antarctica, He is there. He can go everywhere, even into the most dire prison.

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It has been said that we know where The Church is, we do not know where it is not.

Try not to lose the value of what I'm telling you. I have been in Orthodox services for many years now and the music, smells, chants, everything about the Liturgy is now embedded within me. It truly is where ever I go.

Christ taught the Apostles to pray. It was a prayer rule of the Psalms. It is done together. It is the very reason Christ called us to be together and take communion.

The result is taking care of one another. This doesn't happen when we are alone.

I contend that the man always alone, has no Church.

Forgive me...

Halbhh said:

Possibly there is a missing word or two or something in the sentence "It is the very reason Christ called us to be together and take communion." ? As best I understand, communion is a profound gift to us itself, not for something else (not meant to serve another purpose of some other part of worship). I think I'm not sure what you meant.

Thank you though. I agree with this largely, and to me the Psalms are invaluable and sacred. I mean that fully in the total sense of the words. Valuable beyond any measurement, and sacred meaning holy. Christ's actual words are another instance of the truly Holy, perfect in themselves, invaluable, and even more, specifically eternal we are told, that these words will surely last forever.

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We view "Do this in remembrance (ANAMNESIS) of me" as a command. This command brings us together. From there, we can take care of one another, which is part of it's purpose. We cannot partake of communion on our own.

Forgive me...

Hieronymus said:

I couldn't vote because there's an option missing.
I don't read the Bible too often, but i do study it with the help of lectures by exegetes and language scholars etcetera.
Without them i wouldn't understand many things that are not apparent by reading my Bible by myself.

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The options are "with" or "without" services.

Forgive me...

Hieronymus said:

Okay, i thought you meant church services (as in inside a church building or something).

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Specifically, I would be speaking of the Divine Liturgy, inside, outside... it makes no difference.

Here's an audio example. You'll have to imagine the candles, oil lamps and incense.


Forgive me...