I've been sitting on the fence most of my life with religion, however lately i've been considering it more and more in my life. I feel I have a strong spiritual connection, but my knowledge is very lacking. I've been reading more and more scriptures lately and I've come across the problem where my personal interpretations differ from others. How do I approach the situation of differing interpretation in a constructive way?
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Bible interpretation.
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Matthew 6-
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
I will keep my mind open to interpretations and let God guide me to his true wisdom.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
I will keep my mind open to interpretations and let God guide me to his true wisdom.
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Elijah2
No weapons formed against me will prosper.
It’s sad, but in the Body of Christ there are many super-religion people who want to be seen as being holy, and at prayer meetings is one way of them being seen and get attention, and be noticed. All this indicates that their real audience isn’t our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now most of us can see through the self-righteousness act, but the real essence of prayer is not really public expression, but private communication with our Lord Jesus Christ, in our secret place.
Some seem to get involved in a mantra type of prayer, which has infiltrated the Church by allowing other religion practices to come into the Church. They repeat there prayer over and over again as if it is a magical incantation.
It’s not wrong coming to our Lord Jesus Christ with the same request, over and over again, because HE encourages persistent prayer.
We can never pray too much if our prayers are honest and sincere.
But, before you pray, I always believe that you need to get yourself right with HIM first, and to make sure you mean what you say.
Now most of us can see through the self-righteousness act, but the real essence of prayer is not really public expression, but private communication with our Lord Jesus Christ, in our secret place.
Some seem to get involved in a mantra type of prayer, which has infiltrated the Church by allowing other religion practices to come into the Church. They repeat there prayer over and over again as if it is a magical incantation.
It’s not wrong coming to our Lord Jesus Christ with the same request, over and over again, because HE encourages persistent prayer.
We can never pray too much if our prayers are honest and sincere.
But, before you pray, I always believe that you need to get yourself right with HIM first, and to make sure you mean what you say.
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The verses you're asking about deal historically with the people who wanted to be "seen" as being holy and religious. They wanted people to praise them for what they do for their god and how they pray to him. From what I read on this, the "repititious" part was them repeating a bunch of gibberish along with real words and calling on a bunch of names (it speaks of heathens here) because they're searching for the right "god" who might hear them.
Now, I've heard people try to use this verse to get out of saying the Lord's Prayer in worship services because they're afraid of being "repititious" from week to week. But these verses ARE NOT saying that at all! The Lord's Prayer when considered properly is the absolute best prayer of all. When you break it down, it covers everything we could possibly think of to pray to our triune God.
Now, I've heard people try to use this verse to get out of saying the Lord's Prayer in worship services because they're afraid of being "repititious" from week to week. But these verses ARE NOT saying that at all! The Lord's Prayer when considered properly is the absolute best prayer of all. When you break it down, it covers everything we could possibly think of to pray to our triune God.
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Macca
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Vert good. A little addition:
"Go into your closet" is when a Jew would cover his face and head with his prayer shawl and pray; so as I understand it is not saying to go into a closet, it is simply saying separate yourself from the outside world and pray.
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TheGuide
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“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
So that you may hear the Lord, do this. Pray "Lord God, I ask that you give me understanding as I read Your word," then read out loud to yourself the Gospel of John, be it a quarter chapter at a time, a half chapter at a time or a while chapter. Each time before you read. Remember, each time pray to God for understanding.
Now, so that you will initially know what you are reading, John is a good chapter to learn about the true nature of Jesus:
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (This will be the Word you read in the Bible. God’s word is a living entity, so to hear it-- even if it is you saying it--is important.)
John 1:2
The same was in the beginning with God. (The same is Jesus.)
John 1:3
All things were made by him. (By the Lord God.)
John 1:4
In him was life: and the life was the light of men. (The Lord God is the light of man.)
John 1:10
He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (In the world made by him? Jesus and God are of One body.)
John 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (The Jews)
John 1:12
But to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (Praise God!, because he was no longer only God to the Jews but to the Gentiles, as well. To all who believe on his name.)
Now John 1:12 is extremely interesting. When I was a child I was told that all people are brothers and sisters in God’s eyes. If this were true, then why would Jesus come to earth to give us power to become something that we already were?
Sometimes, people can’t receive the word of God because they’ve heard bad teachings that didn’t agree with their spirit. Bad teaching about God, though innocently shared, can give a person pause in seeking out God. Which is why our research should be an individual responsibility so that we may find the truth.
So that you may hear the Lord, do this. Pray "Lord God, I ask that you give me understanding as I read Your word," then read out loud to yourself the Gospel of John, be it a quarter chapter at a time, a half chapter at a time or a while chapter. Each time before you read. Remember, each time pray to God for understanding.
Now, so that you will initially know what you are reading, John is a good chapter to learn about the true nature of Jesus:
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (This will be the Word you read in the Bible. God’s word is a living entity, so to hear it-- even if it is you saying it--is important.)
John 1:2
The same was in the beginning with God. (The same is Jesus.)
John 1:3
All things were made by him. (By the Lord God.)
John 1:4
In him was life: and the life was the light of men. (The Lord God is the light of man.)
John 1:10
He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (In the world made by him? Jesus and God are of One body.)
John 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (The Jews)
John 1:12
But to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (Praise God!, because he was no longer only God to the Jews but to the Gentiles, as well. To all who believe on his name.)
Now John 1:12 is extremely interesting. When I was a child I was told that all people are brothers and sisters in God’s eyes. If this were true, then why would Jesus come to earth to give us power to become something that we already were?
Sometimes, people can’t receive the word of God because they’ve heard bad teachings that didn’t agree with their spirit. Bad teaching about God, though innocently shared, can give a person pause in seeking out God. Which is why our research should be an individual responsibility so that we may find the truth.
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Chosen2b, since the original question was about discerning between differing interpretations, what interpretation do you have of this passage that you found to be different from what others have?
You are asking a very important question. Anyone can form their own opinions and interpret things however they want. That's why there are so many different "christian" organizations, so of which have formed their own twisted interpretation of the Bible and made new religions of them. Interpretation is more than just forming a personal opinion of what the Word says.
Any kind of interpretation, not just the Bible, is about figuring out what the author meant to say. For the Bible, it's God's Words spoken through different people. So you have to make sure the interpretation is coming from God. The concrete evidences we have to do that is prayer, other Scripture from the Bible, our experiences and those of other Christians, and other Christians who have also studied the passage in question.
But you not only need to know and understand the mindset of God, his qualities, personality and characteristics, essentially his very being, you also need to understand the perspective of the human writer--what his life was like, his charactistics and the time, history and culture in which he lived.
It's definitely not an exact science and there are no magic forumlas where everyone will agree on a single interpretation. But if you trust the source of those who have come before you, you can gauge your interprations to what they discovered. And in all, do it in prayerfully.
You are asking a very important question. Anyone can form their own opinions and interpret things however they want. That's why there are so many different "christian" organizations, so of which have formed their own twisted interpretation of the Bible and made new religions of them. Interpretation is more than just forming a personal opinion of what the Word says.
Any kind of interpretation, not just the Bible, is about figuring out what the author meant to say. For the Bible, it's God's Words spoken through different people. So you have to make sure the interpretation is coming from God. The concrete evidences we have to do that is prayer, other Scripture from the Bible, our experiences and those of other Christians, and other Christians who have also studied the passage in question.
But you not only need to know and understand the mindset of God, his qualities, personality and characteristics, essentially his very being, you also need to understand the perspective of the human writer--what his life was like, his charactistics and the time, history and culture in which he lived.
It's definitely not an exact science and there are no magic forumlas where everyone will agree on a single interpretation. But if you trust the source of those who have come before you, you can gauge your interprations to what they discovered. And in all, do it in prayerfully.
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chosen2b--
The bible interprets itself when you really start getting into it. I don't mean to confuse you even more. I would get a study bible.
And Matthew 6:
Jesus was saying that there are those "religious type" people who pray outloud to be noticed. They want people to watch them pray and say to themselves - wow, look at them arn't they "holy". Thus, these people are praying in the flesh; not in the Holy Spirit.
We should pray in a humble way that glorifys God and with the Spirit - not in the flesh like your on stage.
The bible interprets itself when you really start getting into it. I don't mean to confuse you even more. I would get a study bible.
And Matthew 6:
Jesus was saying that there are those "religious type" people who pray outloud to be noticed. They want people to watch them pray and say to themselves - wow, look at them arn't they "holy". Thus, these people are praying in the flesh; not in the Holy Spirit.
We should pray in a humble way that glorifys God and with the Spirit - not in the flesh like your on stage.
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