Does your Congregation burn incense during worship

[laconicstudent]

And just so you know, there is a reason why I don't bother bashing the way your church worship and I keep steering you to read the scripture and I imploy you to do so with an open heart, because I believe the scripture is the best way of correction. Because it's obvious whatever I say, you'll find fault in it but if you read the scripture, you'll see it.

But then why are there so many groups that all believe in Sola Scriptura, and yet all believe different things?

 

[Rocky1960]

Does that mean that you consider incense during worship wrong? Becuase the book of Revelation shows the heavenly people using incense:

1. Revelation 5:8
   When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
   Revelation 5:7-9 (in Context) Revelation 5 (Whole Chapter)
2. Revelation 8:3
   Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
   Revelation 8:2-4 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)
3. Revelation 8:4
   And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.
   Revelation 8:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)

I would think that they would know what they are doing in heaven.

And read it again, does it say "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

Wait....are those "incense" prayers of the saints? I'm not so sure if those incense the same as we think they are.

I just had a post-coffee flash, two of them in fact:

I thought I read some members insisting that heavenly people do not hear the prayers of the saints. Yet here we see "elders" receiving these incense/prayers.

I also saw a poll where many members said that heavenly people are sleeping. How can sleeping people receive the prayers of the saints?

I suppose that is not the point of this thread though, but I could not help quickly documenting my thoughts here.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

I just had a post-coffee flash, two of them in fact:

I thought I read some members insisting that heavenly people do not hear the prayers of the saints. Yet here we see "elders" receiving these incense/prayers.

I also saw a poll where many members said that heavenly people are sleeping. How can sleeping people receive the prayers of the saints?

I suppose that is not the point of this thread though, but I could not help quickly documenting my thoughts here.

Things revealed.

Forgive me...

 

[Macarius]

And just so you know, there is a reason why I don't bother bashing the way your church worship and I keep steering you to read the scripture and I imploy you to do so with an open heart, because I believe the scripture is the best way of correction. Because it's obvious whatever I say, you'll find fault in it but if you read the scripture, you'll see it.

Right back at you.

If you'd just read the Scripture with an open heart and with the eye of faith, you'd see that the use of incense is perfectly fine as part of the worship of God.

I guess, since you don't, that must mean you haven't read the Scriptures with an open heart or the eye of faith.

[/tu-quoque falacy]

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

But then why are there so many groups that all believe in Sola Scriptura, and yet all believe different things?

If I had just a penny for everytime that was brought up by the EOs and RCs........

 

[Rocky1960]

But then why are there so many groups that all believe in Sola Scriptura, and yet all believe different things?

I have noticed this to be an ever more repeated question. It certainly bears closer examination. I am becoming more curious about this myself in fact.

 

[Macarius]

I have noticed this to be an ever more repeated question. It certainly bears closer examination. I am becoming more curious about this myself in fact.

It serves as an evidential-defeater for a few of the more simplistic protestant perspectives on Scripture.

For eample, for those who say "Scripture is clear" this serves as a response (if it were clear, people would not disagree as wildly as they do on so many issues).

For those who say "the Holy Spirit guides our interpretation" they must either, by this evident disagreement, have a very very narrow view of the Holy Spirit (as working exclusively in their heart and not in any of those to whom they speak) OR accept that the Holy Spirit contradicts Himself a lot.

So yeah, it gets repeated, because those were two of the most common arguments against church authority / tradition used during the Reformation. They are simplistic, but common enough that the observation of Protestant disagreement is still appropriate.

The frustration sets in, I think, when it is used against Protestants who aren't forwarding one of the two above views. In that case, it is being used as a strawman and is rightly decried in that role (as strawman arguments persaude no one and frustrate everyone).