Holiness VS Worldliness

[SaintJoeNow]

I am sorry friend if you found offense by me saying the whole thread seemed silly and the op is misguide i certainly did not mean any offense, so if I have offend you please forgive me i certainly meant no offense.

You are telling me to comment on a book(Exodus) and then you say I can only look at these pages. Well you can not comment or get the context of a whole book by looking at one page. You keep saying I am not answering you but I am I just am not giving you the answer you want to hear.

Why should I comment on Peter when you are not understanding My first comment, do you think you will understand my second? Lets look at Peter sense it goes back to what I said.
1 Peter 1:13 NLT
13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

What the passage speak of is Having Faith in Jesus, something again the Jews of that generation did not have. It is by Faith we prepare our minds and by Faith we have self control. Namely Faith in Jesus. The whole Bible is about Faith. I don't know why you keep denying this.

So I am sorry I don't think we can discuss anything as you want me to look at one page and nothing else. I am leery of any one who preaches but tells me i can not look at anything else other than what they allow me to. This is not how God works.

So I am sorry you did not understand and we could not have a fruitful discussion. i wish you the best in your studies.

Praying for you.
blu

Thank you. very much. I'm too tired now, getting sleepy, I really appreciate this last post and am sorry I'm too tired to focus and give a good reply now. I do covet your prayers, it's far too easy for me to go backwards and slide back. I'm trying to keep myself going forward toward God more than I am trying to correct anybody. Maybe I'm not good enough to encourage you, but that's all I want to do...to be encouraged in faith, to encourage others, and to try be a lighthouse for God so lost people around me might see His love and their need of His mercy...and maybe I can have the honor of telling them the gospel and helping them to pray to know God and receive the Savior.

 

[brinny]

*subscribing*

 

[SaintJoeNow]

I am sorry friend if you found offense by me saying the whole thread seemed silly and the op is misguide i certainly did not mean any offense, so if I have offend you please forgive me i certainly meant no offense.

You are telling me to comment on a book(Exodus) and then you say I can only look at these pages. Well you can not comment or get the context of a whole book by looking at one page. You keep saying I am not answering you but I am I just am not giving you the answer you want to hear.

Why should I comment on Peter when you are not understanding My first comment, do you think you will understand my second? Lets look at Peter sense it goes back to what I said.
1 Peter 1:13 NLT
13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

What the passage speak of is Having Faith in Jesus, something again the Jews of that generation did not have. It is by Faith we prepare our minds and by Faith we have self control. Namely Faith in Jesus. The whole Bible is about Faith. I don't know why you keep denying this.

So I am sorry I don't think we can discuss anything as you want me to look at one page and nothing else. I am leery of any one who preaches but tells me i can not look at anything else other than what they allow me to. This is not how God works.

So I am sorry you did not understand and we could not have a fruitful discussion. i wish you the best in your studies.

Praying for you.
blu

Again, thank you for all of your efforts to have a fruitful discussion. By your desire for fruitfulness to honor the Lord's working in your life and giving your talents and attentions to serve Him, I am encouraged to do the same.
It was not my intention to draw a dividing line between believers with this thread, or to try to tell anybody what they should or should not do. My intention is to focus on the Lord as He reveals Himself and His will for His children in His Word. Yes, brother, I can agree with you that lack of faith is how a person allows themselves to slide or fall into unfruitful or ungodly behavior. I think you can agree with me that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of god." (Rom 10:17) To grow in grace and in knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, we seek to know Him by His word. His word is truth.

I simply find it beautiful, compelling, wonderful, how Peter put it so plainly, telling us briefly in a powerful understatement things we can do to obey God and be holy as God commanded us to be. I don't mean to imply that I am holier than you if we don't understand each other in this discussion. The point is this: the Bible tells me things I can actually do now, and commands me to do those things, so that I can be at least as holy as I was yesterday and maybe even more so. Bringing this in line with your comments on how the Israelites in Exodus 32 lacked faith, I can agree that their lack of faith or misguided faith allowed them to permit themselves to act in unholy ways which were entirely opposite to the encouragements Peter gave in 1 Pet 1:13-17.

I absolutely agree that it is a lack of faith in which people are doing unholy things, it is a lack of faith in which people are indulging in things of the world which John described as "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life".

For the purpose of discussion relating to the OP, I am calling the behavior of the Israelites in Exodus 32 ungodly, unholy, and worldly. Moses was being holy in obedience to God while the Israelites were being worldly in ungodly unholiness. They had decided to invent a fake faith in an idol after they rejected the faith of God. The powerful way Peter put it in 1 Pet 1:13-17, that we should gird up the loins of our mind. implying constant effort toward strengthening ourselves in faith, with language akin to a soldier preparing himself for battle, and be sober (or serious), acting in ways opposite to how the Israelites were acting in Exodus 32 which would be what Peter said in verse 14 we should not do "as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance". Your comments about the lack of faith fit like a glove here when Peter advised against doing things in lack of faith, so we are commanded to be holy (verse15) in all manner of conversation which means in everything we say, think, and do. We can do this. Some do it better than others, that's why Moses' face glowed with the glory of God strongly for a while, and my face might glow for a moment or two here or there, but nobody has of yet felt the need to put a veil over my face because the glory of God shining in me was too bright like it was on Moses' face. I want to be like Moses who was being like Jesus in that He was obeying God. Ultimately I want to be like Jesus and I know I will be like Him and then will never again be disobedient in even the tiniest way, and then my face will be glowing with the glory of God for His honor forever....and I look forward to seeing you there so we can talk about everything...not enough time down here, brother...so short.....so many people dying as they are skating on the thin ice melting over the fire of Hell all around us. It's time to fear God now, and obey Him now, it's not time to fight amongst the brethren.

I do covet your prayers and pray for you also. Thank you.

 

[now faith]

Here is Matthew Henry's commentary on 1st peter vs 13 -16.
As the traveller, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in their business, so let Christians do by their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behaviour. Be sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves. A strong and perfect trust in the grace of God, is agreeable with best endeavours in our duty. Holiness is the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition, and towards all people. We must especially watch and pray against the sins to which we are inclined. The written word of God is the surest rule of a Christian's life, and by this rule we are commanded to be holy every way. God makes those holy whom he saves.


Salvation has made us Holy sons of God,unlike the Children of Israel,who had the law to keep their lives sanctified.

We can not become more holy than we are in Christ already.

Henry's commentary is teaching sanctification and his ending statement he gives the glory to God for making us Holy in salvation.

Christ fulfilled the law by becoming a cursed for us:


Galatians: 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

 

[Avid]

Here is Matthew Henry's commentary on 1st peter vs 13 -16...


Salvation has made us Holy sons of God,unlike the Children of Israel,who had the law to keep their lives sanctified.

We can not become more holy than we are in Christ already.

Henry's commentary is teaching sanctification and his ending statement he gives the glory to God for making us Holy in salvation.

Christ fulfilled the law by becoming a cursed for us:


Galatians: 3. 13-19...

What you are saying is true. The problem in our modern Churches is how people claim or "Profess" Christianity, without that work in their hearts. Thus you have people who think, when they go to Heaven, they will be fishing all day long, because that is what they enjoyed here.

We have people who are like this who become legalistic, because that is all they know. We have people like this who become Libertines, because they think God freed them so they could do as they please here, in this life.

Romans 6
1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
​

Let us seek the right way to live, that we may be a beacon, a testimony and a conviction to all around us.

Our liberty is to live without fear of God's judgment for what we do, because He is directing us, and teaching us. We should fear the chastisement of refusing to learn those lessons, because we have, but one lifetime here, and need to be doing God's will while here.

Let us walk before the LORD, and not before men. Let us do what is right, and ever be learning BETTER how to live right before the LORD.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

Here is Matthew Henry's commentary on 1st peter vs 13 -16.
As the traveller, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in their business, so let Christians do by their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behaviour. Be sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves. A strong and perfect trust in the grace of God, is agreeable with best endeavours in our duty. Holiness is the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition, and towards all people. We must especially watch and pray against the sins to which we are inclined. The written word of God is the surest rule of a Christian's life, and by this rule we are commanded to be holy every way. God makes those holy whom he saves.


Salvation has made us Holy sons of God,unlike the Children of Israel,who had the law to keep their lives sanctified.

We can not become more holy than we are in Christ already.

Henry's commentary is teaching sanctification and his ending statement he gives the glory to God for making us Holy in salvation.

Christ fulfilled the law by becoming a cursed for us:


Galatians: 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Good post. We are in agreement much more than in disagreement.
I agree one hundred percent that we cannot be more holy than we are in Christ already, as He made us holy when we were saved. We can easily be less holy by acting like we are not holy. In the commentary given my Henry Matthew, he is describing how a person acts when they are holy, things they need to be doing. As Peter said in 1 Pet 1:14-15, we should be doing the things in verse 13 and "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. We practice holiness as something we do, we abstain from worldliness by "not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts".

A great modern gospel song I heard recently, a somewhat obscure family performing, said "the things I used to do, I don't do them anymore". To be holy is something we do and to not be worldly we avoid doing things that are not holy.


If you don't act holy, you are not being holy. If you act worldly, you are not being holy. if we look at a worldly duck (how about Howard the Duck, or that hockey team, "the Mighty Ducks"...or Walt Disney's Daffy and Daisy Duck...now there's a bunch of worldly ducks...and what was the one who was Bug's Bunny's buddy? I might be getting some mixed up) , and I walk like a worldly duck, and quack or sing like a worldly duck, and talk like a worldly duck, and look like a worldly duck, how in the world can I expect anybody to believe I am a holy duck?

God wants us to act holy in everything we say, think, imagine and do, and we can do it. We can be what we are, we can act like we are what we are, and there is no excuse for not doing it....no excuse God will buy, anyways. Of course we excuse ourselves sometimes, but that doesn't mean we are excused. We can be holy, and we can be worldly but we cannot be both at the same time.

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. If the things I'm saying here bother you, I'm sorry for that because I can't change my position on the issues as I find it entirely Biblical. I don't mean to step on your toes. If you feel bothered, maybe God is trying to bother you about some things in your life. I assume you are living a godly life and there is nothing you need to change and everything is wonderful.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

edited, having too much fun after using the worldly duck VS holy duck illustration.

 

[twin1954]

Let us seek the right way to live, that we may be a beacon, a testimony and a conviction to all around us.

The world didn't see Christ in Christ. Do we really think they are going to see Him in us?

 

[brinny]

Let us seek the right way to live, that we may be a beacon, a testimony and a conviction to all around us.

The world didn't see Christ in Christ. Do we really think they are going to see Him in us?

Interesting thoughts on that brother, yet we are promised that indeed, HE would be seen shining through us. Would you care to elaborate on your response, brother in Christ and beloved son of the Most High God?

Thank you kindly.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

Do you think Donald Duck, Daffy Duck, Daisy Duck, The Mighty Ducks...and don't forget Howard the Duck.......were worldy or were they holy?

If we talk like the worldly ducks, and walk like the worldly ducks, and quack like the worldly ducks, and hang around with worldly ducks going to all their worldly places and doing their worldly things and singing their worldly songs, and we claim to be Christians, how in the world can we expect anybody to believe we are nothing but hippo critters when there is nothing holy about our behavior while we waddle around like worldly ducks?

That is what this thread is about, worldliness VS holiness.

Please stay on topic.

 

[twin1954]

Interesting thoughts on that brother, yet we are promised that indeed, HE would be seen shining through us. Would you care to elaborate on your response, brother in Christ and beloved son of the Most High God?

Thank you kindly.

Remind me where we are told that the world will see Christ in us.

 

[twin1954]

Do you think Donald Duck, Daffy Duck, Daisy Duck, The Mighty Ducks...and don't forget Howard the Duck.......were worldy or were they holy?

If we talk like the worldly ducks, and walk like the worldly ducks, and quack like the worldly ducks, and hang around with worldly ducks going to all their worldly places and doing their worldly things and singing their worldly songs, and we claim to be Christians, how in the world can we expect anybody to believe we are nothing but hippo critters when there is nothing holy about our behavior while we waddle around like worldly ducks?

That is what this thread is about, worldliness VS holiness.

Please stay on topic.

Some of the reasons given for holiness in this thread is that we might be a conviction to the world. My comment was to that premise and is on topic.

Christ strictly forbid us to do anything to be seen of men.

Mat_6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat_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.
Mat_23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,


Certainly we are to be witnesses to men but that doesn't mean that they will see it. More than that our witness is never to be a show it is to be a sincere and honest declaration of Christ by the Gospel.

Christ forbid praying in restaurants:

(Mat 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.

(Mat 6:6) 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.

We can just as easily pray silently and to ourselves thanking God for His bounty and asking Him to bless it to our bodies. I can think of only one reason why men would clap hands around the table and pry aloud in a restaurant. It is to be seen of men.

Of course nowadays if you don't people think you aren't a "Christian".

 

[brinny]

Let us seek the right way to live, that we may be a beacon, a testimony and a conviction to all around us.

Originally Posted by twin1954 View Post
The world didn't see Christ in Christ. Do we really think they are going to see Him in us?

Interesting thoughts on that brother, yet we are promised that indeed, HE would be seen shining through us. Would you care to elaborate on your response, brother in Christ and beloved son of the Most High God?

Thank you kindly.

Remind me where we are told that the world will see Christ in us.

A couple verses come to mind:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:14-16

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." ~1 John 4:12

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16

In the last verse, what comes to mind for me, is that the "Light" seen, is God shining "through" us (it's HIS Light, not ours), and THAT is WHO is "seen", not "us" and that is why HE is "glorified", because HE is SEEN in "us", for He "abides" in us..

Thank you kindly.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

All that stuff about shining for Jesus is wonderful, folks, but the thread is worldliness VS holiness. Please try to bring the conversation into how worldliness is in contrast with living in a way which allows the Lord's light to shine through us, how the tarnish of the world can dim the glow of holiness.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

People will see what they want to see, but if we are claiming to be a holy duck and we are running around looking like, talking like, walking like, singing like, all of the worldly ducks such as Daffy, Donald, Daisy, Howard, The Mighty Ducks.......they are going to see the same world in us that they see in the worldly ducks. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. As brinny pointed out, nobody lights a candle and hides it under a basket. The Lord does not make us holy by saving us and then hide that holiness by putting us into things that make us look, sound, talk, or think like the worldly ducks. If we go into those things, we are inviting his chastisement and correction, and perhaps severe judgment.

God wants us to be holy and not be worldly. He wants us to live like He owns us and not live like we are trying to get along in a friendly manner with the world. Friendship with the world is enmity with God.

Maybe this is too complicated of a topic. I thought the illustration of the worldly ducks from Hollywood and Disneyland would help to show the contrast between being worldly and being holy.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

A couple verses come to mind:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:14-16

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." ~1 John 4:12

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16

In the last verse, what comes to mind for me, is that the "Light" seen, is God shining "through" us (it's HIS Light, not ours), and THAT is WHO is "seen", not "us" and that is why HE is "glorified", because HE is SEEN in "us", for He "abides" in us..

Thank you kindly.

Good point, God does want us to be vessels through which He shows Himself and speaks to lost people. Maybe they won't see, but maybe they will and we are supposed to keep our focus on Him, be yielded to Him "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven"

If somebody says they couldn't see God in Christ so we can't expect them to see Christ in us, that is correct...but is it an excuse for being lazy and not trying to shine, not trying to remove anything that might tarnish the glow of holiness God desires us to have? When we get to heaven we are going to glow with holiness. There is no excuse for being worldly and not being holy down here. There is no excuse for not shining for Jesus. There is a reason for not shining in holiness, and that reason is sin. Only sin keeps us from shining with holiness, and that sin creeps up on us subtly through the things of the world.......and then we look around and say "wow, nobody can tell the difference between me and Donald Duck, or Howard the Duck, or whoever your favorite worldly duck may be". Then it's time to repent.

 

[now faith]

A couple verses come to mind:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:14-16

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." ~1 John 4:12

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16

In the last verse, what comes to mind for me, is that the "Light" seen, is God shining "through" us (it's HIS Light, not ours), and THAT is WHO is "seen", not "us" and that is why HE is "glorified", because HE is SEEN in "us", for He "abides" in us..

Thank you kindly.

Amen Brinny!

2 Corinthians: 4. 3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

Nobody appreciates my worldly duck VS holy duck illustration? I thought it was so cute. And I forgot all about the Sesame Street Rubber Ducky.

I guess all those memories are going to burn away at the Judgment seat of Christ anyway so I can quit crying that nobody seems to appreciate my humorous and witty illustration of the contrast of worldliness VS holiness...but ya'll do seem to be having a wonderful time discussing being on fire for the Lord to serve Him like a candle lit and placed on a hill. That's wonderful...but the worldly Duck illustraton? Nobody like me? Wahhhh. If Donald Duck were here now, I'd pluck his tail and cook him for dinner. Stupid ducks. Now I'm mad. Duck hunting season will come soon enough I guess. But I'll never be able to find those worldly ducks after I got rid of my television when I got sick of the women always dressing like elite prostitutes in order to gain viewers for the show. My house became a lot holier, a lot cleaner without that devil box shooting demons at me any more. Stupid ducks. Stupid Disney. Stupid TV. Now I'm mad. Joking around folks, trying to live holy, to be holy as commanded to be holy, does not rule out fun. Serving the Lord is a joyful thing.

Thank you for those excellent posts about being a bright light for the Lord. Shine on in the name of the LORD!

Amen and amen.

 

[now faith]

Some of the reasons given for holiness in this thread is that we might be a conviction to the world. My comment was to that premise and is on topic.

Christ strictly forbid us to do anything to be seen of men.

Mat_6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat_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.
Mat_23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,


Certainly we are to be witnesses to men but that doesn't mean that they will see it. More than that our witness is never to be a show it is to be a sincere and honest declaration of Christ by the Gospel.

Christ forbid praying in restaurants:

(Mat 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.

(Mat 6:6) 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.

We can just as easily pray silently and to ourselves thanking God for His bounty and asking Him to bless it to our bodies. I can think of only one reason why men would clap hands around the table and pry aloud in a restaurant. It is to be seen of men.

Of course nowadays if you don't people think you aren't a "Christian".

The prayer closet was a garment that they would pull over their heads.

Our Lord taught us to bless our food,and did it in front of 5000 people.

On the other hand,there are those who pray to be noticed.

How many times have you wished a Deacon would not restate what was preached and just dismiss the service.
or simply bless the offering,and not raramble out a mini sermon.

Christ said not to pray as hypocrites/ actors wanting recognition.

As far as public prayer :

Luke: 12. 8. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.


Blessing the food is our outward expression of thanks be to God,that being said say the blessing and eat.

 

[Avid]

Duplicate post...