The Unadorned Church - Plain And Simple

[Terri]

Terri. do you have a Cite to support your Scriptural quote is speaking that oranate churches are for the boasting of man ? All the ornate churches I have seen boast of Christ and the Gospel, maybe that is just me

I feel the ornate churches would fit under the category of "the lust of the eyes" as described in 1JN 2:15.

That's LUST OF THE EYES! How you can misrepresent such a clear statement is quite amazing to me.



1JN 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

 

[Photini]

1JN 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

I have a quick question. Is it the gold itself that causes the lust of the eyes, or the impurity in the heart?

 

[Oblio]

That's LUST OF THE EYES! How you can misrepresent such a clear statement is quite amazing to me

Please notice the and in the Scripture you quoted. I think St. John the Theologian put the two phrases together for a reason.

Even so, why do you feel that images that help us to lift up our hearts unto the Lord are for the lust of our eyes when all of our theology and praxis says otherwise ? If you are calling the praxis of our faith a sin (i.e. Lust) I think it is only fair to know why you think so, Scripture had not given us evidence of such reason.

 

[Godzman]

well, I think it is good, to not even have a chance in your life to idolize something, that would be walking in holiness

Sometimes we can lift up people in the church more then Jesus himself

 

[Lotar]

Didn't we just have an arguement on this subject a few weeks ago? I'm pretty sure I have a few bad reps from it.

 

[Photini]

well, I think it is good, to not even have a chance in your life to idolize something, that would be walking in holiness

Sometimes we can lift up people in the church more then Jesus himself

But we realise that the tendancy to idolise a person or object or even an idea, is OUR problem. There is something lurking in our heart that tempts us to do this. When you struggle against these passions and examine the heart, and by the grace of God overcome them, then they are no longer a stumbling block. Everything on this earth was given to us as a gift and blessing from God. It is a good thing to offer these blessings back to Him.
Gold and silver are not evil, it is our sinful attitudes and passions that are evil. These are what we should be banishing from our hearts....

 

[Lanakila]

*Mod Hat On* I just read through the forum specific rules again. I suggest that the members posting in this thread do the same. *Mod Hat Off*
http://www.christianforums.com/t34458

 

[Photini]

Isn't the top right an Orthodox church?

Yes it appears to be one. Here's some others:
(I hope it wasn't me who violated any rules. If so, I humbly prostrate myself.)

Two of the pics (the first and the third) are churches within monasteries. The third one is of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos.

 

[KristiXP]

I love going to plain churches, because they are less physically and mentally distracting to me, I can concentrate on worship and learning!

I agree. I am there to worship God, and to focus on Him. A lot of decorations, I think, would distract me.

I don't disagree with adorning your Church with a lot of decoration, to each his own. It's just not my preference.