Is praying in public against a direct command from Jesus? Does this also include church and public meals?

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Roger316 said:
Yes — the setting is the gathered worship of the church, and the specific activity Paul is addressing in 1 Corinthians 11:1–17 is men and women praying and prophesying in the assembly. That is the immediate context of the head‑covering discussion.
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Being lead in corporate prayer is not the issue. There are many examples of corporate prayer. What's being discussed, is someone who prays publicly in a restaurant, or makes a big stink in school or the guy who just opens up in the of service/after a song or maybe on his way out of the building.. Maybe He's the guy who wants to put his hands on everyone and prays for them.
Roger316 said:
Jesus and Paul have opened wide the door for women to participate in the gathered church—praying, prophesying, and exercising Spirit‑given gifts.
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Irrelevant. The discussion is about praying in public.
Roger316 said:
The Corinthians wrote to Paul because this new freedom created a cultural tension. When men prayed, they removed their head coverings as a sign of honor toward God. But in Corinthian society, if a woman removed her head covering in public, it signaled sexual impropriety and brought shame upon her husband.

So the question arises: Should a woman remove her covering to imitate the men and show honor to God, even though doing so would disgrace her husband? Or should she keep her covering and risk appearing to dishonor God?

Paul resolves the dilemma by reframing the issue. He argues that when a woman prays or prophesies, she should keep her head covering, because honoring her husband within the creational order is itself an act of honoring God. The covering is not a symbol of inferiority but a culturally intelligible sign of respect for the relational structure God established. Thus, her participation in worship remains fully affirmed, and her public demeanor communicates honor both to her husband and to the Lord.
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???
 
OMC said:
I believe you can pray anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. While we can’t judge the sincerity of others in these moments, God can. He knows whether a prayer comes from the heart or is simply for show.
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Yes you can pray anywhere. Jesus never said it is a sin. He said the reward for your public prayer is the adoration you get from others who think you to be a holy man.

So again, if you have no problem with your prayer only going as far as your voice will take it, then pray as you will.

How ever if you want God to answer your prayers, Then i would follow Jesus' directive to pray in secrete so then your Father will reward you publicly
 
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Drich said:
Yes you can pray anywhere. Jesus never said it is a sin. He said the reward for your public prayer is the adoration you get from others who think you to be a holy man
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If their heart is doing that then yes, but I cant tell that from the outward appearance.
 
Watchman22 said:
I do think there is a difference between Jesus telling us "when YOU pray" , and when He prays.
So to try and sell the notion that we can pray aloud because Jesus might have, not comparing apples to apples.
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When Jesus prayed in the 6 examples given, it was to demonstrate that He was sent from God, which is why He could perform the miracles He was able to perform.

So there is a difference between When Jesus prayed publicly, and when He gives the directive "when you pray. " Unless you want to claim that like Jesus you are sent by the Father. Thus putting yourself on par with Jesus.
 
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CS1 said:
yes
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Then why didn't Jesus make an accommodation for those who pray publicly without the intention of looking holy? Why is there only one possible way that He gives us to pray?

Meaning He does not say if you pray with good intentions you may stay and pray publicly. Why was His resolution to not pray like a hypocrite to "go to your room and close the door and pray to your Father in secrete?"

Where is the special provision that allows people with good intentions to pray publicly if you can in-fact pray publicly and not pray as the hypocrite does..

Side question, do you think all hypocrites think/know that they are hypocrites?
 
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OMC said:
What we are most concerned with, it seems is the appearance of evil, performance, when we pray in front of others.
Public prayer avoids the appearance of performance only when the speaker refuses to pray to the room.
Jesus’ command in Matthew 6 targets motive, not volume:
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Then why is the resolution the same for the hypocrite and for the one who has good intentions? i ask this because no matter what your intentions are there is no command for the one with good intentions to stay and pray publicly, while the one who was looking for praise was told to go to his room. Both where told to go to their room and pray in secrete..
 
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Drich said:
Then why is the resolution the same for the hypocrite and for the one who has good intentions? i ask this because no matter what your intentions are there is no command for the one with good intentions to stay and pray publicly, while the one who was looking for praise was told to go to his room. Both where told to go to their room and pray in secrete..
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We do understand going into your room or closet, is talking about within ourselves, right?
 
Drich said:
Then why is the resolution the same for the hypocrite and for the one who has good intentions? i ask this because no matter what your intentions are there is no command for the one with good intentions to stay and pray publicly, while the one who was looking for praise was told to go to his room. Both where told to go to their room and pray in secrete..
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The difference is when the speaker refuses to pray for show. A hypocrite prays to impress the room, while a heartfelt prayer is directed to God. You’ll recognize the difference when you hear it.
 
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Watchman22 said:
We do understand going into your room or closet, is talking about within ourselves, right?
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lol, what makes you think Jesus is talking about going into s psychological head space (A relatively new concept) when He says: 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

To whom was He speaking/Who could have possible understood Him in that time as referring to a mental state and not a physical room?

Are you saying Jesus in the sermon on the mount spoke in metaphor forsaking 1800 years of followers to speak to these last few generations using a term that only we could understand?? Didn't Freud speaking of dreams say sometimes a rose is just a rose? Or in this case a room is just a room?
 
Drich said:
Jesus Didn't seem to think so. Remember in mat 6 He says 'do not pray like the hypocrites do.' (Publicly)
His remedy wasn't to have us search ourselves, and if we had pure intentions we could pray in public. No, His fix for this problem was to tell everyone to take themselves out of the public space and to go into their room/closet close the door and pray to your Father in private.

Then your Father seeing what you have done in private will openly reward you publicly.

Again, No where is a path given to pray to God publicly.

Not only that in chapter 6, Jesus also tells us to Fast and give to the poor in secrete. Why would He in chapter 6's over lapping message to do your works in secrete, then change this message for those who want to pray openly? Doesn't it make more sense to keep the whole 'pray, give and fast in secrete' a consistent message, rather than teach give, and fast in secrete, but pray in public/let everyone know who and what you are praying for, so long as you check the condition of your heart first?

So why didn't Jesus say, if your heart is pure stay and pray publicly? Why did He command that all still go to their room and pray in secrete?





So Praying in earnest means nothing if your ideologies are false?

If this is the case then why would praying to Jesus means something, if Jesus is on record saying if you pray this way, you have all the reward you are ever going to get? But if you pray in secrete, Your Father will reward you publicly?
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I don't think Jesus is rejecting all public prayer is he? Just don't do it like the Pharisees who were play-acting at righteousness. If I dress up in a Policeman's uniform for Halloween, does that make me a police officer? Not really. Jesus is critical of the Pharisees who were putting on the uniform and doing what the crowds thought was righteous, but did that make them righteous? Not really.
 
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Drich said:
Being lead in corporate prayer is not the issue. There are many examples of corporate prayer. What's being discussed, is someone who prays publicly in a restaurant, or makes a big stink in school or the guy who just opens up in the of service/after a song or maybe on his way out of the building.. Maybe He's the guy who wants to put his hands on everyone and prays for them.

Irrelevant. The discussion is about praying in public.

???
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Paul is talking about praying in public.
 
OMC said:
The difference is when the speaker refuses to pray for show. A hypocrite prays to impress the room, while a heartfelt prayer is directed to God. You’ll recognize the difference when you hear it.
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You're making my point for me.

I asked is it possible to pray publicly and not pray as a hypocrite?

Jesus gave us the directive to not pray in a public setting, but to pray in private. With this directive in mind how then can one claim to be anything other than a hypocrite if he can not hold his tongue and follow Jesus' teaching?

Jesus never gives us a situation where a person who wants to make a heart felt prayer can do so. The only resolution given was to go to your room and pray. He is saying do not be like the hypocrite who prays openly, go to your room and pray! Eg, praying privatly is the only scenerio that your prayers are heard/answered.
 
Drich said:
lol, what makes you think Jesus is talking about going into s psychological head space (A relatively new concept) when He says: 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

To whom was He speaking/Who could have possible understood Him in that time as referring to a mental state and not a physical room?

Are you saying Jesus in the sermon on the mount spoke in metaphor forsaking 1800 years of followers to speak to these last few generations using a term that only we could understand?? Didn't Freud speaking of dreams say sometimes a rose is just a rose? Or in this case a room is just a room?
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I'm thinking it could be both, depending on the situation. We pray without ceasing, hard to drag a room with you every minute of the day.
 
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Drich said:
lol, what makes you think Jesus is talking about going into s psychological head space (A relatively new concept) when He says: 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

To whom was He speaking/Who could have possible understood Him in that time as referring to a mental state and not a physical room?

Are you saying Jesus in the sermon on the mount spoke in metaphor forsaking 1800 years of followers to speak to these last few generations using a term that only we could understand?? Didn't Freud speaking of dreams say sometimes a rose is just a rose? Or in this case a room is just a room?
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We're talking about the mind of Christ here.

Good chance the room is being used as a metaphor.

This isn't a deal breaker is it?
 
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OMC said:
got to have a reference on that please
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I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't respond to my posts. I put you in the cornfield with the other dishonest reporters.

You can redeem yourself, backhanded emojis aren't the way to do that.
 
Watchman22 said:
I'm thinking it could be both, depending on the situation. We pray without ceasing, hard to drag a room with you every minute of the day.
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praying is generally a private affair between you and GOD unless its among friends in a closed off space like the apostles did or within a church group. as for praying without ceasing I do it almost continually now but all os us must do so now because of the state of the world in these end times we are in dire need of God's help but I am not afraid, God is with his believers and will watch over us.
 
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Watchman22 said:
I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't respond to my posts. I put you in the cornfield with the other dishonest reporters.

You can redeem yourself, backhanded emojis aren't the way to do that.
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Wow, the mind of Christ then you say?
 
2Christ said:
praying is generally a private affair between you and GOD unless its among friends in a closed off space like the apostles did or within a church group. as for praying without ceasing I do it almost continually now but all os us must do so now because of the state of the world in these end times we are in dire need of God's help but I am not afraid, God is with his believers and will watch over us.
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I think it's even more important in a group to be praying within ourselves, not audibly. I think that is the way they prayed in Jesus's day, not c audibly.

Where two or more are gathered He is there also. His presence would be perfect, with our mouths shut.
 
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