Public displays of spirituality

[1still_waters]

Which stuff does this apply to?

Matthew 6.

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 

[kayem77]

I have wondered the same thing because I think that sometimes it IS necessary to do things in front of others, but not with a boastful heart, but with a sincere and honest wish to serve the Lord, and maybe to be a witness to others. An example that comes to my mind is when the Lord tells you to pray for someone in that very moment, even if you are in a public place; or when a church is known to give to the poor because it is supposed to show mercy and love.

I think there is a difference between boasting about righteousness and actually bearing fruit. Bearing fruit is something that you can see, and it shouldn't be hidden and most importantly, it is FROM the Lord. Boasting about your righteousnes in the other hand is all about self-glory and comes from a different spirit, which is not of God because it's selfish.

By the way something that I just nocited by re-reading those verses(specifically the bold letters):

Which stuff does this apply to?

Matthew 6.

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

They say they do it TO BE SEEN by others, so it's actually declaring what the intention of their hearts is. And then it says that they are hypocrites, a hypocrite is someone who does something contrary to their beliefs, so for starters,they didn't have a real faith leading me to think that they didnt really wanted to please the Lord. I don't even know if that's important but I just noticed haha.

 

[NoahsMom]

AMEN!!! you are SPOT ON kayem77.