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I'm a Christian, but I rarely discuss Christianity with anyone in person, atheists and believers. Sure, I've posted comments here expressing my view in religion, but I just don't discuss it with people in the real world. I keep my religious belief entirely to myself. Believing in God to me is strictly a private and personal matter. I don't believe in holding up my arm and hand in church and making my religious belief a public case. I don't think it will please God in any particular way.
My faith and commitment are between God and me and nobody else. Think John the Baptist guided by God and his Angels wandering the desert alone looking for Jesus, that's the kind of relationship I want with my God, pure and intimate, free from man made rituals and traditions. Don't get me wrong, I love churches, enjoy a good sermon and have tremendous love and respect for the pope, but mass worshiping as a social gathering is just not my thing.
So what kind of relationship you have with God? Private or public?
Last edited by R. Crusoe; 01-09-2014 at 06:00 AM..
I prefer private. I don't like having debates and discussions on God much and after years and years of spiritual searching I feel like the people who tried the hardest to tell me what to believe or tried to convince me of the rightness of their views knew the absolute least of all.
I don't like church anymore. In my late high school/early college years, I couldn't WAIT for sunday so that I could go and hear a good sermon that ALWAYS spoke specifically and directly to what I was dealing with at that time. It was so direct that even my mom would have to tap me and go, "Whoa! You hear that?" Nowadays, whenever I go to church, I feel like it's always about money, power, prosperity, interacting with others, belonging, etc and that's all well and good, but that's not what I'm looking for anymore. That's not what I'm seeking right now and I felt like I was doing myself a disservice by going. Everyone would be rejoicing and cheering and I'd be sitting there like, "This isn't over yet?"
I'm a Christian, but I rarely discuss Christianity with anyone in person, atheists and believers. Sure, I've posted comments here expressing my view in religion, but I just don't discuss it with people in the real world. I keep my religious belief entirely to myself. Believing in God to me is strictly a private and personal matter. I don't believe in holding up my arm and hand in church and making my religious belief a public case. I don't think it will please God in any particular way.
My faith and commitment are between God and me and nobody else. Think John the Baptist guided by God and his Angels wandering the desert alone looking for Jesus, that's the kind of relationship I want with my God, pure and intimate, free from man made rituals and traditions. Don't get me wrong, I love churches, enjoy a good sermon and have tremendous love and respect for the pope, but mass worshiping as a social gathering is just not my thing.
So what kind of relationship you have with God? Private or public?
Do you then not believe in sharing the gospel message with those who are lost and in need of salvation?
And what is your opinion about Hebrews 10:24-25?
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Last edited by Michael Way; 01-09-2014 at 09:38 AM..
Jesus demonstrated and said many things contrary to the 'private faith' position you express, such as: "Confess me before men and I will confess you before the Father in heaven" ... "Go and make disciples of all nations" ... "If I be lifted-up I will draw all men unto me", etc. - He also sent His disciples out to share the Gospel with the world and told us all, "Don't hide your light under a bushel."
Charles Barkley said something similar: "It's impossible to keep discipleship a secret. Either the secret will kill the discipleship ... or the discipleship will reveal itself."
Your choice is certainly your own to make. But, your statement that you do not discuss your faith "with people in the real world" is revealing. What exactly do you consider the ‘real world’ and the ‘not real world?’ Do you believe that the 'real world' is this temporary earth life ... OR is it the Spiritual Kingdom of God (all around and within us) that will last forever? If you are speaking of the lost and dying world all around you, ... then you have a sphere of influence among some of the very people who most need to hear about the life, power and purity that comes through a living faith. (IF you do not tell them, who will?)
By virtue of being a Christian, you ARE already part of a "body of believers." Further, you have been given one or more Spiritual Gifts, that you are intended to use to strengthen the body. Don't be as the servant in the parable of the talents, who 'buried the one talent he had been given and only returned that to the Lord.' I encourage you to rethink your position and make sure that you are not confusing "demonstrative ritual" with a "real" living relationship with our living Lord and Savior. Our Lord has offered you life and the great joy and privilege of having a part in His work on earth. Are you really saying TO HIM, "Let's keep this to ourselves" ?
I prefer private. I don't like having debates and discussions on God much and after years and years of spiritual searching I feel like the people who tried the hardest to tell me what to believe or tried to convince me of the rightness of their views knew the absolute least of all.
I don't like church anymore. In my late high school/early college years, I couldn't WAIT for sunday so that I could go and hear a good sermon that ALWAYS spoke specifically and directly to what I was dealing with at that time. It was so direct that even my mom would have to tap me and go, "Whoa! You hear that?" Nowadays, whenever I go to church, I feel like it's always about money, power, prosperity, interacting with others, belonging, etc and that's all well and good, but that's not what I'm looking for anymore. That's not what I'm seeking right now and I felt like I was doing myself a disservice by going. Everyone would be rejoicing and cheering and I'd be sitting there like, "This isn't over yet?"
So I stopped.
I appreciate what you said about church. You've been very clear abut what today's sermons subject matter that seems irrelevant to you is. When you did enjoy church and sermons that spoke directly to you, what were the topics of these sermons? Thanks for taking the time to respond.
As Senior Pastor of Denton Bible Church, Tom Nelson puts it, "Our relationship with Christ is personal, not private". We are called upon in Scripture to publicly profess our belief, and to be involved in a community with other believers. Pretty much all Christian denominations would believe this - Catholics have a public profession of faith during every mass, evangelicals have public professions of faith during baptismal ceremonies, etc.
Time spent in private with the Lord is also important, though - we should set aside time each day to pray and read God's word.
I'd highly suggest listening to the podcast for Denton Bible church on some recent sermons on 11/24/2013 and really the entire series in Ecclesiology (study of the church) that went from 9/8/13 to 11/17/13, but good sermons that addresses this topic is the one on 9/15 - The Church's Purpose, The Unity of the Church on 10/13/2013 and probably The Church: Stewardship on 10/6/2013.
I appreciate what you said about church. You've been very clear abut what today's sermons subject matter that seems irrelevant to you is. When you did enjoy church and sermons that spoke directly to you, what were the topics of these sermons? Thanks for taking the time to respond.
It was the same, to be honest. I was interested in developing a personal relationship with him and coming to a place where people admired me, respected me, and I was successful doing whatever I wanted to do. Back then I associated all those things with being blessed and a sign of spiritual enlightenment. It could very well be. I've met quite a few people who claim to have a personal relationship who have experienced that kind of prosperity.
That's really where I fit, even though I voted that my relationship with God is private. I attend worship services basically every week, so I can hardly claim that my relationship with God is not public. What I was thinking when I voted was that, regardless of what I may hear or say or how I may come across in public, my beliefs are personal. They are between God and me. Nobody tells me what I must believe.
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