Matthew 6:6

Matthew 6:6

Matthew 6:6

Before I was truly in the faith I took this as meaning not to attend church. Or at least the typical style church if you get my meaning.

However since I have actually opened my heart I am feeling a calling to attend a church at the very least to help me in learning and understanding His word.

Some advice on this would be very helpful.

I looked for previous postings on this and did not find any. As I am still in the process of actually reading the Bible myself I am praying all the time that I get the true meaning of the word and not my own bias on it. Thank you in advance my new brothers and sisters in Christ.
 
Texas brother
If you were to go on a road full of churches, and you go inside each one, can you tell which follows the Bible truly and which has pastors obeying God rather than their own will? and which Church has wickedness inside and which goodness ?
 
Sorry about the old English but here is what Matthew Henry wrote about that verse.

AGAINST HYPOCRISY IN PRAYER. 6:5-8
It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray.

You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless.

The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. "Verily they have their reward;" if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the praise of men, it is just that it should be all our reward.

—Matthew Henry Concise
 
Barnes writes
Verse 6. Enter into thy closet. Every Jewish house had a place for secret devotion. The roofs of their houses were flat places for walking, conversation, and meditation, in the cool of the evening. See Barnes "Mt 9:2".
Over the porch, or entrance of the house, was, however, a small room of the size of the porch, raised a story above the rest of the house, expressly appropriated for the place of retirement, in secrecy and solitude, the pious Jew might offer his prayers, unseen by any but the Searcher of hearts. To this place, or to some similar place, our Saviour directed his disciples to repair when they wished to hold communion with God. This is the place commonly mentioned in the New Testament as the upper room, or the place for secret prayer. The meaning of the Saviour is, that there should be some place where we may be in secret—where we may be alone with God. There should be some place to which we may resort where no ear will hear us but His ear, and no eye can see us but His eye. Unless there is such a place, secret prayer will not be long or strictly maintained. It is often said that we have no such place, and can secure none. We are away from home; we are travelling; we are among strangers; we are in stages and steam-boats, and how can we find such places of retirement? I answer, the desire to pray, and the love of prayer, will create such places in abundance. The Saviour had all the difficulties which we can have, but yet he lived in the practice of secret prayer. To be alone, he rose up "a great while before day," and went into a solitary place and prayed. With him, a grove, a mountain, a garden, furnished such a place; and though a traveller, and among strangers, and without a house, he lived in the habit of secret prayer. What excuse have they who have a home, and who spend the precious hours of the morning in sleep, and who will practise no self-denial that they may be alone with God? O Christian! thy Saviour would have broken in upon these hours, and would have trod his solitary way to the mountain or the grove, there he might pray. He did do it. He did it to pray for thee, too indolent and too unconcerned about thy own salvation and that of the world, to practise the least self-denial in order to commune with God! How can religion live thus ? How can such a soul be saved?

Barnes New Testament Notes
 
Wesleys Notes

1. In the foregoing chapter our Lord particularly described the nature of inward holiness. In this he describes that purity of intention without which none of our outward actions are holy. This chapter contains four parts,
1. The right intention and manner of giving alms, ver. 1-4.
2. The right intention, manner, form, and prerequisites of prayer, ver. 5-15.
3. The right intention, and manner of fasting, ver. 16-18.
4. The necessity of a pure intention in all things, unmixed either with the desire of riches, or worldly care, and fear of want, ver. 19-34. This verse is a general caution against vain glory, in any of our good works: All these are here summed up together, in the comprehensive word righteousness. This general caution our Lord applies in the sequel to the three principal branches of it, relating to our neighbour, ver. 2-iv, to God, ver. 5, vi, and to ourselves, ver. 16-18. To be seen - Barely the being seen, while we are doing any of these things, is a circumstance purely indifferent. But the doing them with this view, to be seen and admired, this is what our Lord condemns.
2. As the hypocrites do - Many of the scribes and Pharisees did this, under a pretense of calling the poor together. They have their reward - All they will have; for they shall have none from God.
3. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth - A proverbial expression for doing a thing secretly. Do it as secretly as is consistent,
1. With the doing it at all.
2. With the doing it in the most effectual manner.
5. The synagogues - These were properly the places where the people assembled for public prayer, and hearing the Scriptures read and expounded. They were in every city from the time of the Babylonish captivity, and had service in them thrice a day on three days in the week. In every synagogue was a council of grave and wise persons, over whom was a president, called the ruler of the synagogue. But the word here, as well as in many other texts, signifies any place of public concourse.
6. Enter into thy closet - That is, do it with as much secrecy as thou canst.
7. Use not vain repetitions - To repeat any words without meaning them, is certainly a vain repetition. Therefore we should be extremely careful in all our prayers to mean what we say; and to say only what we mean from the bottom of our hearts. The vain and heathenish repetitions which we are here warned against, are most dangerous, and yet very common; which is a principal cause why so many, who still profess religion, are a disgrace to it. Indeed all the words in the world are not equivalent to one holy desire. And the very best prayers are but vain repetitions, if they are not the language of the heart.
8. Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of - We do not pray to inform God of our wants. Omniscient as he is, he cannot be informed of any thing which he knew not before: and he is always willing to relieve them. The chief thing wanting is, a fit disposition on our part to receive his grace and blessing. Consequently, one great office of prayer is, to produce such a disposition in us: to exercise our dependence on God; to increase our desire of the things we ask for; to us so sensible of our wants, that we may never cease wrestling till we have prevailed for the blessing.
 
Sorry about the old English but here is what Matthew Henry wrote about that verse.


We were just discussing this last Fri . in a Bible Study that I attend .: Hypocrisy.Jesus spoke very harshly about hypocrisy. He hated phony pretense far more than we give Him credit for.

Matthew 6

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven

 
you got your answer there Texas "The church that I attend is a source of blessing, encouragement and fellowship. It is also a place where I receive consistant sound biblical teaching. I thank God for it."

Make sure that the teaching is biblical!
 
I too am blessed beyond my wildest dreams to attend a church with 45 different nationalities all worshipping together

. It is awesome. I am so happy there . It is a unique church.

At the end of missions month when we all gather for all the cultural songs and dance form all those countries .... then we have food in the gym from all those different countries.

Don't get me wrong that is not the reason , I go just for the food but the praise and worship and the teachings from our pastor give me the sustinence and the substance to dig further into the Word.
 
you got your answer there Texas "The church that I attend is a source of blessing, encouragement and fellowship. It is also a place where I receive consistant sound biblical teaching. I thank God for it."

Make sure that the teaching is biblical!


Naturally! That is true when you read a book, listen to a friend, hear a preacher on TV or the radio and when you attend a church.

Check what is said against the word of God.

At times you may find something that appears to contradict. When that happens go and discuss it with whoever said it. If it is at church book an appointment and chat to the Pastor. Go with a humble attitude and be willing to hear both sides of the argument.

There are a few potential outcomes.

They will learn and change

You will realise that you had not correctly understood either what was said or what the bible actually teaches

Or in a few cases after careful and prayerful discussion you may find that you still do not agree.
 
Thank you so much all. I believe I am starting to understand. Its really amazing how the word just comes to life. When you have an open mind and heart it really is very easy to understand it.

I think it is about time I locate a church in my area.

Again thank you all. God Bless
 
Matthew 6:6

Before I was truly in the faith I took this as meaning not to attend church. Or at least the typical style church if you get my meaning.

However since I have actually opened my heart I am feeling a calling to attend a church at the very least to help me in learning and understanding His word.

Some advice on this would be very helpful.

I looked for previous postings on this and did not find any. As I am still in the process of actually reading the Bible myself I am praying all the time that I get the true meaning of the word and not my own bias on it. Thank you in advance my new brothers and sisters in Christ.

The best teacher is the Holy Spirit. Seek The guidance of one who will not lead you into a pit. Trust in the teachings of men and you will.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days
 
Your prayer closet, the prayer shawl used by the Jews was called a prayer closet in them days, hope this helps.
 
If you take a bunch of charcoal and put them in your BBQ and light them they all start generating heat. If you take one away and put it by itself it will start losing heat and eventually die out. You put it back in at it starts up again.
So I would say find a church and start generating heat for God.:p:p:):):D:D
 
The church that I attend is a source of blessing, encouragement and fellowship. It is also a place where I receive consistant sound biblical teaching. I thank God for it.


LOL Hey Housesitter. That sounds like a good place to attend. I still laugh when I remember the first church I attended as a Christian. My wife, our four daughters and I attended a lovely church, and every Sunday, morning and evening the same man greeted us. He would say "Welcome to blah blah fellowship. Is this your first time here?" This happened for about six weeks. He was the only one who even looked at us. It is sad when a body of believers doesn't notice the people that come to their church.
 
Back
Top