Matthew 6:5-8 NLT
5 “When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on the street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7 “When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!
I was on You Tube one day and you know how one You Tube video can lead to another and another? Well that tends to happen with me. I was looking up trying to find a commercial that I found funny that was on TV, but I couldn't find it. Saw some Mac vs. PC commercials and watched one of those for the fun of it. I noticed off to the side there was some that said Church Goer vs. Christian. I checked that out and found it pretty interesting. It starts off as “Hi, I'm a church goer” “and I'm a Christ follower” the conversation kicks off with these 2 Christian guys.
As there are different variations of these videos out there, one of them was listing off all these rules he must follow and things he has to memorize, along with how he has to dress to “impress” God and was acting like he's “perfect” without sin! The other guy is on board with God, but he doesn't act like he's perfect without sin or dose things for a show to show how better he is, like the other guy was doing. He knows he has sins and always asked God to direct him to help him with an honest heart.
Just like in the e.g. of the 2 Christians, Matthew 6:5-8 explains the similar type of issue that is brought to mind. There are some people who try to be better than everyone else and try waaayyy too hard to impress God by how much they can memorize about the bible, how long their prayers should be, how many times they went to church or bible studies, doing as much good deeds to be accepted or act like we're the best dressed etc. whatever it is, all that to be “perfect” and “impress” God.
I'm not saying to let your guard down and don't attend things or read your bible and what not, I encourage you to go to church, read your bible, pray every day, get involved in things and events that will help you get stronger and closer to God, fellowship with and help one another with love and care. That's the reason I go to church, youth group and such to find out and learn with others, get stronger, fellowship, help others for God and to build a relationship with God. No Christian is perfect in everything they do and say, I'm not perfect, and that's why I need Jesus in my life to confess my imperfections, lean on Him so I can get to heaven, Jesus is who you call perfect in everything that He did and said. You don't need to and you can't fool God because He knows if you really are in for Him or not. God is not a competition, He loves us all equally inside and out. Christianity is a realtionship with Jesus.
Good works are important for sure, but like the video says, they are not what saves us. In fact, nothing we can do impresses God and all of our good deeds are like filthy rags when it comes to salvation. We do need to follow God, and do what He asks of us, but a list of good deeds is pretty useless.
The only list we need to be on is the one found in the Lambs Book of Life. Praise God!
for sure, I know I'm certainly far from perfect, I do what I can for God and what He asks for me to do. Sometimes I've missed some things that maybe I should of done, but it dosn't make me any more or less of a Christian. Sometimes I struggle with trying to accompilsh a list or if I do this or that someone says then maybe I'll be a better christian, but I just need to understand that God loves me more than the next person.
Thx for the comment and support!