I honestly don't think ray meant for us to talk about these sorts of things out loud because it borders on boasting (works of the flesh) and stinks of vanity.
It reminds me of the pharisees and what Christ said of them;
"Therefore when you do your alms, do not SOUND A TRUMPET before you, as the hypocrites do in the SYNAGOGUES and in the STREETS, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward" But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine ALMS may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. (Matt 6:2-4)
Our ALMS (Giving of money to the poor or food--GOOD WORKS!) are to be done in SECRET. For what have you that you did not receive? Consider also these words of paul which are very well suited for this thread.
1 Cor 4:7 "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"
Ray's words were meant more as a personal challenge to search yourself and really find out where you fall in the grander scheme of things if God willed for you to do such searching. It was an admonishment not to be complacent in your walk much as the apostles urged the church to be zealous of good works but certainly never to boast of them. At least that's how I understood it. Yes, we should be zealous of good works and provoke one another to those good works but not by boasting of what we have done or even what God has done in our lives UNLESS someone asks us and it serves a good purpose (I.E. encourging another, teaching another, rebuking another). Even then you don't always have to answer a question because sometimes you ought not answer a fool according to his folly.
This is important! Listen!
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."
2 Corinthians 10:18 "For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."
This goes hand in hand with what Christ said. Do your ALMS (good works) IN SECRET and GOD will reward you openly. If SOMEONE ELSE praises you then fine but don't let it be your own lips doing the praising. That's carnal.
I believe hebrews 10 answers the question of how we are to provoke one another to good works without boasting of our own works.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Our higher assembling (EPISINAGOGUE 2 Thes 2:1 / "Raised us up to heavenly places in Christ" Eph 2:6) and exhorting one another. Encouraging each other can be done through many ways but I don't see it as boasting about what we have done that makes us worthy of the prize. As has been stated, we can of ourselves do nothing. Christ is the vine and we are the branches. For it is God which works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Indeed, let us all pretend we were there and reflect on the question IN SECRET. This is how I understand these things. Feel free to agree or disagree.
God bless,
Alex
P.S. If you need prayer because you're going through some tribulations and trials then by all means please do ask!
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Topic: Write down things you've done that should grant you the prize of immortal life? (Read 12834 times)