[wastoute]

I honestly don't know what to think of some of the things I see. Last Sunday I saw a couple in the front row with upraised arms during singing. For their part I hope they were moved by the Holy Spirit but I hear His message in the backof my mind about "You Pharisees love the best seats". So I guess if a person is seated "up front" and waving arms to draw attention to themselves, they are there for the wrong reason. I just have to give them the benefit of the doubt but it occurs to me that perhaps the thinking of Calvin and others long ago may have been along these lies. Public displays may not the best way to affirm a private relationship. ANyway, just thinking...

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[vpintheak]

I agree to a point. I am a pretty reserved person, and the same people I see waving their arms and going up front to the Alter calls are the same people that do it over and over again every week. Rarely do other people do it. I know many of these people well and they are commited Chritians in thoughts, words, and actions, they are also more emotional than me. Over the top stuff would and does turn my stomach, but I haven’t seen that at my Church thankfully.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

For the most part I agree with your post. The Reformation, particularly Calvin, stressed the fact that we are created to be rational beings who have a rational reason to believe in the hope of Christ within us.

The church in Rome purposely elicited temporal feelings with appeals to the senses through its ornate churches and velvet robes and intoxicating incense and decorated statues depicting the bloody suffering of man.

The Reformers, however, knew our senses can be easily beguiled. They realized Rome's stubborn emphasis on tactile, worldly emotions obscured the clarity of the written word of God which God gave us to penetrate directly into our minds in order to regenerate our consciences to behold Christ alone.

Further, after reading the Bible for themselves, the Reformers believed this obscuring of God's word was intentional because it was so easily refuted in Scripture.

This is one reason Paul spent so much time encouraging disciples not to simply feel, but to truly know their salvation had been won for them by the risen Christ.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." -- Romans 12:2

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"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind" -- Ephesians 4:23

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"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" -- Colossians 3:10

[Marysecretary]

I don’t think most people are drawing attention to themselves. I don’t always raise my hands in church but when I do it’s not to cause others to look my way. I sit in the back anyway.