Respect in God's House

Historically, churches have taught the importance of respect within the House of God. While some rules may have seemed overly strict, they were established with good intentions. Ecclesiastes 5:1 says, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil." Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Berean Strong's Lexicon

yirah: Fear, reverence, awe

Original Word: יִרְאָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: yirah
Pronunciation: yee-RAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yir-aw')
Definition: Fear, reverence, awe
Meaning: fear, reverence

Word Origin: Derived from the root יָרֵא (yare), which means "to fear" or "to revere."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - φόβος (phobos): Often translated as "fear" in the New Testament, it can carry a similar range of meanings, from terror to reverential awe, depending on the context (e.g., Philippians 2:12).

It is important to hold reverence for God, the creator of the universe. This means to have a high degree of respect for God. 

Consider an instance illustrating the consequences of not holding God's House in high regard. On one occasion, while in a church during a time designated for fellowship, I witnessed a young boy, approximately seven years old, striking and kicking another boy, who appeared to be around 12 or 13 years old. No one stopped the children. This behavior displayed a lack of respect for both God and the surrounding congregation, clearly not reflecting God's love. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Children should be taught appropriate behavior. By the age of five, most are capable of distinguishing between a playground and a place of worship. If they cannot, it may indicate an issue. Could it be that the parents are not effectively teaching their children? Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. This "Training" needs to start as early in a child's life as possible. 

We need to remember to be respectful in the House of God. This means no running (without a good reason), No yelling across the room, No roughhousing, No foul language, No disruptive behavior (distractive behavior). I think you can get the general idea. We are there for Prayer, Learning the Word of God, Godly Fellowship, and to Praise and Worship Jesus. 

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