• Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Lifting Holy Hands

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
I Tim 2:8 tells us "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Is that verse telling us to literally raise our hands as we pray?

As we know, many of us Baptists do not raise our hands - except to vote in a a business meeting.

I went to a Larnelle Harris concert one night (and he is SBC) asked the audience to raise their hands in worshiping the Lord. He continued and said - You Baptists, raise one hand halfway.!
 
Last edited:

Judith

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I Tim 2:8 tells us "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Is that verse telling us to literally raise our hands as we pray?

As we know, many of us Baptists do not raise our hands - except to vote in a a business meeting.

I went to a Larnelle Harris concert one night (and he is SBC) asked the audience to raise their hands in worshiping the Lord. He continued and said - You Baptists, raise one hand halfway.!

The raising of hands in worship should be driven by the Spirit not by men who seek to make others seem spiritual. No doubt some come to church and raise hands simply to seem spiritual and some do not raise their hands because they are afraid that they might be seen as trying to look spiritual.

As I said the raising of hands should always and only be driven by the Spirit and never withheld when we feel prompted by the Spirit.
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
I have never felt the need to do so.
I dont even do the wave at ball games.
 

Judith

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I have never felt the need to do so.
I dont even do the wave at ball games.
It depends on the church I am in. Some churches seem so spiritually dead while others seem to have a spirit about them that moves me to raise my hands in praise. The same is with saying the "AMEN" during preaching. Some preaching is so dead it does not even begin to move me while others sets my spirit on fire to shout the "AMEN."
 

Lodic

Well-Known Member
Paul is using the same language that we find in Psalms 63:4 and Psalms 141:2. I think the Jews and the early Christians were more expressive than modern Christians. I don't think this is a command to literally raise our hands in prayer or in worship. Having said that, I have always felt comfortable with raising my hands and getting expressive. Probably because I attended Spirit-filled churches for many years after giving my life to Christ. Most in my little Baptist church are reserved, and that's okay. I've never felt judged, and I certainly would never judge those who are uncomfortable with this style.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
I have never felt the need to do so.
I dont even do the wave at ball games.
I'm the same way.

I hate it in church when they say to raise your hands because if I do I feel insincere.

And I'm the same way at a ballgame. I watch the game, and enjoy it, without cheering (which would take away from my enjoyment of the game).

Guess some of us are simply wired differently.
 

Judith

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I'm the same way.

I hate it in church when they say to raise your hands because if I do I feel insincere.

And I'm the same way at a ballgame. I watch the game, and enjoy it, without cheering (which would take away from my enjoyment of the game).

Guess some of us are simply wired differently.
JonC I think that you are spot on. The raising of hands should never be mechanical. Unless the praise comes from the heart it is of no value.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
JonC I think that you are spot on. The raising of hands should never be mechanical. Unless the praise comes from the heart it is of no value.
I agree. But more than that, people express worship differently (their praise looks different as they worship in spirit and truth).
 

Judith

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I agree. But more than that, people express worship differently (their praise looks different as they worship in spirit and truth).

Based on scripture Spirit and Truth worship can only be done as spoken of in scripture and that is how we live our daily lives. It is true that an outward expression of worship may vary from person to person and raised hands is simply one manner of that.
 
Top