Your permission is a little late and it is AFF - who follows directions? :toofunny Oh, right, Brother Epley! LOL!

The numbers are off since Renda deleted some of our votes last night. If you count names only, it's less than 25% at this time.

And I don't think some are being truthful, but acting silly in the poll!

I didn't see that when I first saw this thread. My apologies, MissBratt

It's okay. :rolleyes: I was only hysterical about it for about a minute...then I just decided to go with the flow. :D

I think there should a "sometimes" option as well.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17

I would have to wonder about person's motives/heart to follow holiness standards for 20 years then all of sudden feel that they are no longer necessary.. But then a person who has no knowledge or a limited knowledge of God to come into one of our churches repent, get baptized in Jesus' Name, and receive the Holy Ghost and then not follow our standards because of lack of understanding is completely different...

There are several reason why people follow standards but don't feel they are necessary.

In my case, I followed standards that my pastor set forth since I was a member of the choir. I followed them willingly. He didn't give me a single scripture for doing what he asked, but I obeyed him because it was a rule he set. I had a choice.....to obey and sing, or bow out and not sing. He didn't care either way.

He also knew there were exceptions to his rules. For instance, there was a woman who was a surgical nurse, and she had to wear scrub pants as part of her uniform. She was also a member of the choir.

Another woman wore pants to her job, as the safety protocol wouldn't allow her to wear a skirt. She taught Sunday School and had this exception.

Now, I didn't take their exceptions and apply them to myself. Common sense comes into play here.

There are several reasons why people follow standards without believing they are salvational.

I was referring more to those who follow standards all their life feel they are necessary then to quit following them.. for instance for a 50 year old woman who had been raised Apostolic w/ holiness standards lived it all these years then to decide she would cut her hair, wear pants, etc..

it isnt that we dont listen, it is just that you talk too much!


we listen until we realize you are just jabbering then we quit listening only to find out you changed the subject and said something important which we missed during the whole blah blah blah blah red shoes blah blah blah then she said blah blah blah turn here blah blah blah blah...


if you had just said "turn here' we would have heard you!

Oh great, now I have to go back and add the votes back in - lol!

I can explain that for you because that's very close to what I did. I did follow standards for many, many years. I never understood them. I never agreed with them. But I followed them for two reasons:
1) I heard over and over that you were to "obey those that have the rule over you". That that was pleasing to God. So I obeyed. Didn't agree and certainly didn't understand. But I obeyed
2) I followed standards because in order to be a part of the church and feel like you belonged to the crowd, you had to do what the crowd did. Kinda like when kids hang out with druggies, it becomes easy to start using drugs (I KNOW - polar opposite!!! But it's a good illustration of peer pressure)

Later, when I got really serious about it and started to seek God's answers, I realized that the other reason I followed standards was because I had been convinced that I had to in order to be saved. In other words, I was buying my own salvation and paying for it with my adherance to standards. So now I follow whatever God leads me to do. If God tells me that drinking a drop of alcohol is wrong, you can bet your life, I'll never touch a drop. But I don't follow any standards just in hopes that I'll be good enough to make heaven.

I've said it before and I'll say it again tho: I find no fault with those who follow standards because they truly believe that what they wear or don't wear is what it takes to please GOD. If they do it because they want to please the pastor only, then shame on them. But if they're doing things in order to show their love for God by trying to please HIM and doing what they think it takes in order to please Him, then that is great!!! I honor them.
Personally, I don't think God cares if I'm covered with pants or with a skirt. Just so I'm covered.