The word 'standards'...

[Rico]

At this one church, I had to sign an agreement to keep the standards or I couldn't play my guitar with them. I signed it and kept the standards. I liked playing my guitar for the Lord, so it didn't bother me that much to have to agree to platform standards.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

I think that the arument through the years has been; rigid adherence to multiple rules and policies trying to define and regulate 'holiness" as evidenced by outward manifestations or works as modelled by Old Testament religious peoples, as well as New Testament ways of Pharisees.

We all know that the following of these man-made rules and laws was futile because for every one law we abide by we are breaking multiple others we don't even know about. That is why Christ had to come and die. We could not make ourselves holy but he through the redemptive process makes us holy as he is holy. It is imputed to us. We can not do anything to merit it, or measure up in each other's eyes.

I am so glad for God's mercy and grace, aren't you?

Blessings, Rhoni

Yes, I am thankful for mercy and grace, Rhonda, but you know we differ on the rest of your post.

As it is not the point of the thread, and out of respect for you I won't belabor this, but in response to your post I will just say that I do not adhere to certain principles of dress and hair and such because I am trying to become holy, or look holy for that matter.

I do it: a.) because I choose to; and b.) because I believe it is right for me.

As for those who do not, that is between them and their Maker...I ain't in it.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Neck

I bet some big name preacher found out his conference sermon was not working.

I bet some year around 1960 and he started shouting Holiness is what we stand for...

We are Standard bearers of the truth....

We dress this way and we look this way because we have the truth...

You write the rest of the story.

Dress has always been aligned with having the truth.

When for the most part standards were nothing more then a calling card in a group of sectarian Pentecostals.

Not having standards is not the point.

Preaching them as part of salvation is the wrong point.

Not hardly, as has already been pointed out in this thread. Shall we try again?!

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Barb

Yes, I am thankful for mercy and grace, Rhonda, but you know we differ on the rest of your post.

As it is not the point of the thread, and out of respect for you I won't belabor this, but in response to your post I will just say that I do not adhere to certain principles of dress and hair and such because I am trying to become holy, or look holy for that matter.

I do it: a.) because I choose to; and b.) because I believe it is right for me.

As for those who do not, that is between them and their Maker...I ain't in it.

Most abide by standards in a mob type fashion.

You do not choose to abide by any of these standards.

You choose to stay in an organization or a church because of other benefits.

You know if you chose not to abide what the situation would become.

Many of us chose not to abide in the shadow of the mob.

We moved on and have not lost one drop of the Grace of God.

We have gained an understanding that many things are not safe guards.

They are misrepresented.

Answer this question.

If you wore pants to church on Sunday?

What would you lose?

You know the looks that you would garnish.

Or do you view this as losing your salvation?

Or level of salvation?

Kind of sounds like a Catholic mentality.

The only thing you lose is being part of the mob.

You do not freak out and start falling into all sorts of sins....

That is a lie....

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Barb

Not hardly, as has already been pointed out in this thread. Shall we try again?!

I do not need it to be pointed out.

I grew up around all of the big name ministers in the UPCI.

Many who shared standards behind the scenes only as a an organizational rule.

A calling card to their ministerial card.

Not a biblical absolute.

Sorry if my hearing this growing up is not what some want to hear.

[Neck]

However;

Anyone abiding by standards under their pastor and wants to be blessed for it.

I have no spiritual problem with that form of respect.

I just have problems with those who then point out the truth factor in standards.

[Cindy]

Well Brother Neck, it grieves my heart to know that any child of God suffered ridicule from the world, but then they get ridiculed by their brothers and sisters in Christ I believe it grieves our Father. Sometimes it seems like we so delight in waiting for just the right moment to do just that very thing on this forum. That equates to me with NO inward standards of holiness, so for sure nothing is going to show it on the outside. And our truth doesn't matter but God's does. I am more worried about my heart being right than how others think of how I dress.

[Cindy]

Sister Barb, I thought of this a lot last night before I went to sleep. I can only really recall two times that I heard my pastor speak of outward dress standards. My mother is the one that taught me standards when I was a little girl, or explained to me why we didn't dress like the world.

[Cindy]

I really think things changed a lot in the 1920's. Am not sure but am going to do some more research on it.

[Kay B]

Originally Posted by cneasttx

Sister Barb, I thought of this a lot last night before I went to sleep. I can only really recall two times that I heard my pastor speak of outward dress standards. My mother is the one that taught me standards when I was a little girl, or explained to me why we didn't dress like the world.

When I was growing up the world dressed the same as we do. In school no pants were allowed unless underneath a dress or skirt. Yes I am old as dirt but youger than your brother.lol
When I received the Holy Ghost and was baptized in Jesus name there wasn't a lot of change in my way of dressing.
Blessings