It seems that among the AFF crowd here (and those with AFF roots who post primarly on FB) that there is almost a glorying in sin. A glorying in NOT being perfect and being at least a little worldly. These people tend to come across as condenscending towards those who seek to be seperated from the world.
Now listen, I'm not claiming to be perfect, in fact if I say that I have no sin, I make God a liar. I do sin, but I hate it. I don't just say "well nobodies perfect" or "don't judge me just because I sin differently than you", i.e. don't talk about my sin and I won't talk about yours. But my prayer is that God would continue the work of sanctification in my life, to open my eyes to my sin so that I recognize it, repent of it, and discontinue it. I want to live holy. Not just more good than bad, or know enough to be saved and then partake in things that are not beneficial because I am versed in the doctrines of grace. I pray that God will help me to live a life completely (not mostly) pleasing to Him. But I confess to sometimes feeling in the minority, and it can be slightly discouraging at times.
Why don't we care about true holiness anymore? Because many were hoodwinked and abused by authoratarian preachers who overstepped their biblical bounds and used the doctrine of seperation as a rod to beat the sheep? I'm the first to admit that many standards don't have solid (if any) biblical support, especially in the way they are presented (as laws, not principles). I'm the first to admit that most teaching on standards crosses the line and becomes legalism and salvation by works. I believe tha Pauls word in the latter half of
Colossians 2 and latter part of
1 Timothy 1 apply to those who confidently assert what they do not know, desiring to be teachers of the law, and in doing so teach things which have the appearence of holiness in man made religion and denying the flesh, but also that the same things are powerless to actually change the heart. HOWEVER..........
The doctrine of seperation from the world is extremely Biblical. In several epistles Paul exhorts the believers to live a life worthy of the Lord. To live a life of defined by godliness. That if anyone desnt teach accordingly he "knows nothing." James says true religion is amongst other things to "keep oneself unspotted from the world" and John reminds us, though well known, it is widey disregarded, "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" and yet it seems like Christians (especially former apostolics) glory in their freedom to cuss, to entertain themselves with all manner of worldly material, whether movies, music, leisure.
I don't get it. I realize I'm on the opposite track as some of these people, because all their childhood (and even into adulthood) they didn't watch tv, didn't listen to secular music, didn't experience the world, and now that their eyes have been opened to "grace" they "are free to do all these things" (ref.
Jeremiah 7). But that's not biblical grace! Biblical grace that bring salvation teaches us to DENY ungodliness and worldy lusts (see
Titus 2:11-14), not indulge in these thing, even in "moderation." I wasn't raised in church, my whole life was consumed with worldliness, I lived in most of the sins listed in the NT (
Romans 1:28-32, 1 Cor 6:9-10,
Col 3 :5-8,
1 John 2:15, etc) and I can not for the life of me understand what any christian would want to do with the world. What does the world offer you? What do you find so attractive? What do you think you will find? I'll tell you, you'l never find it. Those who think they have liberty could find one day their liberty carried them to far. In excercising their "freedom" they end up in bondage. But will most of them hear? No. Instead people who speak up for holiness and separation are met with shouts of "legalist", "weaker brother", etc.
Anyway, I'm done with my rant, just sayin, I don't understand why so many seem so eager to immerse themselves in this godless culture. ~Jason
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