Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
So, having disposed of these specious arguments, let's get back to the original thought of the thread.
"How should holiness be preached in a pastoral setting?"
Thoughts as to "what is holiness, and how should it be presented?"
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I present holiness first as a state of being imparted by God.
Holiness is not something you primarily do, it is something you primarily are, as God imparts it.
If God has given it, it cannot be taken away, except by Him.
Holiness begins and ends with the Holy Spirit. Those who have received the Spirit, and are walking in It, and are sowing to It, have had holiness imparted to them as a state of being.
Now, wherever they might be in that walking and sowing, might not be the same place as someone who has walked and sowed longer, but they aren't any less holy.
I've seen many newly born babes in Christ speaking in tongues as the water from their immersion, coupled with their tears, washes their eyeliner and mascara down their face.
They are holy to God, by impartation of the Holy Spirit. If they put that same makeup on the next day, they aren't any less holy unto God. But as they walk in the Spirit, and sow to the Spirit, as God brings conviction, as long as they are obeying what He puts in front of them to obey, each step of the way, they are walking in holiness.
Holiness then is about speech. God takes the tongue and submits it to His fire, and tames it. The heart that has been touched by the Holy Spirit will speak differently when it utters itself to the world.
So, I see holiness, first as an imparted status of being before God, and second, as a condition of the heart that manifests in how a person speaks. After that, the status and condition will lead to changes in regards to how they treat others. After how they begin to treat others changes the way God wants, holiness takes a deeper look inward, to make certain that nothing they say or do offends in any way.
This is where modesty, in my opinion, comes to play.
Modesty, I believe and teach, is only about other people. I can sing in tongues in the shower all I want and God doesn't care one bit. But when I am in public, modesty is the only appropriate response, to God, to my wife and family, and then to others, so that I am protected, while at the same time protecting the consciences of others.
I don't pretend to be some immaculate, handsome man. But neither I or my wife need any woman lusting after me for any reason. And so, I adorn myself in such a way as to not attract attention. My modesty is about making certain that no woman is inadvertently led to lust by how I appear.
As such, I feel it is the same with every believer. Their appearance is not about them. It's about not casting a stumbling-block before others.
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