Why Such A Fuss Over Standards!!

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by OnTheFritz

Here is a video from my snake handler days. I'm the one on the left in the featured video called "Creekwood - Snake Handlers."

http://vimeo.com/channels/alcplanocomedy

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by The Lemon

O.K. - time for my 2-cents. First, there is a HUGE difference between what a person DOES for God and their RELATIONSHIP with God. While I agree that to have a relationship will lead to a ministry, it is very possible to allow your ministry to take the place of your relationship - which is extremely dangerous. It often leads to burn out, which can eventually lead to being backslid. I know this because I have lived it, and I have seen other ministers and even pastors burn out and give up. That is why balance is so important. Living on the fringe, or fanatical on anything usually does more harm than good. We already have alot of Christians that know how to be a freak for Jesus, but can't hear his voice or get close enough to worship him. At any rate....

God first, you asked how does a person do it? Simply, all that you do, you do it as unto the Lord - in relationships with family, husband to wife, vice versa, children, neighbors, etc., etc. It is interesting how that people love to mis-interpret the Lords instruction when he made mention that anyone who loves Mother, Father, Wife, etc. more then me is not worthy. If you do some digging and some study, you will find that what He meant was that if you would choose these people over Him.

It would be complete contradiction for the Lord to mean that literally as it is interpreted in the english - after all, He did say for husbands to love your wives as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it. He also said, 'When you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me. There is SOOOO much that can be said about putting the Lord first - nad many lessons that could be taught about it - sadly, I am at work and without my Bible, so i'm not much use in that department right now.

Yes we need private devotions, reading, study, worship, prayer, fasting, etc. But in all we do in life, He is either exalted or not. Our relationship to Him should be so innertwined, that it is a part of all me do (Sort of like men ought always to pray) Is the work of the ministry important? Yes. Do we need it, absolutely! But I decided long ago that I would never put the "work" above my relationship to Jesus or to my family. I am a firm believer that if you can't manage your own home, you have no business trying to take care of the church.
At any rate...i apologize for the lack of scripture reference...at work right now.

Love you all!

1 Timothy 3:4,5:

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Hope that helps,

Falla39

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I know there are preachers who allow facial hair. My pastor doesn't seem to make it an issue unless one is on the platform... and still... he doesn't say one would go to Hell, it's just policy. There are just a number of unbiblical standards that are often made Heaven or Hell issues. Rules against things like...

Jewelry
Sleeve Length
Dress styles (dress vs. pants on women)
Cut hair on women
Television
Sports
Tithing
Head Coverings
Varying styles of Music (both secular and Christian)

And if they are not made Heaven or Hell issues... we often see them made "fellowship" issues. If an individual or if another church doesn't line up with the man made rules in these areas they are often denied varying degrees of fellowship thus dividing the body. If a Pastor will not fellowship a church who doesn't follow his man made rules... he's using his unfounded authority to divide the body or believers.

If you think about it... the majority of our "division" problems in the Apostolic movement aren't caused by actual "sin". No biblical church would fellowship a church that ordains homosexuals or tolerates financial corruption and/or sexual sin in the ranks. Our divisions are primarily caused by our man made standards (Jewelry, sleeves, hair, television, sports, etc.).

If we divide the body over things that aren't even biblical standards... do we not do violence to the body??? And is that not a sin?

I certainly do feel that we will be accountable for unnecessary disunity.

What I do see are sincere people who believe their interpretation of the Word is the right interpretation. I will use you and I will use Brother Epley, as a prime example.

You have put out many posts breaking down what you feel I Cor 11 is trying to teach. No matter how many times you post your opinion, Brother Epley will not be in agreement. Do I think that Brother Epley will go to hell for his view of the scriptures? No, I do not. He is very sincere in what he believes.

What I try to do, is understand, if I can, why people believe the way they do and why they teach and embrace certain passages as doctrine for their group.

For years in this country, although not at present, women wore their hair long - Baptist, Methodist, etc. I ran into an elderly women who was Baptist and had been raised Baptist all of her life. When my daughter was very young we passed the lady going into a department store. She stopped us and exclaimed how pretty my daughter was and how cute she looked wearing a dress. She said, "You don't see that much these days. When I was growing up we never cut our hair and we never wore britches."

So, I see that many still take I Cor 11 VERY seriously in the interpretation and are not prepared to change that. I have read, many times, that there is NO theologian who has ever been able to settle on an accurate feel of the passage. When you get to "....because of the angels...", I am observing that people are not ready to change anything because of that portion in the passage. Therefore, I don't believe they will go to hell taking such a strong stand. They are, in fact, being very careful with God's Word - it's precious.

Deut 22:5 is another scripture which many interpret as a gender distinction. Some say it is about wearing a man's armour, others that it's about homosexuality, and others that it is about the pagan worship of that time - in the exchanging of roles for ceremonial rites.

So, to set a gender distinction seems the best route to go for some groups. Will they go to hell for preaching that? I don't think they will. They take that passage seriously. It doesn't really matter what I think or what you think, it's what they have settled on for truth. It matters, greatly, to them.

Now, on to the sleeve and dress length - I've observed that whatever standard you set, others will push the limit of said standard. Therefore, in some groups, they set a more uniform and strict standard in order for things to make sense in dress, for them. I feel that if an adult is happy in that environment and feels it works for them and helps them to be faithful to God, then I leave it alone - it's not my business.

We have a very strict church in our city, not UPC. The pastor's son is the only one allowed to hook up a computer in a saints home, if they want internet. The pastor has some type of accountability software that enables him to view all the links his parishers view, at any given time. The church is happy with that. I would feel like I lived in Nazi Germany.

If a man or a women is a tyrant because they love the power they can weld for selfish and personal gain - then I think I would be safe to say - Hell should be hotter for them! That is a totally different scenario than sincerely following what you interpret the Word to say, even if you were wrong. I have been acquainted with both stripes of people - sincere and selfish tyrants.

It's not fair to say we should not have any type of standard. Sherri even says she has platform standards, as do others. On a secular note, my husband must be clean shaven every day or he won't be permitted to enter his job sight. For safety purposes, he must be ready at any moment to put on a face mask in the event of an explosion and/or chemical leak. Stubble or beard of any kind would not allow the mask to lay close to the face in order to properly keep chemicals out. So, even the secular world puts out standards. I was reading, yesterday, that some city entity in Florida passed a dress code requiring you to wear underwear to work. I wonder if some rebelled against that? LOL!

Anyway, after all my rambling, I am saying that I don't believe people will go to hell for preaching - sincerely - what they consider a true interpretation of the Word. I do believe someone would be in jeopardy of hell for doing so for the only selfish reason of being - "King of the Hill".

We all have our strong opinions, interpretations and views. I take a very strong stand for Acts 2:38. I see no way around that. Perhaps I feel as strong about that as Brother Epley does about the cutting of hair. Some things, no matter how much we howl, will never become negotiable for some people. I think we need to understand that while we are posting our varied opinions and views.

[OnTheFritz]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

Yes, that was a dark time in my life . Thanks for watching.