No new converts noticed at the AMC Confernce

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by Sam

I'll give you another contradiction.

Years ago a young Apostolic minister proposed to a young lady and she accepted.

He bought her a set of rings (wedding and engagement) plus a wedding band for himself. He had to make payments on them regularly at a local jewelry store.

When he would go into the store, the service desk was at the back of the store so he would have to pass several sales persons on the way as they tried to get him to buy something.

One day on his way through the gauntlet of sales clerks, one of them held up a small chain with a diamond on it and and mentioned how nice it would be to buy that for his wife.

His reply, "We're holiness. We don't wear jewelry."

He said that with a straight face, with a wedding ring on his finger, in a jewelry store, while there to make a payment on a wedding ring and engagement ring.

Name of minister not mentioned to protect the inconsistent.

Things such as this make us (as in holiness Christians) appear unintelligent. imo

[Sister Alvear]

Glad we serve a God that has the capacity to see far beyond the natural eye...I feel so out of place among many of my peers that do not wear some types of jewelry...yet all their other fixing up leaves me uncomfortable...not that I think it is wrong I just feel my plainess might cause them to feel uneasy...(does this make sense?)

[Sister Alvear]

yet with those that wear jewelry I do not feel out of place...lol...am I ever one complex person....however it seems they just accept me for who and what I am...

[Sister Alvear]

we ladies are hit on every corner....ha....

[Cindy]

We are children of THE KING!!!!! We should be adorned with HIS righteousness. Why do some care what others are wearing or not wearing. I agree with Sister Alvear, they can be dressed very beautifully on the outside, but inside is darkness and hatefulness. I hope no one ever looks at me and thinks, wow who does she think she is?

[Dora]

The tendency for women to enjoy being girly girls and decking out in the finest clothes and hairstyles is completely COOL with me. While I was a UPCer, I wore gravity defying hairstyles and the finest clothes I could afford. UPCers can find amazing bargains on designer clothing. We knew classy styles and had a great time wearing them to conferences, church functions, etc. Nothing wrong with women wanting to look good.

My point is that their efforts to conform to the standards set by their authority figures have led these women to "adorn" themselves in a manner that calls undue negative attention to them. How is this supposed to glorify God and bring others to salvation? I just don't get it....Lord help!

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Dora

The tendency for women to enjoy being girly girls and decking out in the finest clothes and hairstyles is completely COOL with me. While I was a UPCer, I wore gravity defying hairstyles and the finest clothes I could afford. UPCers can find amazing bargains on designer clothing. We knew classy styles and had a great time wearing them to conferences, church functions, etc. Nothing wrong with women wanting to look good.

My point is that their efforts to conform to the standards set by their authority figures have led these women to "adorn" themselves in a manner that calls undue negative attention to them. How is this supposed to glorify God and bring others to salvation? I just don't get it....Lord help!

Maybe it's a subconcious form of rebellion against the outward standards. Or to state, I am not a part of this world, but they can't be a in this clique either. What really matters most is the spirit behind it, Dora.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by Dora

My point is that their efforts to conform to the standards set by their authority figures have led these women to "adorn" themselves in a manner that calls undue negative attention to them. How is this supposed to glorify God and bring others to salvation? I just don't get it....Lord help!

We've become a culture within ourselves. In "our culture" we don't look odd. So, really, most don't even think that much about how everyone else views them. And don't care.

I have my own opinions about whether or not we should care, but I won't get into them right now.

[luzsilver]

Originally Posted by Dora

The tendency for women to enjoy being girly girls and decking out in the finest clothes and hairstyles is completely COOL with me. While I was a UPCer, I wore gravity defying hairstyles and the finest clothes I could afford. UPCers can find amazing bargains on designer clothing. We knew classy styles and had a great time wearing them to conferences, church functions, etc. Nothing wrong with women wanting to look good.

My point is that their efforts to conform to the standards set by their authority figures have led these women to "adorn" themselves in a manner that calls undue negative attention to them. How is this supposed to glorify God and bring others to salvation? I just don't get it....Lord help!

Dora , I was not going to comment on this thread but after reading your post , I remembered when I was about 14 years old sitting behind a upcer sister in a convention by the way it was not upc , and all thru the service i had to swing from side to side to be able to see the preacher , because he used antics for a lot of his preaching i missed out on that sermon. talk about gravity defying . I was so disapointed because we did not have a pastor at the time and I was very hungry for the word of God . The bible says that we should be like sara humble and modest .

[*AQuietPlace*]

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;"


I don't personally believe that Apostle Paul's intent here was to provide a list of prohibitions. I believe he was emphasizing what was important.

BUT. Most Pentecostal churches use that verse to prohibit jewelry. That's what has me

Because how can you use that verse to say - see, the Bible prohibits jewelry - but completely ignore the rest of the passage??

If he WAS making a list of prohibitions, then you have to consider everything that he listed prohibited, not just the jewelry! Which would make the conference attire completely prohibited!

He specifically mentioned broided hair and costly array. And I don't think he would have made an exception if you happened to buy that costly array at a big discount. (A Mercedes Benz is an expensive car, even if someone just gives me one. If he had prohibited driving fancy cars, that would include MB, no matter how much I'd paid for it.) He's not concerned about how many dollars are going out, he's concerned about the image you're projecting to the world around you.

Broided hair and costly array - basically, he was saying... elaborate hairdos and fancy clothes. Which you get in an overabundance at conferences.

The word 'modest' there, too..... everyone just takes that to mean how much skin is showing, or how tight it is. I don't think that's even what he meant. I think he was using the word 'modest' in the same way I would say that I own a modest house, or drive a modest car. Middle-of-the-road, not flashy or extravagantly expensive.


I like the way the NLT phrases it:

And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.


Some other versions:

English Standard Version (©2001)
likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,


New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,


Bible in Basic English
And that women may be dressed in simple clothing, with a quiet and serious air; not with twisted hair and gold or jewels or robes of great price;


So if his intent WAS to make a list of 'thou shalt nots', if he was making a prohibition on jewelry... then he was outlawing fancy hair and fancy clothing, too.

There's not one single argument you can make against jewelry that doesn't also apply to fancy hair and fancy clothes.

We need teaching to be consistent.