Flippantly Flaunted Spiritual Liberties

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Felicity

I feel as if I've always walked in grace and liberty even when I kept certain standards while we were licensed with the UPC and before. (I was raised UPC.) I've never felt bound -- not in the negative sense.

Standards were never a problem for me. Keeping my hair uncut wasn't bondage or a weight. Neither were the other codes of "holiness" that I adhered to. It was never an issue. I did what I did gladly with no complaint.

And today ... even though I'm not tied or bound to certain rules of conduct in relation to standards and holiness ... I am careful.

Some of the things I took the liberty that was mine to do ..... like piercing my ears so I could wear earrings (which I love) ....... I now don't wear them.

The reason is because of the conviction of the Holy Ghost and Him dealing with me in a personal way at the altar in a Sunday AM service months ago ..... that they symbolized the bondage of Egypt and a direct link and tie to paganism.

I'm still tempted to wear them and have put them in a few times but end up taking them out. I wore them to church several weeks ago and during worship reached up and took them out ....... again. Just can't wear them with a clear conscience.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by COOPER

His path is straight and norrow.

UPC's path is a 10 guage wire stretched over the Grand Canyon

His yoke is easy and burdens are light.

UPC yoke is a Hard heritage and burdens that are piled on heavy by man and traditions.

Jesus said take up your cross.

UPC says you must bare a "UPC standards and traditions" approved cross.

I am NOT UPC never have been and according to your feelings about standards I should be feeling oppressed-depressed-and maybe possessed BUT I am HAPPY. I have lived the way I live since and 11 year old boy for the most part. I have never found the standards a burden I love my heritage and my identity. So feel sorry for someone else. I am HAPPY-BLESSED NOT cheated, beaten down, discouraged.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by rkentsmith

I offered no definition to the term legalism.....

You legalist went to the dictionary for that........

What I did offer was an observation of many years......

Many legalist have found all the many things they can now do and still be in the church.....

Many have embraced the the mentality that we are gonna get as close to the world so we can be more like Jesus.....

Why Jesus ate with sinners so we will endeavor to be like him.....

We will do all the things sinners do and still have our claim on Jesus.....

This is my simple observation of you legalist.....

Many of us have chosen to endeavor to be closer to Jesus by remaining aloof to much of the world's choices......

That help?

You clearly have no idea what the word means and still don't....and are trying to cover for your "lack"...for lack of a better word, by being evasive and resorting to Ad Hominem.

It was a sad and short sighted "observation"...it reminds me of the guy that sits in the back of the church and never hears the message because the whole time they are looking at other people and criticizing them and judging others. Or the Preacher that never hears his own message because it is always for someone else.....

BTW getting close to the world is not "well the bible does not say we can't so I will do it" nor is getting close to the world "well the manual does not forbid it so I can do it"...that's just asinine.

Anyone that can equivocate a word to fit any situation they want is the same sort of person that can turn having facial hair into a sin and then try to force the bible to support their view...in other words anything you don't like becomes a sin for everyone else and as long as you can redefine words you can make anything "worldly"

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

Now Brother Smith - You did call those that walk in liberty outside the UPC - Legalist's.
I think your first post is one of the most ridiculous things I have read in a long time. You don't have a clue!

Amen.....or maybe he does have a clue and the problem is something else. How about we start redefining "liberal" to mean this guy? How about we define conservatives as "someone that is full of hate"...it's intellectual dishonest to place loose like that with words

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by CC1

I have not read this thread other than your initial post. Care to explain how you came up with this defnition of legalism? It does not make sense to me.

I can understand you being against liberals but you can't just make up your own definition of terms.

This reminds me of the tactics of the Democrats in politics. They believe that you can say any outlandish thing and if you say it enough times in a serious tone it will be acceptedd as truth.

Yes! Amen!

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Felicity

I feel as if I've always walked in grace and liberty even when I kept certain standards while we were licensed with the UPC and before. (I was raised UPC.) I've never felt bound -- not in the negative sense.

Standards were never a problem for me. Keeping my hair uncut wasn't bondage or a weight. Neither were the other codes of "holiness" that I adhered to. It was never an issue. I did what I did gladly with no complaint.

Originally Posted by Felicity

And today ... even though I'm not tied or bound to certain rules of conduct in relation to standards and holiness ... I am careful.

Some of the things I took the liberty that was mine to do ..... like piercing my ears so I could wear earrings (which I love) ....... I now don't wear them.

The reason is because of the conviction of the Holy Ghost and Him dealing with me in a personal way at the altar in a Sunday AM service months ago ..... that they symbolized the bondage of Egypt and a direct link and tie to paganism.

I'm still tempted to wear them and have put them in a few times but end up taking them out. I wore them to church several weeks ago and during worship reached up and took them out ....... again. Just can't wear them with a clear conscience.

Good posts, Sis. Felicity...appreciate your honesty...

[rkentsmith]

Originally Posted by Felicity

And today ... even though I'm not tied or bound to certain rules of conduct in relation to standards and holiness ... I am careful.

Some of the things I took the liberty that was mine to do ..... like piercing my ears so I could wear earrings (which I love) ....... I now don't wear them.

The reason is because of the conviction of the Holy Ghost and Him dealing with me in a personal way at the altar in a Sunday AM service months ago ..... that they symbolized the bondage of Egypt and a direct link and tie to paganism.

I'm still tempted to wear them and have put them in a few times but end up taking them out. I wore them to church several weeks ago and during worship reached up and took them out ....... again. Just can't wear them with a clear conscience.

You are beginning to sound like an Apostolic......

Careful......

[COOPER]

Originally Posted by rkentsmith

So we are not really talking about the liberty and grace of Christ but rather our bitterness toward the UPCI

No, I am talking about the UPC's bitter after taste.

[Steve Epley]

T H I S M A Y S H O C K Y O U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

My wife and I have never worn wedding bands and neither of us have been kidnapped and held as sex slaves.

We have never had a television, vcr, or any type of Hollywood entertainment YET we do know who the president is and even heard about Anna Nicole Smith.

My wife has never cut her hair and I have never heard her complain about fixing it as a burden. She had a sickness and started losing her hair and prayed until it stopped and started coming back.

My wife dresses modestly though classy and we hardly go anywhere that unsaved folks do not compliment her on her clothes.

I have not worn a short sleeve shirt since a young boy and have not had a meltdown.

You know we love living just like we live. We are HAPPY.

[rkentsmith]

Originally Posted by COOPER

No, I am talking about the UPC's bitter after taste.

So indeed we are discussing bitterness....