The Plain Coat

[Emma Bontrager]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

Most of the men in my family do wear the "Plain" suit coat.

And you left a church that believes in separation from the world for both men AND women and joined one that believes in separation for women only. Sad, my English friend. Repentance still works.

[Neck]

To quote RKentsmith

"The UPC needs a healer"

Still can't figure out what that means!

[Emma Bontrager]

Originally Posted by Neckstadt

To quote RKentsmith

"The UPC needs a healer"

Still can't figure out what that means!

It means the UPC is messed up. They either need to go conservative or quit pretending!!

[Sept5SavedTeen]

Is dressing in plain clothing apostolic? Would the apostles want us to make a spectacle of ourselves (not to say of course that some Pentecostals don't make a spectacle, but work with me here)? Did the apostles dress in this Amish-wear? Is it 1st century Christianity or is it 16th century, Swiss, conservative Anabaptist style? Now there's nothing wrong with a style, but there's no need to dress as the Amish in order to be modest, and it can pose unnecessary stumbling blocks for people on the outside. How much are the Amish doing by way of outreach?

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen

Is dressing in plain clothing apostolic? Would the apostles want us to make a spectacle of ourselves (not to say of course that some Pentecostals don't make a spectacle, but work with me here)? Did the apostles dress in this Amish-wear? Is it 1st century Christianity or is it 16th century, Swiss, conservative Anabaptist style? Now there's nothing wrong with a style, but there's no need to dress as the Amish in order to be modest, and it can pose unnecessary stumbling blocks for people on the outside. How much are the Amish doing by way of outreach?

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

I wonder if there's also no need to dress as UPC'ers in order to be modest and if dressing UPC can pose unneccesary stumblingblocks for people on the outside? Well, I take that back, because I know the answer. What do you think?

Also, I wonder how much the UPC does in the way of family life?

[Sept5SavedTeen]

Originally Posted by ILG

I wonder if there's also no need to dress as UPC'ers in order to be modest and if dressing UPC can pose unneccesary stumblingblocks for people on the outside? Well, I take that back, because I know the answer. What do you think?

Also, I wonder how much the UPC does in the way of family life?

As for the UPC, I'm not UPC, although the last church I attended was UPC, the standards are being kept half-way, so it's difficult to tell what stumblingblock is being posed for the outsider. The greatest stumblingblock probably comes to those on inside the church by way of hypocracy. Also, the concepts of modesty teach us a few things. I do believe a woman should not expose the shape of her thighs, therefore, pants are probably not proper apparel for women. If a woman is going to wear a skirt, in order to be modest, should we wear it at the knee? No, that defeats the purpose, it should be at the ankles, if they're really wanting to do things correctly. As for other Apostolic standards of modesty, are long-sleeves a wise decision? For some, perhaps, they are. I personally don't see a problem with short-sleeves as long as they don't expose the underarm, but I have no Bible for that, so I only say it by permission and to have a standard in my personal life of modesty. Other UPC/Apostolic standards of modesty, like no mixed bathing and no jewlery are great and should be upheld (and jewlery DOES mean wedding rings).

Lastly, as for family life, the UPC is probably not doing enough. And it probably stems from the pastors not having good family lives due to their constant busyness and committments, which is why I believe a church should be run by elders and deacons, so that the load can be evened out, so the men who work in GOD's church can be good examples, and so this can trickle down to the saint's family lives. Also, although church work/services are good, and we should not forsake church work, I have seen some Apostolic churches that have been so demanding and draining on some people that it hurts the family quite a bit.

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

Ok so I'm worldly I like neckties.
Do any of the plain suit wearers have the baptism of the Holy Ghost ?

Did the Holy Ghost lead you into wearing french nooses?

Actually some do and the number is growing. One of the things the apostolic anabaptists can't figure out is why those that claim to have the real Holy Ghost would tie such a dangerous knot around their neck. The witness isn't one of great imparted wisdom. And that is apart from the colorful decor, a knot is a knot is a knot.

Originally Posted by ILG

I wonder if there's also no need to dress as UPC'ers in order to be modest and if dressing UPC can pose unneccesary stumblingblocks for people on the outside? Well, I take that back, because I know the answer. What do you think?

Also, I wonder how much the UPC does in the way of family life?

The Anabaptists have the Apostolics beat in many areas. It's some of the surviving carry over attributes that illustrate what was, and is done correctly. However they have lost somethings along the way.

Does the Bible teach us to become and dress like the world to reach the world?

Or does proper separation help to distinguish, protect, and empower us to go in and reach the world?

Is there a way that we can both separate from the world, on the inside and out, without offense to God or man?

Righteousness doesn't appeal to everyone, and we must be very careful, and quite frankly, led of the Holy Ghost and not knee-jerk pretenses in these areas.

Many have gone too far in their endeavors to "reach the world," or is it sometimes nothing more than a cloaked, hip pocket excuse of convenience to live after their own ways and have more fellowship with the world than with God?

The plain dress sometimes fulfills proper function with respect to modesty, but often fails to make a righteous, or intended, impression on the English.

[Emma Bontrager]

[QUOTE=RD Cox;315035]The Anabaptists have the Apostolics beat in many areas. It's some of the surviving carry over attributes that illustrate what was, and is done correctly. However they have lost somethings along the way.

Does the Bible teach us to become and dress like the world to reach the world?

NO!

Or does proper separation help to distinguish, protect, and empower us to go in and reach the world?

YES! Look at how people seek us out!! And it's not just the women who are asked if they are Amish!! You "Apostolic men" want to look like the world and make the women responsible to carry the burden of reaching the lost!!

Is there a way that we can both separate from the world, on the inside and out, without offense to God or man?

YES!!

Many have gone too far in their endeavors to "reach the world," or is it sometimes nothing more than a cloaked, hip pocket excuse of convenience to live after their own ways and have more fellowship with the world than with God?

You're preaching to the choir!! (That is merely a figrue of speech. We do not HAVE a choir!!)

The plain dress sometimes fulfills proper function with respect to modesty, but often fails to make a righteous, or intended, impression on the English.

Says who? The English downright seek us out, travel to our parts of the world, come to buy our goods and why? Because they are tired of their own lifestyle and want something different! You are so close to what they are that they never seek you out like they do us. Plain and simple.

[staysharp]

I only have one comment for this thread:

If your clothes could save you, you wouldn't need the cross.