Holiness And Legalism.

[Scott Hutchinson]

We do need to teach the principles of modesty and such,but our world is different than the world of the 40s and 50s people come to us with all kinds of baggage and we must be patient with them.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by live4him

what we need to do is quit being keepers of the aquarium, and go out of the box and witness and quit shoving standards down peoples throats but in the meantime let God deal with peoples convictions, they will learn in due time, thats why alot of people quit going to church because they are judged, we need to let God be the judge, let them get in first. but quit kicking them down before they enter the doors.thats whats happening people are kicking them down . lift them up. goodness gracious. there are people hungry out there,and they want more of God not more of judgement.

just my 2 cents

I agree with the gist of your post, but not all standards will be learned by all people. Many here do not believe that the uncut hair doctrine has ANY weight, so they would also not believe that someone needs to learn it.

[live4him]

i agree randy but i do have to say that if they are convicted about something they need to stand by there beleifs but i do have to say that the Bible says that woman should not shorn their hair. that means to cut and i do not want to get on the subject of magic hair doctrine again-lol

[Sister Alvear]

We will all never agree on everything and maybe never agree what holiness really is...however one thing is certain that will never change and that is that God is a holy God and we must do our best to be like him...
The first church reminded the world of Christ and that was why they were called Christians...

[Revelationist]

I had some people in church that keep telling me, I fell it's all right to do this and all right to do that... I told them that they were walking in the same legalism that they thought they were running from.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

I had some people in church that keep telling me, I fell it's all right to do this and all right to do that... I told them that they were walking in the same legalism that they thought they were running from.

How can not having a conviction against some set of actions be considered legalism?

[Sister Alvear]

there is a difference between convictions and doctrine...

[Falla39]

After we receive the Holy Ghost/Spirit, in time, there should accompany us,
a spirit of holiness. We are as a newborn when we first receive the Holy Ghost.
We are not newborns that speak a language. There is the cry (utterance)
or sound of life from a newborn, but it is not as the tongue of the learned.

As we grow up in Him, the Spirit becomes more mature and teaches. When
He, the spirit of truth is come, He will lead and guide you into all truth. The
Bible tells us that "all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. HOW? By the
spirit of truth that lives in us. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Gal.4:19,
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Heb. 5:12-14,
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have
need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in
the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.

It seems that in the five fold ministry of,apostles, prophets, evangelists, and
pastors, and teachers, still something is lacking. Where are the teachers!
Yes, we have had devoted Sunday School teachers, and other teaching, but
where are the fathers and mothers that should be teaching the younger!
Those who have been faithful to God, have raised up children that were also
faithful to God, and yet where are they found in the body of Christ.

I believe God is calling out those He has been preparing for an ingathering
of fatherless and motherless "children" who was raised and grew up in the
church but never grew up in Christ. He was never formed IN them. They
never acquired a desire for "the sincere milk of the Word that they might
grow thereby". Strong meat chokes them! Strong meat of the Word belongs
to those who have grown up/matured in Christ!

Not to offend but to stir up our minds. To stir up the gift within us!

Blessings,

Falla39

[Trouvere]

I wonder sometimes why people start out listening to Jesus and end up more bound than they were before only bound with traditions taught by someone who has no victory whatsoever and has a church that is deader than dead. I have seen and heard it all in the last twenty something years. Recently I heard of a group that met and amened the men going home and telling their wives just what they ought to do or else make them sleep on the sofa. My husband said he will never go back to such a thing. There is much more to holiness than getting up and trying to get behind the pulpit and controlling what everyone does. I never want a pastor who does that. The Apostle Paul said toTimothy to preach the word. He did not say make up new rules. He did not say to cram your own convictions that Jesus gave you for your own dedication and committment down the throats of innocent bystanders and call it holiness. There is much more to holiness. Holiness personifies the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ that is present in our lives. People should be able to see Him in us. He should be able to freely work through us.
I question when someone has to be led by the hand as if they cannot read and study their own. I also wonder at times at those among us who feel that those they are teaching or who are seekers cannot question their teachings or doctrine. The bible
says we should be apt to teach. It takes patience.

[Aquila]

I think true holiness is separating one's self exclusively for the Lord's service by loving God with all our hearts and our neighbor's as ourselves. For me, the general rule of holiness is the Ten Commandments. Outward standards, in my opinion, fall under the heading of Christian Modesty, not holiness. I think we all know people who dress the part and look the part but yet really aren't holy. I think legalism begins with an inordinate focus on outward appearance and a neglect of inward character development.

Just my two cents.