Standards

av1611jim stated this Bible verse:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Does anyone here think that the role of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life would give any illumination to his/her demeanor and dress? Granted, Dr. Bob's illustration works well when we are training up our children, but do we 'preach' such standards to adult believers?

 

This is always going to be an issue that will be debated. You would think churches would agree that women shouldn't wear short thigh-high type skirts, shirts that show cleavage, etc. However, sometimes I see that anything goes with some believers. Same with men. They should dress modestly as well. However, I believe that someone can be extreme both ways. Not just dress either. Music and other standards are often pushed too far either way by some people.

However, if a woman feels she always wants to wear dresses instead of feminine pants that is fine with me. As long as someone doesn't take their opinion and arrogantly put "thus saith the Lord" behind it.

Ever feel that people just like something to debate over?

In Christ,

Brooks

 

Pro 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.

Whatever a harlot wears, I wouldn't wear that. I have heard (never been myself) that in Las Vegas, the working girls are dressed more modestly than a lot of the other women running around out there. The only question I would have is, does God's standard change. Does He consider the attire of a harlot to be the same today as He always has?

 

Boy the clothing issue is quite controversial. But getting away from that I believe the thread was to find areas of true biblical seperation.

Seperation from false religion is the biggest I have found. 2 Cor. 6:[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

The bible also states that if any one brings any other doctrine than was delivered to the Saints, they should be accursed.

There are definate areas we should seperate but there are alot of churches that make their stands as preference or polity.

We had a policy that all girls and ladies could wear coulotts and skirts. Fine. I had a bunch of coulotts made for my daughter. The teens went to a conference and a more skirt like coulott was introduced and our pastor liked them It became policy after I had just spent alot of money having her coulotts made. Just preference with no biblical basis.

 

What harlots wear as certainly changed over time.

 

Remember, Caiaphas was a man of the highest standards.The Amish also have high standards and a completely unbalanced veiw of scripture.Seperation in the biblical sense, if taken to far will almost always lead to legalism, and legalism will always lead to hypocrisy.

 

I agree there is a need to put legs on the text, and I also believe there is an equal need to fight keeping the legs we put on that text modestly covered. Only God can give is that balance of wisdom and discernment. Discernment means "mental separation," and we so desperately need His wisdom to know how to mentally separate good from evil, man from God, worldliness from righteousness, self-pleasure from God-delight. It's not hard to lend others grace in their levels of discernment when we fully recognize how insufficient we are in our own. Our personal standards should be a wonderful demonstration of our great love for God and others; but instead, they are often sadly used as a measuring rod of spirituality OR as a reason to hurl accusations of legalism OR as a license to live onto self.

 

I think if one would "Walk in the spirit and not in the flesh"Romans 8:1 that is the ultimate form of Biblical seperation.

 

Modesty needs to be preached just as Dr. Bob said it should be. The reason it is not, and the reason you have many who preach their legalistic standards is I believe two fold.

1. They are afraid that if they preach the modesty principle according to Scripture and let the Holy Spirit sovereignly work in the hearts of their listeners, that perhaps it will be ignored and their people will not look like their version of IFBers. They will not fit in with the crowd then.

2. Many pastors, church leaders etc. love to control behavior of their followers. If their followers look a certain way and behave a certain way, then they feel like they are accomplishing somthing for Christ. They equate holiness with with standards. My people feel that if they dress a certain way they are some how pleasing God.