Fundamental Hypocrites

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

The reasoning I heard at Bible College was that it was worldy because hippies wore beards. When I asked about the preachers of old the reasoning was "They had to keep their throats warm for preaching because they had no PA systems."

Yes - that is what I was told.

 

[csmith]

The PA system in our church doesn't work real well so I will just have some stubble on my face.

 

[James_Newman]

Originally posted by C4K:
The reasoning I heard at Bible College was that it was worldy because hippies wore beards. When I asked about the preachers of old the reasoning was "They had to keep their throats warm for preaching because they had no PA systems."

Yes - that is what I was told.

That would also explain why women don't have beards!

 

[Pastor KevinR]

Originally posted by csmith:
In Bible college, our college president forbade the young men to wear beards saying that it wasn't "becoming" of a man in ministry.

There can't be a good reason for someone believing it though.

I have no clue where it all started though--makes no sense.

It wouldn't surprise me if that same President lauded the bearded C.H. Spurgeon! Yikes. I know of a few ministries that distain Calvinism yet praise Spurgeon, who of course was a Calvinist...how far along in it he was, I'm not sure.
As far as the "beard" thing, it prob is a left over from the anti worldliness of the 60's..that's my opinion.

 

[dcorbett]

fellas, I am apparently the only woman in this discussion....and I wonder if it takes bare skin to make you "lust after" a woman. I don't think so, since I have seen many a dedicated man fall to the wayside because of a wandering woman in the church, and she had on a dress every time he saw her!!! If you are going to blame YOUR sin on the person wearing the suit, I feel sorry for you. Take responsibility for your own sins, no one can make you sin but YOU.

Make sense?

 

[James_Newman]

A wise man knows his own limitations. Why would a fat man on a diet want to spend the afternoon at a bakery?

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by dcorbett:
fellas, I am apparently the only woman in this discussion....and I wonder if it takes bare skin to make you "lust after" a woman. I don't think so, since I have seen many a dedicated man fall to the wayside because of a wandering woman in the church, and she had on a dress every time he saw her!!! If you are going to blame YOUR sin on the person wearing the suit, I feel sorry for you. Take responsibility for your own sins, no one can make you sin but YOU.

Make sense?

No man ever fell because of a wandering woman. It was because he was wandering with her. I have found that even prostitutes will have respect for a man who stands talls with Jesus.

I have always said that a person will always find what he or she is looking for. If a person is looking to go after sin they will find it. But if looking for God they will find Him.

 

[tfisher1]

Kinda reverts back to "Love not the world" "doctrine"

Ex: Beards... in the 60's sign of rebellion, so Christians can't have them... In the 90's, world no longer looks at beards as a sign of rebellion so we can have them now...

Seems like we set our rules by whatever the world currently thinks is cool, hip or edgy....if it is, then we can't do it... if it changes a few years later... no big deal...

Another example, when I was in high school in the 80's turning your collar up on your pullover shirt became a fashion fad... as soon as we started doing it in our Christian school, a rule came down from administration that it was worldly to turn our collars up and it was now forbidden...

Guess what, no rule about it now as its not cool anymore therefore not "worldly"...

Many of the Israelite men wore longer hair, were bearded, and wore earrings... no mention that their wearing earrings was evil or bad in the Bible...it was just their "culture" as we like to say. Wasn't their "culture" their "world"?

I remember our pastor of yesteryear at our IFB church who was %100 anti-ccm or any music that had a beat, rhyhthm, drum, guitar etc... in it saying that it was ok for black churches to clap, sway, chant, etc... because that was their "culture"... doesn't make sense to me, if worshipping the Lord through song is wrong if it contains rhythm, drums, beat etc... then its wrong for everybody, not just white American churches??

Does God base sin on our "culture" or whatever the world around us thinks is cool?
In other words, if the world currently thinks its cool,edgy, hip etc... then its sin for us, but as soon as the "world" no longer likes the "trend, edgy, cool" thing, its ok for us...

Something just doesn't add up about that.

Just some thoughts..
Todd

 

[El_Guero]

Todd

Could you give some support for these thoughts? Then maybe the part that doesn't add up could be subtracted out.

Many of the Israelite men wore longer hair, were bearded, and wore earrings... no mention that their wearing earrings was evil or bad in the Bible...it was just their "culture" as we like to say. Wasn't their "culture" their "world"?

 

[williemakeit]

Originally posted by csmith:
I am an Independent Fundamental Baptist Pastor (don't throw any tomatos).

I have been in enough of the IFB circles long enough to know that we have been guilty of establishing our own righteousness. We have made rules that are not Biblically mandated, yet we enforce them in our churches.

I don't think it hurts to be introspective and honest about this problem. I also welcome non IFB to point out different failures you have noticed (whether they be practiced by IFB, SB, MB or otherwise).

Here is one: (do you know any?)

"It is a sin to go to the beach!"

It is a sin for me to go to the beach. No, not because it is the beach, but I guess because I am not as strong as some of the other posters. Considering the amount of time I would spend 'fleeing', the time would be better spent fishing or golfing. As for the rules of some IFB churches, I am somewhat distrubed by the fact that some cannot leave if they are that unhappy with them. There are some 'rules' or 'standards' in my church that I do not agree with, and I simply ignore them. Yet, I enjoy the church, and I do not feel that I am chained to it. I do not question the convictions of those women that feel God does not condone them wearing pants, nor those feel that God does not condone the consumption of alcoholic beverages, dancing, going to the movies, etc. Every 'rule' and 'standard' of my Pastor is supported by scripture. Granted, his intrepretation of some of those scripture is different than my interpretation; however, it is his conviction, and I truly believe the same Holy Spirit that lives within me is the same Holy Spirit that lives within him. I also believe he lives it 24-7. Oh, by the way, he knows that I disagree with him, so it is not like I am trying to live two lives. He preaches his convictions from the pulpit, and personally, I wouldn't be there another day if he didn't. My advice for what it is worth--If anyone out there is living under the repressive regime of an IFB church, Get Out!

 

[tfisher1]

El_guero..... Happy now? (all KJV below btw...)

Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons , and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

Exo 32:3 And all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

Job 42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

2Sa 10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
2Sa 10:5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;


Hope this helps,

Todd

 

[tfisher1]

Williemakeit.... I agree %100.

My church is IFB, and I don't agree with every single thing. In my church's case, its not coming from the pulpit (as far as pushing their convictions on everyone else..) its more from some in the membership. Personally, I have never placed much stock in peoples opinions of me and more importantly whether or not I rate high on their spiritual scale, So it doesn't bother me at all(actually amuses me for some reason?). I love my church and pastor and feel that is where God wants me now. If things change for whatever reason, I would leave without running down the pastor or the church. I think people think their is a perfect church out there somewhere, if so, I'd like to find it!

Todd

 

[av1611jim]

LOL

The trouble with the myth of the "perfect" church is that as soon as you find one and become a member, YOU have ruined it! LOL Amen?

In HIS service;
Jim

 

[Paul33]

Try swimming au naturel.

It's the clothes that make the beach a sin. When no one's wearing any, the lust problem goes away.

 

[Soulman]

I think people in general when in a position of power tend to try and make everyone conform to their standards. If you have an agressive soul winning pastor, chances are the church will follow suit. People find themselves in these predicaments because like sheep we like to be led.

What alot of church leadership has forgotten is that there is liberty in Christ. Standards are important. But that is what they are. Not doctrine.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

It's the extra Biblical stuff that messes everything up.I wonder how well Christ would be recieved in our IFB churches and how they would do at making Him conform to thier standards.

 

[av1611jim]

Originally posted by Plain Old Bill:
It's the extra Biblical stuff that messes everything up.I wonder how well Christ would be recieved in our IFB churches and how they would do at making Him conform to thier standards.

Christ would be much more apt to be received in our IFB churches than the plethora of "spineless" churches today.
"If you won't STAND for something, you will FALL for anything."

In HIS service;
Jim

 

[dcorbett]

Originally posted by Plain Old Bill:
It's the extra Biblical stuff that messes everything up.I wonder how well Christ would be recieved in our IFB churches and how they would do at making Him conform to thier standards.

 

[dcorbett]

ooop. my reply went askew....what I said was:

HE is perfect, why would we even try to make HIM conform?

 

[Bro. James]

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

All of these scriptures are written to saved people in assemblies--these words were probably not posted in the town squares.

We are tempted daily by: the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The more we try to be "Christ-like", the more darts satan's demons throw. We are inundated with it--even in "church houses"--many are filled with carnality. Sensuality in the dress code is rampant; rock and roll beat in the music is considered spiritual-- "come out from among them and be ye separate, saith The Lord, and touch not the unclean things..." Israel had the same problems with carnality as we do today--it is human nature--depraved, completely.

The paradigm for lusting after things carnal should be something like: What is "right" with "a thing", not "what is wrong with it".
Not many "things" will pass this paradigm. We have "watered down" and "sugar coated" the standards--in the homes and the assemblies. Now what? "come out from among them..." is still the right answer--always has been.

I we have to ask someone if our white shirt looks dirty--it probably does.

Selah,

Bro. James