06/25/18 CALLED UNTO HOLINESS
Women looking like "PILGRIMS," and
Men looking like WALL STREET
Are not Biblical requirements.
Being godly is Biblical.
Martha and I attended a so-called "Interchurch" service, which supposedly was dedicated to the glorious Biblical truth of HOLINESS. Before the service we realized we would not "look" like everyone in attendance, since some of them follow a more restrictive heritage than we do. I have no problem with other people following stricter rules (or slacker rules) than I do, provided the path they follow is Biblical and they are walking in the light they have. If it is contrary to written revelation, then there is reason for concern, otherwise it is not a point of contention. Even if folks are at different places in their journey, I am not going to try to shame them or hustle them into the light I have attained. I am going to preach the word of God, not the word of man.
As I said, we expected to look a little different from some of the folks. However, it did not take the "preacher" long to make it clear that we were not one of them, because we did not look like them. WOW. He not only made it evident, but he made it a point of separation, that godly women look like PILGRIMS. NO, HE REALLY SAID THAT. I actually laughed when he said it because I thought he was trying to make a point by making an absurd joke. BUT, NOPE, he was serious. There were probably a half dozen ladies in the congregation that did not meet the kind of dress code this "preacher" was touting for Christian women. Regardless of anyone's relationship to Jesus, that mortal and errant man in the pulpit drew a line in the sand, built a wall of separation, and the wall was not Biblical. (I know it was not Biblical, because the next morning I looked in the Bible for the Divine revelation that says "Christian women look like Pilgrim women." Hold tight now, I don't want to shock anyone, but the Bible does not say any such thing. (and yes, I did look for it, though I already knew the answer).
I wasn't worried about what he said since I know there are legalists and divisive people who go about in sheep's clothing. But it may be that some of those poor ladies in the congregation who did not fit the "preacher's" standards were not yet saved. It could be that some of them will get saved through such misrepresentation of the gospel and they will soon be squeezed into the mold of legalism. Again, if a person chooses a stricter lifestyle because they find those directives in the Bible, praise the Lord. But if they fall in line behind someone focused on externalism, they are not likely to ever really reach HOLINESS, because HOLINESS is purity of heart (rather than looking like someone from 400 years ago). That's right. The PILGRIMS referred to are the PILGRIMS of recent history rather than the Biblical models of modesty and godliness. But more than likely, most people who hear such "preaching" will mistakenly believe that it represents God's revelation and they will not want anything to do with that kind "salvation." This is not, "the foolishness of preaching," spoken of by Paul. This is FOOLISH PREACHING.
I have lost really good friends to this kind of falsification of the gospel. I have watched loving, compassionate, tender, self denying Christians exchange the glorious message of deliverance from sin, for the bondage of self righteousness and judgmentalism. I have seen people that I led to Christ, led into Entire Sanctification, discipled, trained for ministry, joined them to their spouse, dedicated their children, pastored, counseled and loved, become judgmental, self righteous and condemning robots.
As I said, this "preacher" referred to Christian women looking like, "PILGRIMS." But what about the men who are part of this mentality? They don't dress like "Pilgrim" men. They dress like Wall Street, Madison Avenue, GQ Magazine models (which are the most fashionable and worldly images of worldly success). They often have fashionable hairstyles, really nice or expensive watches, while the wives are not allowed "worldly jewelry" including wedding bands (which they are often encouraged to put in the offering). YES. REALLY.
Personally, I don't care any more about the way the men look than I care about the way the women look. But something is wrong with a man or a system that insists on a strict dress code, which keeps the women in some historic period of time (reminiscent of the way "granny" dressed), while the men adorn and preen themselves like the "cock of the walk." This attitude genders "male superiority." UNDERSTAND THIS, the Bible does teach that the male is the head of the household and pastors should be males, not females, but the Bible does not teach suppression of women or superiority of men. I cannot imagine standing before a congregation and referring to the ladies as "Pilgrims," while I strut around like BEAU BRUMMELL.
Another thing I cannot imagine is hiding behind a pulpit in order to insult and ridicule visitors (saved or unsaved) because their external appearance is different from the folks in my church. Even if the visitor or congregant needs to make changes in their outer man, I would rather focus on the grace that saves the inner man and then let God work in the individual's life, through preaching, teaching, counsel and example. We all need light, grace, truth, love, teaching, encouragement. That is what the work of the ministry does. God does not call us to divide and embarrass people, just because they don't look like we do.
A lot of the separation that people BOAST in is superficial, imaginary, man-made, time specific and NOT BIBLICAL. There is something wrong when we are proud of our godliness, especially when it is an outward show of rules and regulations rather than love, understanding, humility. It is a mockery to claim holiness, while sacrificing the souls of other people, just because the other people don't have the same appearance that we have.
Martha and I attended the service, hoping to hear a good message or teaching concerning HOLINESS (the work of grace that purifies the believer and empowers him/her for daily victory over sin). Sadly, holiness of heart or life was not the subject. It was the same old fake "holiness" that has produced spiritual pride and exclusivity, and has built a man made wall, shutting out the unsaved from the BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. We heard rules and regulation religion preached, but nothing about how God saves us from all sin.
We did not go back for any other services, although I was still thinking about attending, even after that first service. There were some really fine believers there that night. I hope that something good was done in the next couple of days. I did not go back, because I chose not to be a distraction to whatever work God wanted to do. We sat their and after the service we greeted folks, shook hands, and left quietly. In fact, these thought I am sharing with you now did not really hit me until the next day.
Basically, I am saying that everything that calls itself HOLINESS is not HOLINESS. Read the word of God. Attend a church where perfect love is seen in the lives of pastor and parishioners, because the Bible says, WITHOUT HOLINESS, NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD.
