Comments on Music and Rings

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On Wed, 7 Aug 1996 14:04:55 -0400 (EDT), you wrote:

>UPCI teaching concerning holiness, but how many individual churches are
>teaching that balance?  

I dont know. And, it is far less my business to find out churches are
not in the flow of the spirit, than it is my business to find
individuals who will profit from teaching. Thats too big a job for me!

>>Now, I have know people who have drifted into casual conformity, and
>>actually thinking that sin an be hidden, but these are not common in a
>>spiritual church.
>
>Unfortunately, no matter how spiritual the church, you are always going to
>have people who try and hide their sin by their outside appearance.  And
>people may get away with their appearance from other people, but only God
>truly knows the condition of a person's heart. 

I believe this is well understood, actually. When we come to the Lord
in genuine repentance and have spiritual experience we are aware of
the difference between the inside and the outside, and know that the
spirit of man is the searchlight of God which will reveal the heart to
God no matter WHAT we do before men. This understanding is imparted in
the salvation experience, if one is paying attention.

It is when this understanding is dimmed and the light of the Holy
Ghost is reduced in one's life that there develops any dis-synchrony
between most external holiness standards and the inner purity of heart
which God desires and we truly thrive from.

Saul's backslidden condition was evident when he asked Samuel to cover
up his transgression before men. But Saul's sad condition did NOT mean
that external worship ought not be engaged in.

>You are right, I should not have made such a general statement.....I will
>say it a bit differently.....some(not all) look more like they are going to
>a fashion show than to worship the Lord.

By whose critera ? Yours? Is thise not just another style standard?
And if there is excess, then is it not still a personal matter? I
believe that was the crux of your initial point.

>I dont believe I said that Christians should not dress nicely...But I do
>believe there is a line you can cross from looking nice and being excessive
>in your dress

Who administrates that line Sister ? Who stands and points to that
line? What value can be gained by tring to fine tune an instrument so
large that God alone can comprend it completely. The ministry if often
the target of the comments you are making. They look too good, have
too much money, and not spiritual etc etc etc. OK, there is a line. Is
it not satisfactory to be blessed to know that line for YOU? Or is it
needful to condemn those who are (whether or not in truth) on the
other side of some line.

>.....does a person really need to spend 2 hours doing their
>hair?  

I dont know. I know hair takes time to do, and many women I have heard
made a very sincere plea that they had cut their hair because hair is
difficulot to manage. Now, let me tell you, I KNOW this because I
(believe it or not) had hair longer than the majority of Pentecostal
women before I was saved.

Heres how it works for us. My wife doesnt have all the time it takes
for good looks very often. today she is preparing dinner, setting up
service (while I type, I am ashamed to say), and preparing the kids
for dinner. In a few hours I will probably ask her to sing what is on
her heart. She will have spent 15-20 minutes in personal care before
church, dressing and doing hair. I personally like her hair really
done nice.. but, I know sh is working hard, and teaching and
witnessing during the day. But let me tell you Sister, when she goes
to conference, I encourage her to look as good as she can. We spend
the whole year labouring and working in battle zone conditions, and
when God gives us a break for a little bit, shes gonna feel like shes
worth something (which she is!)

>i  think when you spend more time on your personal appearance than you
>do working on your heart and your spiritual self, there is a problem.  

Yeah, me too.

>And unfortunately, it is becoming more common to see women wearing makeup and
>jewelry in churches today. But then, that has to do with a person's personal
>convictions.


>Amish weirdos???????  I think the Amish are very much to be admired for
>their stances.  I dont think I could live the life they have chosen, could you?

Yeah, to be out of touch and completely declined from living in the
real world is not holiness, its nuttiness. If we were not careful, and
allowed the spiritual fire of the people of God to diminish, our  own
dress standards would become nothing more than a social distinction
serving to pacify our fears of the world.

And I would not even be slightly interested in living a life that God
did not saturate with the spirit of God, and allow me to be on the
cutting edge of what He is doing. The church is not a museum, its a
living body and it is in the world for light, not for just "hanging in
there"

>>And, I have come to realize after many years of not caring what I
>>dressed like (as I was your quintessential "free thinker" and hippie,
>>until I came into the light of Pentecost), that dress IS important and
>>one SHOULD care what they look like. God does, by the way.
>>
>Yes, dress is important, and a person should care about what they look like,
>but at what cost?

Isnt that up to everyone? Why be a communist? Some are more blessed
than others. Let 'em enjoy it.


The fashipon show starts when we have to worry that by BEING US and
loving God, we are going to offend someone who has different ideas.

We need help with a burden for the lost in the church. We need to be
more inclined to give, but we dont need more anxiety, repression or
puritanism.