ONENESS ONENESS

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On Thu, 12 Sep 1996 22:56:57 -0800, you wrote:

>"I too believe in modest dress. My wife wears dresses. We wear no jewelry.
>We wear no costly apparel." -Michael 

Once again, I would be interested in whether Michael has consented to
having his private conversation brought public ?


>"I assume you get this from such scriptures as 1 Peter 3:3, correct? What I
>would like to ask you here, is- If this verse is saying _not_ to wear any
>gold or braids _at all_, is it not also saying to wear _no apparel_ at all?"
>.e.- 1 Peter 3:3 "Whose adorning let it _not be that outward... putting on
>of apparel_" -Tom 

Your post is rather long and follows the theme that the wearing of
gold was practiced from time to time without the destruction of God.

Abreviating a lot of material, I have time for several short
statements:

1. The place of jewelery in the Old Testament is not in dispute. The
use of jewelery to convey honor is not in dispute. This is not
overlooked by any teachers of biblical holiness. However, there is a
contrast between the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.

2. There is no doubt that some teach and regard holiness standards
pertaining to jewelery with an imporper understanding. However it
ought not to be thought that all do, or that the teaching of holiness
standards regarding jewelery thrives in legalism. Men and women
practice a separation unto the Lord by removing from their flesh all
that is "of the flesh", and maximizing the honor that God has given
through His adorning spirit as well as allowing the revelation of the
inner spirit to exemplify what God has done and not what man has done
to bring honor to himself.

3. Pertaining to how we ought to deal with this in those who do not
choose to abandon the affectation of the flesh for some reason, let me
paraphrase Bishop Lawson: "Whether or not a woman wear gold, let her
do it with a meek and quiet spirit, adorned with the truly costly
ornament of God's honor."

4. We teach practices that we believe are consistent with the
scriptures in whole. We do not teach them as divine law. We see
considerable variation in practice, but find that personal
consecration does come with a means of expression. This is valuable,
and is not inherently hypocricy. Hypocricy comes with a false
representation of the inner man. 


--- Addressing the nature of the post and why it is diffiuclt to
address point by point:

Now the following quote is typical of a pattern of confrontational
communication that is very difficult to reason with, and I will
explain why:

>Isa 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my
>God; for HE HATH CLOTHED ME with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
>me with the robe of righteousness, AS A BRIDEGROOM DECKETH HIMSELF WITH
>ORNAMENTS, AND AS A BRIDE ADORNETH HERSELF WITH HER JEWELS." 
>
>Uh-oh, God is following after the pattern of ungodliness ACCORDING TO THE
>TRADITION TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL JEWELRY!!! 

First, are we presuming that those who choose not to wear jewelery as
a compliance with the spirit of the scripture in whole, are utterly
ignorant, and have never considered Isaiah 61:10 ?

We as a people are instructed by God to consider ":the volume of the
book", which testifies of Jesus. We are to discern and rightly divide
scripture.

To suggest that an established teaching implies that GOD is on
contradiction of himself is no small insult to the intellegence and
integrity of a very very large people. It is therefore on the border
of absurdity.

Look at the scripture above for a moment.

The use of jewels for honor is well established. It practice among
carnal humanity is the basis for this allusion. God does not give
literal jewels. Jewels such as emeralds and pearles and gold itself is
the physical representation of riches. The langguage is clearly the
language of allusion: As he says

  God has clothed us with TRUE riches  
  AS
  a bridegroom adorns his beloved.

In another case, Jesus refers to himself as the "bread of life".

The language of the immediate world, in shadows of the spiritual are
used to project the reality of the soul-satisfying, strength giving
power of the Word of God when taken AS one takes bread, incorporating
it into our spiritual lives, and then being benefitted downward in
this physical life. It does NOT work the other way, for as Paul says
"Bodily exercize profiteth little".

>So, according to your interpretation, we should NOT find ANY Godly examples
>in the bible wearing ANY gold, or jewelry, etc. WHATSOEVER, right? And if
>they do, they must be transgressors, and Babylonish, and idolatrous, and
>LAODICEAN, right? 
>
>And yet in application, the scriptural examples absolutely ABOUND that
>contradict your opinion- 

Actually, they do not, but it appears that you choose to read it that
way.

You gave several OT examples of people of God using Jewelery. However
the bible neither implies nor states any of the following:

1. The OT examples of scripture were morally perfect
2. The OT examples of scriupture were expected to abide in a spiritual
relationship with God such as is possible since the Day of Pentecost,
following the offering of the blood of Jesus Christ.
3. Character, religious practice, or spiritual integrity can be
measured by every character of the OT
4. The Church derives its pattern from the human examples, such as
Rebekah, or Sarah. 

In fact, rightly dividing the word of truth is MUCH more important
that music, though you could not ascertain that from this list every
day.  The shame of a workman who does not have the tools to perceive
and heed precious doctrine will be great indeed. Herein is the true
*practical* value of the meek and quiet spirit:

"17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and  apply
thine  heart  unto my knowledge.  18  For it is a pleasant thing if
thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this
day, even to thee.   20  Have not I written to thee excellent things
in counsels and knowledge,  21  That I might make thee know the
certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words
of truth to them that send unto thee?" - Prov 22


>Here, according to your interpretations, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, and
>Abraham's servant, and Abraham's family ALL are transgressors!!! 

This is foolish. No, these people lived in a completely different era,
and while also having many wives and being sometimes encouraged to
kill and slay in battle, and profiting from deception, as did Jacob in
receiving his blessing, the lived "In the flesh".

Though it does NOT SAVE even a single hair on our head, we choose to
reflect a life that is not "in the flesh", but enlivened and
exemplitive of the power and riches of the Spirit of God which lives
in us. While the Jewish nation does still today seek the fullness of
life "in the flesh" with ornaments and jewels and riches, most
Christian people know the joy of being complete at the EXPENSE of the
fleshly gratifications.

Jesus' example was to put his flesh at a low priority.  So holiness
standards teach keeping the appropriate relationship between flesh and
spirit, feeding the spirit rather than the flesh which lives subject
to the Spirit.

>Gen 41:42 "And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon
>Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold
>chain about his neck;" 

This is no different from the paycheck you receive for work. You are
honored for your expertise, and position, fulfilling your job
expectations, and the reward comes carnally. God could just as well
feed you by a raven. When god chose to honor Joseph by Pharoah he used
elements that were common to the mentality and world in which they
both lived. Dont forget, Israel was God's nation, gathered by fleshly
means, and serving him in the FORM or fashion of truth.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, not for some time, and
thankfully not only to limited examples who were fleshbound to this
world and thereafter to "Abraham's bosom".

>Now we see King Solomon transgressing while he was still holy enough to be
>writing scriptures! 

Here is more mocking commentary that does not become good conversation
among brethren.

>Uh-oh, God is following after the pattern of ungodliness ACCORDING TO THE
>TRADITION TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL JEWELRY!!! 
>
>But this is by far the only time that God transgresses your tradition... 

>And Jesus must have been talking about an unrighteous father in his parable... 

>Imagine, God adorning that holy city like a Babylonian idolatrous woman!!! 

>I don't at all imagine that city is patterned after BABYLONIAN brides!!! 

Is it your assertion that someone is saying it is ?

Finally, these posts are WAY too long to answer with practical and
readable transactions.