|
Thank God For Holiness!
HOLINESS
We believe that godly living should characterize the life and walk of all saints according to the sign and example found in I Peter 2:21; Tit. 2:11; Gal. 2:20; Heb. 12:14; I Peter 1:15-17. We believe we are to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21) and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7:1) and to abstain from all appearance of evil (I Thes. 5:22) and to turn away from those who have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof (II Tim. 3:5; I Cor. 11 :6; I Tim. 2:9; I Pet. 2:3,4).
Our holiness standards are continually under attack, every device and tactic are employed to damage or to throw out of gear our spiritual life. The Bible saint today and the saints of generations ago succeeded in their walk with God not because they were exceptional in some way, but because they made full use of their faith in God's Word. Many Christians believe that holiness in not necessary. There can be no true salvation or entrance into heaven without it. No doctrine is of heaven which makes holiness unnecessary.
While "holiness" primarily deals with "separation from" and "dedication to", "perfection" deals almost entirely with Christian growth. IT DOES NOT have the idea that is held by many that "one is as perfect as he knows how to be". THIS IS NOT THE NEW TESTAMENT VIEW OF PERFECTION. The words "perfect, perfecting, perfection, perfectly, perfectness" all come from the same root word, and carry some aspect of the original meaning, "complete, full, wanting nothing, complete in all parts and proportions, to make full, fill up, to bring to a full end, put in full order, prepare full, perfectly equip, full-grown, to equip out fully, to fit out accurately, precisely, exactly". This is the thought that the Apostles tried to convey, that the Christian who began his new life in Christ as "a babe" in Christ, (I Cor. 3:1-3; Heb. 5:13,14; 1 Pet. 2:1, 2), should continue in his growing in grace, through the influence of the Word and the Holy Ghost, until his disposition, attitudes, passions, knowledge, understanding are all "mature" and those of a "full grown" child of God (Heb. 5:13-14; I Cor. 13:9-12; 14:20; II Cor. 6:11-13). The purity, sanctity, holiness, of the believer depends completely upon the degree of "maturity" (perfection) reached by the believer. In that we at By The Master's Hand Church Inc. has been a conservative holiness organization and believe in inward and outward holiness: we feel it necessary to spell out our standards of holiness of dress and separation because of the day we live in and the continued conformity of many that say they are Apostolic, in this hour. We still believe and practice the following standards:
1. Females should not cut their hair or in any way cause it to be shortened or damaged. 2. Males should cut their hair as to look like males. 3. Males/Females should not wear that which pertains to the opposite sex. (Deut.22:5) 4. Male/Female should not wear shorts, bathing suits, gym trunks, or culottes. 5. Male/Female should not wear see through attire. 6. Male/Female should not wear sleeveless attire or low necklines. Male/Female should abstain from all appearance of evil and be separated from all activities that war against the soul and spirit. (Dancing, Gambling, or anything that causes lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, or the pride of life). 7. Male/Female should not practice mixed bathing (swimming in the public places where male and female are present). 8. Male/Female should not wear jewelry, also females/males should not use makeup. 9. Females should not wear mini-skirts or mini-dresses. Also, splits in skirts or dresses should be frowned upon, especially those that gap open or are revealing. At the top of the split is where the skirt or dress starts. 10. We all need to be holy, honorable vessels. Our bodies are the temple of God, and we are not our own. We need to glorify God in our body. (I Cor. 6:19-20) If we defile our bodies (the temple of God), God will destroy us. (I Cor. 3:16-17) Thank God for His Holiness!
|
|
|
