Hello Friends!
Welcome Back! Let’s continue to explore the eternally important
topic for the Christian Church today… HOLINESS!
Created for Holiness! (Part 2 of 7)
A Lifestyle of Loving Him!
Many think that being set-apart or having rules for our lives is
restrictive or being a legalist or “Judaizer.” But it is not really about
restrictions, it is about the wonderful freedom of loving Jesus Christ! After
all, He does say:
If you love me, keep my
commandments – John 14:15
If we really love Him, we must open ourselves up to
Him, obey the Holy Spirit and do as He leads. Do not follow man-made dogma – follow
the Bible! Be obedient! The beauty of Holiness awaits!
If we
love our spouse, we love doing things for them – even things that may
otherwise be tedious. Why? Because we LOVE them! True,
deep love puts wings on the feet of service! So, what service can
we do for our Heavenly Master? Many things. In fact James says:
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father
is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep
himself unspotted from the world – James 1:27
We are
to help the needy and be unspotted from the world. How do we do
that? Well, some of it relates to lifestyle – to our entertainment choices
and even how we dress. I am not here to tell you what you need to do, because
that is between you and the Lord. But I DO wish to suggest some
guidelines. A lifestyle of loving the Lord should not include indulging in
media that is full of sex, violence or the occult. Nor would it include
listening to music that glorifies such things.
As to
dress, neither men nor women should dress in a way
that accentuates their sexual attributes. True modesty means not
drawing overt attention to oneself in that way.
in like
manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety
and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing – 1 Timothy 2:9
It is about having decorum (a
word all but lost in today’s vocabulary). It does not mean acting like a
stuffed shirt, but does mean moving and relating to others with quietness and
humility. I have seen men and women who claim to be “Spirit- filled apostles
and prophets” dress like gigolos or harlots. Sadly, the world’s fashion sense
is now in the gutter and too often the church is beguiled through fleshly, vain
imaginations. Where is the godly leadership?
Beloved, when we avoid dressing in a way
that draws attention to our sexuality, something amazing happens. Your
inner beauty begins to shine forth! There is an amazing beauty
that emanates from a person when they are pure and absolutely sold-out for
the Lord Jesus Christ! We glow! His Light fills us! As Believers we should not
conform to the world’s idea of beauty!
NOTE: I
am not saying we have to dress like the Amish. However, if we dress just
like the world, then we are salt that has lost its savor:
You are
the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be
seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled
underfoot by men – Matthew
5:13
How we dress should NOT arouse those
who see us! Ask yourself these questions: Can
anyone tell I am a sold-out Believer by the way I dress? Am I setting a godly
example for other believers to follow?
These are great questions to ponder
in our walk with Jesus Christ…
Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s continued
investigation of God’s HOLINESS!…
May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect
love, mercy and grace!
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah
and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
Blessings!
Shane <><
