Christian Living

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The church world is afflicted with many problems today that are causing much conflict and turmoil among its people. Issues that were generally the domain of the secular world a generation ago is now prevalent in the church. About 50% of marriages today are ending in divorce not only in the secular world, but also in the church. The moral breakdown of society is having an adverse effect across many congregations, regardless of denomination. As a minister who spent over thirty years of his life in church, I've witnessed a disturbing change in attitude and purpose concerning God's people. In the past I can remember the good fellowship and relationships enjoyed among our churches. Believers were sincere and committed in their walk with God, and the brotherly love expressed was genuine and honest. Hospitality and trust were stapes demonstrated daily among the saints, and one's words were valued without question. There seems to be a spirit of insensitivity and callousness being displayed increasingly in today's church. Many are bewildered, asking why are believers behaving in such carnal and immoral ways. One answer can be found in the word of God, where 2nd Timothy, 3rd chapter, first through fifth verses speaks about the last days where men shall be lovers of their own selves, and what follows is a list of ungodly characteristics and conduct being expressed by false professing Christians. Truly such prophecies mentioned by the apostle are happening daily, and the situation is becoming worse.
My desire for writing these essays is to share with the reader my personal experiences and observations of named issues affecting the church today. Along with the problem of marriages, I've witnessed the destructive consequences of jealousy and its impact on relationships. The extreme views held by those who promote misguided notions on the "holiness" life have kept many of its followers in spiritual bondage. The apostle Paul speaks of the "liberty" that comes when receiving Christ and not the legalistic chains of the self-made doctrines of men. Hopefully this book will shed some light on these subjects for anyone who desires to walk in "the paths of righteousness."

Amen.








Holiness:
God’s Standard for Living

We are living in an age in which many beliefs and concepts have dominated the church world, and have created much confusion among believers today. Many are proclaiming their particular faith, denomination or religion as the best way to worship and live for God. But despite these various proclamations, the word of God speaks of one "true" way to live and worship him. Apostle Paul stated in Romans 3:4, "Let God be true and every man a liar." It would seem contradictory on God's part for these "religions" to be extensions of truth from him.
The truth is that God never decreed religion, denominations or cults as diverse proponents of his truth. How can anyone, no matter what his affiliation may be, say that he is worshipping the same God as another of a different faith, but hold opposite doctrinal beliefs? And to make matters worse, both are saying that such doctrines came from God. This would put God in a bad light and make God a liar instead. Another misconception about God is whether he's black or white, trying to make a point that God is a particular color. Then people of such color are superior to others. Nothing can be further from the truth from such a belief. Jesus said in St. John 4:24 that "God is a Spirit," and a spirit is invisible and cannot be seen. People should realize that God could not be restricted to one's personal concept or ideology in order to be understood.
Such are the attitudes men have taken about God, and their knowledge of him is exactly as Jesus said in St. Mark 7:6-7, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. How be it in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." The methods of men have been handed down through the centuries by tradition, and being a barrier for people to know God truthfully. By way of the Holy Scriptures, my desire is to show people the one true way of living for God, that being the way of "HOLINESS." Before one jumps to conclusions and accuses me of being biased, it was through prayer that I was inspired to humbly write this treatise to help others receive a better understanding of God's word. Personal beliefs and opinions mean nothing to God's word on such a subject, and if the reader for just a moment will put aside his prejudices and have an open mind, God will guide us into all truth.
The term "denomination" and its meaning are nowhere found in the Bible, and word "religion" is recorded only three times, and it does not have the meaning that men have taught and believe. When the origins of denominations and religions are traced, they point back to a " charismatic scholar," who through manipulation of scriptures, promoted a "favorable doctrine." Because of its pleasing contents, many are attracted, until it culminates into a great movement. Many of these "movements" came as a result of heresy, a straying away from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.
As stated earlier, Holiness is God's standard for mankind, and it must be understood what Holiness is not, because people have misconceptions as to what Holiness is. Some believe that "Holiness people" are those crazy, immature folks who roll on the floor in sheets and make noise when singing and shouting. Others say they babble on incoherently in some kind of "tongues," making fools of themselves. It is amazing how this impression of Holiness people "style" of worship was ridiculed by the sectarian churches just a generation ago. Now these churches have adopted "this style," in that they too are singing, shouting, dancing and speaking in tongues.
Such misconceptions were traditionally held for years due to unscrupulous men, devoid of truth, and ignorant of the Bible's teaching on this matter. They gave people the impression that Holiness was taken up by illiterate and mentally sick people who should be locked up in mental institutions. Even in the Holiness Churches there are those who believe that "appropriate clothing" is the evidence of one being "saved," and look down on others who don't dress the part in their eyes. They have become the "Pharisees" of today, and self righteous in their judgments and vain in their attitudes towards any that don't conform to this type of thinking.

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