My question for today:
If you know someone who is NOT saved and in a strange church, would you encourage them to dress conservatively?
BY conservatively I mean dresses and skirts? I ask this because I know some women who just seem to be way of the deep end spiritually but are encouraged to be "dressers" And some of these women flock to it but still are as mixed up as a bag of mixed veggies.
I never understand this? Why not work on the pressing needs..SALVATION and RIGHT doctrine? Why focus on the these superficial things? I guess I will never understand that?
*edited to add**
I do myself have convictions on dress so I am not even talking about that..I am just saying there should be first things first.
BY conservatively I mean dresses and skirts? I ask this because I know some women who just seem to be way of the deep end spiritually but are encouraged to be "dressers" And some of these women flock to it but still are as mixed up as a bag of mixed veggies.
I never understand this? Why not work on the pressing needs..SALVATION and RIGHT doctrine? Why focus on the these superficial things? I guess I will never understand that?
*edited to add**
I do myself have convictions on dress so I am not even talking about that..I am just saying there should be first things first.
posted by Jamie at 4:49 PM
6 Comments:
It is so much easier to deal with/keep up outward "displays" than to deal with heart issues. Look at the Pharisees...
I agree with you, deal with the heart issues FIRST and maintain them...the outward will follow. We need to walk in our OWN convictions as the Lord leads, and not someone else's.
(BTW I will have to fill you in on my weekend *sigh*)
As a dresser and a pastor's wife . . . NO - I would work on the heart issues first, making sure she was saved, then learning sound doctrine. The outward stuff would probably follow later, at least her asking questions about why I dress the way I do. Dress is important to me personally, but it's not something that drives me nuts about other people - unless they are blatantly immodest. That would bug me.
I think some people use certain standards as a barrier between them and God. "Here God I'm doing this for you, so don't ask me to repent of my heart problems!" The outward appearance doesn't mean much if the heart isn't right with God. What good is it to get someone in the 'modesty uniform' and then let them go to hell?
I think having a certain standard of dressing is a form of godliness. Jesus warned against folks who go after the form, and deny the power behind the form. What you said reminded me of that.
Personally, I believe that anyone growing in the grace and love of God is going to look at everything in their life, and try to please God with it. They might not choose my exact standard, but that's between them and God. It comes AFTER salvation and growth.
I agree with everything all of you said. And thats why I posted. And I totally agree with you Sarah, that people growing in the Lord will look at everything in their life. I am very very thankful for my salvation and I am thankful for the convictions the Lord has given me. Even when I have struggled with WHY GOD MUST I?? He has never given me peace to do anything other. There are so many areas that still need work..cause I sure having arrived!
-Just wanted to clarify that I don't believe in any way that personal Holiness choices and convictions are in way Pharisaicle...they are not. The heart behind it is what I was meaning. And someone who hides behind a facade to avoid dealing with their own "hidden" heart issues..will soon find their heart issues "on display"...as Christ did with the Pharisees. I believe the Lord allows variances on some issues in order that we might grow in seeing one another as perfect in Christ. I am strongly convicted on some things that some of my sisters in Christ are not..and vice versa. Neither of us are wrong if we are truly seeking the Lord's will and walking in the light we have been given. Her convictions may prove to be mine at some point and mine hers...but this is totally off the main subject. Sorry, just wanted to clarify the intent behind my post.
I agree with what has been said here so far .. I believe with all my heart that its no different than say a child who writes their letters backwards and all of a sudden with maturity will begin to leave that which was behind. Spiritually speaking, these are things that Christians do not to be saved but in obedience to God. New Christians especially need to get ahold of the TRUTH that their salvation was all about Trust in what HE did not what we do.
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