Two questions on Holiness

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I love you Brother Murph.  Your questions are full of insight.  They make me
re-examine my position.  I appreciate your asking them.  Keep it up!! We
seek the truth together....

>(1) What is the value of outward separation when nobody was ever more so
>that way than the P'rushim, or Pharisees, who sough to kill Yeshua? (NOTE:
>"Pharisee" means "separated" in Hebrew). Why did their commitment to
>"holiness" in standard of dress and regular church life fail?
>
Fair questions I'll attempt to answer equitably.  Please allow me the
Pentecostal verbiage to emphasis my point!

(1) Jesus never rebuked the Pharisee for their outward holiness!! The
condemnation was always centered around their lack of keeping the intent of
the Law,  (Matthew 5:17-20, Romans 7:12-13).  The Pharisee had faith in his
own ability to keep of the letter of the law, while the law's intent was to
remind him of his need of God.  Can you find where Jesus condemned their
outward practice of keeping the law without unveiling the intent of the law?
I think not.  Yet this does not give anyone license to condemn thier outward
practice.  Why? Jesus did not do so, but pointed to the 'why's' of the Law.

One the other side of the coin you had the Hellenistic Jew.  They held that
man could be holy on the inside, yet the outward could not be expected to be
brought into any subjection.  In short this concept promoted that a man
could be sexually promiscuous and yet inwardly be righteous and holy.  In
our modern day we deal with this mind set as  'once saved always saved',
i.e. one has a choice before he decides to follow Jesus but after this
decision he cannot under any circumstance choose to be lost, no matter how
much his outward man rebels against God.  Pretty good insurance I'd say but
a false concept of assurance!

Matthew 5:27-28  This kind of preaching, IMHO, gives us the insight to the
very nature of living Holy.  The bottom line is simply that we cannot live
holy (inwardly nor outwardly) without totally depending on Jesus Christ. No
man can live the 'standard' that Jesus Christ preaches in Matthew.  Only by
the spirit of God changing him into the image of God can he ever hope to
live in such a manner.  YET,  verses 29-30 teach that one must cut off the
circumstance that would bring him into condemnation!  

My turn to ask a question....Is the witness of our good sister one of true
separation?  Or law keeping?  I believe that what she is expressing, (Rachel
can correct me here if I'm wrong) is a heartfelt faith in God that involves
her response to live holy.....inwardly and outwardly.

>(2) Where does this definition of "uncut" come from? IS there any reputable
>scholarship which points to this rigid definition? Paulos never trimmed hair
>until he was taking a vow? Acts 18:18. 
>
I am sorry, but this is an assumption, 'Paulos *Never* trimmed his hair?'
This flies in the face of Paul's  inspirational writing that it is a shame
for a man to have long hair i.e. untrimmed (I refer you to your own
assertion above)  1 Corinthians  11:14.  

Furthermore verse 6 of said chapter is rhetorical, but clear that it is a
shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven.  Verse 5 plainly states *uncovered*
has something to do with being shaved!!  My turn again to ask another
question...What do you suppose being uncovered has to do with being shaven??
Is there no connection at all?  Sorry that is two questions.. You are
looking for a rigid defining of a word and forgetting the intend of the
scripture!  The who what why when questions.

Lastly, reputable scholarship can be found in the NIV.  Reading these
passages is clearly summarized in the NIV's translation of verse 16.  We do
not know how to deal with people that are contentious about this matter.  We
only know that if the heart is right the outward will be right.
>
>(3) Why did I miss the point? Are Bhuddists "holy" because they dress funny?
>Are Muslims separate? Catholic nuns? Hare Krishnas? Why or why not? How much
>does LOOKING different really count? 
>
Each game has a set of rules.  Without rules to govern the game you have
anarchy.  Each religious persuasion has their own set of rules that guide
those participating to what they consider to be truths.  

Finally we are not trying to LOOK different.  Different from what?  It is
simply a question of following the admonitions of the Word.  That is all.
No ulterior motives, not establishing that I am better than you
because....not to build up barriers of I'm right and your wrong....not to
see who is more holy than another....but living according to the word is
both a heartfelt desire to please God and a responsive act of dressing,
speaking, wearing our hair etc. in such a way that it would be pleasing to
God.  How do we know what is pleasing to God?  Certainly not by every man
doing what is right in his own eyes.  

Does a woman that wears her hair long but is not subject to her husband
right in Gods sight?  I'd say she is following holiness in part but not
whole.  Does a woman that is in subjection to her husband yet shears or
shaves her head right in the sight of God.  I repeat following in part but
not whole.

My last question, do these things have absolutely no bearing in our walk
with God or are they important enough to pay attention to?  

To my way of thinking you do not put the Mona Lisa on display at the 7-11
grocer.  You do not display the Hope diamond in a trash can.  Why?   The
value dictates the setting.  If our gospel is precious and we are the
visible presentation of it's glories, why in the world would we display it
in any other way than to show its worth by following his word.  Holy living
to me, simply shows the value we place upon our relationship with God.  

Your use of the word *rules* reminds me that there is no rule that tells me
how to act toward my wife.  Our relationship is solidified by both my
thoughts towards her and my ACTIONS toward her.  Long hair on women is
scriptural.  Short hair on men is scriptural.  As far as beards go there is
more scripture supporting the wearing of a beard than there is on being
clean shaven.    But we digress form our intent...

He who sows