Unity too?

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

Bro. Shaw:
I agree totally that there is a good deal of variance on
personal holiness within Apostolic
organisations.  

Me:
There is no such thing as "personal Holiness."  You is or you
isn't, it is that simple.  Who determines if you are in or out?

 This is what I have been going on about y'all. Standards are
not Holiness. Holiness is a clear conscience before God that YOU
 are dedicated to HIM!

 If someone comes into church with their flesh showing all over
the place it is safe to assume that this person's edification or
dedication is in need of attention.  This is in the Bible.  To
assign an "attitude" even to one such as this is sin.  To across
the board and out and out *"LABEL"* someone unsaved is not only
sin
but insensative, short sighted and just plain mean.

You say that you believe emphatically in separation from the
world, but you also believe in the unity of Apostolic believers.
 
 So do I.  

This unity can only come from agreement with God and His Word
through His Spirit and is not in the hands of ANY  man, no
matter how much you wish to give him the responsibility for your
soul! 

You say that everyone who is baptised in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and is baptised with the Spirit of God is part of
the
Body of Christ but I say this is not so.

What about those who have been overcome by Satan, the ones we
refer to as backsliders?  Are we  to be in agreement with them? 
Are they any longer "of the Body?"  Consider:

Rom 6
16: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to
obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (KJV)
 
For we know that the unrighteous are not of the Body.

The Body of Christ is now and always has been unified: 

1Cor 1
11: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by
them which are of the house of Chloe,
that there are contentions among you.

12: Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul;
and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas;
and I of Christ.

13: Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye
baptized in the name of Paul?

"But what about all the different veiws and "standards" in
the churches?  How can they all be in the body of Christ when
they cannot worship together and won't let one preacher from one
congregation preach in the other?" you will say to me.
The answer is simple, they cannot. 

 God is not going to put up with all this division much longer. 
He is tired of people making the "standards" for themselves and
saying these can stay but those must go.  He is sick of these
saying "Wouldn't you be more comfortable with those over there"
and "Why don't you stick to your own kind" and "We have decided
that you can't do that and be saved."

God has given these blessings and favors and what have they done
with it?  They like the Pharisees have reduced it to a set of
"rules" to keep people OUT instead of the guidelines and support
for those who would be free in the Lord.  

Paul said:
1 Corinthians 11
19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which
are approved may be made manifest among you. 

They which are approved.  You don't have to be an adulterer or
thief to be backslidden.

 The Lord said that He was coming for a church without
spot or wrinkle and I know He won't go back empty handed.  This
means that there has to be some washing and some ironing done. 
Many are not going to make it but those who are left will be the
True Body of Christ.

Funny thing is that these always were the Body.  Some have been
"amputated" but have returned before the "death" set in for
good.  Once back though, they clung like glue!  Some are new
comers and others have been in it seems forever.  All will have
to be pruned! They're pretty easy to spot.  They are the ones no
one "really" likes but can't really tell you why and say of
them, "If there is anyone that is saved, it is that brother or
sister" and then tell you not to listen to them.  They always
seem busy but when you really need something, there they are. 
They say many
comforting things but really "tick" some people off, and in
fact, if you hang around them very long they will say something
that "stings" you a little.  They get mad and frustrated but it
never seems to last very long.  Trouble, yeah they have trouble.
 They know the Lord will deliver them though.  Seems when you
are in trouble, they "just happen" to be there encouraging you. 
Strange thing is, you don't even seem to notice they were
around. 

Amazes me!  Everyone is running around saying "This is the
standard, and you can't do that and still be a Christian" and I
look in the Bible and I can't seem to find it.  I ask those who
say these things and they can't show me either!

Don't know exactly how this will all come about, but I am sure
God will have His washed, wrinkle free Church!  It is God Who
will decide what needs to be cleansed and ironed and He will do
this according to His Word.  For those who will have it, hope
and unity; more unity.  For those who will not, confusion and
judgment.  

My duty is clear: to stand on those "standards" that
are in the Bible!  Then what people see that sets me apart will
not only be the outward change that comes from true modesty and
the laying aside of vanity but faith and endurance in the Lord
when I fall short of His Glory.  This is the message.  If He
does this for me, you should be no trouble at all!

You know, I always meant to ask someone, "If a woman's hair is
given to her as a sign for her glory, why do they put it up into
those little "buns" and hide it?"

Reads a "little" different, huh?

Timothy Litteral
brotim@gte.net Luke 26:6
http://members.tripod.com/~trlitteral
http://home1.gte.net/brotim/science.htm