a blurb about holiness standards - Part one

This is the first of a mini-blogging-series on holiness I'm working on. Enjoy!

I believe in having holiness standards. I believe that our outside appearance should reflect Christ. However, I also believe that they are maturity issues. In other words, our external appearance is to reflect an inward relationship and experience with God - one that comes only with development. If people do not have that inward relationship than we cannot expect them to have a strong external witness. Because of my presupposition towards these teachings I find it perplexing that so many are so quick to judge others based soley on their appearance. Pastors and churches are called "weak" or the dreaded UPer label "liberal." The fact of the matter is none of us are perfect, we're all flawed, we all have our weaknesses. Some internal, some external. But instead of pointing fingers, I would rather have Paul's outlook on life:

Phil 3:12-13Not that I have already attained , or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
NKJV

In other words, I'm not perfect yet. Therefore, my main goal in life should be to work on me.

Jesus also said
Matthew 7:1-5
"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. NKJV

I think the application of this passage for our topic is this: It's a bigger sin to judge/gossip about/alienate a fellow saint, pastor and/or church based soley on standards than that individual or groups lack of teaching and maturity.

Don't get me wrong, standards are important! But let's remember why we're teaching, believing and practicing external witnesses. They are a reflection of a work Christ is doing IN us.

Next time we will examine the importance of holiness standards in light of popular culture's sexualisation of youth.

God bless,
adam

Stupid Secularists (adam's random rant part deux)

In a few weeks the people of Ontario will hit the polls for our provincial election. There are some hot topics this year. Healthcare, electoral reform, taxes - the usual stuff that riles up the public. However this year a major issue has arisen. The Conservative party is promising if elected they will remove the discrimination in public education funding. Right now only public and Catholic schools recieve funding. The Conservatives pledge abolish the old system and make funding availiable to all faith-based schools.

My random rant today doesn't deal with whether or not the Conservative party should fund faith-based schools. I would rather discuss the rising animosity towards Christians and other faith-based groups in the media as a result of this debate. The secularists in the media state that all funding to faith-based schools (including Catholic) should be abolished - there should only be a single public system. This public system they argue should be completely and totally secular - meaning having no affiliation with a particular faith. "After all", the secularists say, "faith has no place in the public square" WHAT? Did I hear that correctly? Last I checked Canada and her provinces were democratic societies. Since we all cannot leave our homes and jobs to participate in the governing process we elect others to perform those duties on our behalf. These elected representatives make laws, impose taxation, protect, maintain transit, monitor the economy, according to the will of the people. Therefore, if the elected are representatives of the people and those people are of faith then that faith MUST be fairly represented in the public square. The philosophy of the separation of church and state is to protect religious groups from state interference not to prevent faith-based groups from having their voices heard in government. Next time you hear someone say that religion has no place in politics, calmly remind them that if they want a secular society that silences all religion they should move to China.

Serve your place with pride (adam's random rant)

Nothing is more annoying than hearing someone describe their place in God's Kingdom beginning with the phrase, "I'm just...." "I'm just a Sunday School Teacher." "I'm just a church cleaner." "I'm just an usher." "I'm just...." Makes me sick. Somewhere in Pentecost we developed a philosophy that places certain church positions in a pseudo hierarchy. I'm sure we all realize that with different positions come different levels of delegated spiritual authority. However, authority does not equal importance. My homeboy Paul said in 1 Cor 12:18-20, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body." (NKJV)

Remember you are important to the Church! Serve your place with pride.

This concludes adam's random rant