MAINTAINING A HOLY (SPIRITUAL) STANDARD
By
District Elder M. L. Maughmer, Jr.
***Spirituality without standard is an Atrocity***
OPENING: - It’s a shame and a black mark against the church when someone comes to church bound, hurt, possessed, lonely, un-loved, cast down, forsaken, perplexed, sad, or just with a need to ultimately leave without having these issues resolved. Oftentimes unfortunately they suffer from even deeper injuries that were caused, mostly unwittingly, by the church. Unwittingly because the church was so caught up in trying to be what is so-called spiritual that they failed to realize that they have lost their effectiveness. To the outsider coming to the church desperately seeking help and understanding and experiencing church possibly for the first, are often overwhelmed by the expression of what we call worship unless they have been exposed to that method of conduct previously. Many times they will sit there with a look of astonishment or confusion on their face trying to understand this thing called joy all while being tormented and crying on the inside. They are in need of a loving word, a caring heart, and a life changing experience only to be pushed to the side or given a card to fill out by a person that is more upset that they had to actually walk down the isle instead of just sitting on the last row watching the time pass slowly by. Spiritually lost, repeatedly abused, plundered, emotionally emasculated, and desperately in need of deliverance (r.a.p.e.d) they walk out of the doors of the church right back into the welcoming arms of spiritual destruction and soulish sorrows. Hurt and let down by the church they fill as though they have no other choice they sadly give in to the craftiness of the devil, the deceit of sin and ultimately spending eternity in hell, both now on earth and in time to come all because we the church failed. We failed to maintain the standard of holiness, we failed to deliver the captive, we failed to make a disciple for Jesus Christ, we failed to be the salt of the earth and if the salt has lost its savor it is good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of man.
The church needs to do it’s first works over and repent for the hurt it caused, turn from their wicked ways of traditionalism and rudiments of men, stand tall with a clarion voice as a beacon of truth, compassion, and understanding to this untoward generation. We must understand that Doctrinal compromise is Anathema 1Cor 16:22, therefore love, patience, kindness, and temperance must rule in the church and in our lives. We must understand that people are not a problem, they may have problems, but problems are simply opportunities to resolves circumstances and not an excuse to criticize people. Sadly the church oftentimes gets caught up in what it calls spiritual. It proclaims “All to Jesus I surrender” yet miss the standard of Holiness thinking that a couple of hours in church clapping your hands and stomping your feet all while dressed to the nines is what it is all about. However, we must understand that clapping your hands and stomping your feet without a standard is not spiritual, but simply emotional. Spirituality or rather what we call spiritual without standard is an Atrocity.
Atrocity: - 1: extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel : barbaric2: appalling, horrifying 3 a: utterly revolting : abominable.
To the church goer that comes desperately seeking to be helped, delivered, Loved, understood, and just made welcomed, but leaves still seeking to be helped, delivered, loved, understood, and feels unwelcomed this is an atrocity regardless of how much hand clapping, shouting, gyrating, and speaking in tongues was done. There was so-called spirituality; however, the standard of true holiness was missing.
Maintaining a Holy (Spiritual) Standard.
The Bible says in Leviticus 11:44 “For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”.
The latter part of this scripture is repeated in scripture seven (7) more times in slightly a different manner in the following passages: Lev. 11:45, 19:2, 20:7, 20:26, Num. 15:40, 1st Pet. 1:15-16. The number 7 is God’s number, it represents perfection and completeness; therefore, the fulfillment of this command will cause one to be perfectly complete in Jesus.
God gave the command (command: - the authoritative direction or instruction to do something – another word for command is ordinance) to be HOLY.
? Command without Reason is senseless just as Spiritual without standard is atrocity.
COMMAND: - Be ye Holy
? God gave the authoritative direction which calls for action from us.
? Be is a verb. A verb is a word of action; therefore, “be” is something we must do, we must take action.
? Holy is an adjective it describes an attribute of something.
REASON: - For I am Holy.
Therefore we are to be like God – HOLY for one of His attributes is Holy.
Maintaining a Holy (Spiritual) Standard.
I. What is Holy & Holiness: - This is not a simple question to answer. This is not to say that there is any lack of Scripture on the subject; however, I don’t want to give an inadequate view of holiness and what it means to be holy, and not say all that needs to be said; or should I say things about it that should not to be said, and in so doing greater harm instead of good.
First of all Holiness is not a denomination or religious affiliation, it is a lifestyle that is sought after by the quality of being holy, set apart, and sanctified. Holiness means wholeness; the full development of the entire person – spirit, soul, and body which also includes ones personality, virtue and gifts. The verb to consecrate means to set a place apart for God, to make it holy, dedicate it to the glory and use of God. Holiness is a way of living.
In each religion there is a concept of being holy. We see in what may be the expression of my own opinion some extreme examples in the Catholic religion, men become priests and separate from women, some become monks and live in monasteries while some of the women become nuns and live in convents separate from the so-called pleasures of the rest of the world. In some Eastern religions, such as the Buddhist, we have seen that the concept of holiness also entails separation from the world and meditation in an environment that promotes peace and tranquility. In the order of the Amish we find a sect of people that do not believe in the use of modern day conveniences and the use of these items is not holy. In every religious group the concept of holiness entails a separation from the world. Even the extremist groups of cults like those of Waco Texas and the polygamist sect’s ranch also in Texas, the concept of holiness is to be separate from the world and the worldly pleasure. Every religion basically understands holiness as being separate from the worldly influences. The Bible says in 2nd Cor. 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you”.
God gave us the command to be Holy for He is Holy. We must understand that God would not give us a task that we could not carry out. Let’s look at this: - The word “Holy” in Hebrew “kadosh”. A principle in Hebrew is that all Hebrew words are related through their spelling - different words using the very same letters have connections in meanings. In Genesis 38 we find a very interesting connection based on the story of Judah, the son of Jacob, who saw Tamar his daughter-in-law wearing a veil, disguised as a harlot. In the Hebrew or what is called the Torah it states that Judah thought that she was a “kadasha”. vs 15. The word for a harlot in Hebrew is “kadasha” or “qdeshah” and the word for holiness is “kadusha” or “qodesh”.
A “kadasha” was not a prostitute, but merely a woman who was living with out the bonds of the normal conveniences or constraints of marriage. She lived without regards to the worldly laws of conduct. Her conduct was in effect oblivious to the normal rules and boundaries. Her life was not bound by the normal rules of commitment.
WATCH THIS: God also lives with out bounds. On one side of the coin he is the infinite God, totally with out beginning and with out end. He existed before the world existed and will exist after the world ceases. He created time and space – remember Karos. The world and all that is in it is a created place and by virtue of being created, they are limited in time and space - meaning that in time they have a beginning and an end remember Chronos. In space they have limits, boundaries and ends. Two objects can not occupy the same place at the same time. Can the world, which is finite, contain the infinite of God? Yet, if we say that the world can not contain God, then we have placed a limitation on God and we know that God is unlimited, He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.
The definition of God’s Holiness (be ye holy for I am holy): He is not bound by the world, yet he fills the entire world with no place void of his presence - even the lowliest places God is there, David said it best in the 139th division of Psalms. Never the less, he is not affected by the world. All that we do can not cause a change in God, nor to God, the world is nothing and has no effect upon Him. Yet He is immediately present in every aspect of the world in a manner that He can not be separated from the world. As children of God, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people we must occupy ourselves in the betterment of the world through carrying out His directives, ordinances, and commands. This means living in this world, being part of the world but not partners in the worldly system. We can marry, procreate, work, and have fun and at the same time not be affected by the daily worldly occurrences. We must be in the world but we don’t have to assimilate with the world. That is the meaning of Romans 12:1-2.
Holiness & Holy is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture, Phl 2:5 says “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. This same mind is the habit of agreeing with God’s judgment - hating what He hates - loving what He loves - and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word. Holiness will attempt to shun every known sin, and to keep every known commandment. Holiness will have a mind toward God and a heart felt desire to do His will. Holiness will have a greater fear of displeasing God than of displeasing the world, and a love to all His ways. Holiness will strive to be like Jesus Christ. Holiness will not only live the life of faith in Him, and draw from Him all his daily peace and strength, but will strive to be "conformed to His image. Holiness will aim to bear with and forgive others, even as Christ forgave us. Holiness will strive to be unselfish, even as Christ pleased not Himself. Holiness will walk in love, even as Christ loved us. Holiness will be lowly minded and humble, even as Christ made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself. Holiness understands that Christ was faithful and a faithful witness for the truth and strive to be the same. Holiness knows that He came not to do His own will and will do the will of God and such does the same. Holiness understands that it is meat and drink, and ones life sustaining purpose to do the Father’s will. Holiness will continually deny self in order to minister to others. Holiness is meek and patient under undeserved insults. Holiness thinks more of godly poor men than of kings. Holiness is full of love and compassion to sinners. Holiness is bold and uncompromising in denouncing sin. Holiness does not seek the praise of men. Like Jesus went about doing good - that He was separate from worldly people - that He continued in prayer - that He would not let even His nearest family members stand in His way when God’s work was to be done, such is Holiness. Holiness and being Holy will cause you to follow after spiritual mindedness. It will endeavor to set its affections entirely on things above, and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand. It won’t neglect the business of the life that now is; but the first place in its mind and thoughts will be given to the life to come. Holiness is a process that comes from a walk with God more than from a talk about God. Holiness is the giving away of self for Christ. Holiness is the offering of a gift to God. Holiness is what results when we give something good to God.
That is the holiness of the church in this world. We do not separate ourselves from the world! We must involve ourselves in the betterment of the world. Yet through this entanglement in the tedious we will see the hand of God effecting the changes that we strive to achieve, it is our duty to maintain a standard of Holiness. Understand that Holiness is not a completed work until we are glorified. If God is not being glorified by the transformation of souls is what we so-call spiritual really holy?
Maintaining a Holy (Spiritual) Standard.
***Spirituality without standard is an Atrocity***
Spirituality or rather what we call spiritual without standard is an Atrocity.
There use to be a time when you couldn’t play the instruments or sing in the choir if you did not have the Holy Ghost. Now rather you agree with that or not that was a standard that was set. WATCH THIS: - Because we are a rhythmatic people we move because of rhythm. The way your heart beats and the way you breathe is based on rhythm. Therefore, just because your clap your hands, stomp your feet, or run around the room doesn’t mean spiritual. Take a small child and play some music that child will begin to move simply based on rhythm not spirituality. Here is another example – I personally do not care for country music (a lot of it); however, when I am in my car and all I can pick up is a country station I often find myself patting my foot to the music, why, because I am moving to the rhythm there is nothing spiritual about it.
II. What is Spiritual & Spirituality: - According to the dictionary SPIRITUAL is: religious: concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church; "religious texts"; "a member of a religious order"; "lords temporal and concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; "a spiritual approach to life"; "spiritual fulfillment"; "spiritual values"; "unearthly love" lacking material body or form or substance; "spiritual beings"; "the vital transcendental soul belonging to the spiritual realm"-Lewis Mumford a kind of religious song originated by Blacks in the southern United States apparitional: resembling or characteristic of a phantom; "a ghostly face at the window"; "a phantasmal presence in the room"; "spectral emanations"; "spiritual tappings at a seance".
Spirituality: The essence of spirituality is the search to know our true self, to discover the real nature of consciousness. This quest has been the foundation of all the great spiritual teachings, and the goal of all the great mystics. Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and faith, a transcendent reality, and one or more deities. Spiritual matters are thus those matters regarding humankind’s ultimate nature and purpose, not only as material biological organisms, but as beings with a unique relationship to that which is perceived to be beyond both time and the material world.
As such, the spiritual is traditionally contrasted with the material, the temporal and the worldly. A perceived sense of connection forms a central defining characteristic of spirituality — connection to a metaphysical reality greater than oneself, which may include an emotional experience of religious awe and reverence, or such states as Nirvana. Equally importantly, spirituality relates to matters of sanity and of psychological health. Spirituality is the personal, subjective dimension of religion, particularly that which pertains to liberation or salvation.
Spirituality may involve perceiving or wishing to perceive life as more important, more complex or more integrated with one’s world view; as contrasted with the merely sensual.
Many spiritual traditions, accordingly, share a common spiritual theme: the "path", "work", practice, or tradition of perceiving and internalizing one’s "true" nature and relationship to the rest of existence (God, creation of the universe, or life), and of becoming free of the lesser ego in favor of being more fully one’s "true" "Self".
Reference: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Wikipedia.org
Christian Spirituality could be based upon this concept: If we look at Spirituality in this manner spirituality or rather SPIRIT comes from the Hebrew word ruach, which has a range of meanings:
breath
wind
that which gives life and animation to something
Christian Spirituality then is: that which animates a person’s life of faith or that which moves a person’s faith to seek greater depths and perfection, which is striving to be holy.
To drill deeper into this concept of Christian Spirituality, we must consider the elements that make up Christianity:
1. a set of beliefs, found in the Bible, Creeds and doctrines of the Church
2. a set of values, based on: hope and promise of redemption, love of others
denial of self 3. a way of life - in other words Holiness.
Animates: to make or design in such a way as to create apparently spontaneous lifelike movement. Clapping of the hands and stomping of the feet without the standard of Holiness is apparently spontaneous lifelike movements; therefore is an atrocity.
Spirituality in and of itself without being coupled with a HOLY STANDARD is based on and in emotion.
III. What is emotion & emotionalism? An emotion is a mental and physiological state associated with a wide variety of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It is a prime determinant of the sense of subjective well-being and appears to play a central role in many human activities. As a result of this generality, the subject has been explored in many, if not all of the human sciences and art forms. There is much controversy concerning how emotions are defined and classified. The word emotion includes a wide range of observable behaviors, expressed feelings, and changes in the body state. This diversity in intended meanings of the word emotion makes it hard to study. For many of us emotions are very personal states, difficult to define or to identify except in the most obvious instances. Moreover, many aspects of emotion seem unconscious to us. Even simple emotional states appear to be much more complicated than states as hunger and thirst. Emotions are vital, but emotion must not rule the intellect. Fear, love, and joy are all biblical emotions (Heb. 12: 28; I Cor. 13: 1-8; Acts 8: 39). However, all these emotions depend on God’s word for guidance, structure, and definition (2 Tim. 1: 7; I Jn. 2: 15; Jas. 4: 9). In the parable f the prodigal son, the elder brother was engulfed in emotion when he thus reacted to his brother’s return, "And he was angry, and would not go in…" (Lk. 15: 28). Many people become blinded to the truth because their emotions are out of control. This can result in one that comes to church seeking for help to leave still seeking help because we have become blinded by emotionalism thinking we are being spiritual failing to maintain a holy standard.
What is emotionalism?
The English word "emotionalism" is defined as, "excessively emotional character, excessive appeal to the emotions, a tendency to respond with undue emotion".
Emotionalism in religion. Many organized religions rely on emotionalism. They work people into a frenzy and call this emotional, out of control condition spirituality. Even during the time of the manifestation of spiritual gifts control is something that lies within each of us for the Bible says the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets 1st Cor.14:32. Christianity is basically an orderly teaching religion Jn. 6: 44, 45, Eph. 4: 20. We are to "learn of Christ" Matt. 11: 28. Emotions uncontrolled or emotions without a standard of Holiness blur and paralyze the mind thus we must insure that we maintain a standard of holiness. However, the intellect without emotion is spiritually worthless.
The Bible gives warning to emotionalism without a standard in Matthew 23:27, 28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness”. Also in Luke 16:15 “And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” When we get so caught up in so-called spiritual matters and deliverance is denied have we become and abomination in the sight of God?
Maintaining a Holy (Spiritual) Standard.
IV. What is a STANDARD?
According to the dictionary: - A standard is a principle or rule made by authority which serves as a guide for order, efficiency, behavior, or appearance to carry out the purpose of any individual or organization.
Biblical personal standards have to do with appearance and behavior of the individual Christian to please and glorify God and to present a godly testimony to the community. The appeal to adopt these standards is holiness before God and obeying His Word I Peter 1:15-16; John 14:21. Personal standards based on the Word of God are permanent and result in correct behavior that forms consistent Christian character. Personal standards based on culture and fashion, are comparative and result in convenient behavior that forms worldly carnality.
THE STANDARD/BANNER
A standard is a military flag or a banner that is hoisted upon a mast to identify warring armies. The standard identifies an army and shows to all which side you are on. Isaiah 59:19 says “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” - thus letting the enemy know that you are on the Lord’s side. I remember when I was in the Army and we would go on a run or march we had a flag that was carried before the company, I remember this because I carried it, this flag stated the name of the company that followed it, ie: Delta Co. 67th Signal Brigade, it let everyone that saw us know what company we belonged to.
Standards of Holiness are the identifying marks of holy people and the flags that let everyone else know who you belong to. Holiness - Remember is not a denomination or religious affiliation, but a life lived that strives to be like Christ.
True standards of holiness are always based upon love, modesty, dedication, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, temperance, patience, longsuffering and all the other attributes of God.
Holy standards will often make a Christian stick out in a crowd. Standards of Holiness can be seen as they are lifted high upon the battlefields of spiritual warfare.
Holy standards of sobriety and honesty can easily be seen flying high above the filthiness of drunkenness and greed. The Bible says in 1st Pet. 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”.
The banners of prayer and intercession wave as a beacon of personal victory on the battlefields of carnality. 1st Thess. 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing”. Daniel held this standard and it was seen on the battlefield of carnality and God delivered him Daniel 6.
Submission becomes more visible in a world filled with rebellion. Modesty is quite obvious where lewdness runs rampant. Faithfulness is paramount in an adulterous society. Trust glows in the midst of deceitfulness. Love shines radiantly through the darkness of hate. Purity is bright in a world of contamination. Gentleness is sought after where harshness dwells. Righteousness is apparent when surrounded by wickedness.
Other standards of holiness are the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5:22 & Eph. 5:9.
Wherever a spiritual battle rages, the holiness standards/banners of those that hold up the blood stained banner of the Lord are seen valiantly waving high above the commotion. These banners or standards are the outward manifestation of the inner holiness that God’s Spirit is working in the heart of the believer.
Standards are not meaningless flaps of cloth hoisted upon a pole of religious showmanship, but rather the blood bought manifestations of the Spirit controlled life. They are not raised for personal glory and praise, but that God may be glorified.
The ultimate purpose of a holy standard is to help one toward the goal of true holiness, not personal pleasure (I Peter 1:15-16 and Romans 12:1). That goal is best expressed in the commands to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength" and "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-39).
WHY MUST WE MAINTAIN A STANDARD OF HOLINESS
***Spirituality without standard is an Atrocity.***
Remember: Atrocity extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel barbaric appalling, horrifying, utterly revolting abominable.
V. Holiness without no man shall see the Lord. This is the ultimate reason for maintaining a holy standard.
The Bible is clear about maintaining a standard of holiness, in Hebrew 12:14 it says “Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord”.
This should now be clear without maintaining a standard of holiness you will not see the Lord. We used to sing a song and the words of the song were
If you live right heaven belongs to you. If you pray right heaven belongs to you.
If you treat your neighbor right heaven belongs to you. Oh Heaven belongs to you.
Holy people heaven belongs to you. Holy people heaven belongs to you. Holy people heaven belongs to you oh heaven belongs to you.
This song simply was saying if you maintain the Holy Standard then you will see the Lord because heaven belongs to you.
Matthew 5:8 says it best “Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God”. Pure in heart is to be HOLY.
The Heart: The Bible has much to say about the heart of man, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4: 23). When analyzed, the Bible heart consists of intellect, will, emotions, and conscience (Matt. 13: 15, 22; Heb. 4: 12; Matt. 22: 37; Acts 23: 1).
VI. Traditions and Rudiments of men.
The Bible and tradition both teach that our convictions are not to be based upon human wisdom but upon the power of God and His spirit which He gives to those who obey Him! The problem is not that human (carnal) wisdom is always wrong but that human wisdom is clearly fallible and is not a sufficient foundation for believing anything about God. Hence our doctrinal convictions should not be based upon human wisdom.
Paul warned against such 1Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. ... 1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
Tradition
Tradition is mentioned in the Bible and it’s seen in two very different contexts. The two forms of tradition illustrated in the Bible consist of:
1.) The traditions of men - which nullify scriptures or are not supported by the Word of God.
2.) The traditions from God which are in accord with, and recorded in, scripture.
Strong’s # 3862 paradosis: par-ad’-os-is from 3860; transmission, i.e. (concretely) a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law:--ordinance, tradition.
Notice that the greek word "paradosis" may also be translated as "ordinances" (remember in the beginning I had this underlined), "precept ", or "law" rather than "tradition".
Tradition of Men
The scriptures hold warnings against any traditions, customs, precepts, or laws that are in opposition to, contradictory to, that nullify (or do away with) God’s commands as written in the word of God. These customs, rituals, practices are inventions and traditions of men alone, apart from God. We must be cautious of the emptiness of standard of the traditions of men passed down through time.
1 Peter 1:18-19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Matthew 15:2-9 “ Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”.
Scripture determines whether tradition is acceptable.
Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Tradition of God = Commandments, Ordinances, STANDARDS.
2Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition [paradosis i.e. law or ordinance] which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.
2Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions [paradosis i.e. law or ordinance]which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
A bad tradition is that which is devised by man, but a commandments of God is given by Him in His Word.
Mark 7:1-13 – Verse 8 – laying aside the commandments of God to hold to the traditions of men, reveals they have rejected the commandments of God.
1. Verse 13 – they have made the word of God of none effect.
2. Our lives should be filled with all good things of God.
Sadly many Christians today have taken the traditions that have been past down through denominations and religious leaders as the undisputable truth of God’s Word and unfortunately we hold many of these to be the bases of spirituality. Sadly not all that we have been taught is the true interpretation of the scripture but are traditions of men as Christ stated in Mark. Worshipping God must be done in spirit and truth John 4:23-24 says “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth”.
I Peter 1:18 – Our salvation did not come from following vain traditions, but with the precious blood of Christ.
CONCLUSION: This lesson is not to say that an outward portrayal of emotions is wrong. Neither am I saying that the manifestation of the spirit through emotional explosions are not part of the worship experience; however, when we as people of God get so caught up in the bodily exercise, which profiteth little, or what we call the spiritual aspect of praise and worship without doing as the word of God says and making disciples of all men, preaching the gospel to the poor, mending broken hearts, preaching deliverance to the captives, opening up spiritually blinded eyes, setting at liberty them that are bruised, following peace with all men, being instant in season and out of season, putting on the whole armour of God, praying without ceasing, razing hell, maintaining a holy standard, loving our enemies as we love ourselves, being holy for God is holy then we are doing as Jesus told the scribes and the Pharisees and making the commandments of God of none effect. Mark 15 Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. We, the church and those that call ourselves, Christians must maintain the effectiveness of the church to transform the lives of sinners. We must be a beacon shinning brightly in a dark sinful world. We must lift God up and watch Him draw all men unto Himself. We must keep the faith and fight a good fight.
We must understand that the tradition of preaching on clothes, jewelry, make up, different forms of entertainment must be based on scripture and not mans interpretation. The Bibles says search the scriptures John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. It’s the heart that God is looking at. Matthew 5:8 says Blessed are the pure in hearth for they shall see God. Pure in heart is true holiness and holiness without no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12:14. The standard of holiness is the pure heart and striving for the mind of Christ. If the heart is pure the manifestation of scripture will be seen on the outside, both in the display of emotional explosions and compassion for the sinner man.
I Timothy 2:9, emphasizes modesty, not drawing attention to the body; I John 2:15-17, tells one where not to look for a source to imitate; and II Timothy 2:22, which, when taken in conjunction with Romans 14:13, cautions the young person about how his or her dress may affect another believer; however, when true standards of holiness are sought after remember, Modesty is quite obvious where lewdness runs rampant. You do not have to preach the rudiments and traditions of men as some do, but the spirit will control a person’s appearance, morality, associations, etc.
Remember the song “We are soldiers in the army we have to fight although we have to cry we have to hold up the blood stained banner we have to hold it up until we die”.
“MAINTAING A HOLY STANDARD”
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Southern Ohio District
Assistant Pastor
Original Glorious Church
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