Holiness part 4

• 1Timothy 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 

Here is a promise that in general a woman who continues in a life of holiness after she has been saved by faith in Jesus Christ, is promised to be saved in childbearing. God is with a woman who lives in holiness when she is bearing children. This is a promise of God and is true. 

Again we don't want to assume that any woman who dies in childbirth is not living holy. There are things that happen that we don't always understand. This is where we have to trust in God.

This too is holiness when we trust God when things don't go right or when death comes to someone we love. We can pray for understanding and God has promised us understanding but true holiness is trusting until that understanding comes to us.

The promise of a safe childbirth is given to one who lives in holiness. That is one of the promises that is given. When it doesn't work and someone dies, we just have to leave that in the hands of God and trust in Him knowing that there must have been a reason that it didn't work out. We can't assume the lady had some secret sin. She may have had but we can't assume that because we may be wrong. 

There are many other explanations to the verse about childbearing. I have to reject the one that teaches that a woman can obtain salvation through bearing children. That is not scriptural. The verse may have something to do with reversing the curse that came upon woman to suffer pain during childbearing. We now have medical knowledge that can prevent some of that pain and also save more women's lives when complications arise more so than in the past. Still I cleave more to the holiness aspect of this teaching.

• Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 

This makes it more clear that Timothy is talking of living holy lives.

We see examples of what not living holy is like.

False accusing. HELP us Lord not to be false accusers. This is not always easy. Our daily prayer should be to be teachers of good things and fruit bearing children of God. We must not be false accusers. 

This type of holiness requires prayer, study of the word and more prayer. This does not mean that we allow false doctrine to enter our congregations and error to prevail because we fear false accusing someone. That is why the bible gives us the proper steps to correct a situation. If we see a brother or sister in a fault, we first go to him or her alone. In the spirit of meekness, we gently talk to the person about their fault. 

Naturally we should not do this behind their backs. If we can't go to them in the spirit of meekness, we should keep quiet. An exception to this would be if they were teaching a false doctrine that might destroy the faith of the listeners.

There may not be time to go to the person in private if a false gospel is being preached. Public warning then becomes necessary but only after much prayer and searching our hearts for motives to make sure our objection to the person is not motivated by envy. We must make sure that we are motivated by desiring the knowledge of truth to prevail. 

The second step is to take someone with us if the person refuses to hear correction. The person should be a person who loves the truth, is not given to gossip and who loves the person in fault. We naturally do not take with us someone who thinks badly of the person in question. 

The third step is to take it before the church body if the person still refuses to hear correction. This step must be done only if its the only way and much prayer should proceed it. If we do this without prayer and without being sure of what we are doing, we could destroy someone and drive them away from the church and even away from God. This is a last resort. 

I've heard of horror stories here and the results are the very opposite of holiness. We are not living in holiness if we cast people out of the church for some of the stupid reasons I've read about. By casting people out of the church, I don't just mean local assemblies but making them feel they are not saved if they don't go along with everything taught or practiced by those in the leadership position. 

Here are some Examples:

1. Not attending regularly. They may be going somewhere else or have other reasons for non-attendance. The bible says not to forsake the coming together to worship but it doesn't say how often, where or with whom. It doesn't have to be the Roman Catholic Church or even any church. It could be a gathering of people in a basement somewhere where they are having a bible study. None of us should try to go it alone and never worship with others but there is no special rules as to where we should go or with whom except for it to be with others that believe the truth. 
2. Not signing a covenant. I personally would not sign any covenant and have never been asked to.
3. Wearing jewelry or makeup.. This is a personal choice, we don't kick people out for things that are trivial.
4. Disagreeing with those in church leadership. (we would all get kicked out sooner or later if this was the case). 
5. Not paying tithes. Some people give secretly and there would not be a way to know whether or not they pay tithes. Since I was a church treasurer for 15 years, I know this to be a fact. I've seen people give money in unmarked envelopes. They do not put their names on them and sometimes don't even mark which ministry that they want the money to go. I say leave them alone. As they purpose in their hearts, let them give. We are not to think badly of people if they don't pay tithes publicly or in private. There are churches that do not allow non-tithe payers to serve on certain boards. How would they know for sure that a person does not give or pay tithes if they give as Jesus told us to give? In secret. 

There has been a teaching in the last few years that we are not to be accusers of the brethren. That is true but only to a point. Remember Nathan the prophet went to King David and told him, "Thou art the man." He confronted David and told David that he was the man that sinned. David could have had him killed but David received correction and repented. 

We are not to be false accusers of the brethren or nit pickers about trivial unimportant things. We are not to criticize our sister in the Lord if she wears her hair different than normal. Who cares???? If our sister is out cheating on her husband and we are sure, then we need to gently confront her and try to restore her back into a life of holiness always considering ourselves and realizing that we too are subject to error.

If we are lifted up in pride and go to people with a haughty spirit thinking we are superior and cannot fail ourselves, it is the wrong spirit to be in. The way we react to those that do wrong is also a matter of living holy. There is a holy way and an unholy way. 

What is false accusation? Saying something we heard and do not know ourselves. Making assumptions. 

Here are some examples of assumptions:

1. Because someone is quiet all the time and never openly worships out loud, it is sometimes assumed that they are not spiritual. This is judging by outward appearances. We can be fooled by this type of judging.
2. In quiet churches the opposite can happen. If someone is vocal, shouts and shows and outward happiness about Jesus Christ and is very loud and enthusiastic, it is assumed they are crazy or out of order.

In one church this person is considered spiritual and in the other he is considered in error. Go figure. All this is judging and assuming. We are to judge by fruits, not outward emotions. The fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Is their life one of holiness or troublemaking? Do they desire peace or do they love to see a fight break out among their friends? Are they kind to their wives as well as to their friends? Do they act the same in the world, on the job as they do in church? 

Do they cheat in business and still claim to be a Christian? See how important true holiness is. It is more than outward appearance. It may affect outward appearance but holiness is not how one looks on the outside.

Holiness is allowing the holiness of Jesus Christ to be manifest in our own lives every day. We can't be holy apart from Christ. We can't be holy by being saved from sin once and then not walking in the Holy Spirit that was given to us when we were saved.

Holiness comes when we constantly yield to the Holy Spirit and are obedient to the written word of God. The Holy Spirit is not going to contradict the written word. He is always going to glorify Jesus Christ and never an individual. He is always going to bring people to Christ and will not teach any salvation or holiness outside of Christ or without Christ.

We are partaker of the holiness of Christ when we are saved. It is up to us to continue in holiness or revert back to our own ways. We always have a free will and a choice. 

• Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 
• 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Amen