The Daily Word of Righteousness

Old Thoughts for the New Day, continued

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14—NIV)

The old-time holiness preachers would not permit attendance at the movies even though the stars were Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers. They said we were to come out of the world. What would they say about today where Charismatic people go to X-rated movies, bleating about how to the pure all things are pure.

We have gotten away from the standards of holiness. We must return today. If we do not, "there is a price to pay"!

When you die you will be gathered to your people. Do you want to be with those who love the Lord's holiness or with the X-rated movies crowd? You are making your decision as you read these words.

There are no mixtures in the world where you are going. The holy will remain holy and the filthy will remain filthy.

I realize that while we are attempting to maintain wholesome family life there may be children or a spouse whose calling in God is different from ours, whose election may not be of the same rank in the Kingdom. In such instances we have to weigh each decision we make, not being arbitrary, not attempting to force everyone, called of God or not, to live at the same level of holiness. We will alienate them if we do.

God gives us wisdom, not to compromise but to draw the line only at behaviors that absolutely are not to be condoned. The wife can attend "The Titanic" with her husband if it makes for love and peace in the home. The older young people may desire to do things that displease their parents but are not of the same level of moral destruction as drugs or fornication. The adult (or child) called of God to holiness will easily be taught to shun the filthiness of the flesh.

The Christian must draw the line, but not so tightly that the unsaved or the less consecrated, who are partaking of the world but not destroying themselves with moral filth, are driven from the church or the home.

These can be very difficult decisions in the present hour but there is no way of avoiding them without harming people unnecessarily. God will help if we pray and do not become angry or unreasonable.

The generation that had left Egypt had been circumcised. The new generation ready to attack Jericho had not been circumcised.

We have found that many of the newer generation of today are fairly well learned in the revelations of the end time. But they may not have been circumcised in heart as yet. God will not work with those who have not been circumcised in heart.

Circumcision has to do with holiness. The term "saint" means holy one.

Holiness is not the same as righteousness, although the two interact. Righteousness is revealed in uprightness, honesty, integrity, truthfulness—with the way we deal with other people.

Holiness has to do with our nearness to God, with our covenant with God.

The Lord Jesus is both holy and righteous.

Our nation may look kindly on a righteous person but it understands nothing of holiness. This is because the secular population is not of the royal priesthood. When we criticize such a film as "The Titanic" the man on the street will have no idea what we are speaking of. Neither will many Christian churches because they no longer are separate from the world.

To be continued.