When are "minor" issues no longer minor?

[HappyChristian]

But it's not a "personal" conviction if it's based on what someone else is teaching you it should be. If you teach people to have a close relationship with God' date=' standards would come as a natural result of that relationship.[/quote']
Yes, I agree. And, really, I think we are almost saying the same thing. What I mean is that when a person is discipled, even minor things should be taught...scripture presented, and admonition to learn and discern what the Holy Spirit is teaching. Not stating that "this is hard, cold fact" unless scripture teaches it as such (and there are many things in there that are), but teaching the whys and wherefores so that people can decide for themselves. See what I mean?

[dwayner79]

Every example in the Epistles of a command IS one of the apostles confronting a church about an issue.

Do you have a list of passages that say "don't worry about minor issues"?

Looks like BroMatt did some trimming. I thought that he only did that to the lounge stuff. The post I was going to reference is gone. I do not have the time to re-find all of them, but every time there is an explicit call to separation, there is an explicit call to ignoring the small stuff.

Edit to add, I had referenced that thread here: viewtopic.php?p=303314#p303314

I wonder if BroMatt can revive it?

[JerryNumbers]

Surrendering to God, is surrendering all, every part of the Christians life is important, there be many who hate to surrender all to God and simply refuse.


I Surrender All

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my bless

[futurehope]

To the OP:

1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither

[1Timothy115]

An FB Pastor once explained to me that after salvation we may have areas where we prevent the Holy Spirit from revealing or opening up. Or, areas where we don't let God have His own way in.

It's like a house with a central room all around are doors to rooms which we open up one at a time to the Holy Spirit.

I can see it being something similar because of this verses (especially the reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness).

2 Timothy 3
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

[futurehope]

:goodpost:

[HappyChristian]

both future and 1Tim!

Puts me in mind of a song a group from our old church sang. The chorus:

There's a place in my heart where even I don't go.
Got some things hidden there that I want no-one to know.
But He handed me the key with tears of love on His face.
He said, "I want to make you clean. Let me go in your secret place."

[John81]

It's curious how often one sees folks who have been Christians for a number of years and yet the guy still wears long, scragly hair and the woman still wears the very short hair; the woman with the immodest clothes, etc.

Sometimes these people are even among the big shots at the church and/or within the community.

Sometimes these people have been Christians so long and may even lead Bible studies or Sunday school and are very quick to take great offense if anyone says anything about the way they wear their hair or clothes or whatever.

I know I'm not perfect but as Scripture commands us to be holy for God is holy that's something I aim for. When I see folks who have been Christians as long or longer than I or ones who know the Scriptures well and maybe even teach I can't help but wonder why some obvious areas are not attended to by them.

I mean, ones hair length and clothing choice is rather easy for them and others to see. Why do they leave these obvious and easily seen issues as they are rather than allowing themselves to be transformed?

Typically, the things that show are among the first people address (cussing, drinking, going to strip clubs, etc.). Why do some Christians not see the need to address these "minor" areas as well...and with the clothing issue, sometimes that's no so minor?

[futurehope]

It's curious how often one sees folks who have been Christians for a number of years and yet the guy still wears long, scragly hair and the woman still wears the very short hair; the woman with the immodest clothes, etc.

Sometimes these people are even among the big shots at the church and/or within the community.

Sometimes these people have been Christians so long and may even lead Bible studies or Sunday school and are very quick to take great offense if anyone says anything about the way they wear their hair or clothes or whatever.

I know I'm not perfect but as Scripture commands us to be holy for God is holy that's something I aim for. When I see folks who have been Christians as long or longer than I or ones who know the Scriptures well and maybe even teach I can't help but wonder why some obvious areas are not attended to by them.

I mean, ones hair length and clothing choice is rather easy for them and others to see. Why do they leave these obvious and easily seen issues as they are rather than allowing themselves to be transformed?

Typically, the things that show are among the first people address (cussing, drinking, going to strip clubs, etc.). Why do some Christians not see the need to address these "minor" areas as well...and with the clothing issue, sometimes that's no so minor?

I think it comes down to beleiving the lie that you CAN serve two masters. They want to continue in their love of this present world, but have the salvation and rewards of being a christian. Sad part is, they fail to see the part where they will suffer a loss for ignoring His commands.

[HappyChristian]

Good thoughts, John and future. I think one of the big problems is that a lot of people take the verse in Samuel that says God looks on the heart to mean that He isn't at all concerned with what we look like on the outside. If that were so, He wouldn't have mentioned hair length; He wouldn't have mentioned modesty; etc.

The verse in Samuel says God looks on the heart. But it also says man looks on the outward appearance. That can have a two-fold application. The one being that our primary concern as a Christian should be our relationship with Christ. That is absolutely true. But then there is the idea that man looks on the outward...man cannot see our hearts. Man cannot see our relationship with the lord. We can tell man about our relationship, but if our lifestyle doesn't back up what we say, they still won't see it. lifestyle would cover how we live, how we act, how we treat others...and how we look.

What's in the heart flows outward...

[John81]

That's true LuAnne.

As our heart conforms more to Christ, so should our outward aspects; such as our attitude, speech, dress, hair style, places we go and refuse to go, our close friends, etc.