The Apostolic, United Pentecostal Church as well as the trinitarian Freewill Holiness churches teach a theology known as Bible Holiness. The Bible Holiness Movement is a body of Christians who profess to be in earnest to get to heaven, by conforming to all the will of God, as made known in His Word. They do not believe that either God or the Bible has changed to accommodate the fashionable tendencies of the age. They solemnly protest against the union of the Church and the world. The conditions of salvation, as they teach, are the same now that they were in the days of the apostles. He who would be a Christian in reality, as well as in name, must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Jesus. He must come out from the world and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. One area of outward holiness is the matter of modesty. Modesty is not confined to dress alone. It also includes conversation and manners. The Bible teaches us, "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand" (Philippians 4:5). The apostle Peter admonished wives about both their behavior and appearance: "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (I Peter 3:1-4). The Word of God teaches a distinction between the dress of a woman and a man: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garments: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5). The word "abomination" used by God in this verse indicates that this rule will not change through all generations. Christian men are not to wear women's clothing, and Christian women are not to wear men's clothing. Another area of outward holiness involves the length of hair for men and women. The apostle Paul wrote, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering" (I Corinthians 11:1-15).

I to once believed in this and hear is the truth of it as the bible teaches as for hair there are very direct answers to that in the bible that say woman are to have hair as a covering to them The dress issue is a man translation of one passage in the bible with no direct saying and never even remotely said again the passage goes(that woman are not to put on that which pertains to a man) Never says a thing about dresses and the truth of it is that all people in that part of the world at that time wore what we would call a dress. I have to go with the part of woman aren’t to take the responsibility or roil of a man which is mentioned all over the bible. Why don’t we ask why apostolic and united Pentecostals let woman preach which is in direct contradiction with the word or why they say that men are to wear suits in there churches even going to the extreme of saying any one preaching in there churches must wear a suit. To me that sounds like vanity which again is a total contradiction to the teaching of Christ.

The older traditional pentecostal holiness women keep their hair long.

Unless they shave their legs, yes.

It is sad that people are always looking for the easy way into Heaven, always looking to see what they can get by with and still make it in. We need to be holy as God is holy, the Bible tells us to come out from amongst the world and be separate, if we look, dress and act the same as everyone else, then we are not following God's will. When we go out in public it is easy to tell who is attempting to be holy and separate and who is choosing to dress and act like the rest of the world. When we truly fall in love with God and his Word it’s easy to conform to his will. As for the person who answered #2 (Neil Malloy), it is sad to see you say that you (once believed), it’s obvious you are a backslider full of rebellion not having the guts to stand up for God and his will, further; I think you are a person that will because of your lack of courage to stay the course, will instead choose to mislead others into following you on your twisted path to destruction, (the blind lead the blind and both fall in the ditch). I have been an Apostolic my entire life and been to many churches, never once have I been told by a preacher that we had to wear a suit or that the preacher had to wear one in order to preach, we dress the way we do to show respect for the house of God, not because we are told we have to, we want to look are best before we come into the fullness of God's presence, we do this out of love and respect for God not because we are made to!. If you don’t have a suit come as you are. As to Neil Molloy’s observation concerning women preachers in so called apostolic churches, from the beginning it was not so, many so called apostolic churches have decided to give into women’s lib movements, they think that they have more wisdom than God himself, God has a perfect plan for how he wants his word delivered but because some people go against God’s instructions many will suffer the consequences Of their disobedience and many will be led astray. In simple terms God called twelve disciples to preach his word, none were women, and the only preachers the bible speaks of are men, all instructions in the bible on how to preach God’s word and their qualifications are given to men. “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach”. (1Timothy 3.2), “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1Timothy 2.12). In closing there are true apostolic churches out there that still hold up God’s standard on this matter, what is a shame is that not all do and give the rest a bad name. shame, shame, shame!!!

The reason apostolic pentecostal women wear dresses is because the word of God talks against wearing that which pertaineth unto a man in deuteronomy 22:5, the word pertain comes from a hebrew word, keliy, which means “article, vessel, implement, or utensil, article of clothing. Which means that women shouldn't wear any item or clothing that even belongs to a man. God created a difference between a man and a woman, even in the beginning. Those differences should be held in clothing and in hair style. Women that dress like men and men that dress like women, it is an abomination unto the lord thy God. We have seen women that look just like men, manly hairstyles, men-looking breeches, you have to look twice to tell whether it's a man or a woman and recently I saw a young man who was carrying a woman's purse. Surely the world is in darkness, and it is very sad when the church is like the world. There should be a CLEAR DISTINCTION between a MALE AND FEMALE. IN OUR CULTURE, men should wear pants and not wear women's jewelry, such as earrings and etc. Women should keep their hair long and not cut like a man and should wear clothing that clearly disguishes them as women. In some cultures, men do wear skirts and some women wear what they call taboos. But if a particular culture is not going by the book, God's Holy Word, than they are in darkness. Even in the Bible, men and women wore robes and skirts, but according to Deuteronomy there was a difference. Even in the Bible you see men that wore breeches or trousers underneath their robes for modesty. Many men in that time, wore robes that were shorter and they wore breeches for modesty and etc. THE WHOLE POINT IS THAT THERE MUST BE A CLEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN. -i pray that this helped some

Its sad that people think they have to dress a certain way or not cut their hair to get brownie points from God. Its not scriptural its man made rules.I know plenty of women who wear skirts that are much less modest than a pair of pants would be. The hair thing is a whole other issue which is a custom that americans do not have. Paul said he is all things to all people that doesnt mean that your to look like a total outcast to society. To be seperate from the world is to have LOVE and God is love so people will see your fruit if your a true christian, "Christ like". Just because you put on a suit or a skirt doesnt mean you have the fruits to back up your so called christian living. By the way men wore what would be considered a skirt today back in bible days and men had beards and the cutting of the hair for women well if you want to still live under the law than you need to live under the full law not just parts. Jesus came to fulfill the law remember he said "it is finished".

I am a former member of the United Pentecostal Church(UPC) and a current apostolic pastor. To answer in brief. It is required for membership or to be active in a ministry and salvation in the UPC and other hardline pentecostal/apostolic churches. This in short is a lack of honest study. It is a misunderstanding of scipture and the irony is it is mostly white pentecostal/apostolic org. that believe this. Black and Hispanic Org. are not big on these issues. To conclude not all apostolic adhere to these dress codes. Here is a website that you will find helpful. http://www.inplainsite.org/html/united_pentecostal_church.html

No! Mostly white pentecostal/apostolic women. Black,hispanic...ect do not adhere to this teaching. Also most trinitarian do not.

because they are misled and think they are better than regular people...and if you don't wear a dress & have uncut hair then they will judge you without mercy....personally I think they have to have a dress on and long hair because most of them don't act Christian enough to be thought of as "Christian" so they have to SHOW you.

Long hair is because women were given their hair as a covering for their heads and it is disrespectful to praise God with your head "uncovered" ..... Wearing dresses is to please God and show submissiveness.

I believe in holiness because Gods word and conviction. I also believe that there are not enough "christians" who have what it takes to put aside their own desires and vanity to live a life of holiness. Yes, holiness is on the inside, but its evident in many scriptures that the outside will reflect what is on the inside. God does not change to fit our culture, we change to fit His word! Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever. We have to remember that WE are the ones who were bought with a price, so WE must be the ones who must change inside AND out. We are accountable for who we make sin through dressing immodest.

According to thier leaders it was because the long hair of a woman was a glory unto her... Long dresses were to show how different they are....

Well... Better paranoid than burning in hell, I say. I wear my dresses and don't cut my hair. Though, I have to admit, once upon a time, I was Pagan, and it was when I followed those beliefs that I stopped cutting my hair. Both sides of the religious coin know full well the power women have in their uncut (not necessarily long, but UNCUT) hair. You'll notice Hindu, Islamic, and many other women do not cut their hair, either. In fact, American and European women only began cutting their hair as a protest to forced submissiveness in the last century or so. IMO.

As has been pointed out, it is their church's interpretation of particular Bible verses. However, I would just like to offer this up. If we want to be truly Biblical, we would all, men and women both, wear long loose garments (not pants, or skirts with a separate blouse/top or dresses or shorts or kilts or even winter coats), wear only sandals (not socks and shoes, or winter boots, obviously skiing, football, soccer and even bowling would not be accceptable pasttimes) and men would not shave their beards. We would not shower or bathe, or use flush toilets, or send our children to secular schools, or use electricity to light our houses (heaven knows what we would use to power our computers.) We would buy animals to be sacrificed in the temple on specified occcasions such as the birth of a child. If we want to be honest, we would accept some relativism in interpreting Bible verses because what is 'conservative' is very much tied to what is 'traditional' in the society and part of the world where we live. As I have said in a comment on another answer, I have trouble with the simplistic interpretation of the verse 'long hair is the glory of a woman' - it is a sign of pride, and therefore can be a sin, to seek glory in any form. If the Apostolic Pentecostal congregations want to interpret the Bible that way, fine. But some of us beg to differ.

I have been Apostolic my whole life. I grew up under the rules that my parents laid down for me. I am a male but I have studied this topic for myself even though it does not nessesarly pertain to me. I love the Apostolic religion and have no intentions on beliving anything else. However I do feel as though some of the standards that have been put into force have been blown out of porportion and dont nessesarly appy to us in these days. Culture and customs change over time. There were things done in the bible that we don't do anymore. No one! When the bible says not to put on that which pertains to a man. I believe that was pertaining to armor. A women should not go into battle. That is obvious. In the Bible days everyone wore robes. I do belive in holiness. I belive you should dress modestly. That does not cut out pants for women. Instead of focusing on what we should and should not wear, lets focus on having a true relationship with the Lord. GOD put us on this earth to give him company. Don't lose track of the true purpose he has for you in your life. Don't focus on the rules too much that you forget about just giving the Lord some attention. I feel as though there are some young ladies out there in the world that could really do great things for the Lord, but are discouaged because they go to an apostolic church and are bombarded with rule rules rules. Why would they want to be a part of that? They could go anywhere that does not teach that. ITS NOT A HEAVEN AND HELL ISSUE. Please dont mix up holiness with exaggeration. Follow God's will in your life and get to KNOW him because when you are being judged, its either "welcome in" or "I never KNEW you". Like I said I am apostolic and will always be. However this is the way i live my life.

Not all Pentecostal churches do this. I have visited a couple of United Pentecostal church and they do this. They do this, because they believe that they are suppose to keep themselves covered due to modesty. There is a verse in the New Testament that they base this off of. I grew up in a Pentecostal church and had to wear dresses to church. We still could wear jewelry, and pants outside of church. It was ok for us to cut our hair if that's what we wanted. I believe that people should come as they are. It is the sinner that God wants to speak to. Some churches do take the dress order out of context. But as a minister, I think that modesty is very important. The whole thing about being a christian is getting in alignment with God. Your heart must be right. You must believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and he was raised from the dead. Where is your heart? Should be the most important.

The main thing we have to do is spread the gospel. The death burial and resurection of Jesus Christ. 1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Being Holy is separating yourself for God's use. When we first come to God we don't understand all the implications of what we are supposed to do. All we know is that we love Jesus. It is later that we do all that we can to please him as we understand his word. None of these things is what saves us. We do not get good to get to God. We get God and he makes us good. We are saved by grace through faith, not of works lest any man(or woman) should boast. Come to God and as you search the scriptures he will reveal himself to you more and more. Our attire and hair length is to please God not men. It is because we belong to God That we understand these things. It is not our desire to offend anyone but we cannot do anything else but say what God's Word says. God loves you just the way you are. A mommy and daddy always loves their child even if they don't like what their children are doing. It is more a matter of favor than doing this to try to get into heaven. May God Richly bless you Pastor Daniel Thomas Salaz Fountain of Truth Apostolic Church Salinas, CA

because they all shop at the same outlet mall which doesn't have a supercuts.

I'd hazard a guess that it is some misguided attempt by that Church to make women appear humble, modest and chaste, and to ensure they feel ashamed about showing their bodies in public, and reject any kind of vanity or confidence in their appearance. It is the sort of rule that keeps these women in 'their place', and really creates the idea that men see women as sex objects and that it is therefore appropriate for a woman who shows vanity (and attracts men) to be punished. I don't know if this really goes on, but that seems to me to be the underlying philosophy.

I am very concerned by this whole subject and the input within this question. Read some of my comments to various answers to see where I am coming from.

Lets see, take each item one at a time. First dresses: the scriptures about not wearing that which pertaineth to a man is the big one here. Personally I think it was really talking to the people of that day that were trying to dress and look like the opposite sex. As in our day you had those that wanted to look like the other sex. Men wanting to look like women and vice versa. Actually from what I understand of the times that was a huge problem among the "heathens". The temples dedicated to certain 'gods' had their priests and priestesses dressing like the opposite sex. God made you to be a man or a woman look like it. The biggest thing that should be taken into consideration with dress should be modesty. I am modest in how I look or am I trying to draw attention to my body. If you are wearing dresses that are short or tight you are wrong. If you are wearing pants that are tight or tops that show cleavage you are wrong. Be modest and sensible about how you dress. Because of the way things have been taught for many years so many believe that the only way for a woman to look like a woman and act alike a woman is to wear dresses. I must admit I think it makes a lady act more lady like and certainly makes her look more soft and gentle. When wearing slacks they tend to sit and walk more 'manly'. Long Hair: this one is different. I think the question here should have been uncut rather than long. A lot of them believe the Bible to say that they are to have uncut hair but it does not it says to have long hair. I will not go into the Greek here because it gets to lengthy but do you own study of I Corinthians 11 and go back to the original Greek and see what it says. I believe that a womans hair should be long enough to not look like a man and vice versa. My general rule of thumb is this, if you are a woman and your hair is as short or shorter then most men it is to short. If you are man and your hair is long and it is longer than most men then it is to long. I know some woman have short hair naturally and they use that to say that it really means uncut because you can not tell a woman who's hair does not grow past her shoulders that she is wrong because her hair is not past her shoulders therefore it is to short. I also know woman who's hair can drag the ground. That is not healthy or good either. although neat and interesting and I love long hair I do not believe it is a heaven or hell issue. I think if you have naturally short hair and you cut it to look like a man then you are wrong. If you have naturally long hair and cut it short to look like a man you are wrong. men if you have long hair that comes past your shoulders I personally think that is wrong. The thing is though, I am not God and I do not make the rules. Seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling. If you cut it short and God convicts you don't do it again. If you wear slacks and God convicts you don't do it again. If not then who am I to tell you that you are worng and going to hell?

I wear dresses because for 1. pants were originally made for men and the movement for women to wear pants came around the flapper era... flappers weren't very modest! 2. pants attract attention to certain areas of your body - skirts can too but it depends on the skirt you buy! My hair is long because i don't cut it. it's not about the lenght it's about whether you cut it. the bible talks about the hair being my glory and my covering and i have power in my hair so why would i want to cut it? I don't jusge those that cut there hair. i've had friends that don't believe the way that i do... i might think they are wrong but i don't think i am better than them. not everyone judges. i don't. so don't put all pentecostals in the same boat! those that judge are carnal and need to focus on some other scriptures in the Bible. My dad has always told me this - my relationship with God goes deeper than the lenght of my hair and my modest clothes. He's also said that Holiness is more than just modesty and hair. it's seperation from the world unto God. It's about your heart and mind being with God's heart and mind. It's about living like Him! And living like him is a combination of things. If I am modest and do not cut my hair I can still go to Hell because of the condition of my heart. It's gotta be inside and out.

Holiness Women wear pants because the Holy Ghost revealed unto the latter day church that women should not wear that which pertains to a man. Now pants were originally made for men and pertain to men. How do we know which bathroom is for what sex? One has an image of a person in a dress- that pertains to a woman. the other has the image of a person in pants- that pertains to a man. If a man wore a dress we would not easily accept it. the world accepts woman wearing pants because it has been allowed for so long. Women in america started wearing pants in the feminist movement. They were disobedient to Gods word, burned their under garments and wore male pants- to make the statement "I AM A MAN, I DONT CARE THAT GOD SAYS I AM A WOMEN". now pants are made for women, but it is still ungodly for women to wear pants. the bible tells us that women are not suppose to cut their hair either. The bible tells us these things, that is why Holiness women obey it. Another thing to all those who bash the church. There is no such thing as the "apostolic Church" and then the "bastist church", etc. There is no such thing as choose your own denomination. there is only one God, no trinity, and one church that was founded by our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the one God of the prophets and of the apostles. There is only one true religion. Holiness- is the religion of God, that we must all practice even today. every person must obey the word of God, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. If every women in the world truly obeys the word of God and desired holiness they would not wear pants or cut their hair as a men either. There is no debate- all must accept holiness or all will perish.

dressing in skirts is about modesty, it says in the bible to be modest if you wear pants your showing your women figure for all to see, plus we are supose to seperate ourselfs from the world not look like the world, i love my skirts and i dont think iam better than anybody our that i'll make it to heaven first because we are all weak frail human beings just trying to make it to heaven. i have the holy ghost and that is what convicts me every morning when i even think about puting on a pair of pants or cloths that would revile my body.

When I came into the apostolic church, I did not understand why women wore dresses and did not cut their hair. But through time, I began to understand the scriptures that many of you are referring to. But even then I chose not to dress that way. It wasn't until I felt convicted by God, not man, that I changed my ways. And when I finally (after much stubborness) began to be obedient I felt empowered and I felt much closer to the Lord. Is this for you, I don't know. But in everything we should let God lead us and let God convict us.

This is done due to the lack of true bible definitions. The reason that God commanded the dress distinction between men and women was to identify between the hebrew people and the Cannanites who practiced transvestism as part of their religious ritual. If the case is given to follow scriptures to the heart, then why do we wear clothing that is of mixed linen? why do we eat food that has been genetically mixed, God warned the people not to mixed their seed. Yet now a days we dont take that into consideration. Do not put God in a box, the word says that the wisdom of men is the foolishness of God. You are not so much to focus on the outer apperance as to the inner one. Jesus addressed the Pharisees for their outwardly look and not their circumcision of the heart. Remember that only God is Holy and you must know the true definition of Holiness before considering yourself holy. Every man has come short of the Glory of God, so dont assume to believe that your dress code will take you one step higher. Jesus loved the everyone who had faith in Him.

Hi I am an Apostolic woman and I read all the comments on this page and I really do understand that it is hard to understand why we dress the way we do.. You must first seek Him with your whole heart.. This is not something that you can understand without The Holy Spirit.. But please don't tell us we are wrong. Seek God and His Word pray for understanding. Why would you say things about us, does it really make a difference to you how we dress? How can it be wrong when we are doing it for God. I was not raised Apostolic. I seen Holiness in Gods Word not just in Deu. but in the entire Bible. This isn't about 1 or 2 scriptures this is about a relationship. It is about knowing the One True God. It is about pleasing Him. If you want to wear pants, cut your hair and whatever else that is your relationship with Him... But I know what pleases My God and that is what I am going to do!! I don't think I am better than you. I have only one goal and that is heaven.. Isn't that your focus? Holiness is worship. It is the way we serve our Lord. Please don't let our hair (our glory) our skirts, no make-up or no jewerly upset you. We are shining for The KING!! Without the things this world thinks we need.. God Bless You.

I've listened to a lot of the comments, and I believe in doing anything the holy spirtis convicts me and gives me the strength to do. I also believe we have to be changed on the inside and out, but the conversion begins on the inside. Once your heart is right, the word of God will do the rest. There are too may ministers acting on their own accord, instead of allowing God to do his conversion through the holy spirit. This is a personal thing, between and individual and God. All this talk about attire, but no one has spken of the plan of salvation: repentance of your sins, baptism in jesus name, and the gift of the holy ghost, which will convict you of all unGodly things, and there will be no need for opinion. I am a woman in holiness, but I still have not been convicted on skirts, because not only do I read the word I study it, and if you look up the meaning of breeches- it is a covering for the genitals- undewear, not pants, b/c pants were not invented in the bible times. Women and men wore the same apparel- gowns/cloaks/ skirts,and the men were given breeches to cover thir genitals. Now I'm not sure about some of the men here, but my husband wouldn't buy his pants or underwear from my dept of the store, so obviously in this day and time there is a seperation of attire, which does not commit a female to skirts only, just modest apparel, b/c there are skirts that can be tempting and revealing also. (modest apparel, without the intention to be a temptress) We focus too much on outer appearance instead of the heart, that is why we have so many lost souls, and I do consider myself a saint of God in Holiness. May God add wisdom and blessings to your lives.

In deuteronomy 22:5 the word pertains is the word used, in saying that men and woman should not where clothing that pertains to the opposite sex. A dictionary search of the word pertain eventually led to a very interesting definition. The word pertain means to have it's origin in. The origin of pants were for the men to wear when they went off to war. Pants were originally made for men. Also in the new testament it says that women should wear modest garments. Again a search of the word garment led me to a long flowing article of clothing. Pants may be long, but they definately do not flow. Lastly, the bible is our road map. It is not to be argued with. In deuteronomy 22:5 it says what it says. Why continue to argue. The universal symbol for the male and female restrooms are a man in pants and a woman in a dress, so the world really knows what deuteronomy 22:5 says. Bottom line holiness is an outward expression of our inward obedience. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Obey and be saved.

I don't really see why this is such a fuss they are not putting you down for your way of life this is there personal conviction, but one question What would you do if you got to heaven and that was the ONLY reason why God sent you to Hell, If it's such an issue to argue about then maybe you should step back and look at your life, for there is only one to judge our lives, and it's not US!!! GOD BLESS!!!

Some pcaf churches rules are different from others.It all depends on the leader and the rules he adminastrate to the congragation an and his follwers.If you are convicted enough in your heart.Your conviction is not everyone else's conviction. No, you will not go to hell if you wear your pants.Just present your bodies a living sacrifice,holy,acceptable to GOD.Read and get to know GOD for yourself no matter what the preacher says.It's all traditional practices.I love the apostolic doctrine. LOVE YA

In the bible it says that for a man to have long hair it is an abomination, but for a woman it is her glory....why? The reason is that women will be judges of the angels upon the end of tribulation. I believe that had God in fact wanted both men and women to look alike He would have created us to have the same physicality, but He did not therefore when a baby is in the womb of its mother God is already writing what that baby will do in its lifetime. God has made it very specific as to how it is determined whether the fetus will be a male, or a female, by the DNA of the sperm cells, and not the egg from the woman. So if God has determined that a fetus should be a male...why then should the male look like a female?

Because in the bible it says point blank that men shall not wear that which pertainith to a women vice versa. He says it is an abominataion to him. And for you angelnikolas you need to think of it this way. If you truly love God enough and are truly wanting to be christlike wouldnt you just want to abide by his rules? He died on the the cross and shed his blood for our sins for that we need to be very thankfull..Once you truly realize the price that he paid for your sin then you will desire to do everything he asks and will simply not want to do anything unto him that is an abomintation. Christ said he wants us to be seperate from the world GOd Bless

This entire topic bothers me aswell. It's wrapping everyone up. I am struggling with what Church I belong to. I tried an Apostolic church and am confussed. I am a Hairstylist and Makeup Artist, and I wear pants,but do not dress vulgar. I have been receiveing opinions from a friend (an Apostolic) that according to the word, I might go to hell. This is bothering me. I live a good life, yes, wear pants, but feel my relationship with God is excellent..... so I just want someones opinion on is it true? Is it a true belief that if you wear pants and are a women, do you go to hell? ..or ..is it again, to please the Lord....but is not a requirement to go to Heaven?

Okay thank you Tallgirl... Cuz I was born Catholic and then went to A Pentecostal chruch...then tried the Apostolic...It is just so new to me, u know? The way my friend made it sound was like... I live a life of vanity (well I dont, but my job is "vanity" ..so I might go to hell..according to the bible..and my hair is long..but I DO TRIM IT..I am a hairtsylist...I do wear a bit of makeup...a bit. I just feel like a bad person for doing these things..I am only 18, I dont wanna go to hell.. :( Thank you, your answer helped..

i think that they are strikly to into there religion ...yes i understand they whant to dress like the way they think they are supose to dress but common think about it god is a great person ..rithg? he dosent care about how u look ..rithg? he cares about u and the person u are he cares about your personalotie the way u treat others not about how u dress it's whats inside and not ouside!! u cant be perfect ... and your not always going to be rithg about what god say's and what he whants !! but he will ALWAYS forgive your every mistake if u ask him to !! and some religions think difrent then others....but wicht one is rithg..??

First of all we must take the whole word of God. Everything in the bible is important, everyword is inspiration of God and reveals his truth to us. Just as the bible says thou shalt not kill its says for men and women not to wear that that pertains to the opposite. Just as much as the Jews were to be separate from the world, christians are called to be separate. We are to look different, act different, and live different. It doesn't mean that we shun those around us. Paul said I am to all men, but that doesn't mean he let down his standards. I go to a public college, and I have friends that aren't in church, but I still wear pants, long sleeves and keep my hair short. I don't do it to judge others or make them feel condemned. I do it because these are the convictions God gave me and I have to live them. And its not hard. My sisters wear skirts and have long hair, they don't complain. Everything we do we do out of love and obedience. When u come to God he will change your heart. But the entirety of your growth won't happen over night. Just as a baby must learn to walk, eat, and obey, new christians have to have time to learn God's word. If u seek u will find, knock and it shall be opened. If you truely love God and want to know his word he will reveal it to u, but it will take time. Everything comes by revelation, not everyone will understand right away. I grew up in Apostolic Pentecost, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I accepted the convictions God gave me. And I still have more to learn. So everything God says is important, and it takes time to learn it all. We must use wisdom and patience with those who are still seeking truth. God is love, and we are to show the world God. Give them time to grow.

Apostolic Pentecostal women do now cut their hair. So if God wants it past their butt then so be it. In my church most of the women have hair past there butt. And I dont hear them complaining. Its something you get used to, just like carrying around long arms. You learn to automatically be aware of it.

Only if that's how long their hair is meant to grow. I haven't cut my hair in ten years, and it's just to my hips. I think it's reached what's called its "terminal length"

It is to ensure, if ever they find themselves caught naked in public, they can maintain cover of all private parts...

When you look at a bathroom sign, how do you tell a mens room from a ladies room? That is one reason of many for why apostolic women wear skirts or dresses. (Plus they are just plan pretty.) As far as hair goes, its the same as above in question number one, but also it is becasue of this one verse as well as many others: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering" 1 Corinthians 11:15.(KJV, ASV, and a few others) There are some apostolic women who do not adhere to these conditions. It all depends on personal conviction. Some women have different reasons for doing what they do, but these are the generic ones.

I don't understand why some people refer to dressing in skirts and not cutting your hair as brownie points with God or trying to be outcasts in the world. The Pentecostal church has standards, and these two things are included. We as Pentecostal choose to live by these standards who is to say if you don't live by them that we are trying to be materialistic or ridiculous. We chose to abide by these rules, why should it bother you if your not! I honestly don't believe that wearing pants or cutting your hair will take you to hell. Bt I still don't do it. I stand for certain standards and I will continue to live by them unless God tells me otherwise. Thats nuff said.

Our hair and our dresses have nothing to do with salvation, however are a higher consecration to God. I am an apostolic woman and my hair is my covering. In 1 Corintians chapter 11, the apostle Paul clearly states that it is improper for a woman to pray without a covering on her head. He also says that our hair is our covering, and that it is shameful for it to be cut or shorn. He also goes on to say that long her is given to women as our glory, and that niether we nor the churches of God have any other practice. Read it for yourself!!(i Cor. 11:5-16)

Okay,I am a a spirit filled woman who wears pants, make-up, and jewelry. I have never been convicted of wearing any of these items. If you want to follow old testament law then you need to be seperated on your period, not eat pork, or wear any clothing made from two fabrics. Heck, speaking of the old testament Esther went through a 6 month beauty treatment. My best friend is Pentacostal Holiness and holds the beliefs many of you do. I respect her and her walk with God. The New Testamant says all things are lawful but not beneficial. When talking about eating certain foods forbidden under the Old Testament, It talks about being respectful and not being a stumbling for others. If you are convicted by wearing pants then you should not wear them. All of this being said, Jesus is coming and we need to change the subject from skirts to the harvest. Can we all just agree to disagree? If all of us saved folk would come together and agree on Jesus we could to great things for God.

Okay, lookie here everybody. I pray hard, I worship hard, I have been through hell and back with God. I feel convicted if I do not put my shopping cart back where it goes. I have seeked the Lord on my manner of dress. I have had the Lord lead me and guide me on clothes selection. I can name a really cute pair of slacks that God gave me the thumbs up on. So, lets make this a matter of personal preference. My best friend is Holiness Pentacostal and I do not doubt her sincerity for wearing what she does. She pleases God by doing so because that is how she worships him. However, I feel it is wrong for people to think because you waer pants you are a baby christian, or somehow out of communication with God

Ok, I was raised a Seventh Day Adventist and by the Grace of God I am now an Apostolic Pentecostal. Yes, I do wear skirts and I dont cut my hair but its not for brownie points from God I do it because I want to look HOLY and I not only want to live for God through my heart but I also want to look like I live for God. In todays society you cant tell one christian from another but I bet if you come across an Apostolic you will know exactly what they stand for and that is GOD. I love GOD with my whole heart and will do anything that he places upon my heart to do. You know its always been said " I would rather have done a dump truck to much as a wheelbarrow not enough" People want to knock the women who only wear skirts and dont cut their hair because they dont want to be submissive to GOD and do what is modest, right and HOLY!!!! May GOD Bless you all!!!

Because of a strict and literal interpretation of three passages from the Bible. Re dress: 1Ti 2:9-10 "I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; 10 but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness." and also DT 22:5 "A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." Re hair: 1COR14:4-16: "Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying, disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying, disgraces her head; for she is one and the same with her whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God."

The bible gives a clear distinction that men should men should wear mens clothing and women should wear womens clothing. An example of this would be when you go to the restroom which do you go in the men's or the women's? On the signs which are next or on the door there is a woman wearing a dress and a man wearing pants. If you are a woman you automatically see the woman in a dress and go to it. This is an example of how you can tell a man from a woman. Pants used to be only worn by men never women; Just because they are cut out for a woman's figure doesnt mean that it is clothes that partane to a woman. Over time society has made more and more things acceptable we see this in out everyday life.

i would just like to say no one can require you to dress a certain way and if you completely disagree with the way we dress then fine. i honestly don't believe that if a woman wears pants they are going to hell, but God clearly states in the Bible how He wishes us to dress. we can either follow these rules or reject them because the world tells us its ok. apostolic women, like myself, believe that God's word never changes...even if times do or fashion does. Another thing, God said that christians should be distinguished from the world. it is a sad place we live in today filled with lust of the flesh. most women just show off any and every part of their bodies without a second thought. my question is...why should a christian woman dress the same as someone who is not a christian and does not follow the word? i see women christians walking around in short mini skirts and tank tops and to me they should respect their body more than that. as i said though, it is all a matter of choice.

i was told by an apostolic preacher if you dont want to do the things i preach then you dont need to come here. what if we dont agree on the way he sees everything? then what? where are we to go if we only agree on some things? are we to quit church or what?

I have practiced this part of my religion for eight years. I began when I was fifteen. I wore skirts because I was told that if I wore pants I was sinning. When I asked why, I was referred to the popular scripture in Deuteronomy that states that men and women should not wear one another's apparel. It hasn't been until recently that I began to question this standard. I have studied the scriptures very closely, and I began studying the history of that time period. I came to the conclusion that if I wear jeans, I AM NOT sinning. If I wear jeans, I AM NOT putting on man's apparel. In Deuteronomy, the scripture DOES NOT specify what man's apparel is and what woman's apparel is. It never at ANYTIME states that pants are man's apparel and women cannot wear them. If you research, you will find that pants were not even around at the time of this scripture. Men and women wore garments that looked very similar. They wore the robes and head covers, which was to protect them from the weather conditions. In the desert, they had to wear the clothing to protect their skin from the sun, and from the sand. If the wind is powerful, it can blow the sand hard enough to cause abrasions to the skin. This is why they wore those specific garments. So if the Bible never specifies what man and woman's apparel is, and all the people in the Biblical time period wore similar clothing, then what is man's apparel and what is woman's apparel? I believe culture plays a huge role. Culture changes all the time. I understand that God's Word never changes, but culture does change, and God's Word never says that pants are man's apparel. Never. I still believe the doctrine of my church, but this particular standard is nothing more than a tradition of man. It is not truly based on the Word of God. I have been taught for eight years that the Bible is the ultimate appeal for everything we believe, so if that's the case, this particular standard is not in the Word of God. You cannot take this ONE scripture, which doesn't even say anything about pants, and form such a standard. This is wrong. In our culture in the United States of America, pants are not man's apparel. I believe this scripture is referring to people who would fit the profile of cross dressers, drag queens, etc. Some people in church no longer speak to me, but that's fine. Their walk with God does not concern me, just as mine does not concern them. But when people try to judge me, I will always defend my beliefs, and I always use the Word of God. So now, when a man in my church tells me that it is wrong for me to wear pants, I always respond with "If it's wrong for me to wear pants, then it's wrong for you to wear pants. God never specifically said it was acceptable for you to wear jeans. Back when the scripture was written, jeans did not even exist, so why is it okay for you to wear them today?" Many times, when people in my church try to talk to me about this standard, and I present my beliefs, and more importantly, my research, there is always one reaction I can count on, because it happens almost every time, and that is anger and defensiveness. When people's beliefs are challenged and they cannot provide a logical explanation to defend their beliefs, many people become angry and irrational. I'm not telling other people that they need to change. What I wear has nothing to do with them. I'm not telling them they need to go out and buy pants. I'm just simply providing the explanation that they asked for as to why I wear certain garments. Unfortunately, this is what I am faced when when my personal practices are challenged. But I will always stand up for my beliefs. I am not being rebellious, and I am not being ugly. But if I'm going to live a certain way for the rest of my life, I am going to research and I am going to learn for myself why I am doing it. I think God would expect all of us to do this. Nobody should live a certain way and practice any form of religion without understanding why they are doing it. As far as the hair issue, I honestly do not have an answer. I have not cut my hair in this past eight years, and I have no plans to cut my hair. The reason is because I have not yet completed my research on this subject. I am currently researching and studying, and until I come to a definite conclusion, I am not doing anything with my hair. I'm going to leave it long, because I don't want to do anything rash and I would rather be safe than sorry. I don't know what I will find. Maybe I will learn that it's not wrong to cut my hair, or maybe I will learn that so far, the hair issue has been correct, and I will continue to let my hair grow. But right now, I don't know. So sorry, I don't have an answer for the hair issue.

The Bible says not to wear that that pertaineth to a man. whether you buy it in the womens section of the store or not; it was made for a man first. I am pretty sure that no man would buy a skirt just because it was in the men's section of the store. The skirt is the thing that sets women apart from men. Women are wearing their hair so short nowadays that if they weren't wearing a skirt you'd mistake them for a man. We shouldn't only be getting onto the women- men wear their hair so long and pants so Tight that i sometimes mistake them as women. BUT IT'S THE FAD- right?!

We can sit and go back and forth all night and day on biblical interpretation. And as for acting better than others thats everywhere. I do apologize if you have been treated like that. There are more important issues to talk about like SALVATION.(Acts 2:38) Thats a really heaven or hell issue. (Not to say dresses and long hair are not important) A player must know the whole game plan in order to give his/her best to win all. If not he/she will be LOST and COFUSED and end up losing the game.

i am an apostolic pentecostal woman and the reason we do what we do and dress the way in which we do is not only because the word of god tells us to but also because we love god and we will do whatever we the bible tells us to to please him. we have a level of commentment that is shown with the way we dress and the way we carry ourselfs.

Praise the Lord. To me, when a christian women wears pants, it is not pleasing to God. Pants are pants, (men made that phrase "female pants and male pants" sometimes I think that it was a rebelious women or a homosexual that made that up.) Anyway, I don't jugde nor say that a christian women will go to hell if she wears pants, I do care about their salvation, but I think that whoever reads the word of the Lord will understand how the Lord wants us to show our light through Him. I don't like wearing pants, but that's just me, I try my best to obay His word. We must dresss modest, and not cause others to fornicate by our dressing, because many of us christian women do dress a little tight, we all know how to dress, but not for men, let's do it for God. Many say that the Lord cares more about how we are in our interiors, true!! but what do we reflect on the outside?? Blessings from the most high =)

HOLY SHIT, i had no idea this was happening....REALLY? weird, well get your skirt on then and cheers to ya

as a current apostolic teen and a hispanic, holiness is a huge responsibility and an strong conviction. Holiness should be the same in the church and out...what difference is there if we dress the same as the world(come out and be ye seperate.) this isn't meaning that i am condeming those who don't. first our mission is to seek and to save those who are lost, and then we let god do the rest of the work in the person. our hair is out glory, and our covering. dresses show distinction between a man and a woman.... and we are to be respectful when in the house of god.

Deuteronomy 22:5 says: The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. I am Apostolic Pentecostal. I grew up in this church and I have the same question before. As I grew up in the Lord I clearly understood that this is what God said to His people. Following this church standard is simply pleasing the Lord. We are not men pleasers. We are God pleasers. Even if the world will outcast us for not waering what's in fashion,so what? We are not seeking for the world's acceptance. According to James 4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." If a Pentecostal church does not teach this...then that church is not teaching the standards.

I Think most of you on here needs to just get out a bible and read, no one should have to sit and explain there beliefs to you! ITS ALL IN THE WORD!!! I have not been Pentecostal all my life, I was born Trinitarian IN A COGIC Church, but when i was exposed to the Apostolic beliefs i was like most of you at first thinking it was all wrong, until I SAT MY LAZZZY BEHIND DOWN AND READ!!!! GOD IS NOT AN AUTHOR OF CONFUSION!

i AM NOT SURE WHY THEY ALWAYS WEAR DRESSES AND HAVE LONG HAIR. BUT I THINK THAT IT IS THERE BUSINESS. IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WEARING IT THEN LEAVE THEM ALONE. THEY AREN'T HURTING ANYONE. ME PERSONALLY, I AM GLAD THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME, BUT IT IS THERE CHOICE.

"HOLINESS ISSUES SEPARATION & DISTINCTION" by Norm Glover -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction After having read many of the treatises on the subject of holiness, I'm going to attempt to broach it from the position of God's perspective of separation and distinction. In my opinion, there is too much said about the things we're to be conformed to in regard to dress, appearance and lifestyle and not enough said about the importance of distinction and separation to balance it off. I have been away from UPC for seventeen or eighteen years because of a choice I made in the late seventies. I just recently decided to return to the UPC for a number of reasons; some of which I will elaborate upon a little further on because they are relevant to the subject of this article. One of the concerns I've had for a number of years (since being out of UPC) is the noticeable lack of distinction between church people and the world. I speak on very general terms which would include most evangelical and/or Pentecostal "Christians." It is also my understanding that many Oneness Pentecostals also have joined the ranks of the liberals in the name of so-called freedom. I have to admit, when I left the UPC, this so-called "freedom" I observed had somewhat to do with it. Right now, suffice to say, I made a grievous error. I am hoping through this writing, I can save others from making the same mistake I did. I believe now that for the past number of years, even though I have been in the permissive will of God, because of His grace and longsuffering, was able to do the work of the Lord even in my stubbornness and self-will. I hope to finish this race well, building with "Gold, Silver and precious stones." Know this also, I NEVER went back on the message of the New Birth and continue to this day to be adament that there is no other way into the Kingdom of God! Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus Name and the Infilling of the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues constitutes the New Birth experience of Bible Salvation. I hope you will not judge this article on scholarship or writing ability, but simply hear my heart. It is a heart of love and concern for the wider Body of Christ. I want to make it quite clear I don't believe that by installing some sort of apparel on the outside or to refrain from the wearing of certain other things will in any way make one holy. To believe that is to completely misunderstand what true holiness really is. If there's no separation or distinction in the attitudes of the heart, then the putting on of apparel is an act of utter futility and serves no purpose other than to construct another Pharisee and 'invalidate the word of God' for the sake of tradition. (see Matthew 15: 6.) Holiness begins in the heart and the results work their way to the outside. Jesus was very emphatic when he said, "You will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:20. In Galatians 5:22 the nine segments of the fruit of the Spirit are mentioned. Nowhere do I see apparel specifically cited! This doesn't mean I don't believe in proper dress, decorum or behavior for the Christian. I will cover that later. Let's now see what the Bible has to say about distinction and separation. THROW THE BUMS OUT! In Deuteronomy 7:1, God begins to lay down some very clear commands and conditions that Israel was to abide by when they entered the promised land. The first thing they were to do was "cast out many nations" before them. He mentioned them by name -- "the Hittites and the Girga-shites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son." (Emphasis mine.) In a very uncompromising, straight forward manner God laid out a pattern that Israel was to follow. It's very important to remember at this point, that these nations were descendants of Cannan who was cursed by his father Noah. Consequently, the sins of the fathers were passed down to the future generations. These nations are a type of sin and the "casting out" is a type of repentance or deliverance that we experience in the New Covenant. God meant for there to be a separation and distinction between Israel and the nations. Remember also, in typology, we are spiritual Israel by supernatural birth -- Galatians 3:29. The "nations" are representative of the unsaved and the world's system. As we read a little farther in the chapter, we see some of the reasons for this "separation." "For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other Gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly." I believe God was pointing out the fact that if they commingled with these heathen nations, not only would they kindle the anger of the Lord but all trace of their heritage could be lost or at least severely weakened in just one generation. I want to ask you, the reader, some questions: How often have you witnessed a person led away from the fellowship of believers because of fraternizing with the world? How many people have been pulled away from the truth because of peer pressure and the influence of an ungodly society upon our schools and the media? Our pastor mentioned this past Fathers' Day that If you don't rear your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, by default, they will learn some other philosophy from someone else. Who will teach them? Will it be the TV, Hollywood, the humanistic school teachers, peer groups, unwholesome books and literature? Who? Some other good questions to ask ourselves at this point is: What kind of legacy am I passing on to my children? Are they simply emulating the life-style and example they see in their parents? What kind of identity will they have when they leave the nest and go out on their own? Will it be a heritage of godliness and righteousness or will they drift and take on the image of the "nations." Will they know enough to choose future friends, spouses and business alliances based upon the Word of God or will they be drawn away by the vanity of the world? How strong and viable is the foundation they are standing upon. Just how scripturally based is the foundation we stand on? Hear this well -- The things they have observed and learned while living at home will either have a positive or negative affect upon their futures. In his instructions to Israel to utterly destroy these nations, God did not leave it to their discretion as to the details; He spoke with specificity and clarity! "But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire." He told them to utterly annihilate every vestige and remembrance of them. Nothing was to be left to chance or guesswork; everything had to go. I am of the opinion that if we were to counsel with people along these same lines as they repented before God, we would have less fallout and have to deal less in the area of counseling and deliverance. The power of repentance/separation needs to be emphasized to a much greater degree because when one repents there should be an understanding that they are making an about-face and separating themselves from the former self-life and are being grafted into a new one. They are "dying out" to self and following after a new Master. It's not just a matter of initial salvation -- He must also become Lord of every aspect of ones life. Repentance is a direct work of the Holy Ghost because "No man comes to the Father except the Spirit draw him.". It is God alone who can work "godly sorrow" into the heart of an individual. Without this kind of sorrow, there can never be repentance! "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to (future) salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." II Corinthians 7:10. Just as an aside -- Those who are teaching that people are saved just by "accepting" or "professing" the Lord and who by-pass repentance, water and Spirit baptism are teaching false doctrine and are simply creating a false Christianity that has no substance and requires nothing. This "easy believism" is foreign to sound doctrine. Without change and separation there is no salvation. Easy believism that requires nothing produces nothing. WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE? Following the destruction phase of His discourse, God then reminds Israel who they are in relation to Himself -- "For thou art an holy (set apart) people unto the Lord thy God: The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special (Hebrew meaning -- peculiar) people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." This means "separation" and "distinction." Yes, I believe God's people are to be a distinct and separated people above all other people. At first, this may sound a little like a better-than-thou or holier-than-thou attitude and in a way it is because we are NOT what we used to be -- we have been elevated by virtue of the transforming power of the New Birth experience to a higher position spiritually and naturally. Naturally because of the fact we no longer participate and align ourselves with the sinful activities of the world. We are no longer of this world, but are simply sojourners looking for a city whose builder and maker are God. Spiritually, because we are brand new creatures in Christ Jesus! Because of this change, God's children should standout in a crowd; eyes should turn as they go about their daily routines. I certainly do not mean to cast yourself about flamboyantly with a look-at-me attitude, but in a presentation of meekness in an unassuming manner. People who have even a small amount of discernment should be able to "perceive that we have been with Jesus" or at the very least, recognize that there is something different about us. We're In The Army Now! One has no trouble at all distinguishing between a person who works at Burger King and one who is employed at McDonalds nor a problem telling the difference between a serviceman in the Army and one in the Navy. You can tell by the way they dress and carry themselves. As a matter-of-fact, many of the most noteworthy companies in the world such as IBM and AAA have standards of dress and appearance. Have you ever had a service person from IBM come to your office or shop to repair an office machine? They're "dressed to kill" in business suits and ties. Everything about them "shouts" that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. It amazes me that these firms attribute at least some of their success to "standards" and we the church are sometimes quick to down-play the importance of orderliness and appearance. When Walt Disney was first building his entertainment empire, he set very strict standards of conduct and dress because he wanted to distance himself and his enterprises from the tawdry, shoddy appearance and atmosphere of the carnivals. These standards still exist today. Here in Central Florida, the public schools are now pushing for all students in the lower grades to wear uniforms because they are finally acknowledging that dress directly affects attitudes and performance. If you dress like a slob, your attitudes will follow suit. Why are we Christians so afraid or apprehensive of being different from the multitudes. Is the Army of the Lord and Captain of our Salvation less important than those just mentioned above? Should we, the Apostolic Church of the Living God, continue to allow the "nations" to pull us down on their level and set benchmarks for the Church? Someone once said "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything." Over the past number of years my "spiritual insight" has been sharpened and I have made some observations. In the past thirty or so years, there's been an erosion of our value system that can be readily seen by the outward, could-care-less, sloppy, disheveled appearance of both children and adults alike. This has all come under the guise of being modern, "laid back" or casual. Just recently, it came out in the news that the baggy type of clothing kids are wearing was causing some serious injuries due to stumbling and falling over them. The sloppy and sometimes scanty apparel that this generation is wearing, coupled with what's happening to the moral fabric of our society, bears witness to warped thinking and a defective mind-set. I'm afraid that this "casual" indifferent attitude has permeated the church and has, in many quarters, moved it into the position of "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." (II Timothy 3:5). I will talk more about that later. GAY DAYS AND PURPLE HAIR Here in Florida, we just recently had "gay days" at Disney World. After much protesting by the "Christian right," the city ruled that the gay's rainbow flags (standards) could be flown in "celebration" of who they were and what they stood for. They unashamedly paraded, arms wrapped around each other, displaying openly their life-style and system of beliefs before all of the various media and on-lookers. One of them exclaimed to the crowd: "You might as well get used to it; we are here to stay whether you like it or not." People of the world, for a certainty, are not hesitant to display symbols of what they believe as they parade their flags, multi-colored hair, naked, pierced and tattooed body parts to a watching world. This practice of "body piercing" of just about every area of the body including the genitals is just another sick and morbid indication of who is setting the standard and example for our society. A hippie was once asked what he believed and stood for: Pointing to his beard, long hair and weird dress he replied, "I wear my hair and beard this way, and dress this way so that everybody will know where I stand, that I am against the establishment; I am an anarchist and a revolutionary. I am against the pigs; I am for pot and for freedom of sex. My dress, my beard, and my life-style ought to tell you that." In an article from The Orlando Sentinel dated July 30, 1998, the heading read: Tattoos, piercings, heavy metal, a headless women: It's Ozzfest! The article started out: "Sporting pierced lips, shaved heads with tattoos, black T-shirts , and string bikinis, thousands of heavy metal fans filled the Central Florida Fairgrounds on Wednesday for Ozzfest '98." It went on to say, "For just a dollar, the curious could look through a display window in his trailer and see a person who appeared to be missing her head. Wires sprouted out of her neck, and she moved her arms and legs to prove she was alive." I thought as I read this: 'What a perfect picture of what is happening to our world -- They have lost their heads'! One fan exclaimed, " I've waited all my life to see Ozzy Osbourn..." The article continued, " For those who wanted to display their devotion to heavy metal on their sweaty bodies, there was an Airbrush Rush, a body-painting booth." Finally, and sickest of all: "Women who paid between $20 and $80 pulled off their tops to be painted by Sauce, whose designs ranged from a picture of Marilyn Monroe to a large eagle. One woman felt a little shy about pulling off her halter top in front of the leering spectators, so her courteous boyfriend peeled it off for her. The crowd whistled and cheered. She giggled with embarrassment as Sauce painted her bare breasts with a red design and the word Ozzie." (Emphasis Mine). Dear God in Heaven, when are we going to wake up and see things the way they really are? Almost on a daily basis, we are witnessing every kind perversion and degradation that man can think of and then some, blatantly displayed with no shame what-so-ever ! Why are we, the church so disinclined, fearful, or embarrassed to exhibit outward expressions of holiness that reflect what we believe? I'm going to make some statements which are going to be misunderstood by many, especially the Pharisees and legalists who feel we must have exact Scriptures for everything we do or don't do. It is this: I believe the five-fold ministry of the church are watchmen and they have a right and a duty under God to do everything possible to encourage people they labor with to live separated, consecrated lives. I'm not implying this comes by legalistic force. In I Peter 5: 2-3 the apostle admonishes the elders to "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." Just as we, as parents, guide our children away from harm and danger, so too, leadership is charged with the heavy responsibility of warning and protecting the flock of God. There are many dangers and pitfalls in the world that we can't always find specific chapter and verse for. Sometimes the only guidelines we have to go by is common sense and past experience. In light of these things, parameters and guidelines are there for us to follow. When I was in Air Force basic training, we did a lot of marching. Each squadron had a flag or what was called a "guide-on" which was assigned to a person who knew how to take orders and was generally good at following directions. He became our "standard bearer." This flag had our squadron colors and numerical designation emblazoned on both sides of it for all to see. It was our standard that told who we were and was always displayed up front and held high as we went through our various drills and maneuvers. I never once heard one complaint as to why we had it or why we were required to follow it. As members of the military, we were proud to be connected to what that standard represented. I want to insert something here that I think will be important to those who are struggling with "convictions" concerning dress, behavior, stewardship etc.. When I joined the Air Force, I had to sign a document and swear an oath that said in essence I was willing to obey the Constitution of the United States of America and submit to all of the rules and regulations of the military code of conduct and behavior. I was to be marked as a G.I. (government Issue) for at least four years. I gave up all of my freedoms as a civilian in order to defend the United States of America. When they issued me my uniforms and then sent me to get my G.I. hair cut, I didn't tell them I wasn't "convicted" over the way I was wearing my hair in a "ducktail" or over the clothing I was wearing. I didn't inform them I was against getting up a four O'clock in the morning; that I would rather get up a ten and have breakfast at eleven. No, I had signed on and was "set apart" to do a job for my country. Its a real tragedy that most Apostolic Christians have been taught the "Church" is something you go to. This is foreign to Holy Writ. The word "church" in the Greek comes from a word "ekklesia" which means "called to ones." It always refers to people, not buildings. The church is something we ARE not something we go to. We certainly are commanded to "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together," but that might be in a home group or a prayer meeting in the middle of a field or in a building.. We are no more or no less the church according to our geographical location. A study into what the Kingdom of God consists of will aid us in our understanding of the Church. When we fully understand that when we were saved through the New Birth experience, we gave up our rights in order to follow another Master. We belong to another kingdom, another King. Our allegiance is to Jesus Christ and the laws of the Kingdom. It is NOT LEGALISTIC law and order; it is simply "...THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS..." (Romans 8:2a). We are His sheep and we hear His voice. I am in NO way saying that we should "line up" legalistly to a set of rules. Yes, we need to have our own convictions, but at the same time realize we belong to Jesus Christ. I believe when people really get an understanding of WHO THEY ARE in the economy of God, a willingness to conform and be different will no longer be such a burden. When I understand this principle, I will gladly submit (Oh dear, there's that nasty word) to standards in the local assembly I am a part of even if its just for the sake of unity. I may not fully understand all the whys and wherefores or be "convicted' in my heart but will realize it is my duty to "march in step" with the rest of my comrads. It simply boils down to the attitude of our heart and the strength of our dedication to God, His Church and His purposes. We are in a war! If we are to be effective soldiers in the Army of the Lord, then we must be unified (not cloned) in every respect. There were some who were in basic training with me that rebelled at every turn. They didn't make it through and were eventually discharged as being unfit for military duty. Paul writing to the Galatians said: "From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear the brand marks of Jesus." Gal. 6:17 NASV. Paul of course, was comparing the greater importance of the scars he received because of persecution, to the circumcision the Judaizers were trying to impose. The point is, he was not ashamed to bear these marks. I wonder if we are willing to become a truly "marked" people outwardly and inwardly; not necessarily with the putrid scars of persecution although that too will come; but with the "brand marks" of right living and modesty. What about being marked with the faithful swollen wounds that were inflicted by a friend. (Proverbs 27:6). What about the searing and tearing retorts from friends, neighbors and relatives that nip at our "flesh man" as they try to pull us down to their level as they make fun of our standards and what we believe as apostolics? Are we willing to carry these crosses and become a standard bearer; or will we acquiesce and become like the "nations'? Are we willing to have these "nails" driven in for all to see and then respond as our Lord Jesus did and say: "Forgive them, they know not what they do"? Are we willing to become an outwardly "peculiar" people who will stand with a sense of godly principle and integrity and passionately exclaim: "I am an Apostolic, set apart for the Master's use because I have been bought with a price and I am no longer my own!" I believe God is raising up a last-days people with "back-bone" who are banding their hearts together and saying: "No matter what it takes -- As for me and my house; we will serve the Lord!" PRACTICAL QUESTIONS Lets, for a moment be practical and ask: What's wrong with letting the world (nations) know in no uncertain terms that we believe in Biblical modesty and integrity; that our women are not interested in inciting lust in the hearts of the opposite sex by wearing provocative or scanty clothing and that our men are not of the "muscle beach" variety who shave their bodies and show them off to anyone who will look.? Why do some think we are so out-of-touch by our unwillingness to watch nudity, violence and vanity parade across the large and small screen alike? Why is it so out of vogue to refuse to adapt ourselves to the "flash and fancy" of our society? In light of Scripture and the fact we have an eternal destiny, to follow the course that the world is plotting makes no sense. Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." Some would have you believe that because there is not chapter after chapter of exacting "dress codes" for the "nineties," that God is not interested in what we look like as long as our hearts are right. The reason we don't find an over abundance of Scripture in the New Testament concerning dress and propriety is because it was customary for the people of God in the early church to be distinctively dressed or marked, hence there wasn't much need to address it; the customs of the day had already been determined by the teachings handed down through the Old Covenant. God's people have always been distinctive and modest in their dress whether marked by different colors or styles of apparel. Distinction and separation was not a "big deal" to the early church. Do you "get it" yet? The bottom line of holiness is separation and distinction. We now belong to another Master. We march to the beat of different drum! We are in the world but we are not of the world! I AM JEALOUS ! Another important aspect of separation and distinction is realizing that we serve a jealous God. I don't know if you have ever experienced the feeling of jealousy or not but I can tell you by experience that it is a strong, powerful human emotion. Almost on a daily basis, one can read stories in the newspaper of someone who has killed or maimed another because of a jealous rage. When you apply the emotion of jealousy to God it puts it into an entirely different light. God does not want us representing any one or any thing else but Him and Him alone. God hates mixture!: Exodus 20:3-5 says "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above of that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I am a jealous God...." When we as the children of God "bow" to the standards of the world (nations), we in essence, are becoming a "likeness" of them. We become the "graven image" of the world by conforming to its standards rather God's. Again in Exodus 34:12-14 as in Deuteronomy, God gives similar warning: "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord whose Name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Read the next few verses and you will see why God is so adamant when it come to His people. The reason for the jealousy of God is not only for our own protection but because He desires a people that are set aside just for Him who will worship Him in purity and righteousness. To think that the Living God in Christ Jesus is Jealous over me and cares enough about me to "separate" me from the world so He can fellowship with me on an on-going basis blows my mind! I believe Paul the apostle understood this kind of godly jealousy and was even a partaker of it when he exclaimed in his second letter to the Corinthians: "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (II Corinthians 11:1-2) Sometime in your hour of prayer say these words "I am presented a chaste virgin to Christ." It should open your eyes to really SEE who you are in the sight of God and cause you to strive for greater degrees of holiness and separation! It shouldn't be "How much can I get away with," but " God what else can I do to walk closer to You and represent you more accurately and completely." THE GLORY IS DEPARTING In the past, I've visited and also been a member of churches who have let go of their distinction and holiness standards (or never had any in the first place) where men, women and children, come to church meetings in shorts and other scanty, revealing clothing completely oblivious to what lustful thoughts they might provoke in someone. Its a truism that this is a society that is bent on letting it "all hang out." Modesty seems to have digressed to the place of: 'If your private parts are covered then that's enough." It seems the words "appropriate" or "propriety" in regards to dress and lifestyle have become archaic and old-fashioned. The music and programs in many of these churches is tremendous and to all appearances, the untrained, un-discerning eye perceives everything as "normal." However, and I intend to have this serve as a warning, THE ANOINTING and glory OF GOD IS NOT THERE IN MANY CASES! There is no substance to the preaching of the Word; it is more of a social gospel that demands nothing. If God does happen to move, most of the time it is not because of them but in spite of them. On many occasions, it may be a sinner that is earnestly seeking God that will bring His presence because God will come no matter the location as long as there is a sincere heart. I am sixty-one years old and having been around many "brands" of Christianity, have just about seen enough to make a pretty fair assessment of the spiritual condition of the nominal churches and I seem to be in good company with many other concerned men of God. As a result of these years of experience, most times I KNOW when the anointing is NOT. I was recently accused by a friend that the reason I feel the way I do is "typical" for a man of my "age." In other words, I was losing my senses. Time will tell. Many who attend these easy believism meetings come for "the loves and fishes" and are interested only in what they can GET. . They desire soothing preaching that "slays them in the spirit" but does not require anything of them regarding changes in lifestyle or habit. They want the "man of God" to wave his jacket at them or blow on them in order to give them another "spiritual high" to last them until the next meeting. If something convicting is preached, it's usually passed off as condemnation or is ignored completely. In many cases, "a good teaching" has replaced old-fashioned, Spirit anointed preaching. (I am not against teaching ; but it was not designed to replace anointed preaching). They want beautiful songs sung to them so they can leave "feeling" they've done their Christian duty for the week. They want the "shake of the preachers hand" to further affirm them and give them that "I'm OK, Your OK" feeling. For the most part, the prayer rooms are barren and there is no "sound of Pentecost." Much of it is just the "noise" of religious exercise. People come to the alters (if there are any) only after being begged and pleaded with and even then there is not much conviction because repentance is no longer stressed. "Just believe" is the message of the day. The New Birth message of Acts 2:38 is avoided like the plague. In the thirteen years I have been in the Orlando Florida area, not once (outside of Apostolic Churches) have I heard the message of the New Birth preached without it being watered down or severely compromised. I believe we are seeing a real moving of God's Spirit in many quarters around the world; multiplied thousands are receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, however I also believe THE GLORY IS DEPARTING in many churches because of the following two things: Righteousness and holiness is no longer preached and secondly the true gospel has been watered down to the extent that if the early apostles were to pay us a visit, they would never recognize it. The love of the Truth has been subverted by this "easy believism" message. TRUTH MAKES YOU FREE There exists a counterfeit anointing among many "charismatic" churches that will fool even the most discerning. The outward religious trappings, well orchestrated programs and charismatic leaders make up for the lack of anointing . It would seem that nominal church-goers have a tendency to evaluate churches like they do books -- if it comes packaged in a nicely designed cover and has a well known author's or publisher's name on the binding, then surely everything in it must be true. How many have heard the old adage "You can't judge a book by its cover"? There are many things endorsed by this brand of religion that are condemned by Scripture. The Bible tells us to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." I Thessalonians 5:21-22. Sad to say, many sincere people who attend these churches do not know enough about the Word of God to prove all things. I have personally asked some of these "easy believism" people what they believe and the answers I get are empty and are without substance. Their gage is what their pastor says and teaches. They have been fooled into believing that just because the Spirit of God moves in some measure, that it endorses everything that goes on in their services. Could I be so bold to say that this is also the case in some Apostolic Churches. Many times God moves in spite of us and our performance. David Wilkerson, (I don't endorse everything he teaches but he hit the mark on this one) in one of his Pulpit Series called America's Golden Calf Is Coming Down! said: "I believe that when the coming storm hits (He was speaking of the coming economic calamity) with full fury, and the nation is reeling with panic and fear, people will flee all false gospels and feel-good churches. Christians will forget about gospel entertainment and Christian TV, and they'll start demanding hard truth. They'll flock to hear godly pastors, demanding the true word of God. Their cry will be, "Who will preach to us a prophetic, life-changing word?" He went on to say toward the end of his letter: "In recent months, our ministry has received hundreds of letters from pastors and believers who are repulsed by most of what they see in the church: hype, foolishness, entertainment, shallow preaching. They're crying out, "Enough! We're tired of seeing our pastors go to conventions and return only to introduce some new gimmick. We're sick of seeing the flesh accommodated. We're hungry for truth! We want to hear preaching that convicts us and challenges us to holiness and prayer." (Emphasis mine). Finally, he wrote: "Believer, you can rest assured --- in the coming days of calamity, the true revival won't come through showboating, big-time preachers or TV evangelists. It won't come through prosperity teachings or other doctrines of false security. No ---- God's revival will come through a hidden company of pastors and lay people who have been in the school of Christ, learning His ways and trusting in Him. These will lead a revival of truth!" (Emphasis mine). Beloved, we are living the endtime time, a time which some call "the eleventh hour." The Bible defines these times as the last days. In light of that, it's imperative for the Church to receive a revelation of what true holiness really is and become willing to embrace separation and distinction. We have been set apart unto and for God. The world must see something other than what has been portrayed in the past as "Christianity," especially the late 20th century, westernized variety. Paul the apostle exclaimed, "For I consider the that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God." He went on to say in verse 22 "For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth until now." (Romans 8:18-23. This passage is certainly open to interpretation, however I believe he was saying that the world is longing to see the church manifested; that there is going to be a revealing of the "sons of God" in these last days. Ultimately, as we go from "faith to faith" and "glory to glory", we will see the redemption of our natural bodies when Jesus comes. However, before that happens, we must become "manifested" to this lost and perishing world to enable them to come to the light of this glorious gospel. Our life-style speaks volumes; it preaches louder than words. Someone once said that "a picture is worth a thousand words." Could it be that we conceal our light "under a bushel" by blending in with the world and becoming like them? Recently, a friend of mine who does door-to-door evangelism, commented something to the effect that people are sick of "church" and they are sitting at home no longer interested in what is presented by run-of-the-mill religion. They want something in contrast to what is being offered! Paul, in II Corinthians 3:2-3 spoke of the church as being a "letter" -- "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men." Does our "letter" convey separation and distinction or do we simply blend in with the rest of the (nations) multitude? WHAT CAN I OFFER? Paul in writing to the Romans said: "I urge you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2 NASV. Legalism can overtake us if we do not get an understanding that whatever we do with our bodies whether to feed , adorn, dress them, or what-ever, must be done as an act of worship. Our separation and distinction is not to please the pastor, our spouses, our friends or family or for any other reason other than to please God as an act of worship and obedience. It is a matter of presentation to our God! Conforming to God's standards is not grievous but should be a joy to us. After Paul the apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to "Abstain from all appearance of evil," he prayed for their sanctification "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (in total); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it." I Thessalonians 5:22-24. Wading into some deep water and opening myself up to even greater criticism, I dare say that when we as His called-out ones, FULLY understand that God is interested in the whole person, we will be more careful as to what we put into our mouths. I think God is grieved over the way some of us treat our natural temple. I am very concerned when I see Christians who are grossly over-weight and yet condemn someone who is struggling with alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Is there really a difference in God's sight or do we adopt the proposition of venial sins and mortal sins as the Catholic does? This is just one of the conditions that is symptomatic of our lack of understanding concerning stewardship of the entire person. The medical community overwhelmingly agrees that most sicknesses are a result of what we eat and drink. I wonder if we insult God's intelligence by coming for prayer week after week for ailments that are caused by our own run-away appetites and over-indulgence. Our distinction and separation must include the whole person; body, soul and spirit. God is calling His church to greater distinction and separation; greater consecration, greater commitment, greater obedience, wanting every part of us to be in submission; given as an expression of worship unto Jesus Christ. When we truly understand this and its imperative that we do, we will experience what real "freedom" in Christ is. Our mindset concerning "freedom" will no longer be how close we can live to the world and still be saved. Our separation and distinction will be a glory and an honor to us, our Church fellowship and to God; not a drudgery or hardship. Our witness, instead of being weak and anemic, will become strong, powerful and effective. One of the things that drew me to the church where I was saved was the aura of holiness I observed in the pastor, his wife and other members. There was an observable clean, fresh, unassuming countenance, unobstructed by anything synthetic or artificial. The modest dress and behavior of both the men and the women was very moving to me. They made me feel as if I was standing on holy ground. I felt the same way when we first visited the Church we attend now. Every service, I feel an awesome presence of God and His holiness. PLAY ME A TUNE I'm reminded of the spiritual condition of Israel while in captivity in Babylon when it was required of them to "sing a song of Zion": Psalms 137:1-4 NASV "By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. (a type of the Church) Upon the willows (sorrow) in the midst of it We hung our harps. For there our captors demanded of us songs, and our tormentors mirth saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion." Their answer was dripping with anguish as they replied: How can we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?" At least, at that time of their captivity they KNEW what their spiritual condition was. How many congregations are just "going along with the crowd" and going through the motions and have no clue of their spiritual condition? There are some I have talked to in the past that knew something was very wrong in their fellowships, but because of outward appearances, and the abundance of religious activity everything seemed "normal," proceeding along as a matter-of-course. No amount of music and talent will usher in the anointing if people are captive in their hearts and blinded by religious spirits. These chains and shackles must COME OFF! We must rid ourselves of these things and cast them off as a filthy garment and willingly embrace the Holiness of God.. In my opinion, the litmus test of an acceptable, maturing church (besides doctrinal integrity) is to measure how full the prayer rooms are on a regular basis; and how prevalent the gifts of the Spirit are in the services, not just when an evangelist or special ministry is visiting. Revival NEVER comes without the ingredient of prayer and it certainly cannot be sustained for any length of time without it. Historically, every major and minor revival was born out of and maintained by prayer and fasting. A call to holiness usually follows on the heels of genuine revival. In many churches including some Apostolic ones, prayer is a scarce commodity. Many are still under the false impression that the evangelist or the pastor is responsible to "bring the revival." to the people. A good indication that this be the case is to observe what kind of services do you have when the guest ministry has long gone. The scarcity of the nine gifts of the Spirit is still another indication of prayerlessness, immaturity and laziness. Many are "...at ease in Zion" waiting to "escape" in the rapture, wanting only to receive and never give. Again, quoting from one of Wilkerson's series called Why Is It So Hard For Christians To Pray? "Its heartrending to read letters sent to our ministry from multitudes of broken Christians, Families are breaking up, spouses are divorcing, people who walked faithfully with Christ for years are living in fear and defeat. Each of these people has been overcome by something ---- sin, depression, worldliness, covetousness. And year after year, their problems only seem to get worse. Yet, what shocks me the most about their letters is that very few Christians ever mention prayer. They turn to tapes, books, counselors, call-in shows, therapies of all kinds ---- but rarely ever to prayer. They go through each day worrying, fretting, living with a cloud hanging over their heads, because they don't have an answer to their problems." In the observations I have made over the years and also in my own experiences with the Lord has led me to believe that the reason people will not pray and fast is because they really don't want to hear what He has to say! When one begins to pray, God's first order of business is to deal with the sin in our lives. He must, because sin and transgression will always stand between us and God. Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? Our pastor, in one of his messages, brought out the fact that someone just recently had done a statistical survey of "Christian" churches (I am surmising this included most denominations) and what he discovered should be very interesting to us Apostolics. The study concluded, that for the most part, there is absolutely no difference between the life-styles of the world and those of the Church. They dress the same way, they go to the same movies, they watch the same TV programs and they attend the same sports events. etc. The bottom line was: "THERE WAS NO DISTINGUISHABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD." What have been some of the causative factors behind this compromise? We sometimes brag because of the fact we are a capitalistic nation with unbelievable opportunities for anyone to do well financially, yet I find that many are caught up in the accumulation of things, so much so it has affected their walk with God. It seems we have an insatiable appetite to get more and more and are never satisfied. I believe there is a direct correlation of the pursuit of "unrighteous mammon" and the letting down of the standards of separation and distinction. We lose sight of our priorities with God and come to a place where He gets the crumbs and the left-overs. Many are drunk on sports and entertainment and will think nothing of paying hundreds of dollars to see a game and wait outside for many hours to procure a ticket, yet when it comes to God and his priorities, He gets the leftovers if there are any. I have been reading a book titled: A MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT by Irvin Baxter in which he makes some very interesting observations as to why I also believe the church has become weak and anemic and lost its desire to be a separated, holy people. He said: "Capitalism is the most subtle enemy of the church today. It does not directly oppose the true church of Jesus Christ, as communism does, but rather works against the Christian without him realizing it. When the spirit of capitalism invades a home, the man works overtime at every opportunity or may even work two jobs. The woman leaves her children with a baby-sitter so that she can make an extra $100--$200 each week. Before long the family is so busy that there is no time left for church prayer, Bible reading, or a family altar. All that matters in a home where the capitalistic spirit rules is living a little higher and having a little more. Capitalism is guilty of emptying the churches of America. It is the main reason churches are lacking in dedication and zeal. A definite change in America's religious position has occurred! The churches across America today have whittled away at their worship services until the majority have only one real service a week. Why? Because capitalism has gripped our nation." Beloved, I believe He has "hit the nail on the head" so to speak; and has identified one of the major problems of the westernized Church. It is indicative of our lack of separation and distinction. When we bend toward the "getting" instead of "giving" mentality, we disqualify ourselves as a truly separated people. I once heard a man say "The church needs to raise its standard of giving instead of its standard of living." We sit back in awe and wonderment when we hear the reports of the on-going revival that is sweeping the land of Ethiopia and other foreign places where thousands at a time are receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and many are being raised from the dead. And we ask ourselves "Why isn't it happening here in the United States to the same degree?" I believe its because of their simple lifestyle; they don't have any one to turn to but God. They are a separated people by virtue of their lack of "things." Please don't misunderstand, I don't believe that having "things" is the problem with us, its the "things" having us that is the problem. Our possessions actually possess us. I would like to quote from another book I have recently read titled WILL THE REAL HERETICS PLEASE STAND UP by David W. Bercot. He did an in-depth study into the early church and their practices and brought out some very enlightening things unknown by most Christians. In the chapter Citizens Of Another Kingdom on page 16, subtitled A People Not Of This World, he writes: 'No one can serve two masters," declared Jesus to His disciples (Matt. 6:24 ). however Christians have spent the greater portion of the past two millenniums apparently trying to prove Jesus wrong . We have told ourselves that we can indeed have both -- the things of God and the things of the world. Many of us live our lives no differently than do conservative non-christians, except for the fact that we attend church regularly each week. We watch the same entertainment. We share the same concerns about the problems of the this world. And we are frequently just as involved in the world's commercial and materialistic pursuits. Often, our being "not of this world" exists in theory more than in practice. But the church was not originally like that. The first Christians lived under a completely different set of principles and values than the rest of mankind. They rejected the world's entertainment, honors and riches. They were already citizens of another kingdom, and they listened to the voice of a different Master. This was as true of the second century as it was the first. The work of an unknown author, written in about 130, describes Christians to the Romans as follows: "They dwell in their own countries simply as sojourners.... They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws and at the same time, they surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men but are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned. They are put to death but [will be] restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich. They possess few things; yet they abound in all . They are dishonored, but in their very dishonor are glorified.... And those who hate them are unable to give any reason for their hatred." I thought the next statement he wrote was quite interesting in light of what we believe as Oneness Pentecostals: Page 43 "...what would be the attitude of most Christians today toward a believer who dressed simply and modestly, regardless of fashion? Who took no interest in the violent sports of today? Who refused to watch television programs and movies that centered on immorality or were spiced with profanity and graphic violence? Let's be honest --- he would probably be viewed as a fanatic! Moreover, if a whole group of Christians lived that way, they would probably be called a cult. in short, the twentieth century church would view such Christians in the same way that the Romans viewed the early Christians. For a present-day Christian to live like the early Christians, he would truly have to be a non-conformist. And it's extremely difficult to be a non-conformist." I would highly recommend this book to any Christian Apostolic who is interested in the pursuit of holiness and separation. As someone once said: "We've come a long way baby!" from the standards and lifestyle of the early church. And, by the way, the man who wrote the book is not from a pentecostal or holiness church and evidently is unaware that there are people who do hold to early church standards, so he has no axe to grind. He simply lays out in easy-to-understand language just how far we have strayed from the life-style of the early New Testament Church. Finally, if we believe there is to be no separation and distinction both in outward appearance, habits and conduct for God's people, we would be compelled to trash our Bibles and ignore the following scriptures: II Kings 17:15; Romans 12:2; II Corinthians 6:14-18; Titus 2:11-15; James 4:4; II Peter 3::9-11; I John 2:15-17. 1. II Kings 17:15 -- " And they rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers, and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them." According to my thesaurus the adjective "vain" means "barren of results" -- futile -- empty -- conceited -- bootless -- fruitless -- ineffective. 2. Romans 12:2 -- "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." the verb conformed is the past/past participle of conform which means "to exist or go together without conflict or incongruity." 3. II Corinthians 6:14-18 -- "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living Go: just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. "Therefore, come out from among their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean: and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord almighty." II Corinthians 7:1 finishes the thought Paul started in Chapter six. "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." In our heart of hearts, how can we extrapolate any other meaning out of this passage but separation and distinction? 4. Titus 2:11-15 -- "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. Instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ: who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you." 5. James 4:1-4 -- "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain: so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." 6. II Peter 3:9-11 -- "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness..." 7. I John 2:15-17 -- "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts: but the one who does the will of God abides forever." PRECIOUS PROMISES The Scripture text we expounded upon in the beginning, speak of this covenant being kept to "a thousand generations." Deut. 7:9. Study the rest of the chapter and see the precious promises that are given to us if we "hearken to these judgments." Here are a few: 1. vs. 13 -- He will love thee -- multiply thee -- bless the fruit of the land, corn, wine, oil, cattle, sheep. 2. vs. 14 -- no barren people or cattle. 3. vs. 15 -- The Lord shall take away from thee ALL SICKNESS and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. I just wonder sometimes if we have allowed the "nations" to steal our promises by becoming like them. Joel speaks of a time of restoration when He (The Lord) would "restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be ashamed." Joel 2: 25-26. I believe the True Church is experiencing true restoration of all things that were lost, stolen or given away over the centuries. Acts 3:19-21

Im apostolic and have been for 5 years. What I would like all of you know is that All people who proclaim to be apostolic pentecostals are not. But Guess what? we are all human, all flesh, we all make mistakes. I think the comment that dejean made was eye opening, because in all reality some AP people do act like that. I do believe the Bible says to be seperate and that a women shouldnt cut her hair because it is her glory and we need to show the love of God. Some think they can be the judge but there is only one judge and that is Jesus. Do I think that people can do sins that i can call out as a sin? yes, but im not their judge all i can do is pray for them. Believe it or not i used to think like some of you but i attended and apostolic church when i was 15 and i just fell in love with it. The presence of God was there!!!!! Something that hasnt been mentioned about by any apostolic in here and it is a shame is the HOLYGHOST! With out the HolyGhost i wouldnt have been able to understand very much. Before i got the holyghost things were kind of cofusing but after i got the holyghost(Gods spirit in us) things just started to come to me. I to was a women who wore pants and make up and got my hair cut by my own sister, but now i want to be holy and exceptable unto God. When i went to church i didnt have anybody say any thing to me or say im going to hell because i was wearing those things but they prayed for me and slowly i growed in God and after i got the HolyGhost i started feeling convicted for doing the things i was doing. i know this is kind of long but i just wanted to share my testimony of God. Us pentecostals shouldnt treat people in bad ways because I was too in the world and if i would have been treated like that i wouldnt have came. So make sure when you are out talking to people, make sure that you are showing the love of God, dont be judgemental, let God judge them and you just pray for them and help them seek the HolyGhost. Its the best thing that has ever happened to me.

The bible say "be not conformed to the world..." thats exactly what these women are doing, seperating themselves! its their testimony, so to speak!

Long hair for a woman and short hair for a man is plainly stated in ICorinthians 11:1-17 and for the way we dress we are to dress modestly, and that a woman should not wear that which pertaineth to a man. I know that that part is in the Old Testament, but there is alot in the old testament that is still used today. Our laws were founded on the 10 commandments which are from the old testament. Woman used to always wear dresses, till they started going to work in the factory. I don't believe God intended on a woman leaving the home like that and going to work, but that is the way our world has gone. The womans curse was to bear children and labor pains, the mans curse was to work by the sweat of his brow from sun up to sun down. Wearing a dress is a sign of being submissive, which is obedient & pleasing to the Lord. A woman having long un-cut hair is being absolutely obedient to the word of God. I know some people might tear this apart and thats ok. The way I look at it is... either you believe the Word of God or you don't, you can't pick and choose what you want to aply to your life when it is plainly written what to do. Now some people have personal convictions which are not right or wrong, but they just chose to have, because they don't want to stumble so they avoid certain things. I hope this helped you, the best thing is to talk to your pastor and talk to God let Him convict your heart of what you need to do. God will show you. prayers and blessings to you & your family, KC

the bible clearly states in the bible in deuteronony 22:5 that a man should not wear which pertaineth to a man neither should a woman wear which pertaineth to a man. the lord gave us dress codes in order to distingish our sex. the reason why we wear long hair is explained in the book of 1 corithians. our hair is given to us as a COVERING and for our GLORY! WOMEN SHOULD NEVER CUT THEIR HAIR!!!

Well..I have heard that the Bible states that a man or woman should not don each other's raiments. Women aren't supposed to wear pants? What were people wearing at the time this was written? Robes. There were men's robes and there were women's robes. Today there are men's pants and there are women's pants. If someone believes women are not suppose to wear pants and they choose not to..great. Just don't tell me I am not supposed to, because I simply do not agree.

Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Timothy 2:9,10, 1 Peter 3:3,4

Be holy because God is Holy... and it is written in the bible 1 Cor. 11.

The Bible instructs us to wear modest clothing, that is, clothing with a godly appearance. Of course, our outward appearance cannot substitute for inward holiness. Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves after they sinned, but God found their efforts inadequate. By making clothing of animal skins for them, He confirmed that they indeed needed modest clothing, but He also revealed that holiness in appearance must be associated with God's provision for our sins. Only by the death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, do we obtain the righteousness of God that we seek to reflect outwardly.

Because in the bible it says that a womans hair is given to her as her glory and that it should not be shaven or shorn. which means "cut" now wearing skirts, we do this because it says that women should not wear anything that pertaineth to a man. pertains means coming from so even if girls jeans are made differently is still PERTAINS to mans clothing

Let me guess...most of you people are christians arent you? Who the hell cares if a woman wears pants? Damn it!!! I am so sick of this religions trying to differ a woman from a man just by the items they wear. I think you can tell if a woman is a woman and a man is a man. Who the hell cares if a man wears jewelery? All you people do is brain wash others and pretend like you are so perfect. In reality your all a bunch of hypocrites. The bible this, the bible that!!! Just love God and leave other people alone. I say this because I have proof that your all a bunch of haters.

From 1 cor. 11:1-16 (Not cutting hair). THE ONLY COVERING IDENTIFIED IN THE CHAPTER IS HAIR: VS 15 The word "cover" in Verses 4-7 = "Katakalupto" - it means = "to veil, wholly cover" The word cover in VS 15 = "Peribolaion" - it means = "to throw around" - also: "veil or mantle" Katakalupto is a derivative of the root work "Kata" a preposition meaning = "down from, to cover or hide" IS THAT DEEP ENOUGH? OK? -- (SMILE) but it’s not that hard! Verses 4-7 teach that a man’s head is to be uncovered and a women’s head is to be covered. BUT IS DOES NOT TEACH WHAT THE COVERING IS! "Katakalupto" in VS 6 is a verb / "Peribolaion" VS 15 is a noun - THEY CANNOT BE INTERCHANGED THE HAIR IS THE COVERING... HAIR IS THE SYMBOLIC ISSUE HERE! VS 5: Again, it is physically possible to pray uncovered, but you symbolically dishonor your husband or father. (symbolically) The passage is describing proper decorum while at public worship. The symbols denote the relationships. (Man to Christ the same as women to man etc...) VS 6: Women convicted of immorality had their head shaved. PAUL WAS ANSWERING the CORINTH CUSTOM => He was not suggesting a break from that custom. In Corinth, to be without a veil would be a shame, therefore, if you’re not wearing one, then you might as well cut your hair also. (because in Corinth it would have the same effect) SHAVEN: "to cut near the surface" make bare, smooth SHORN: "to cut with shears" to remove by cutting VS 15: States that if a woman has her natural, long hair as a covering, she does not need anything else. If she has short, cut hair, she can wear a veil, but it is still a shame. Verse 5 = having her head uncovered is the equivalent of being shaven. NO QUESTION WHAT SHAVEN IS ==> IT IS A SHAME. REMEMBER THE O.T. VERSES? God considers a woman that has her head shaved to be a symbol of shame & humiliation... vile, disgrace, dishonor. HENCE VS 6: (explanation:) If a woman does not have long hair, (covering) then let her remain cut (for now)... But since it’s a shame for a woman to have cut hair, let her be covered. In other words (let her hair grow again!)

Then I suppose that anything that pertaineth to a man or a woman can be changed as we see fit? What makes mens pants different from womens? Not the fact that they are sold under the tag "for women" We have women that have been very active in our church for years who wear pants. We never tell them they cant or make them feel unloved. The show Little House On The Prarie showed women with only dresses on. That was the only way women would be seen in that day. What dose a calender have to do with the word of God? Why would it even be mentioned if it was not important? Thank you for your response with a sweet spirit.

personally i think most religions are cults - i dont think your God really cares how you dress when you worship - its whats in your heart that counts

the long hair is speak a bout in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 11:1-34 there goly and power in the hair of a woman. and in Deuteronomy 22:5 say we should no wear a man wears and men wear pant and woman never dressed in pants till world war 1 when woman start work in factories.

I was raised in a Apostolic church my whole life at the age of 25 I quit going to church only because it all started getting confusing to me. First of all no one has the right to judge anyone about the way that they live. If I choose to cut my hair or wear pants I should still be loved and invited into a Apostolic church. I should never be criticized for the way that I live. I feel that if you love god with all your heart and you abide by his word he will speak to your heart and let you know if it's wrong or right. The problem with Apostolic churches today is that they preach or judge people so much that they haven't looked at themselves for the way that they are. Do you really think if god was here that he would judge you, he never judged the women that was a prostitute he took her with open arms and sent her away to sin no more. I believe in one god and I believe in speaking in tongues but I will never be that person who sits back and judges people for trimming their hair or dying it, or wearing makeup, etc. This is between that person and god, sure we can sit and preach at people till were blue in the face, but that only makes things worse. I'm not trying to say that I am a righteous person but I do know that I was made to go to church ever since I was born and to this day it's still hard to associate with "the world" which apostolic Pentecostals' call it. I felt like if I was to do one thing wrong that I was going to reprimanded for it, and that is wrong. People are going to make mistakes in life no matter what. I do want to go back to church and I do believe in a lot of the things apostolic Pentecostals believe in but some of them I go to it's sad. You have a young pastor who preaches the old style pentecostal beliefs and they have no congregation. From my stand point of view as an outsider I think they should associate with people in the world, it doesn't mean that you have to be like the world but you can make friends and invite them to church instead of preaching about how the world is. You would be surprised how many people I have met that don't do anything wrong and basically live by the bible but never has set foot in a pentecostal church and are better people then some people that go to an apostolic church (including myself).

HI IM APOSTAIC PENTECOSTAL FOR 29 YEARS .AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT THESE QUESTIONS. HERE IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN UP TILL THIS POINT DUET.22:5 IS AN OLD TESTEMENT SCRIPTURE,UNDER THE OLD LAW.WHEN THE NEW TESTAMENT CAME INTO EFFECT OLD TESTEMENT LAW WAS ABOLISHED EXCEPT WHAT THE APOSTALS BROUGHT OVER INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT.IF THE WEMEN HAVE TO WEAR DRESSES, THEN WHY NOT OBEY THE REST OF THE 612 LAWS IN THE OLD TESTEMENT ALSO. THE BIBLE SAYS IF YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW YOU ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE. WE WEAR WOOL MIXED WITH OTHER MATERIALS,WE EAT PORK.......... SEE MY POINT WE CANT PICK AND CHOSE TO MISS HANDLE GODS WORD IF ANY ONE HAS NEW TESTEMNT SCRIPTURES PLEASE SHARE.ALSO THE SCRIPTURE IN PETER ARE TALKING ABOUT ADORNMENT GOLD PEARLES. COSTLY.... I BELEAVE IN HOLINESS BUT LET THE BIBLE DEFINE IT IN SCRIPTURE IN THE NEW TEATEMENT NOT MEN WHO ARE TRYNG TO USE LOGIC. BIBLE ALWAYS SUPERSEEDS FEAR TATICS AND LOGIC AND TRADITIONS OF MEN. RACHEL S

I am new to the apostolic faith. I came to the Lord in September of 07, was baptized in Jesus name and received the Holy Ghost on November 11, 2007, and am currently living a life for God! And it is absolutely fabulous! My transition from living for the world to living for God has been a slow and steady process. When I first stepped into the church I was only there to learn. I was convinced that I was NEVER going to conform to anyone’s rules or "standards" just because that is what they thought I should do. Well as things progressed God has convicted my heart of different things at different times. And I am now completely upholding apostolic standards. I can only speak for myself, so the reason I do not wear pants, or cut my hair, is because God has called us to be separate from the world. God has also called us to be witnesses. I know that I not only witness by telling people about God and the awesome things he can do, but also by the way I live my life, the way I separate myself from the world. We are in the world, not of the world. Another reason is that I find it easier to be separate from temptation. When people look at me they instantly know that I am living for God. They may not understand our faith, or why our appearance is the way it is, but they know that I am a Pentecostal, or " holy roller" :).And just by one simple look people know that I am going to take a stand for God, and what I believe in. Another reason is because of personal conviction. I believe that we are supposed to do what God wants us to do. And he has a way of making it known to us what it is that he wants. I would never do something because someone else "told" me I had to. (And by the way, NO ONE in my church EVER said a word to me about the way I dressed or wore my hair. They were just happy I was there and letting God have control over my life.) And I do not believe you should do anything without sound understanding or belief in why you are doing it. Another reason is that I believe in what "the church" teaches. God has put my pastor in a place of spiritual authority to teach God's word, and lead his flock. I have to believe that being obedient and submissive to the teaching of the church (which I can see, hear and touch) can only help me be more obedient and submissive to God. I do not believe there are clean cut answers to this question, and I'm sure we all have a different rendition of the same reasons!! I just have quite a few!!! God bless you all!!

I love the LORD Jesus. I love the Word of God. I love God's truths. I Love His Ways. I Love His Mercy. I Love His Kindness. I Love it when I'm in a service and the Holy Ghost falls. I Love His Spirit. I love Him when he leads a person struggling with addictions to an altar of repentance - yes deliverance! I love Him when His Spirit comforts. I Love Him in the tough times - struggles. I Love Him when my Faith is not greater than the sacrifice - because he always intervenes. I Love it when He teaches and instructs my path. I Love Him with all of my heart. He is the greatest, most magnificant and might God. I love to be on the winning team - JESUS - I have been to the water and been baptized, filled with the Holy Ghost. His Word is instruction that I am priveleged to follow. Yes, yes, yes, my soul says yes to the Lord. My wife wears dresses and does not cut her hair - this came out of a deep desire to serve the LORD. She did not feel pressured by other members of our assembly - this was a God thing. I guess if you question this commandment found in God's Word - please don't consider women that obey the scripture as weird - think of them more as peculiar. I really believe God is dealing with you - NOT to put on a dress and discontinue cutting your hair, but rather about His GOOD NEWS - the Death (Repentance), Burial (water baptism in Jesus' Name) and the resurrection (infilling of the Holy Ghost). Take some time to read His word - Hey start off in the Gospels then go to the book of Acts where you find when the New Testament Church Began (Acts chapter #2 verse #38). If you are in the Ft. Wayne, IN area - come for a visit (www.abundantlifecares.com)

well im pentecostal and we wear skirts and no make up long hair because that is what people did in the bible!If u arent pentecostal go to a pentecostal church to find out more.

I think you all are sick and full of crummy ideas and trying to force feed them to others!! If this applies to you than you should be ashamed of yourself!!! Why try to force one to wear a skirt and not cut hair and why force one to do otherwise??? Why is it important that our opinions be accepted to our understanding?!?!? Give your explanation and move on. I am an apostolic pentecostal woman and I'll be glad to tell you why I, myself chooses to wear skirts and not cut my hair. I wear only skirts because it keeps my carnality to a far minimal amount as I did when I wore jeans... I used to dress gothic and walk the line with God and when I finally reached the point where I realized that I could no longer continue that path because one way or another I was going to be taken over I chose to be taken over by God and serving him... that makes me the happiest. Do I think everyone should wear dresses.. NO. It is my personal conviction. I know what works for me. I don't cut my hair because I like it long. Yes there is scripture that says if we as woman about cutting our hair: 1Cr 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with [her] head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 1Cr 11:6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. This does mention length... It goes on in 11:15 that a womans long hair is a glory to her. Now if you actually studied the bible rather than just nodding your head yes in church you would realize that this portion of the scripture was written out toward the church of Corinth... as in that time they had issues of men taking the womans place and the woman taking the mans... including in the presendence of the church itself. The head covering was spoken to differ the men between the woman and was used as a sign of subjection as God has intended. Don't blow that out of porportion.. the best way to describe it was said perfectly in the movie "My big fat Greek Wedding" The mother stated that the father may be the head.. but she was the neck that turned him. There is alot of power in submission.. total different point so I'll get back on track. The womans long hair was a glory to her because it was a natural head covering... a sign of submission. In this I personally choose also not to cut my hair because I entirely seek to submit myself wholly to the will of God. I do feel some of the scriptures are taken out of context. When the bible speaks of woman to not adorn ourselves with braids and gold; I believe it is telling us to not allow our appearances speak.. resemble.. or create ourselves holy.. it is the spirit of meakness that God recognizes.. it is our willingness to serve Him in all capacity. NO MATTER HOW BIG OUR BUNS ON OUR HEADS ARE OUR HOW PRETTY OUR CHURCH CLOTHES ARE IT DOES NOT MAKE US HOLY!!! But again on the other hand... someone who is serving the Lord in attempt with no exception in their lives is going to want to present themselves in such a manner that it shows. When I'm at a award show and I want someone to know that I support my favorite band Killswitch Engage; I'm going to wear gear with that logo... same goes for God. When I'm trying to show that I'm placing God first in my life you will not only see it in the way that I act but my attempt to show it in appearance. Speaking on this subject I whole heartedly believe it is wrong to try to put stipulations to God's acceptance. We are not to judge... God is the ultimate judge. Walk your own walk and worry about your own heart and stop glaring others. THE NUMBER ONE APPEARANCE THAT WILL SHOW BEFORE ANY OTHER WILL BE ONE THAT PRESENTS LOVE!!! LOVE PEOPLE... it's our purpose.. stop the bickering.. love unconditionally the way our Father does. I'm not here to say I'm perfect or that you should believe exactly what I do... I'm saying believe what you want... but never feel wise enough to not question. There is never a place where we arrive... we all are growing one way or another.

Yep... I too need work.

BECAUSE OF THEIR SUBMISSION TO THE LORD.

I have been in church for four years, since I was 18. Before then I was an unbeliever. That means I did not believe in God, Satan or any higher power. How I got into the Pentecostal church. God sent a guy, Craig, to me to share His love for me. When he spoke to me, I felt His love, mercy, and forgiveness that I truly did not deserve. He was nice to me after I have treated him like dirt. After Craig spoke to me I ask God to pick a church out for me. If He convince me that He is real and a loveing God, then surely He is able to take me to the right church. I drove about 30 miles from my home. When He tell me to turn I turn. When He tells me to go straight I go straight. And so on and so forth. I ended up at APC. The funny thing is I didn't know that women didn't cut their have and wear dresses because I was excited with what God was doing in my life. For the first time, the church treated me with respect and valued me as a human being( I went alone). I have been to churches that judges, all none Pentecostals, the moment I step foot into their church. Then after have a relationship with God I learn that being a Christian is not only Cristlike, but also means to TRUST HIM. TRUST HIM with all your hear and soul that he knows what he is doing and reach out to Him. If you do not understand His way then ask and He will answer. That is what I have done. What I discover is that pants were created for men and dresses were created for women. True that in Bible times both wore robes, but they were different from one another. I believe that deep down in our heart we know that pant are for men and dresses for women because the little person on the bathroom door. For women the person is wearing a dress, and for the men a little person wearing pants. Just think about this, if there is a little person with pants on the women door it would be out of order and be an inapproprite symbol. It is the same way in God's eyes and I know it is hard to be open about it and understand cause I had issues with it, but that is what God told me. Also, in my opion, I don't feel comfortable wearing pants because of how it became women clothing. Before our socity came up with so call women's pants they wore men's pants. If men starts wearing skirts our socity will come up with men's skirts and try to seperate it like they are doing with pants. Now as for hair in First Corthians, chapter 11 it not only say that uncut hair is her glory and her head covering, but also symbolizes that she is under athority. So my long hair symbolizes that I accpet and willing to summit to Him and I would not change it for the world.

Becuz according to there doctorine that is Holiness.. But it is really bible verses taken out of context.. they like to use Lev. saying that women should not wear men clothing.. In reality men in that day wore robes and cloaks. that is what man clothing was back then.. so why are they wearing that today? they don't know.. Also if they are going to follow laws in the old testement they need to do everything else by the law.. not just pick and choice what they will use.. In the new testement Paul says that those who choose to follow the law are under a curse and they must follow all the law.. Jesus came because God knew that we werent able to live up the laws and what mattered what our hears not our outward apperence.. I mean look at John the Baptist he wore a lil covering over his private area.. nothing.. does that mean he didn't get into heaven? no, Jesus said I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.. he wore a lil covering.. also Paul tells us that we are free from the Law and saved by Grace.. These people try to use the bible to promote a false religion.. They aren't open to the truth unless God reveals the truth.. I feel that if a woman want to wear a skirt, no make-up, or jewerly becuz God has convicted them to do so.. That is fine.. But when people start forcing thier conviction on other people as means of salvation that is wrong.. Pray for friends and have them read the Book of Romans, Galatians, and Colossians,, Paul talk all about our freedom in Christ...

I think people miss the real reason why women do this. The bible does say in deut. that women and men should not wear anything that pertainith to the opposite. Skirts are also meant for modesty purposes. Even some proclaimed Apostolic women wear skirts that aren't modest and that defeats the whole purpose of wearing skirts. The purpose of looking modest is so people don't lust after you when they see you out in public. Now for the long hair and no makeup. In the bible there are several scriptures that mention make-up being worn by the prostitutes. If you look in a history book this was also seen all throughout history. Make-up showed that that was your occupation. Just in the past century has make-up been worn by average everyday women. God states in the bible that a womens hair is her glory. So it should not be touched. When it comes to standards and so called "dress codes" unless you do it willingly then you really shouldn't do it at all. It does you no good to do anything for God unless it's done willingly. Apostolic Pentecost go from the front of the bible to the back and never cut corners. That's why most people don't understand why we do some of these things. Biblicly no one should show off there ankles that's why there were ramps in all the temples. It's things like this that separates Apostolics from the rest of the world.

I'm pentecostal,and yes I do have long hair,wear skirts, and no make up. Not because my pastor tells me to, its just because I'm convicted. I'm not saying that you can't cut your hair to be saved! I'm just telling you what the holy spirit has convicted me of. We should get out of this whole "This denomination is better" thing, and know that Christ said that we are all ONE in the body of Christ!

im a Pentecostal,and the reason is,is because what scripture says,it sayd that woman shall not look like man and likewise for guys[not in that exact word order though]and it sayd womans hair is for her glory.

I dont understand. Someone asked why Apostolic Pentecostal women where dresses and have long hair. The answer was given. About 40 years ago, I too asked the same question of my girlfriend Linda. We were about 11 then. She told me that same answer. I accepted it. That was HER religious belief. I didnt try changing her views. I ACCEPTED them and for taking the time out, I understood Linda a little bit better. Why cant all of you do the same?

We, humanity are made in the image and likeness of God! Therefore, man(male)is a reflection of God's masculinity and woman(female)is the reflection of God's femininity. Therefore, it is our responsibility to discover, learn, understand what and how that image should appear. You must ask the Creator what He meant and to give you understanding of His words. To mis- represent His words or doctrine or His creatures is a perversion. I believe the scripture(Deut.22:5)goes deeper than most seem to understand. I believe it has deeper meaning, which would not only include dress but attitude. The word "wear", 'means to exist or become those things that pertain to... which includes our behavior, emotions, intellect(mindset) and spirit being. Have you ever heard the term manish woman or sissified boy(effeminate)? It is true, Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save. But, understand one thing "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling...,(1Cor 2:12) '...search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have enternal life:...'"(John 5:39) Also read Micah 6:8, 2Tim 2:15. Search for Truth and while you are on your qwest for Truth work towards developing a relationship with Jesus and let Him take care of the rest. If you do not believe that bible is the words of God, then you will have a challenging journey. The journey towards Truth is one step at a time. God has ways of revealing His Truth to us to help us understand, He communicates in a language that we understand. To the Chinese, He speaks Manderine, to the Englishman, english, to the youth, youth and whatever your language is, if it is street talk then it will be street talk, however, without the cussing. I firmly believe that God judges according to your understanding. It is not my place to put a person in heaven or hell. But should a person be born again according to the scriptures and dies just seconds after that, and happens to have on pants, make up and the hair is cut and visa versa, I trust that God will judge them justly. Even the theft on the cross went with Jesus to paradise and he did not have time to perform the necessary ceremonial rituals required by the Law as define by Moses. Ask God is there validity to what I am saying and listen for the answer.

Because in the word of God it says that a woman should not wear anything that pertaineth to a man. Pants being in that catagory. We do not cut our hair becuase it is our glory and our hedge of protection.

I completely understand one's conviction and how the Holy Spirit moves in one's life to conform them to be more Christ-like. Everyone has their own convictions. If you as a woman are moved to wear dresses and grow your hair long than that is "YOUR" conviction and "YOUR" relationship with Christ. But you should also not be judgemental towards other women who attend your church who have their own convictions that may differ from yours. I read these comments about how we should not be conformed to the world...but when I'm at church what's with every woman wearing jean skirts? I'm not weirded out by dresses and skirts but 98% of the women wearing jean skirts, the same glasses and the same type of bun on their head conforms you to everyone else in the church. How do you know that all of these women are whole-heartedly living for Christ when they walk out those doors? I know they aren't what they portray. And most, I believe, dress that way NOT out of conviction but because everyone else in the church does and this is the only way they know without understanding. Every woman looks alike in our church. I don't believe that a skirt or dress makes you more holy or more right or closer to God than one who wears pants. First,with regards to the scriptures that everyone is talking about. The letters to Corinth were written to the people of Corinth who were not living as men and women should, more like tranvestites/ cross-dressing. The scripture in 1 Cor. 11:15 says "But if a woman has long hair, it is the glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering". But up in vs. 6 it says ......but "IF" (read that again.."IF")IT IS to be shameful for a women to be shorn or shaved let her be covered (meaning with a covering not hair). Is it shameful in this day of age to have shorter, well maintained, sanitary, clean cut hair? If men had short hair, which most Greek men did, then anything past the ears would be considered long. My hair does not have to be in the middle of my back. It clearly states "long hair". Tell me how long long is? So if my hair is shoulder length I am not worthy to worship and I am sinning? You would be sadly mistaken because you cannot judge my relationship and my walk with Christ by the length of my hair or for what reason I trim it or cut it. Nor is this a commandment or law that states a woman is NOT to cut her hair for it will cause her to sin and she will be held accountable on the day of judgement. Second, if our hair is to be long and so-called uncut then why are they worn up in a bun not being your "cover"? What's the difference if it is short or not if you are not wearing it down in church or public as you worship and pray like the Bible says??????? The hairstyles worn in a bun and twisted up are much shorter than most women's haircuts. If the issue is not that it is long but "uncut" the point still stands that if you have grown it long and to be uncut for your covering and holiness than you ought to leave it down as your covering at all times. My personal opinion is that some are not fully living up to the scripture that you condemn other women for not following. Third, the Bible also says in those same scriptures that while a woman should have her head "covered" (not stating hair but a covering) the man should "NOT" have his head covered. So if the text is stating that women should and men should not and you are referring to this as being hair as your covering then why aren't all the men bald? This would mean that they are dishonoring their heads. So it must be okay for the men but not the women, right? And if it is referring to a covering and not hair, wouldn't the covering over your hair make you even more holy, where is your covering if you live by the Word? Plus, O.T. are not N.T. times or laws. Keep in mind of those men in the OT who did indeed have LONG hair...Samson, Absolom and many others. Paul says, oh no, men should NOT have long hair. Samson wasn't a Greek man nor did he live during the time of Paul when short hair was honorable, did he? Maybe that's where "IF" it is shameful comes into to play. It also states that a man should not have hair on his face, but name all the Hebrew men in the Bible who were sinning for having had hair on their face, wait including our Lord and Savior. You would be considered a hypocrite is you only chose to follow some of the laws, picking and choosing or combining Old and New Testament laws that are no longer valid. Explain that to a non-believer or a new believer when they finally read the Bible and realize that all of the laws are not kept only some. Someone else made a comment that people are aware that she lives for the Lord by the way that she dresses. Quite honestly, I don't look at ones clothing to determine their walk with God or make that assumption by the way that one dresses. I would be foolish and deceived. Someone's actions, works and words are how people know that one lives for the Lord. I wear t-shirts and jeans and my relationship with Christ is right on par. I am a soul winner and a prayer warrior. God is yet to fail me on any level. He is my best friend and we talk everyday. If we shouldn't wear what men wear then ladies should find new undergarments, ways to keep their feet warm, different winter/climate wear, and shoes. You can't pick and choose the garments. It doesn't say some of the garments that men wear, it states "anything that pertains to man". Just as ladies panties are not the same as the gentlemen's, my clothing is not the same as my husbands. Similar but with a distinction between the two of us. I noticed that many bring up the bathroom signs, well I would think that Apostolic women would be offended that the dress on the sign for the ladies room is far to short. Why is the dress not longer covering her legs? Those bathroom signs are not showing and referring to us as modest woman covering ourselves, it portrays us wearing short skirts. If you are saying, like some have stated, that we should dress like the women did in the Biblical times than we should also begin to dress like middle eastern women because their style of dress has not changed since that time and they are in dresses with long hair with their faces and heads covered as respect and honor. If you are going to live as the Bible says...then LIVE AS THE BIBLE SAYS. It doesn't say to have long hair but wear it in a stylish swirly bun with fancy barrettes everyday, those buns draw attention to you. It doesn't say to wear cutesy below the knee skirts with "tight" tops and a little sweater or big flashy belts around the waist. Stop getting your acrylic nails and fancy finger painting. If you are not going to wear make-up that includes mascara and foundation. And if you really want to be modest and follow the word of God, then take off those fancy high heels and boots and wear some plain flats. Being all dressed up draws far more attention than jeans and a top. Deut 22:11 states you shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together." vs. 12 talks of tassels on your clothing. If we are going to follow one of the laws, then we ought to follow ALL of the laws. If we are not to be conformed to the ways of the world GET OFF THE INTERNET because it is called a world wide "WEB" for a reason! This may only pertain to my Apostolic church that I attend but now reading some of these posts has changed my mind. I am more concerned with the gossiping, the judging, the condemning,finger-pointing and the self righteous and pridefulness which are all the things that the Lord HATES, especially over clothing and hair. I feel that everyone should earnestly pray about such issues and guard their hearts as well as their tongues of the things that may make us fall and cause us to sin. We are NOT God and He is the ONE who judges us. If you have felt conviction to wear or not wear such things than that is your personal conviction and relationship with Christ. The Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit ALONE will guide you on such things. If you have any doubt in your mind about such issues, pray, pray , pray, search the scriptures for doctrine and seek help from the elders and pastor(s) of your church.

You know we can argue pointless things about what man expects women to do. For the apostolics I believe that they follow with the scriptures where it says...... they have left the Commandments of God, AND FOLLOWED the traditions of man. We are to please our Father, and be about his business. You believe what you

Well, let me just start by saying, I'm an apostolic pentecostal but I was not raised in it, I was saved after I was older. I do not cut my hair or wear makeup and I do wear skirts all of the time. For me, this was a personal conviction from God not pressure from other people. In the church I attend, it is not forced upon anyone, although the pastor does believe it strongly. We have a great church and always tons of visitors because we're very welcoming. The main reason for my standards of dress is modesty, in my opinion, men are much more likely to lust after a woman walking by them in a pair of curve hugging jeans than in a loose jean skirt. And yes, you can buy jean skirts that are just as immodest as jeans, and if you wear those, it's not right either. As for long hair, the Bible says that a woman's hair should be uncut and that it is her glory and gives power unto her. As for the makeup and jewelry, the Bible says not to "paint your face" and "not to adorn yourself with gold and jewels and costly array".. so that's the basis of where we stand on those issues.. I hope I could be of some help in clearing it up :)

Today ppl do what they want and disregaurd the word of God trying to find any way around it to justify their wrong actions... I believe also women are to wear dresses/skirts also to distingush man from woman as Gods ppl we can not become of this world and theyre ways allowing women to wear pants/shorts

Some pretty good answers already here on your question, so I won't belabor it. However, there is somthing I want to say about this general topic area. It's perfectly acceptable to follow requrements that one believes are in the Bible, and which one believes those who call themselves "christians" should follow. However ... it is loving God which is the basic and most important commandment. Sometimes in observing all the dos and don'ts we lose track of the two most important commandments: to love God with all our being, and to love our fellow humans. To do otherwise is to be like the scribes and pharasees whom Jesus soundly and repeatedly comdemned.

In the old school way, the traditionalist use the scripture about women not wearing men's clothing. So, Apostolic Pentecostals (black and white) believed that women should not wear pants and not cut their hair. Some individual churches still believe that. But in the year 2008, many of us have shed the man-made tradition because we look at the context and time and tradition of that scripture. Today there's designated clothing that is gender specific including slacks, pants. I will point out that some of us modern Ap/Pent believers are told that we are not saved because we believe that pants will not send us to hell. But the Word of God says to rightly divide (teach, expound, study) the Word of Truth. When learning about God and His Word, remember this one word: CONTEXT. Of course you also have to be lead by the Holy Ghost.

My cousin went to her boyfriends church for a few years. For fun, the girls would go to the mall and take try on jeans and take pictures of it with their phones (and pray their parents wouldn't see) ...it's sad. Being devoted but not free to be themselves.

The reason is plain and simple. Lack of Knowledge! We are told to study to show ourselves approved unto God. And it is aparent that alot of you have not. Yes Deaut. does state that a woman is not to wear anything that pertaineth to a man. However if you havent noticed women jeans are made for women the zipper is on the left side and not the right! I bet you never even took the time to look at a pair have you? Women paints and jeans are made to fit just what God made on a women hips thighs and curves. Companies make clothes for men and clothes for women so guess what Apostolic women you can go get you a pair of Apple Bottoms and baby I bet your husbands eyes will pop out his head because they were made just for you a woman. And those hats! LOL Again study the word for yourself and stop listening to what grandmom and mom told you. A woman's hair is her glory and covering. Now if you just like to wear hats, baby Jack McConnell makes some very stylish hats, and guess what! They are for women! Now they are a little costly. Now I hope you dont beleive God wants you to be poor also. The Bible says Money answereth all things. Do you remember the fisher men that become deciples of Christ? Well Luv that was the job to have back in those days kind of like owning your own business today. Now once again to make it very simple no women should not wear men clothes but sweetheart today there are clothes made for women and not men. Tell me how the Apostle liked those Apple Bottoms! You go baby!