Richard Hollerman

The last few days I have thought and thought about this and it just continues on and on. Let me say something about it now!

The “world” is a bitter enemy of the ways of God. We know that the world is working against the conduct and methods of the Lord and is working against the ways of the Lord. The Spirit is opposed to the Flesh and works against the Spirit. It seems that wherever we look, people do profess to be Christians, but they are in opposition to the ways of God and His Spirit. This is what we mean.

With some nine billion people on earth, we know that perhaps eight billion of them are without God per se. They are lost, we know it, and they know it assuredly. We not only refer to atheists and agnostics, but Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Taoists, and many others. We must also include Roman Catholics and Orthodox and those like them—for they also are totally against the ways of God. Think also of the Protestants in the world (all of them) and sadly we must say that they know nothing about Jesus and His way of salvation. Thus they too are lost and without God.

Thus we are speaking about a very small number in the world. Let’s just speak about this number, whether we refer to one billion or 100 million or fewer. Think now of those woman who profess Jesus and they seek to live for Him. But they are totally against Him and His will. For example, according to the Scriptures, a woman is to be silent and is “not to utter a sound” in the assembly (according to the Greek). Do 5% or 10% or 3% of women obey this? We think not.

What about men? How many of them aspire to some office but in reality Scripture has spoken to this too. Men are not to be seminary-trained, they are not to be “leaders” over other men, they are not to be single men, and they are not to be just anyone picked up but ones who have been selected by God and not man. In dozens of different ways, men are just not fit to be in leadership or to have such capabilities, whether it be as an elder, a shepherd, or an “overseer” (bishop).

As to churches, we know firstly that even “church” is not a proper term for an ekklesia (an assembly). Denominationalism is dismissed for as we know this is totally wrong and misleading. The organization of the local church is wrong, for the early assemblies were not organized (as we usually use this term). The early assemblies were far different from what we refer to as a “church” in our day. They were “communities” of like-minded saints.

As I opened the door today, I heard terrible sounds from a car, belonging to a professing “Christian” in the neighborhood. Is this really “Christian” music? Is this really music that would qualify as “Christian”? The early believers sung a cappella, and the lyrics were godly and spiritual, Not what we refer to as “Christian” today.

What about clothing? Do men dress like men? Do they look like men or something else? Are they modest and subdued or are they worldly in apparel? Do women dress like women or are they immodest, worldly, or evil in appearance?

Think of such things as tatoos and the like. Do women have tatoos on their body? Do men have tatoos on theirs? Are men to look like men, with sort hair, and masculine hair, and are women to look like women, with long hair and a covering? We leave this to your own conscience.

Further, are these men and woman, really fathers and are the women mothers? I know that people are different and even ages are different. But if they are able and young enough, do the men and women have children? Not just one or two of them, but many of them? Barring certain impediments, we wonder if these people really want and are able to have children? And, of course, we know that the public schools are off limits and other schooling (such as home-schooling) are something to be desired.

If we have children (and we should), are they taught in the ways of God? Do we teach and train them in the Lord? Do we clothe them aright, and do we urge them in the ways of God? Do we want them to submit to their fathers and mothers and love their parents? Do we want our children to be like Jesus and follow His ways? And do we keep them from the wicked ways of their friends, associates, and others?

We could go on and on. Both men and women (godly men and women) are to be separate from the world and its evil ways. Yes, they may be considered odd or misfits, but they are to be in harmony with the ways of God. Or they should be. Isn’t this what God would want? Is this not something that God would desire? If so, let us aspire to this with all of or heart and soul! Let us turn from ungodly ways and to the ways of the Lord. Let us speak, dress, and be godly in our demeanor.