Long Robes

 Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

     Second Timothy 3:5 says, “ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

     What makes a person “holy?”  I used to think that holiness was associated with a “dress code.”  That is, if a person dressed a certain way, people would think of them as being a “religious person.”  I have know a couple of people who wanted to look holy and so spent the $65.00 for an ecclesiastical shirt.  Well, they looked holy but that  didn’t really make it so.  Mainline denominational clothing is very expensive but gives off the appearance of holiness to all those around them.  It  is similar to the “long robes” of the Pharisees.

     Adam Clarke says of the above passage, “The original word μορφωσις signifies a draught, sketch, or summary, and will apply well to those who have all their religion in their creed, confession of faith, catechism, bodies of divinity, etc., while destitute of the life of God in their souls; and are not only destitute of this life, but deny that such life or power is here to be experienced or known. They have religion in their creed, but none in their hearts. And perhaps to their summary they add a decent round of religious observances. From such turn away - not only do not imitate them, but have no kind of fellowship with them; they are a dangerous people, and but seldom suspected, because their outside is fair.”  The same assumption may also be made of those who simply carry a large Bible but do not know what is inside or to wear a large cross and fail to know wha happened on that cross and what it means to every soul in regard to salvation.  Ask the five martyred missionaries from Ecuador who gave their lives for the tribe they were trying to reach with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Chris, what it means to be “holy.”  There were no long robes out there on the river when they were slaughtered nor were there any large crosses around their necks.  Ask those that were burned at the stake for translating the Bible about “holiness.”  I am often amazed at the ideas of some pastors today that  assume that the outward appearance of holiness is necessary in order for them to be able to minister to others.  To me it is the accumulation of wood, hay and stubble and will be burned up at the judgment.  Truly, God looks at the heart of us all and measures what is truly there.  Owning a cow does not make me a farmer and wearing ecclesiastical clothing does not make me “holy” or fit for the ministry.  It is what is in my heart that is important and my desire is that all who come in contact  with me might hear and respond to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ , that he died, was buried and was raised from the dead.  That will make you holy.  Praise God today for the Gospel message.