Non conformity - Brethren Value 3

Conformity, according to the world's system, is the mark of success. Being part of the group and fitting in, the goal. Brethren were very quick on rejecting uniformity to the world to be in conformity with God. This is not to say they ignored all societal expectations, so far as it was Biblical. What conformity did Brethren practice? Let us view non-conformity through the lenses of: 1) Rejection of oaths or swearing, 2) non political, 3) social expectations, 4) human sexuality, 5) Isolationist, 6) Non conformity to normal “church”. 7) Dress, adornment, and possessions. This is not exhaustive but something to get started. As a warning, this is a longer post.

First, Brethren's rejection of oaths and swearing. Oaths and swearing are vain words spoken in contrast to God's command forbidding swearing. Swearing or giving an oath of truth has two distinct issues for us as Brethren: 1) It states that everything, both before and after the oath, is a lie. Brethren want consistent lives and swearing an oath implies their life is a lie outside that. 2) There is nothing guaranteeing those who took an oath will tell the truth. How many, on a witness stand, swear to tell the truth then lie?

What does a Brethren do when presented with the requirement to swear an oath? We humbly state we cannot, for religious reasons, but we affirm the truth. For some, this may be semantics, but an affirmation of the truth positions the truth to the forefront, showing our consistency.

Second, Brethren are, or were, apolitical. Many Brethren, today, have left this position and became politically engaged. The right to be political is in our constitution, but being political is not Biblical. I admire the wisdom of early Brethren by not being involved politically. I know many, both democrats and republicans are going to be angry, but hear me out.

Republicans, your party will not save you, or the country. They have several moral flaws. Voting is NOT the hope for America. For many, the party has become an object of worship and many times we have to lower our moral standards, choosing the lesser of two evils as it were. Churches have become campaign rally rather than the proclaimer of truth.

Before being mistaken as a democrat, I will say if any Christian votes for any democrat, I question their Christianity, and/or their piety. They should evaluate their own as well. It is impossible to vote for the party that blasphemes and denies God, supports and promotes evil and violence, and aligne with many satanic ideologies, to turn around, go to church and claim to honor God. This is along the same lines as hiring a fox as a guard dog, then becoming a chicken farmer. Hypocrisy abounds and is missed by this party and those who support them.

“How could you say this!?”

Proof abounds but many will ignore it, instead choosing to believe and be led by the main stream media narrative (which the legacy media is owned by the democrats so where is true journalism?).

“If you vote for Trump (2024), you lost your moral high ground!”

This was an actual statement from someone who was defending homosexuality, and was a Democrat. Stop to think about this statement. In arguing for immorality, they use immorality. Romans 1 is before our eyes.

Do Republicans have a pass? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Many of them are right with the Democrats, or they are very fine with just going along. Romans 1:32 anyone? They are just as guilty and unworthy of support, changing their stances and positions to appease to culture. While their statement of religious freedom is stronger, this illustraits the need to lower other standards just to vote.

Where are the ones who will stand up for and defend God's name and righteousness? I haven't seen that completely, yet.

The early Brethren had it right. Why be burdened and weighed down by the world's system? Look what politics does to our church. It permeates and infiltrates. Churches move from preaching the truth to becoming a political rally. The Brethren prayed and were apolitical. They did not vote and forbade members to do so as well. There were many reasons for this: 1) It freed thrm from being entangled with the affairs of this life. 2) It freed their time for the work of Christ. 3) They stood as one, not being divided over politics. 3) They did not lose ministry opportunities because of their party affiliations. 4) Their focus was on the King of kings, not a lowly man or party. In some ways, they followed the Amish in this matter.

While Brethren did not engage politically, they did speak against sin where ever it was found. What was mentioned above is just general statements, but perhaps we will put a much more bitting point on it in a future post.

Last two notes. Why do Brethren vote today? In some cases to try and offset the evil being voted for, even in their own midst. Perhaps, without the abstenance from voting, many Brethren are practicing their constitutional right to vote. Lastly, other Brethren have become woke and are pushing the wicked ideologies through their party, which I question their salvation, and/or piety.

Brethren should desire to focus on the main thing God called us to do. He did not command to vote and be political. He said to go and preach the Gospel. Not the gospel of wokeness or social, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our identity should be in Christ, not political parties.

Third, early Brethren were non conformists with society. Society has many expectations for how it should work. There are three main catagories for expectations. They are: sociatal Norms, Roles, and Scripts.

Norms are what the majority follow as guidelines and normalacy for the populous to live together in harmony to the degree possible.

Roles in society are the positions and jobs each member plays in the private and public field.

Scripts are the outlined events in life played out for what occurs when something happens. The cause and affect, as it were.

Norms change, and sometimes, but not always, for the positive. For example, there is a very slight and subtle shift from the hyper commercialization to things that matter most. A desire for real and long lasting meaning. A desire to return to some form of structure which Neo Modernism has abandoned. Sadly, there are norms being pushed that are a deviation from what is good. For example, the over sexualization we see running rampent and the embracing of sinful, “alternative” lifestyles.

Roles are corrupted. God designed the home to function with a husband and wife working in their God given places. Feminisim and male chuvanism has obliterated those roles. Society makes women more manly and men more feminine. Watch the commercials. Women are depected as strong, fierce, independent, hard, and strong. The men? They are the ones at home cleaning, caring, nurturing, soft, fearful, stupid, clumsy.

This is not to say men cannot help care and nurture, but the man is called to be the protector, provider, and power that drives the home. Wives are the nurturers, caretakers, etc. A lady once said, she adds the heart to the home. Look at Proverbs 31. Brethren would reject or should reject this new role reversal of society.

As for scripts, look at New York, California, Michigan, and many other states, mainly Democratic led ones. Crime is no longer punished. Riots, muggins, and violent acts, are not prosecuted. The script has been flipped. do we want to see when the Justice department will engage? The school coach who prays at the end of the game. The baker who will not bake a cake for what he disagrees with. The photogropher who will not take pictures of things they disagree with. The pastor, or Christian who speaks out against sinful homosexuality or false religions. The individual who, in good faith, exercises their first, or second amendment rights. Hate crimes, or supposed hate crimes, as long as the accused is white. The script of society has been tainted. Lady justice's blind fold has slipped. The exception is if the victim is a politician (specifically Democrat), or of the special class that now exists. Then these crimes WILL NEVER be tolerated.

The appeal of education, associations, and possessions, have always been eyed with suspicion. Early Brethren never painted their barns, or sought for higher education, lest pride welled up in them. They would go so far as to not have carpets in their homes because that could be a source of pride.

We have come a long way and not always positive. We recognize God will bless with possessions, but it is based on faithfulness and integrity of life. The heart plays the biggest role. What we own is of secondary consequence.

We are non conformists, desiring a peaceful and humble life rather than one of extravagance. Our original dress was very much like the Amish. We wanted the heart to be the driving factor, not the coverings.

Forth, we are non conformist with modern age of sexuality. Our nation and world is driven by the sex industry. It permeates and rots everything it comes into contact with. We cannot even see a cheese burger commercial with a woman flaunting herself. This sexual revolution has led to more and more sins.

Brethren hold to marriage as one biological man, and one biological female under the covenant bonds of marriage for life (except in the narrow ways God allows for divorce). In that confines, Brethren believe sexual intimacy is a beautiful thing.

Instead, homosexuality, lesbianism, transgender, and all other sexualisms are condemned in Leviticus 18, Deuteronomy 18, Romans 1. Romans 1 shows us it is not freedom expressed through sexual degeneracy, but a sign of a reprobate mind! Why does it seem everyone has lost their minds? Because they literally are turned over to a depraved mind. It is not freedom but bondage. Every nation that allows and encourages sexual deviancy has collapsed and been conquered. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

many cry out, “What can we do?” but the solution to return to God, repent, accept Jesus' sacrifice, abandon your sin and live righteously and holy, is rejected. Mankind want solutions that allow them to stay humanists and fulfill their fleshly desires. This has and will never work. If we want it fixed, it has to be God's way.

Lastly, work. Brethren value hard work, and thankful contentment with what we have. Our society has awarded the lazy, the scammer, the cheater. It is too easy to stay home and depend on government, rather than God for support. God provides through work. Brethren value hard work, ingenuity, and being rewarded for the labor of our hands, rejecting our modern view and thought of work, reward, and labor. We believe our work is a way we worship God and praise Him. We are faithful in our jobs, and our debts.

Brethren were so well known in their faithfulness, that when making business agreements, them being Brethren, excused them from signing any agreements, contracts or forms. Imagine walking into a bank, store, dealership, and by the very reason of being Brethren, an agreement of payments, and a handshake was sufficinet to seal the deal. Take out a loan today and what do we get?

Fifth, Brethren are very careful with associations, or they were strong isolationist. This has changed a lot, but early Brethren did not unite with anyone or anything else. In the book, “Brethren Society”, Carl Bowman has a chapter where the Brethren of the early 1900's started to change and revise their History. They wanted to appeal and be like the other nations...or...like the other churches. To do so, the Old Order Brethren were made to look like the “Dark Ages” for the Brethren.

Sadly, look where many have gone. Many have become members of the ungodly National and American Council of churches, working and uniting with groups, and organizations that are in stark defience to God and His Word. What was said about darkness and light? Brethren would never have accepted this.

There are benefits with working with other groups, sure. It is not good to throw the baby out with the bathwater. These alliances must be weighed very, very carefully. Generally, the conformity to just unite is dangerous.

Sixth, Brethren do not necessarily conform to normal “church” stuff. We do not have the rock and roll services or the emotional drivel that flops off the pulpit. Our music is tasteful and worshipful. Our children do sit with us on Sundays, and then on other Sundays have their own place. We want them to know our faith, why we believe, and how to defend it. We do not attract youth to church by putting pies in our face but by the teaching of truth, and answering hard questions. Not that we don't have fun, but we are measured. Our services are used to support the message of Jesus, not build our own kingdom.

Lastly, how do Brethren handle dress, adorning of oneself, and possessions they have? Early Brethren dressed very plain and simple. Think traditional Mennonites and the Amish. Their clothing and style was not too unlike. They did not wear jewelry, their hats and head coverings were plain and simple. Their meetings were held in simple buildings, either barns, an official church, or in the homes and fields of members of the congregation. They did not adorn those meetings as those could become idols.

They did not have heating or air, other than a pot belly stove. No carpets, signs, crosses, flags. Windows were simple and modest, being very plain and unadorned. Their homes were simple with very little in the way of things. Jewelry was too flashy and they did not wear it because it would cause everyone to look at the jewelry rather than what was on the inside.

We, as Brethren, do not follow the same clothing requirement of the past, and our buildings, depending on the congregation, could have something a little more finer or decrative. While the clothing does not signify salvation or not, much of what is worn to church today draws attention to the individual rather than God. All should be aware of the messages sent with our clothing and jewelry.

We could spend much more time, but suffice it to say, this is an area that is much broader than even these things. Our desire is to not be burdened or hindered by the world and its system, but be free in the work of the cross and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.