A Reason For Holiness Standards

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.
Have you ever felt self-conscious about the way you appear to others. I guess that to some extent we have all had those feelings. I believe that they are basically feelings of insecurity. As a Christian man, I have noticed that the dress code that we enjoy seems to apply more to the ladies. At least that is how it seems. However holiness standards encompass more than just how we dress. It also deals with where we go, who we associate ourselves with, our manner of life and conduct, etc. In many, if not most, cases the word conversation, as in 1st Peter 1:15-16  "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;   Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy," means how we live. Dr. Strong tells us that the word "conversation," in this verse is translated from a Greek word, "anastrophē, (pronounced) an-as-trof-ay'," which simply means, "behavior: - conversation." Our holiness standards are an outgrowth of how we choose to live.

In Numbers 15:37-41 God spoke to Moses to, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God."  I find this passage of scripture interesting in that the purpose of the fringes and the ribband of blue was to remind them to, "look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God."

Some folks take exception to standards of dress, etc., as an imposition on their personal liberty. I am glad for what we call holiness standards. They do help to remind me of the God who I serve. His name is Jesus. If He wants me to dress and live in a certain way, then that is the way I want to live. How about you?