PREFACE

To all who will attempt to read this booklet, I have a few things to say before you begin:

To those who maintain a holy outside, I praise you. You are the examples that others must look to in their pursuit to obtain all that God would have them to be. As you experience a closer walk with God by submitting to the order of creation which clearly defines male and female, masculine and feminine both in role and in appearance, I encourage you to continue. I praise those who proclaim and practice this message of Bible-based standards. By doing so, we allow the Spirit of God a clearer path to our hearts as He reveals to us the deeper meanings of the spiritual walk of a man or woman with his or her God.

To those who desire to look into the truth of a Holiness outside, I applaud you and pray for you that this writing will be of help. Please don't stop if you encounter something that offends or brings confusion. The Enemy would have you to stumble and remain a babe in Christ throughout your entire Christian experience. Press on and dig deep!

To those who oppose the Holiness of the outward appearance, I praise you not. If you have had a bad experience with Holiness, please put it behind you, and once again look into these things which are written concerning our outside. It will strengthen you and help you develop a closer relationship with God. If you are clearly of a rebellious nature, I admonish you to be honest with yourself and your God, lest you be lost. No, I didn't say if you don't follow everything I would discuss in the following that you would be lost. I am saying, if you are of a rebellious nature, which can be manifested by your disobedience to a holy outward appearance that clearly defines masculine and feminine, I fear for your soul.

To those who trust the outside is the most important part, I caution you. God works from the inside to the outside. There have been too many already who have brought shame to Holiness and the gospel of Jesus Christ by over emphasizing the outside and under emphasizing the inside. The long hair, long tongue accusation often used against our Holiness sisters has received too much support by actual events that should never have occurred. We observe outward works because we have obtained an inward experience. We shall be judged according to our works, but we work because of the inner experience of being born-again. We cannot trust in our works alone, but in the God who created us and Jesus Christ who died for us. True spirituality begins and centers around that which is happening on the inside. It is then manifested outwardly. The outside is the easy part.

As for myself, I apologize to those who by reading this writing will find it offensive or too blunt, too liberal or too conservative. I can only state what I interpret the Scriptures to be saying and I cannot but write that which I have experienced and cannot but communicate it except within the means that God has given me. Please look past the lack of writing skills to the real message that is being spoken. It is meant that all who endeavor to read this would profit in some way. Again, if you find offense with my message or my ability, take it to the God who deserves all praise and worship, as you pray for me.

Attempting to be all I can be in Christ Jesus my Savior,

Luther A. Sexton