STANDARDS OF MORALITY

General Overview

In view of certain situations which have arisen in the Christian Church internationally in recent times, we feel it necessary to declare the following in relation to moral standards which are acceptable to Glory to the King Ministries International.

We believe:

• God is a righteous and holy God, and calls upon His people to be a righteous and holy people. (Lev 11:44, 1 Pet 1:15-16)
• We are saved by grace, not by works. (Eph 2:8) Therefore we reject any legalistic view of holiness which would impose standards not set in God's word.
• Whilst rejecting legalism, we believe that the moral laws of the Bible reflect the moral nature of God. As believers we are made partakers in His nature (2 Pet 1:4), and are to reflect that nature to the world.
• Grace is appropriated through faith in the finished work of Christ, (Rom 10:9-10) and repentance from known sin (Acts 2:38). These two factors operate together, not independently.
• Repentance includes the factors of (a) acknowledgement of sin, (b) deep and sincere remorse for sin, and (c) turning away from sin. If these three elements are not in evidence, repentance is not true, and therefore it is not capable of appropriating grace.
• Grace includes the factors of (a) forgiveness of sin for which the individual has repented or of which they are not aware and (b) God's ongoing power through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin. If an individual wilfully chooses to continue in known sin without repentance, that individual is refusing God's grace. This is not talking about a person who may wrestle with a particular sin, often falling but immediately repenting, but one who deliberately and knowingly chooses to sin and refuses to repent. Those who choose to live in such a manner have no place in the ministry of the church.

Specific Issues

We do not suggest that the issues mentioned here are the only sins, or even the worst sins. They are simply issues which are prominent in the world today, and which therefore we feel must be addressed specifically.

Occult Involvement.

• The occult arts in all their forms are a demonic counterfeit of the gifts and abilities given by God to His people.
• The Bible specifically states that such practices are totally unacceptable to God (Deut 18:9-12.)
• Therefore those who are knowingly and unrepentantly involved in such practices can have no place in Christian ministry.

Gender Issues

• God has assigned to each person his or her gender. This is not dependant on any outward behaviour or form, but on the individual's genetic make-up. Unlike genetic diseases or disabilities, which are accidental to birth (ie the child could have been born otherwise) gender is intrinsic (ie every human being is either male or female).
• There is room for considerable variation of behaviour within the genders – eg a woman may behave in a "masculine" way, or a man in a "feminine" way, yet still be clearly female or male respectively. There is also room for variation in fashion – eg a man may quite acceptably wear a skirt in Scotland or Fiji, and whilst at one time it would have been unacceptable for a woman to wear trousers, now it is perfectly normal.
• We also acknowledge that in Christ there is neither male nor female, (Gal 3:28) and therefore reject any form of discrimination based on gender.
• However, any attempt to "reassign"gender, whether by dress, cosmetic, surgical, chemical or any other means, is a rebellion against what God has created and is not acceptable. (Deut 22:5)

Sexual Issues

• We believe that God's purpose for the sexual relationship is that it be a pure and beautiful expression of the love between a man and a woman joined in a recognized marriage. (Gen 2:24)
• Therefore any sexual relationship which takes place outside of these parameters is unacceptable.
• A "sexual relationship"may include sexual acts which do not culminate in actual copulation.
• Those who continue unrepentant in such a relationship have no place in Christian ministry.