(Flexibility in the Honor Code)

1.      The Shepherd/Teacher has the job of rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  This makes it possible for the congregation to understand something about Essentials and Non-Essentials of life.

2.      As a believer receives the Word over a period of time he will be able to distinguish between the two.

3.      The Essential is Spiritual Food Residing in the Soul (SFRIS)  -  Non-Essential means everything else in life!

4.      You must be rigid, unyielding, inflexible, and refuse to permit any variation considering the Essential!

5.      You must always be pliant concerning the Non-Essential of life.  Life is made up of flexibilities.  The only place for inflexibility is in relationship to Spiritual Food!

6.      SFRIS establishes the norms on which priorities are rated.

7.      Without SFRIS the believer operates on erroneous norms.

8.      Jesus Christ distinguished between Essential and Non-Essential when he put down the “horsey” woman in Luke 11:27-28.  Women can be so beautiful.  Yet, there is nothing worse than a feisty, feuding, fussing, frothing, frustrated female!

a.      In Luke 11 Jesus was giving a great doctrinal message.  This woman was so arrogant and rude to interrupt HIM!  A typical “Libber.”  She was going to put Jesus down by saying, “There would not be a Jesus without a woman!”  Non-Essential!