Dressing Modestly
Dressing Modestly
Last year, after the hot summer of 2005, there was a lot of talk in our circles about modesty in dress. How do we dress modestly, especially on Sundays when we go to church to worship God? I am told that it is hard to find decent clothes for our teenagers. Our culture is saturated with immodesty. We only have to look at bare midriffs, exposed navels, necklines too low, skirts that are too short, tops that are too tight and tight fitting skirts, especially when the skirt is cut on the bias (diagonally), which hugs the body, following its contours, and makes the body very revealing. This is the trend. Not only teenagers and young women are guilty of dressing this way, but it seems that sometimes mothers of teenagers are not aware of how they themselves are dressing. How then can they guide their teenage daughters?
A Biblical Requirement⤒🔗
The Bible has directions for all of life, including how we dress. In her speech on modesty, Pam Hardy gives several scriptural reasons for modesty.
"The first reason is because of the Fall, recorded in Genesis 3. We need to understand that there is a theological foundation for modesty that goes back to Adam and Eve. God says in His Word that we are to cover our 'nakedness.''1 After Adam and Eve sinned, we read, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:7). Adam and Eve immediately covered their private parts, believing this would hide their "shame" from the Lord. But what did God do with these coverings? "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). The fig leaf coverings fashioned by our first parents were not enough. God made them coats to cover their bodies.
Hardy continues: "So the very first result of the guilt of sin was the recognition that they were immodest without proper clothing. When we read the account of the Fall, it becomes clear that clothing is a direct result of the guilt of sin. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve had no fear that their nakedness could ever be used for evil purposes. But when sin entered the world, it changed everything, and the innocence of nakedness was lost forever ... So modesty is necessary because of the Fall."
Another reason for modesty is the "similarities between men and women." James 1:14, 15 writes: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." 1 John 2:16 states: "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Hardy then concludes, "These Scriptures tell us how men and women are similar in their temptation to sin. These sins affect both of us: 'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life' (1 John 2:16). Both men and women have to be on guard against those things."
The last reason for modesty we will state is "the differences between men and women." Men are more visual and women are more verbal. Proverbs 7:10 states: "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart." From verses like these, Hardy concludes that "the Bible specifically calls attention to the way an immoral woman dresses. Why? Because that is one of the main ways men are tempted. Now think about it; the Bible never talks about how an immoral man dresses. Why not? Because for most women sight is not a major avenue of temptation. But for a man it is a different story, because men are tempted by what they see. Think of king David. When did all the trouble with Bathsheba start? When king David was on his roof one evening, he saw Bathsheba. He saw her bathing and he was tempted through what he saw."
An Urgent Appeal←⤒🔗
A man may not be able to control what women wear, but he can control what he looks at and what he encourages or discourages, with the help of the Lord. However, as Christian girls and women, our clothing choices can either help them succeed morally or can put temptation in their paths, which they may find difficult to overcome. If there is anything in your dress that is sensual or suggestive you are inviting the men around you to go somewhere in their imagination where they should not go. We should do everything in our power to help men stand and be sure that our dress and our appearance brings glory to God.
M. L. Chancey writes, ''God created man to enjoy and appreciate a woman's body, — more specifically, his wife's body. The Song of Solomon is a breath-taking tribute to the beauty of human love and the gifts of femininity and masculinity. Proverbs exhorts a husband to enjoy his wife's body, which is his own and belongs to the gaze of no other man (5:19). When you wear low-cut necklines that show too much, you are offering to the public what belongs to your husband alone to enjoy."2
So look carefully at your dress. Nancy DeMoss says that in assessing your wardrobe, "First question is this, does it expose? Second question is, does it emphasize?"3 Hardy notes a survey of what men found tempting, yielding the following specifics which do not express modesty: midriff showing, bare shoulders, cleavage or low necklines, thin or tight form fitted tops, short skirts or skirt slits that are too high, low or tight pants.
Instead of trying to justify every item in our closets, let us examine our wardrobes and seek to live as close as possible to God's Word. Do this because you fear God and love His commandments. Do it because it is "the more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31). Do it because it is a way to love your neighbour. Do it because it is protection given to us by God.
"But," you say, "can we not dress fashionably?" Of course you can. To say that a woman cannot adorn herself with appropriate jewelry or lovely clothing is to ignore a good deal of Scripture. Scripture speaks of the beauty of Sarah, Rebecca, Abigail, Esther, and the woman of Proverbs 31:21-22. But there are guidelines to be followed. In 1 Timothy 2:9-10 we read, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
The issue is not that all jewelry and fashionable hairdo's are wrong. As John MacArthur indicates in his commentary, this is the issue: "How does a woman discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the centre of attention? The answer starts in the intent of the heart. A woman should examine her motives and goals regarding the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshipping God? A woman who focuses on worshipping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and her appearance."4 How we dress outwardly often says a lot about what we are inwardly.
True Beauty←⤒🔗
God's Word exhorts: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Whoever we are, this is to be our first goal. We must glorify God in all aspects of life and that includes modesty. If we belong to Christ, we ought to consider that "Christ sacrificed His life to pay for our sin and we are bought with a price." If you know Christ, you are owned by God and your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Think about it this way: You are dressing a body that belongs to God — it does not belong to you anymore. So how we dress is all about the glory of God, just as everything in our lives should be, Hardy writes. True beauty flows from this grace.
When you women enter a room, the people in that room should see you: your face happy and radiant, because you are the King's daughters (what a position to live up to!). They should not first see your hair, a lot of make-up, or your clothes. No, they should see you. Because your aim, whether at home or away, and especially at worship in the church, is to be pleasing to the Lord (2 Cor. 5:9). We please God by loving Him, by worshipping Him, and by loving the things He loves. One of the things He loves is righteousness. So for all of us: Let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4).
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