Say Yes To The Dress Series

Text: 1 Timothy 2:9-10, Title: Say Yes To The Dress, Date/Place: WHBC, 3.25.18, AM

A. Opening illustration: Simplicity and complexity of the gospel/bible: deep enough to baffle, confound, and drown the greatest theologians, yet simple and shallow enough for a child to understand

B. Background to passage: Remind them of the situation in general. Ephesus is a major metropolitan city. People were getting saved from all backgrounds. Apparel was an issue that needed to be dealt with. Acknowledge the uneasiness of this topic. Affirm biblical authority, like it or not. Acknowledge this is a problem of design, the fall, and our culture. Make sure to include men and their clothing choices, just know that this passage directly deals with women because of the confusion and unrest of gender roles in the church. Emphasize that clothing is only the manifestation of problem of lack of modesty. The main problem is the heart.

C. Adorn in themselves in respectable means to arrange or put in order or to make ready in an honorable way, but it deals holistically, including the whole demeanor of a woman’s presentation. Doesn’t mean drab clothing without place for nice and beautiful clothing, nor indifferent toward hair and appearance. In fact, ladies are encouraged in places in scripture to order themselves to glorify God and men appropriately. 1 Pet 3:3-4 may elaborate in a more specific manner as to the interpretation and application of this text.

D. Main thought: Like CJ Mahaney, I speak because the glory of God is at stake in the way women dress. Read his quote about pastoral concern from p. 125 of Worldliness. A. Three Distractions (v. 9-10)

1. The Ephesian culture, just like ours, is full of the offended. These offended were ignited in part by the dress of the women. First the men, elephant in the room. The descriptions of these women could lend themselves to two personas, that of a prostitute or an upper-class, wealthy, extravagant dressing woman. Obviously, the prostitute would have dressed in a way as to entice men. Paul said this is a problem because it distracts men.

2. The poorer women in the church could have clothing that was between 500-700 denarii, so maybe 2-3 dresses in a lifetime. Some of the social elite had dresses that were between 7000-9000 denarii. If one of the ladies came in wearing a dress like that, 1 of 10 that she owned at that time, the envy or shame of the poorer women would have been stirred.

3. The last of the distractions would be from the intent of the gathering of the body: worship. If a woman came into the church dressed in a fashion different from those encouraged by 1 Tim and 1 Pet, the focus of attention might become her. This is just as important as the two groups previously mentioned.

4. Argumentation

5. Illustration: Sound system in-ear monitors, Richard Baxter, the great Puritan preacher, said to women, “And you must not lay a stumbling block in their way, nor blow up the fire of their lust, nor make your ornaments snares but you must walk among sinful persons as you would do with a candle among straw or gunpowder, or else you may see the flame which you would not foresee, when it is too late to quench it.” The young man who was disappointed that the church was not a refuge for his weary eyes and mind.

6. Should men fight the battleground of lust in their minds, and be held accountable when they fail? Yes. Ladies, please realize that it is a battle that is far worse than you think. Again, men, this is not only applicable to ladies. Help your brothers and sisters avoid temptation.

7. We all develop feelings for others that are based on perception or ill-will. These things are a great distraction to others. People may know of two women who do not like each other because of such issues, or any issues. This is divisive and inhibiting.

8. This kind of distraction would apply to all sorts of things that happen in a worship gathering; some legitimate and some illegitimate, some able to be fixed/avoided and some not able to be fixed/avoided. Videos or slides, backgrounds, music, instruments, clothing, temperature, mobile phones/devices, bathroom runs, lighting issues, and so on. We should take all these things into consideration because they detract and distract from the worship of King Jesus. This doesn’t mean that we pander to every desire and preference like referees or spiritual disc jockeys. It also doesn’t mean that we develop a big list of rules applied legalistically to our congregation. We want to worship God in power and purity so that he is pleased, and others experience Him. “Do you approach God to pray with broidered hair and ornaments of gold? Are you come to a ball? to a marriage feast? to a carnival? There such costly things might have been seasonable: here not one of them is wanted. You are come to pray, to ask pardon for your sins, to plead for your offences, beseeching the Lord, and hoping to render him propitious to you. Away with such hypocrisy!” -John Chrysostom, 4th century preacher with a golden tongue,