TRUTH OR BARE:
DOES GOD CARE WHAT I WEAR?
1 Tim. 2:9-10, And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. (NLT)
1 Peter 3:2-4, Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.
You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (NLT).
What you wear signals what you are. Your clothes speak a language: You are what you wear. The clothes you wear communicate a message. Look at Proverbs 7:10, And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
The harlot of Proverbs 7:10, intentionally dresses in such a way to lure men to her body in a sexual way.
ILL- In 1960 Mary Quant introduced the mini-skirt. She said she designed it to announce to the world that she was ready to go to bed with a man, day or night.
This shows us the power of clothing! Much of the modern ladies clothing that we see today would be even more revealing than the harlot’s clothing years ago. Has the nature of men changed? Absolutely not! What has changed is our culture’s attitude towards God and His moral Standards and Principles.
We are living in a culture that has declined over the last several years. There has been an erosion of morals & values in our society. The message the fashion industry communicates is often in direct conflict w/Christian values.
ILL- There is a popular discount store that boasts a line of clothing called “Xhilaration.” It is targeted to girls as young as 6 years of age and it comes with this label: “There are no rules. Whether you choose to dress crazy or dress to thrill — make a statement, make a scene, wear what you want and it won’t be wrong.”
That sums the world’s philosophy in a nutshell. The attitude is “if you’ve got it flaunt it; leave as little to the imagination as possible and as for modesty, get real, this is the 21st century.”
For young people, this conflict between the world & the Word causes an intense personal struggle. Yes, there are some traditions that we adhere to, but their also some very vital Biblical principles to consider as well.
While God’s Word & the world differ along the views of modesty, it is true that they agree on one thing: THE CLOTHES YOU WEAR COMMUNICATE A MESSAGE. Fashion expert John T. Molloy said, “What you wear signals what you are. You can elicit any effect or desire through the way you dress.” You can look sexy, smart, nerdy, poor, successful, or “Amishical”…all depending on what you wear. BTW 98% of male fashion designers are gay.
In today’s culture, the message communicated is often a moral one. A person can convey the language of their soul through what they wear. They can make an outward statement about their inner values just by how they dress or adorn themselves. You never see a prostitute holding a sign.
Often you can just look at a person and form an opinion about them. Clothing that shows cleavage; tight form fitting skirts or blouses; short skirts; short blouses; lots of make-up; or clothing that exposes the body tells you that that persons moral values are in question. Baggy pants; falling pants; heavy chains; studs in ears, chin, nose, tongue; a cap perched on the head in the wrong direction, send out a message that gives them a low rating in areas of honesty, industry,& morality.
1. The World has a Message to Communicate
Designers are guided by 4 principles:
A. Utility Principle
This addresses the needs for various types of clothing. Like uniforms, athletic attire, seasonal clothing. Some clothes you see in Alaska you don’t see in Florida.
B. Hierarchical Principle
This could also be called the principle of pride. This guides the designer to design clothing in such a way that appeals to human pride. They create styles & options that enable the wearer to feel proud. ILL- The Oscars—they try to outdo or “outdress” or “out’undress’” each other.
C. Autonomy Principle This is clothing designed to give the wearer the ability to feel free from all inhibitions; a sense of total self-expression. This allows the wearer to rebel against society & Biblical principles. This is usually shocking clothes. This is the principle that says, “Look at me I’m trying to make a statement”.”
D. Seduction Principle
Sex appeal is the strongest motive of all in designing clothing, especially women’s clothing. Clothing that exposes the body in areas that arouse sexual desire. They are shifted year to year to maintain sexual interest. Why? If you keep looking at the same thing long enough you become desensitized to it. Designers go from see-through clothes; tight wrap around skirts; mini skirts; long skirts with long slits; or to a dress or blouse with serious cleavage exposure. Designers call the area of exposure the erotic zone.
I’m not pleading for shoddiness, but I am pleading for clothing that demonstrate the message of holiness; of a clean heart; not the message of a fallen world.
2. 4 Myths About Modesty
A First step toward reviving respect for modesty in our culture is to strike at the myths that undermine it. Let me touch on four of these.
A. Myth #:1 Modesty is Victorian.
Definition: Of, relating to, or belonging to the period of the reign of Queen Victoria; 19th century England. Look at the story of Rebecca and Isaac (Gen. 24:65). When Rebecca sees Isaac and covers herself, it is not because she is trying to be Victorian. Her modesty was the key to what would bring them together and develop a profound intimacy. This separates us from the animals, and always did, long before the Victorian era.
B. Myth#2: Modesty is Prudery.
Definition: One who is excessively concerned with being or appearing to be proper, modest, or righteous. Wendy Shalit says, “This was the point of the dreadful movie Pleasantville, the premise of which was that nobody in the 1950s had fun or experienced love. It begins in black and white and turns to color only when the kids enlighten their parents about sex. This of course makes no sense on its face: if the parents didn’t know anything about sex, then how did all these kids get there in the first place? But it reflects a common conceit of baby boomers that passion, love and happiness were non-existent until modesty was overcome in the 1960s. In truth, modesty is nearly the opposite of prudery. Paradoxically, prudish people have more in common with the promiscuous. The prudish and the promiscuous share a disposition against allowing themselves to be moved by others, or to fall in love. Modesty, on the other hand, invites and protects the evocation of real love. It is erotic, not neurotic. To illustrate this point, I like to compare photographs taken at Coney Island almost a century ago with photographs from nude beaches in the 1970s. At Coney Island, the beach-goers are completely covered up, but the men and women are stealing glances at one another and seem to be having a great time. On the nude beaches, in contrast, men and women hardly look at each other. Rather, they look at the sky. They appear completely bored. That’s what those who came after the ’60s discovered… without anything left to the imagination, sex becomes boring.”
C. Myth #3: Modesty isn’t Natural.
If modesty isn’t natural then why on a windy day do women wearing slit skirts try to avoid showing their legs? The very legs those fashionable skirts are designed to reveal. Despite trying to keep up with the fashions, these women have a natural instinct for modesty. If nakedness is natural, why did Adam & Eve make aprons out of fig leaves after they had sinned; then ran from God when He came looking for them because they were ashamed?
D. Myth #4: Modesty is Only a Concern for Women.
There is an interesting passage of scripture in the Old Testament that deals with male modesty; the modesty of the priests. Altars were never to be built so high that they needed steps. Exodus 20:26 says, And you may not approach my altar by steps. If you do, someone might look up under the skirts of your clothing and see your nakedness. Altars were never to be built that required steps because the Lord did not want people to see up the priestly garment as he climbed the steps.
Today, many people run around in less attire than the priests could possibly have exposed. There were also additional instructions describing the underwear God commanded the priests to wear. Exodus 28:42, And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. We understand something from this passage. The under-wear they wore was to cover from the waist to the thigh. Let me clarify what the “thigh” is. According to the dictionary, the thigh is, “the part of the human leg between the knee and the hip.” The priest wore more for underwear than an increasing number of people wear in public. Was God concerned with modesty? Isaiah prophesied judgment against Babylon, who took Israel into captivity. Babylon is compared to a young woman who once was a virgin but became a prostitute. Isaiah 47:2-3, Remove your veil and your nice skirts. Uncover your legs and cross the rivers. People will see your nakedness; they will see your shame. I will punish you; I will punish every one of you. (NCV). Her shame came from making bare the leg and uncovering the thigh. Her immodesty is spoken of as shameful and humiliating. The point is God is concerned about the subject of modesty. The very first thing He did after Adam & Eve sinned & sewed fig leaves for clothes, was to make them new clothes.
Loose dress reveals a loose heart. Whatever is on the inside will eventually come out. In other words, what we think about and feel strongly about will sooner or later show up in our lifestyle.
Girls, if you’re constantly thinking about how to turn on a guy, you’ll eventually start dressing in a way that will turn him on. And guys, if you’re constantly thinking about showing off parts of your body to a girl, you’ll eventually try to do just that. Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God. In other words, our goal is to reflect Him. If we’re calling attention to ourselves, we’re taking attention away from our heavenly Father. The purpose of this message is to put a searchlight on our hearts and on our motives for the way that we choose to dress - and why. Our bodies are precious because they are a gift from God. God never intended us to flaunt ourselves or exhibit our bodies in an immodest way. He wants our bodies consecrated to him. "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Rom.12:1) It surely must grieve the Lord to see the thoughtless way so many modern Christians dress. It’s true that their bodies may be a living sacrifice-but to which god? God doesn’t make what we wear the greatest issue in the Bible. Some people feel like that’s all the Bible talks about. To do this creates an atmosphere of legalism & bondage. But to ignore it be just as dangerous. He does raise the issue & the Bible does lay down principles to govern what is appropriate for Christians to wear. Now a principle is a fundamental truth on which others are based.
3. Biblical Principles.
A. Principles of Modesty.
Clothes should never be worn that expose; show attention to body parts; or fail to cover our nakedness. The Bible always associates nakedness w/shame. Dressing modestly will not get you to heaven. It will not make you a “better” person and it will not save your soul. What it will do is display obedience to the Word of God. It will reflect a heart that is submitted to Him and a desire to dress to the glory of God! The feminist cry from our heathen society is, “But it’s MY body and MY choice how I dress!! I’ll do what I want!” Is the cry much different from our congregations? “But it’s MY Christian Liberty to dress the way I want! That’s Legalism! I will do what I think is right!” What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
Romans 6:13, Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. (NLT)
B. Principle of Simplicity.
Our clothes should not be elaborate. We must dress outwardly to reflect a gentle & quiet spirit.
C. Principle of Economy.
Spending $100 on a belt or tennis shoes or hundreds of dollars on a watch or jewelry doesn’t portray a gentle spirit.
D. Principle of Consistency.
Whether we go to the beach & when we’re on vaction we’re consistent w/what a Christian wears.
E. Principle of Separation.
This matter of separation is two-fold: 1. Separation from the world. 2. Separation unto God. Some people stress one over the other, but to have the proper balance in out lives we need to be equally committed to both of them.
I Cor. 6:14-18, Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. (NLT)
F. Principle of Gender Distinctiveness.
Duet. 22:5, A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.
Closing Questions:
What do I want to say with my life?
Do the clothes I wear communicate the Biblical values that I seek to live by?
Do the clothes I wear communicate the message of a pure heart?
Am I as interested in God as in what I wear?
How much time does it take me to primp, dress, & get ready?
How much time do I spend alone w/God?
Am I buying this because I want to look sexy?
Am I wearing this because I want him/her to look at me and want me in a sexual way?
Am I trying to draw attention to myself from those of the opposite gender by being immodest or even slightly immodest?
Would you feel uncomfortable with what you’re wearing or thinking of wearing if Jesus were standing next to you?
Am I causing a brother or sister to stumble by wearing this?
Before I buy these clothes, is my tithe paid?
What statement do my clothes make about my heart?
In choosing what clothes to wear today, whose attention do I desire and whose approval do I crave? Am I seeking to please God or impress others?
Who am I trying to identify with through my dress? Is the Word of God my standard or is it the latest fashion?
Ladies, when you wear a blouse or dress, can anything be seen when you lean over?
Do you need to remember to place your hand against your neckline when you bend down?
Does it reveal any part of your cleavage? Does your midriff show when you raise your hands above your head?
Does the spilt in your skirt expose too much leg?
Men, do the sleeves in your shirt expose the torso?
By what I wear, am I communicating the message of God’s kingdom, or the message of a fallen world?
Challenge/Action Points:
1. Be transformed & not conformed.
To be transformed means a change of outward appearance or inner nature. I guess that’s why it amazes me to see young Christian girls (and even more mature women) in church or at outdoor gatherings, hands uplifted in praise to God, while dressed in clothes that definitely do not give Him the glory. Remember, you can’t make a butterfly by pinning wings on a worm. There must be a change on the inside.
2. Remember that it starts w/t heart & not the hemline.
3. Usually our outward appearance reflects our inner condition.
4. Your clothing on the outside should represent godliness on the inside.
Conclusion:
Does God care how we dress? Yes, He does. He cares about every aspect of our lives. We are called to holiness; holiness in what we do, what we say, where we go, how we act, how we think, what we listen to, what we read, what we sing, and yes, how we dress. Scripture bears this out. Read Ephesians 5:8-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 and 1 Peter 1:15 for starters. May prayer is that God will give us the desire and the wisdom to live lives that are holy in every aspect.
