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KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Biblical Modesty

When Summer time comes around, as the days get longer and the temperature gets hotter, we all find ourselves wearing less and less clothing to help cope with the changing weather. In regard to this, the issue of modesty often comes into the minds of many-- especially in my church's denomination which is rooted in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. Many standards of measurement are often purposed in order to define what a "modest" dress code is, though I believe them ALL to be lacking. Even within your own church, you'll likely get several different answers from different people if you were to ask them what is or is not appropriate attire to wear.

First, be assured the Scriptures do teach that we are to dress modestly (1 Peter 3:3-6). In this passage of Scripture, the apostle Peter encourages women to not let their priorities get out of order. He teaches them that they should be more concerned with how brightly they let their inner-man (or in this case, the inner-woman) shine, than if their hair or clothing are the latest in fashion. Give a higher priority to dazzling people with your good works rather than your good looks.

Secondly, be assured the Scriptures do not ever once describe what is and is not an acceptable dress code. For examples, never do the Scriptures teach that a woman's dress must come down to at least her finger tips. Never do the Scriptures ever teach that a dress must go down at least to her knees. Never do the Scriptures ever teach that a woman's dress must go down to her ankles! Yet, there are many who are deeply convinced of each of these standards of measurement, never mind you cannot find any of them in the Bible! For that matter, Jesus blasted the Pharisees for how they lengthened the tassels of their garments (Matt 23:5)

Well, what then is Biblical modesty? I am firmly convinced through much prayer and study that the spirit of the Scriptures concerning modesty is this: Let God dress you. Such is what we see in Genesis soon after Adam and Eve realize they are naked and are ashamed of their nakedness. God then dressed Adam and Even in animal skins (Genesis 3:21). God taught Adam and Eve how to dress. It is interesting that in dressing them, the Scriptures do not record the dimensions of their garments. We are not told that Eve was given a dress that came down to her ankles, didn't show any cleavage, and fully covered her arms.

Modesty is a mindset, not a standard of measurement. When picking out what clothes we wish to wear, we should dress simply to please God. Your mindset should not be, "How much can I show without getting arrested?" Rather, your mindset should be, "Is this pleasing to God?" If your mindset is to dress to please God, and to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, then it will not matter if you wear a dress to your ankle, knee, or something even shorter. So long as you can wear it and not violate your conscience, you will do well in the sight of God.

I've known women who are covered from head to toe, yet have a spirit of seduction about them. Yet, some of the godliest women I've known can wear a two-piece bathing suit and still have a spirit of modesty!

If one is still inclined to be contentious about this issue, let us consider the prophet Isaiah. We read in Isaiah 20 how this prophet, whose ministry was deeply rooted in the holiness of God (Isaiah 6), was commanded by God to go about his prophetic ministry for 3 years buck-naked as a sign to Egypt and Cush that they were about to be judged by God, and would go into exile. The prophet Isaiah was as holy as they come, yet walked around commando style for 3 years in front of everybody! Can you imagine if I showed up to church one Sunday to preach in the nude? Isaiah's ministry ought to wreck any of our precious holiness dress codes that we hold so dear to our hearts.

However you choose to dress this summer, dress unto the Lord. Don't think of how much you can show, and flaunt what you got, but rather, think of how to dress as to please God. Let it be your OWN conviction, that none can shake you from.


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/11 14:56Profile









 Re: Biblical Modesty

Anyone wanna see a picture of me in my speedo's???

Just kidding. Dont wanna cause you guys to be jealous.

Seriously tho... KJ, this is an excellent post, and much needed today! Modesty is seriously lacking, even in church on Sunday morning!

Krispy

 2005/7/11 16:17
philologos
Member



Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

KingJimmy
this is an important topic and I am glad you have raised it. I hope you won't think me frivolous if I on the basis of your advice I tell a story...

Quote:
Well, what then is Biblical modesty? I am firmly convinced through much prayer and study that the spirit of the Scriptures concerning modesty is this: Let God dress you.


The local minister was looking over the wall of a beautiful Garden and remarked "what a beautiful Garden God and you have created". The old gardener paused for a moment and said "you ought to have seen what it was like when God had it on His own".


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Ron Bailey

 2005/7/11 16:35Profile
sermonindex
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Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:

Yes this is a great topic to be discussed. Thanks Jimmy for bringing it up, there is something very much lacking in this regard in Christian circles. I pray that I can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit on how I dress.

Quote:
Anyone wanna see a picture of me in my speedo's???


I don't think joking like this is very appropriate. I am sure if a women of God joked like this using reverse wording it could be a stumbling block seriously to some men on this forum. Please be more appropriate if you can for the "little" ones that are weaker in faith. thanks brother.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/7/11 17:09Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Great story Ron :)


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/11 17:22Profile









 Re: Biblical modesty

Before this thread gets too long, I would like to comment, that dressing to please God may also mean dressing so as not to offend a local culture - for instance, in some countries is just completely out of order for a woman to show her shoulders anytime, as they are considered provokative.

I think too, it is important to realise that if the men (or women) in a culture are not used to a certain dress code, we may embarrass them [i]and ourselves[/i]. The main thing is to demonstrate some sensitivity for when and where certain garments may be removed.

For instance, I live in a city with a large Muslim population, where some of the ladies go swimming still dressed to the ankles, because it is a mixed pool for all sessions and they have no option. Of course, non-Muslims carry on as usual, but, we are in the majority and we are not all Christians. But, if the Name of Christ was to get a reputation according to how we dress, would it affect our choice of attire?

 2005/7/11 17:31
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

On a more personal note, it is rather interesting to be confronted with this issue of modesty. Friday, I was doing some open-air preaching and for the first time ever I felt overwhelminly compelled to speak to the teenage girls that were among those in my street congregation. Some of them were very popular, and apparently for all the wrong reasons. I nearly closed my eyes while preaching, because of what some of the girls were wearing.

My heart broke within me as some of these girls made their way through the crowd, and how they greeted some young men in the crowd. They were scantly dressed, and highly suggestive in their actions. One of them I called out by name (as many others had done). I told them I had something from God I needed to tell her, and she said ok, and climbed up on the wishing well next to where I was. I then told her how she didn't need to sell herself out to these guys and settle for second-rate sex. I urged her not to dress for the attention of these boys, but rather, to dress for God's attention. I urged the rest of the girls there to do the same.

Then it is interesting what happened this Sunday at Church. One member of the congregation did not like what my girlfriend was wearing, and thought it suggestive. She thought her dress was too short... it came to just above her knees. She promptly let my girlfriend know, which hurt her feelings greatly. My girlfriend is a lovely young woman of God who loves the Lord deeply, and wants nothing more than to please God. I have gone shopping with her countless times, and have personally seen how she selects out what clothing she wears. She has a definite personal standard by which she decides to buy. If she thinks something might be pushing the limits, she won't even let me see her in it after she tries it on. Likewise, when we went to a lakefront beach recently, she was extremely picky about what type of bathing suit she would wear (she finally decided on a one-piece suit). Her aim was constantly to please God, and represent Him as a minister of the gospel, as well as to not be a snare to men. This one sister in church probably thinks my girlfriend as not being modest, because her dress didn't come down to a length that satisfied her, because of unbiblical commandments of men being treated like it was a thus saith the Lord, yet I know without a doubt that my girlfriend to be one of integrity, and a modest spirit.

Just some further thoughts...


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/11 17:40Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Indeed dorcas, we must also "love our neighbor" in this regard, and do our best to respect various customs and others personal convictions. At the same time though, you cannot please everyone, as some people are offended by just about anything these days. Various contexts will, in our love for God, require we dress in a different manner to suit that context.


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/11 17:44Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Further thoughts... I was talking to my pastor about this recently, and we came to agree, in the case of women (whom issues of modesty are mostly geared towards these days), that a woman should dress to chiefly please God, and then secondly her husband. In the case of younger women (e.g. my girlfriend), she should chiefly dress to please God, then her parents, and when she and I go out somewhere, she can dress to please me.


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/11 17:50Profile
deltadom
Member



Joined: 2005/1/6
Posts: 2359
Hemel Hempstead

 Re: I wish that not only guys and girls could be pure in clothing and in thought

We live in age dominated by images from stuff on the highstreet it is not suprising that people only wear what is available as in shops ! People can only buy modest clothing if it is avalable I want to be pure in clothing it has been hot recently and I have been wearing shorts and as I have been working on a building site moving block and soil and accoutriments!! I found that when I walked into church I found that my shorts were slipping down god help me !! I am such a fool god help me someone pointed out it may affect someone else in that congregation if they are female and may be really unpleasent!! i am suffering with wrong images, I hate to see images that do not please god or man you can just walk up the highstreet, i do not know what you call it in the states and be flooded with pictures of people in clothes sometimes very little!!
Maybe these people suddenlt got the idea to wear clothes that were too small for them or didnt fit right!! They must have got the idea from somewhere!!
I am going to the beach with my family this is the height of this kind of clothing!! I want Jesus to keep me pure or keep me away from the beach !! I just want to be like him!! I want god to purify my mind and my heart and I pray that you pray that for yourselves and each other!!
In Church we have been preaching about ovecomeing the lustful and carnal desires by fasting and it is working it amazing when you are thinking about other things these thoughts do not even pop into your head !!
I have been online and I get horrified when you go on a link and you find an image say a bookshop!! and you are looking for christian books and an image pops up!! Please pray for me that god will clense my mind!!
Back to the subject are soceity is filled with images of people and it is not that often to be polluted by what we see and hear twenty four seven!! If what we see affects the way we dress then our clothing is designated either by a heavenly garbe or an earthly one!! What I mean by this is that we are either influenced by biblical thinking or things around biblical thinking or another source!!
We chose what we wear and who makes us deside what wear!!
We need Jesus to deside what we wear!!
To leave you on a lovely note one day we will be clothed in our righteous and all the colouring of this world would seem dim, god looks on the heart not on the outer shell!! We need him to wash our insides out so we can dress like he does!!
in the blood of the lamb!!
In coats of many colours!! I need Jesus
lots of love DOm
Danny Kensington has a sermon on biblical modesty!!


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Dominic Shiells

 2005/7/11 19:17Profile





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