ARE YOU
DRESSING FOR CHRIST OR THE WORLD?
Consider this
The key to the whole issue of decent
dressing is for women to dress in a feminine manner so as to communicate the
language of submission and acceptance of womanhood rather than the language of
rebellion and rejection of God’s design. As Christian women, we have a biblical
obligation to dress modestly and reflect holiness, and so we should dress in a
feminine manner, to show that we accept the place God has given us in the Church,
in the family and in society. God's message about modesty may seem
embarrassingly old-fashioned in our culture, but God's word does not change.
The de-feminising effect of trousers on
the younger generation is unedifying. Young girls of today have, for the most
part, worn trousers most of their lives, and as a result they tend to behave
like boys. It is little wonder that they feel uncomfortable in dresses and that
they have lost the instinct for modesty. We need to rescue the Christian
concept of womanhood from modern society's confusion over marital duties and
family life.
In Matt. 5:14~16 A Christian is to be salt and light in this
world. Attire is an important part of our testimony. The way a person dresses
is an indication of that person’s character and spiritual maturity. Dress for
both man or woman should respect the Bible principles of modesty, non-conformed
to the fads of the world; and express humility and simplicity. Now, we're not
talking about modest in your neighbor’s eyes, or friend's, or even family's--but
modest in God's eyes. Clothes should not expose areas of the body that normally
draw attention from the opposite sex. Clothes should not be revealing because
of its conforming fit to the body. Also in our appearance we should generally
be well shaven, hair reasonably in place as not to look sloppy or uncaring in
physical appearance. This also can draw undue attention to you. In general your
overall appearance should not draw attention to you that would hinder another
from focusing their attention to worshipping the Lord. The world is not
interested in living a life patterned after the Word of God. Likewise a
Christian should not be interested in living a life patterned after the world.
The unbelievers prefer dress that draws attention to their bodies, which
reflects extravagant and changing
fashions.
Consider
this, a man is responsible to guard his mind from impurity and woman is
responsible to help prevent the lustful stare. Lust is inexcusable on the man’s
part; but if a woman by her apparel or conduct has encouraged it, she also
shares in the guilt. A Christian should not attract undue attention to herself.
Clothes should not be provocative or suggestive, should not expose large areas
of the human anatomy nor have a conforming fit with suggestive intent. The
Christian should consider how her clothes reveal her body in its normal
movements of sitting, standing, bending, etc. Clothes should not be attention
getting that would draw attention to self and off God. The person who is born-again
and having taken up his cross to follow Christ should lovingly and joyfully
follow the Word of God. If a women dress provocatively, she can cause a man to
sin, similarly the Christian man should seek a godly appearance.
Rom. 14:21 says: “it is good neither to eat meat nor drink
wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made
weak”.
Matt 5:28 says: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to
lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Be therefore
sure your clothing is modest in God's sight.
Adam and
Eve tried to cover their nakedness when they ate the forbidden fruit and their
eyes have opened. But they couldn’t even cover enough and God had to step in
the cover them up. Here we are reminded that the purpose of clothing is to
conceal, not reveal. We are ‘wiser’ in the 21st century and here we
go dressing naked?
Conclusion
Are you buying the outfit to attract the opposite
sex and draw attention to you? One way to discern if an outfit is modest is to
ask yourself why you are buying it. Remember, it is not Christian-like to tempt
others through your dress. It is not a sin to like nice clothes, but it is a
sin when the desire for fashion becomes more important than your faith.
Clothes do not make a Christian, but Christians
reveal their identity through their clothes and appearance. The Bible does not
prescribe a standardized dress for Christian men and women to wear, but it
calls us to follow the simplicity and unpretentiousness of Jesus’ lifestyle,
even in our clothes and appearance.
To follow Jesus in our dress and adornment means to
stand apart from the crowd by not painting up, jewelling up, and dolling up our
bodies as do the rest. This takes courage. Courage not to conform to the
seductive dictates of fashion, but to be transformed by the sensible directives
of the Word of God (Rom 12:2). Courage to reveal the loveliness of Christ’s
character, not by the external decoration of our bodies "with gold or
pearls or expensive clothes" (1 Tim 2:9), but by the internal beautification
of our souls with the graces of the heart, the gentle and quiet spirit which is
precious in God’s sight (1 Pet 3:4). Courage to dress, not to glorify ourselves
by wearing glittering jewellery and eye-catching clothes, but to glorify God by
dressing modestly, decently, and soberly.
If you are dressing revealing, you’re not only
disobeying God’s word, but you may be causing guys around you to look at you in
a sinful and lustful way as well. Jesus says that if we as guys, look on a
young lady to lust after her, then we have committed adultery with her in our
hearts. I know there are some perverts out there who would still get turned on
if you wore a dress down to your ankles and a hood over your head. You cannot
help that, but if you are dressing revealing, you are guilty of setting a stumbling
block in front of your brothers in Christ.
I didn’t
write this out of condemnation, or self-righteousness, but out of love and
compassion. I am not perfect myself, but I strive to be more like Christ in my
daily life. I just want to encourage you to live a life of holiness. However,
looking holy on the outside will not get you to heaven. Only a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ will get you to heaven. He will change you from
the inside out.
Our outward appearance is a constant silent witness
of our Christian identity and may it always tell the world that we live to
glorify God and not ourselves. If you’re a Christian and claim Christ as your
savior, then every part of your life should be based on that truth. Right down
to the socks we put on.
Do your clothes proclaim to the world that you are
a Christian who lives for Christ, or do they proclaim that you’re just like the
ungodly world? Amen!
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