CHRISTIAN DRESS
CHRISTIAN DRESS The subject of Christian dress should be one of great interest to every concerned Christian, for every Christian should desire to bring this area of his life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ just as he should every other area. This writer will set forth from scripture two basic areas of dress against which every thoughtful Christian must judge his actions before God. Every believer should seek to dress modestly. That is, one should seek to dress in such a way that could not reasonably cause a brother or sister to stumble by having impure thoughts. Also, one should dress in a fashion in keeping with his or her own gender. We mean by this that men and boys should dress is a masculine manner and women and girls should dress in a feminine manner. We shall first consider modesty. In doing this we will study1 Timothy 2:9-10and1 Peter 3:3-4. These verses read respectively:
1 Timothy 2:9-10In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
1 Peter 3:3-4Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
While these verses speak specifically to women, the basic principles also apply to men; for this writer believes that many men are as much or more at fault in dressing immodestly as many women. We are told in1 Timothy 2:9that women should "adorn" themselves in "modest apparel." First, we shall define some terms. Adorn means to put in order and make ready. the word is from the same root word as modest, which Thayers Greek dictionary defines as well arranged, seemly, or modest. Webster defines modesty: restrained by a due sense of propriety; decent, chaste. Shamefacedness literally means: downcast eyes. Thayers says it is looking in such a way that would discourage the opposite sex from unholy thoughts or actions. Sobriety means: self control.
Now, what is the Holy Spirit teaching us in this verse? It is that Christians should so arrange themselves physically (dress) in such a way that would tend to promote holy thoughts and desires in their brothers and sisters around them. Let us look at some scriptures that will clarify the principle of modesty. Our first encounter with clothing is in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned they made "aprons" out of fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Not only was this improper because of the nature of leaves to wilt, but it did not really cover their nakedness. So God set the first mode of clothing by making them "coats" which were garments which actually covered them. No doubt the man-made aprons only partially covered their nakedness. The fashions of today many times are like the aprons which Adam and Eve made. Could today’s swim suits, shorts, see through clothing, bare shoulders, bare midriffs, slit skirts, short skirts, and tight jeans bear any resemblance to the coats which God made for man. Undoubtedly, they more resemble the aprons.
InProverbs 7:10we read of a harlot, whose clothes sent a definite message, "In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart." Christians, our clothes send messages, and we must not allow that message to be one which might cause those around us to stumble by thinking impure thoughts.Ezekiel 23:1-49gives a graphic description in symbolism of how Christians ought to dress. These ungodly women put on heavy eye makeup, {Ezekiel 23:40"And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,"} decked themselves with ornaments (wore inordinate jewelry), and did not properly cover their nakedness (Ezekiel 23:18So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.Ezekiel 23:21Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth. andEzekiel 23:29And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.) all to seduce their lovers. They played the harlot by their dress and their demeanor. Christians, shall we play the harlot or naively allow our children to do so? Wake up parents, to see if this is happening in your home. The day in which we live calls for conviction, lest we be swallowed by the world and its fashions. We are particularly told not to be like the world inRomans 12:2where the Holy Spirit says, "Be not conformed to this world."
There is entirely too much preoccupation with clothing today. InIsaiah 3:16-24, God is seen to abhor an inordinate preoccupation with clothing. Jesus taught inMatthew 6:25against placing too much emphasis on clothing. For the Christian, modesty means simple, neat, and discreet clothes which cover the body. They do not have to be drab, for in many places clothing is spoken of positively in terms of scarlet, {Proverbs 31:21;Jeremiah 2:32;Daniel 5:29} and fine linen.Ezekiel 16:6;Revelation 1:14
One can see God’s concern for modesty in His design of the clothing for the priests inExodus 28:39-42. {Exodus 28:42And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:} He also forbid them to make steps leading up to the altar, so that no one could see the nakedness (exposed thighs) of the priest as he went up. David’s servants are treated shamefully when an enemy cuts off their garments to expose their thighs. {2 Samuel 10:4Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away} InIsaiah 47:2-3God tells Israel in figurative language that He will uncover their nakedness (expose them to shame) by uncovering the thigh ("Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man."). The words clothe and cover are used synonymously in scripture. One was not considered clothed if he was not properly covered (Isaiah 50:3I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.Ezekiel 26:16Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.). But one may say, "I only dress this way for comfort." This late twentieth century idea of excusing immodesty for the sake of comfort violates the scriptural principle of modesty. Does God care more for one’s comfort or his modesty? "I can not swim without being nearly uncovered," another might say. Then would it not be best to refrain from swimming in mixed company? Would it not be more appropriate for men to swim separately from women? InJohn 21:7when Peter was only around men fishing, he was naked (the word does not necessarily mean completely nude- see Strongs). But, when going ashore, he put on his outer garments for propriety’s sake. The first thing we notice about the crazy man in Mr 5:15, after his deliverance, was that he was clothed (covered).
Let a word be said here lest one think that to dress modestly in itself is all God requires. The Pharisees in Mr 12:38-40 dressed appropriately (Jesus was not condemning their clothing), but their hearts were not right before God. Mere outward conformity to the word of God never has and never will impress God. This goes for prayer, giving, worship, or any other spiritual duty. God is just as interested in attitude and motivation as He is with conformity to His standards. It would, however, be equally wrong to say that if my heart is right with God, nothing else matters. {seeJohn 4:23;2 Samuel 6:6-7}
Based on the obvious teaching from the word of God, several clear principles emerge by which every Christian should be guided in matters of dress. Also by these, every Christian should direst his children and teach them.
1. We should dress primarily to please God, and not man.
2. Our clothing should at all times in public cover our bodies, not just the more private parts. The clothing worn in Bible times covered the shoulders, chest, abdomen, and thighs at least to the knee.
3. Any activity which would require immodest dress, should be avoided (such as mixed swimming).
4. The clothing should not be of tight or clinging material which would accentuate the curve and form of the body parts (such as tight sweaters, pants, skirts, or swim suits).
5. The use of adornments, such as jewelry, should be in moderation. To emphasize jewelry in dress is to violate the scriptures. {1 Timothy 2:9-10;1 Peter 3:3-6}
6. To wear heavy makeup, especially about the eyes is a violation of the principle of shamefacedness {seeEzekiel 23:402 Kings 9:30;Jeremiah 4:30;1 Timothy 2:9-10}
7. Any new styles in clothing should be held up to the light of these principles and rejected if not found in conformity to them.
Having discussed the first of the two areas of dress, modesty, we shall move on now to consider the matter of gender. It was stated in the opening paragraph of this paper that Christians should dress in a fashion with clear regard to his or her gender. Men should dress in clothes that are clearly and unmistakable masculine, and women should dress in clothes that are clearly and unmistakably feminine. What is said here should guide parents in directing their children to select clothing which will honor God. We are told inDeuteronomy 22:5, "The woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God" (the Lord your God detests anyone who does this NIV). This is pretty strong language, is it not? But just exactly what does it mean?
God has clearly made in creation a distinction between men and women. Certainly physiological differences are clear. God had also established a spiritual difference, not with regard to salvation, but to the order of His kingdom on earth. Women are not permitted to teach or prophesy in the assembly. {1 Timothy 2:11-15;1 Corinthians 14:34-35} Women are required to cover their heads in the assembly as a sign of their agreement with God’s order, where men are to take the lead in the assembly. {1 Corinthians 11:1-16} It has also been shown that there are even psychological differences between men and women. The point is, God has made a difference. The dress of the Christian must reflect that difference if he is to honor God. God ordained that men should wear distinctively masculine clothes, and women should wear distinctively feminine clothes. That is why God gave the law inDeuteronomy 22:5.
In1 Corinthians 6:9, we are told that no effeminate man shall inherit the kingdom of God. While the clear reference is to homosexuals, the word literally means "soft." The word is used inLuke 7:25in reference to clothing. Here the Holy Spirit forbids men to act like (including dress like) women, certainly implying the converse. In studying the subject of dress in Bible times, it appears that men and women wore clothes that were similar in style, i. e. long robes at least to the knee. It would be helpful at this point for you to get a good Bible dictionary (like Zondervans) and read the article on dress.
So, how were the clothes different? They had distinctive markings, cuts, colors, patterns, and ornamentation. An article of clothing was clearly designed for one gender or the other.
How does this apply to us today? First of all, the men should wear clothes, styles, and fits that are traditionally masculine. The trend in our day for men to wear necklaces, earrings, and even makeup is a trend toward abomination and should be utterly forsaken. The hair should be clearly masculine in style and cut, and their clothes becoming a man professing godliness. To the woman, she should only wear those clothes which are clearly feminine. Women should wear dresses or skirts for the most part as that is the most feminine dress possible. One might well argue against women wearing pants at all, since until the last fifty years it was uncommon for women to appear in public in pants. If one wants to get as close to the standard as possible, she should habitually wear dresses and skirts. Certainly in the assembly she should only wear dresses. If she occasionally wears pants for some particular reason, they should be very obviously for women in cut and style, and above all things modest. It is an abomination in God’s eyes for a woman to put on a pair of jeans, pants, or anything else in which men would feel comfortable, and as such should be utterly forsaken as a trend away from holiness. Her hair style should be distinctively feminine and long enough to distinguish from a man.
There is a devious ploy in our day by Satan to blur the distinction between the sexes. The feminist movement is his most powerful tool in accomplishing this end. Unthinking Christians have also played right along with the scheme. May God give us courage to live by the righteous standards set forth in His word, and lead our children in them as well.
Let no Christian be overly enamored with outward appearance. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. {1 Samuel 16:7} May our emphasis be the developing of the inward graces which become the children of God. InProverbs 31:30the Holy Spirit teaches us that, "Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman (person) who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."