Dear Christian Ladies,
It has sadly become the trend, even among many professing Christian women, to see how far we can push the boundaries when it comes to our clothing. Leggings as pants; low-cut shirts; short skirts, dresses, and shorts; and skin-tight clothing have become the norm for many. This should not be so for women professing godliness. We should not be forever pushing the boundary lines to match the fashions of the modern world. Instead, we should be seeking ways to be lovely and feminine, beautiful but dignified in our modesty, as we show forth the light of Christ to a dying world and give our Christian brothers some relief from the immorality and immodesty they must contend with every day.
Why is this our responsibility? Because as Christians, we are the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and we can influence those we come across each day either for good or for evil. We are not responsible for the thoughts of other people completely, but we must admit we are not guiltless if we have dressed ourselves in a way of impurity and have sought to entice others by our clothing.
Some will say that God gives us no instructions on what is appropriate for our clothing, but I disagree. We can see from the whole of Scripture, that we women should be chaste, pure, shamefaced, modest…we should be as women professing godliness. This should be evident in all that we do, even our dress.
We must be aware of the Scripture that says, “Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love”. This is Proverbs 5:19, and isn’t the product of our modern “sex-obsessed” culture. Our husbands are meant to enjoy this part of us, and it is meant for them only, so this should make it clear to us that we should keep this part of our bodies covered-up and saved only for them—-no cleavage-bearing clothing.
Let us be in the habit of examining our motives in our clothing, for it greatly influences those around us. Does our clothing express our chasteness and decency? This is what we should be exemplifying. Is what we are wearing revealing something that should be kept private and only for our husbands? Is our clothing enticing, causing other Christian brothers to stumble, or is it merely lovely and feminine in a pure way? We must also remember that we are also an example to our daughters in the way we dress. Will we want them dressing in the same way as we do when they get older? Caring mothers will want their daughters to also exhibit purity and chasteness. Likewise, when we dress modestly, we are giving our sons a picture of what pure behavior to look for in their future wives. And by all means, we can show our beautiful difference from men by our clothing. I think it is lovely when women dress like ladies, but that is perhaps another subject.
Some final closing quotes:
Saint John Chrysostom instructed and warned women of all times about dress, when in the fourth century he declared:
“You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You
allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by
your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. …
When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent?
Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges punish? Those who
drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion?
You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing
drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you
murder not the body but the soul. And it is not to enemies you do this,
nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by
injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride.”
Matthew Henry said, regarding the passage in Titus 2 addressed to women:
That the aged women likewise (as well as the men) be in behaviour as becometh holiness; or as beseems and is proper for holy persons, such as they profess to be and should be, keeping a pious decency and decorum in clothing and gesture, in looks and speech, and all their deportment, and this from an inward principle and habit of holiness, influencing and ordering the outward conduct at all times. Observe, Though express scripture do not occur, or be not brought, for every word, or look, or fashion in particular, yet general rules there are according to which all must be ordered; as 1Co_10:31, Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. And Php_4:8, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. And here, whatsoever things are beseeming or unbeseeming holiness form a measure and rule of conduct to be looked to.
Wise words from Lady Lydia:
“Invariably, someone will tell me that it
is only what is in their heart that “counts” with God, but there are
several scriptures which reveal that God cares not just about your
intentions or your heart, but about your actions and your appearance.
Your actions and appearance speak volumes about your heart. Many
members believe that once they are baptised, they are under grace
alone, and that God over-looks the sin of immodesty. They think it is
okay to be saved, but they do not believe God really requires any
changes in their lifestyle.”
Some other posts on this subject:
Study for Modesty Using Strong’s
A Poem about Western Morality
Some Guidelines for Modest Dress
How to Teach Modesty to Girls
