____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ May 19, 1991 ____________________________________________________ Dressing In Harmony With Holiness by Tom Edwards We are approaching that time of year again in which dressing modestly needs to be emphasized without timidity or embarrassment, but it takes much more than mere words to properly clothe or mend the situation--we must each be concerned and take heed to the Bible's admonition of this matter, realizing that the norm which the world sets forth is often scantily clad and lacking. As someone once observed, ``Women used to dress like old Mother Hubbard, but now they dress more like her cupboard.'' Sometimes we might have questions about certain apparel as to whether the wearing of such would be Scripturally acceptable or not. The Bible does not offer us guidelines in hemline measurements or define how short that shorts have to be in order to be too short, but generally the individual who is concerned with putting God first in his life will be more prone to be in tune to this matter and make the proper "alterations" if need be. A person once told me that if I have doubts about what I'm wearing as to whether it is proper or not, then I probably should not be wearing it at all. This is certainly sound advice for the Bible does teach that ``whatsoever is not of faith is sin'' (Rom. 14:22). We must, therefore, live in such a manner that we will not violate our conscience and put ourselves in a position in which we might feel we are sinning against God. For even that which is approved of by the Lord could become a sin unto us if we believe it to be so and then do it regardless. The question of modest dress, however, spools beyond the mere thread of thought, for it is more than just a subjective matter of the conscience dressed to our liking. Let us, therefore, not be "sewing" for the flesh that which will only lead to trouble and "exposure" in that great Day of Reckoning, but rather let us mend our ways with that which "seams" better. Remember, if we want to wear the garments of righteousness, we might need to make some alterations in the moral fabric of our convictions. Those who brazenly disregard the need for modesty or who have simply become desensitized by the indecorous and lascivious fashions of the world will not make it any more acceptable merely because they have lost the ability to blush or now see anything short of complete nudity to be fitting. As some reports indicate, stark nakedness would probably be less lascivious than many of today's lewd and provocative fashions that are designed to entice and stir up wanton curiosities and depraved imaginations. According to Mary Quant, the well-known fashion designer and mother of the mini-skirt, ``Mini-clothes are symbolic of those girls who want to seduce a man....'' In view of this, let us be mindful of the Lord's admonition in Matthew 5:27,28, in which He stresses: ``You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.'' Surely, a God-fearing woman would not want to purposefully be responsible for causing a fellow Christian to sully his robe of righteousness by inducing him to stumble into the mire of sin and destruction, simply by her careless dress. As Jesus also shows in Matthew 18:6, it is better for one to have a heavy millstone hung about his neck and then cast into the sea and drowned than that this person would cause another to transgress the commandments of God. We must also remember that one's apparel can make a statement. Consider Proverbs 7:10: ``Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.'' Yes, in this case, the person's dress suggested an immoral nature. That old clich‚, ``You can't judge a book by its cover''--or a person by his clothes--is not always applicable, for sometimes the opposite is true. Actually, the sex appeal projected by unseemly raiment is irrelevant in relationship to wrongful dress. Immodesty in this realm is carnal, indecent, and a sin against God even if there is no sex appeal! Just because a woman lacks in physical beauty does not give her the right to wear the revealing halter tops, the indecent split skirts, and to shamelessly go braless in tight blouses or in sleeveless blouses that are much too open to be seemly. Indecent dress also includes clothing that fits properly, but displays something which would be sinful, such as an advertisement for an alcoholic beverage or for a bar, etc., or that which uses swear words or profane, or clothing that is covered with obscene pictures. I have actually heard of one case in which a person who had been called upon to serve the Lord's Supper had been wearing a T- shirt that was advertising a brand of beer. How do you think this same person might have felt towards wearing a shirt that had a Bible verse on it? Do you suppose he might have been embarrassed? Is it not even more of a disgrace, though, that he apparently did not feel even a tinge of wrongness about advertising something that has been one of the major banes of America and that which has ruined relationships, has broken up families, and has destroyed lives--and this he wore even before his own brethren and in the sight of God. About a year ago, Wes Brown wrote an admonition on this subject. Let us give our attention to an excerpt of that: ``Brethren dress seemingly with no regard for the influence they are throwing away and the harm they are doing to their own soul! Do you think the people about you are taking note of your `pure' character while you are at the beach in a skimpy costume?? Are you `professing godliness' in your `brief' cheerleader (majorette, tennis, etc.) outfit?? ...Not only in these cases, but also in our every day attire, wearing that which is too brief, too tight, too shear, etc., says something about us! `Be not deceived,' suggestive dress does not breed holy thinking! Don't let the defense of what you want to do stand in the way of plain truth. Lascivious dress suggests loose morals, and thus brings shame and dishonor on the one who is supposed to be our King. Be conscious of the fact that WHAT we wear affects the NAME we wear (Christian), as well as the name we have (our character and reputation)...Remember, in the eyes of man, `You are what you wear!''' If we want to properly teach our children in these matters, then we must be sure that we ourselves are not found lacking in the modest clothes department. And may we also have in store for them--and share with them--the truth that will clothe in righteousness and keep one well covered for the Day of Judgment. I was encouraged to hear of one young teenager whose mother had been taking the time to study with him on these important and needful issues, even though the subject matter became a little embarrassing at times. As a result, however, one day after school the boy came home to share with his mother an admiration he had toward an outstanding girl he had met in one of his classes. ``She's a real good student,'' he said; and then also included, ``She's almost perfect.'' Not understanding the boy's full implication, the mother asked, ``What do you mean by that?'' Her son explained, ``She doesn't wear anything too tight, too low- cut, or see-through.'' The boy was just thirteen years old, but had already learned of some of the good qualities to look for in a female. I personally would not want to be married to a woman who would dress seductively for the public as if she wants the world of men to be drooling after her, or one who simply manifests an irreverent disregard for God's word by wearing immodest apparel. Remember, we need to each be concerned with dressing in harmony with holiness. For if we are not, then what are we dressing in harmony with, and where will this type of fashion ultimately lead? ___________________________________________ "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly...." (1 Tim. 2:9). "And let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentile and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:3,4). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________