Even the World Knows There's A Difference

Why Dress Modestly??

Thoughts on Modest Dress

If a young lady wishes to marry one day the man she always dreamed of, she might be willing to change the way she dresses in order to keep herself pure for him (Proverbs 31:12). If a young lady has chosen to save herself for one man on the whole earth, he must be the sort of man who is honorable, able to be fully trusted, one you could pour your whole heart out to and know your secrets won’t ever leave him. This sort of man would have made a covenant with his eyes not to look on a woman to lust after her beauty. He would be a man who would be keeping himself pure for the one whom he would some day meet and marry for life. He would be looking for a young woman who does not give every man who sees her hope for a relationship with her (Proverbs 11:22;

Ecclesiastes 7:25-29; Proverbs 31:30).

You see, the way a girl dresses speaks of what is in her heart. If she loves her Savior, Jesus, she will dress to please Him. How does she know what clothes Jesus likes? By knowing Jesus and in careful study of His words we can know what He desires for us. The Holy Spirit will make us feel uneasy about wearing clothes that are too revealing. A young woman who desires to please her Savior will wear clothing that would draw a person’s eyes to her face, where shines the beauty of her heart (Matthew 6:22-23). You can tell a lot from looking at a person’s eyes. The face of one who lives in the presence of God shines with the glory of God (Exodus 34:29, Ecclesiastes 8:1; Matthew 17:2). A life of sin wears a face of shame and darkness is in the eyes.

Our choice is will we trust the Lord Jesus to choose our husband for us, or will we continue to try our best to allure men by the way we dress, that we are humans, prone to sin, might find the honorable mate?

A man who is looking for a mate who is pure in her heart and serving God with her life would be drawn to one who dresses with modesty in mind. Her clothes would not draw attention to her chest or her buttocks or her legs, because the young woman who chooses clothes to please the Lord wants to direct others to Jesus and His love. Our faces are to be the focal point in what we wear. Some heave found scarves to be great tools for drawing attention to the face. They allow you to use lots of creativity in the choice of colors and the way you tie them around the neck. Of course, scarves would not be appropriate for every occasion. A short necklace can also be the perfect piece to complete an outfit. There is an array of broaches and pins for sale today, which can be used with a dressy outfit or a casual one. You would wear these pieces near your face. If they, or any other eye-catching accessory, is worn some place other than near the face, it will cause people’s eyes to be drawn away from your face. Keeping this in mind, you can see how patterned hose, or excessive decorations on shoes can be distracting to the eyes. Even wearing clothing that is too loose or too tight will work against the testimony a young woman can have among the people around her.

So, now check out your wardrobe at home. Does it reflect that of one who has dedicated herself to a life of purity to Christ? Adjust some outfits to make them modest. Throw away others, which cannot be made better. Add those garments, which would help build a more Christ-like testimony to your wardrobe. Ask the Lord to guide you and provide clothes that would honor Him. He will bless your efforts.

If you would like to have an outfit sewn for you, the Lord has given me a special ministry to ladies who have chosen to dress modestly. I will sew from your purchased home-sewing pattern, or from a sketch of an outfit you create, or you are welcome to choose from my collection of patterns. I put together an idea catalog with several blouses and skirts and a couple of dresses to spark your own creativity. You can request one of these free catalogs by writing to: handmaid@utmost-way.com or by regular mail:

Handmaid of the Lord

107A East Kolstad Street

Palestine, TX 75801

You can also call us at 903-729-6282.

May God “grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages….” (Ephesians 3:16-21).

The What & Why of Modesty & Feminine Apparel

The What & Why
of Modesty
& Feminine Apparel

What is Modesty and why is it so important for the Christian woman to understand, dress & behave modestly? Modesty is the voluntary personal responsibility to behave & dress in such a manner as to not purposely draw attention to oneself, to not think proudly of oneself and it's a decision to protect from purposeful or "unintended" enticement in inappropriate ways & places. This is crucial for a Christian woman; first and foremost because we're representatives of the LORD Jesus Christ and secondly, if we're married, we're a reflection of our husband.

It's critical to pay attention to the message and the signal our clothing is sending and to make sure, very sure, that the message is in line with the Word of God. If style & type of clothing is something you're wrestling over in your mind, or if you're feeling convicted about dress, and what in this world should a Christian woman be wearing, then pray, discuss these things with your husband. Many will have ideas and convictions about what *you* should wear, but what matters most is what the LORD is directing and what your husband prefers.

Pray together & examine
what you're wearing each day and why!

"That Which Becometh Women Professing Godliness" By Jennifer M. McBride Aug 9, 2005 - 10:33:00 AM

In 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. ~ I Timothy 2:9,10

Under the influence of the culture surrounding us, it is easy for the lines of distinction between Christians and the world to be blurred if we are not on guard. That thing that seemed so shocking at first glance now doesn't look so bad, and before we know it, we are participating in it quite cheerfully! This can happen to all of us in a myriad of ways. Since this is such a real and present danger (a danger which grows all the deadlier as our culture grows ever more evil and races faster and farther from anything remotely resembling Scriptural principles) it is vitally important that we exhort and encourage each other to continually examine ourselves, and our lives, in the light of God's Word.

Immodesty and cross-dressing are not new. Even a brief look at fashion history shows that, when people and nations reject God's standards, their "fashions" tend toward exploitation or gender-neutral designs. Truly, "there is nothing new under the sun."

For women, especially young women, clothing is one such area that can be greatly affected by our culture. As the world around us grows bolder and barer in its fashions, we can begin to lose perspective as to what is appropriate and what is not. Over the last several years, I have watched with increasing dismay as the clothing of many young Christian women has become more and more immodest, revealing, and like that of the world. This is an issue of a deeply serious nature, since it goes beyond just clothing and affects the area of purity as well; both our own and others'. As a young woman myself and as your sister in Christ, this causes me great concern for you. With a husband, a young son, a father, and five brothers, I also have a deep concern for the stumbling block immodest clothing can be to our brethren. Thus, I feel the need, as your sister in Christ, to take keyboard in hand (with a very wriggly baby on my lap!) to exhort and encourage my younger sisters in this most serious area.

While there are many reasons for dressing modestly, I am going to focus on the four most vitally important. First and most importantly, the Lord has a Standard that does not change for every area of our lives, and He has given us these standards in His Word. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17 KJV).

The world, on the other hand, has no set standard but is constantly changing and given over to every whim of whatever is popular. As Christians, we can't use the world as our measuring stick. Not only is the world undependable and unsteady, but in James 4:4 we read, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." In Romans 12:2, the Lord also tells us, "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Therefore, we need to look to God's Holy Word as our guide and measure everything by it alone.

Throughout Scripture we see a pattern for covering our bodies. God says in His Word that we are to cover our nakedness, and He does define what constitutes "nakedness." After Adam and Eve sinned, the Bible says, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Genesis 3:7). Adam and Eve immediately covered their private parts, believing this would hide their "shame" from the Lord. But what did God do with these coverings? "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (3:21). The fig-leaf "aprons" fashioned by our first parents were not enough. God made them coats to cover their bodies. This presents us with an important truth that goes beyond clothing. Our feeble works cannot cover our sins; God has to cover us in His way. When Adam and Eve covered their private parts, God replaced their inadequate coverings with coats to completely clothe their bodies. This is a beautiful picture of the covering of Christ’s atoning blood, which completely hides our sins rather than putting a patch over the "old man" here and there. "In other words," writes Jeff Pollard, "God did not give a fur bikini to represent our righteousness and salvation." [1]

When applied specifically to clothing, we learn that our own ideas about what constitutes modest clothing must be governed by God’s infallible Standard. If we refuse to let God’s perfect Word guide us in the area of dress, we are foolish, unsubmissive rebels. And even if we insist upon a "cultural" interpretation of the modesty and dress passages, if the idolatrous cities of Corinth and Rome called for Christian modesty, does not our modern culture with its rampant pornography, prostitution, and other abuses of women make the call even more urgent and timely?

I Timothy 2:9 tells us, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety." And what exactly is modesty? While it is a word that encompasses many meanings, all can be applied to the issue of clothing. Jeff Pollard, author of Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America, sums it up this way:

Christian modesty is the inner self-government, rooted in a proper understanding of one's self before God, which outwardly displays itself in humility and purity from a genuine love for Jesus Christ, rather than in self-glorification or self-advertisement. Christian modesty then will not publicly expose itself in sinful nakedness. [2]

And what is “shamefacedness and sobriety?”

Shamefacedness describes "a moral revulsion from all that is unseemly, a rejection of even the appearance of the overstepping of the limits of womanly reserve." Sobriety "stands for that inner judgment produced in the believer by the Scripture and the Spirit of God, that provides a restraint on every merely physical or human appetite." [3]

Scripture also tells us that women are to be "discreet and chaste" (Titus 2:5KJV)--meaning caution, prudence and purity--and that we are to adorn ourselves with the "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit" (1 Peter 3:4 KJV). Girls, when you wear tight, form-fitting, low-cut, see-through, attention-grabbing, revealing clothing and carelessly (or deliberately) expose your body, this is dressing in direct opposition to the guidelines given to us in God's Holy Word!

Secondly, as Christian women we must remember that we are representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1Corinthians 6:20). When people look at us, do they see something pure, holy, and different? Do they see something about us that marks us as belonging to the Lord? Or are we dressed like the scantily clad majority, wearing clothing that looks more like the "attire of an harlot" spoken of in Proverbs 7 than that becoming a woman of God? What we wear either brings glory to the Lord or shames Him. When we wear clothing that is immodest and revealing of our bodies, not only are we not drawing people to Christ; we could be enticing them to sin.

Thirdly, we are to keep our bodies private and covered. Our bodies are not to be on free display for all. Did you know that, in addition to belonging the Lord, your body also belongs to your future husband? "God designed man to enjoy and appreciate a woman’s body -- more specifically, his wife’s body. The Song of Solomon is a breathtaking tribute to the beauties of human love and the gifts of femininity and masculinity. Proverbs exhorts a husband to enjoy his wife’s body, which is his own and belongs to the gaze of no other man (Proverbs 5:19). When you wear low-cut necklines, you are offering to the public what belongs to your husband alone to enjoy. Will your husband be happy to know that countless men before him have enjoyed beauties that should 'ravish' him alone?" [4]

Let's imagine for a moment that a family has entrusted a banker with a box full of beautiful, expensive jewels. They have been in the family for generations and are priceless and irreplaceable. Now imagine that, rather than quietly locking those jewels in the bank's vault, the banker puts them out in the middle of the bank's main lobby in a glass case with no lock on the door. He takes great pains to display them very attractively and put up colorful signs that draw the attention of all who walk by. Would that be wise? Do you think that the owners of those jewels would appreciate it? I think that we would all certainly agree that that would be the height of foolishness and that the owners of the jewels would be horrified.

Can you see the parallels between those jewels and you? Do you realize that those jewels represent your body? Your jewels also belong to another and should be kept safely locked up for him. Would your future husband wish you to be careless with these treasures? Would he enjoy knowing how many other men had seen, been attracted to, and enjoyed gazing at them; to know how many other men had dreamed of owning what was rightfully his alone; to know of the potential risk to the safety of his jewels? I think we can safely answer all of these questions with a resounding "no."

Proverbs 31 asks "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her ... She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Let us be such women, whose "price is far above rubies!" Let us not present ourselves as being cheap and of little worth, but rather as those who have been bought with a great price (1 Corinthians 6:20). Protect the treasures that belong to your husband, so that his heart may safely trust in you. Do your husband good all the days of your life; even now, before you know who he might be.

Finally, by dressing in an immodest fashion, we can create a serious stumbling block to our brothers in Christ, causing them to lust. This is not a light matter. While men are most certainly responsible to guard their eyes and their hearts, we are also responsible if we dress in such a way that causes them to stumble. It is a real struggle for our brothers in this day and age in which scantily clad women are around every corner (and lining the highways and byways!). As women, we do not even begin to realize the magnitude of this struggle. It is extremely grieving that our brothers cannot even have a respite from this battle when they gather together with other Christians to remember the Lord. How can a man truly focus on simply worshiping his Savior when he is constantly having to avert his eyes and be careful where he looks, lest he see something that could entice him to sin?

Do you also realize that while your Christian brothers may be battling lust, the majority of men in the world would think it was silly to even put up a fight? You have no idea what thoughts you may be inciting in the many men you pass as you walk through the mall. I have a feeling that you would be appalled. At best, you are allowing yourself to possibly be used as an object of lust by any man who sees you, and, at worst, you could be putting your very safety at stake.

Think again of the analogy of the jewels. Most likely the majority of the people passing by those unguarded jewels in the bank lobby would not be thieves; but more than likely most people would be drooling at the thought of owning those jewels! They would be dreaming of what they could do if only those jewels belonged to them; they would feel tempted by how easily within reach those jewels were; they might start to imagine how they could actually go about taking those jewels and how much they would enjoy owning them. Many would stand and stare at the jewels, admiring and enjoying their beauty. Most people would not actually take the jewels, but many would entertain thoughts of "what if." Perhaps, eventually, a man who had never really thought he would steal something would be overcome by just how easily in reach those jewels were and would give in to the temptation to steal one. "Surely it would not be wrong to take one; they must really not be all that valuable--after all, they are sitting here out on display and unguarded!" Or, perhaps a professional jewelry thief was passing by and, with no qualms of conscience, simply stole them all.

Do you know that when you dress in a revealing, sensual way, you are treating your jewels as carelessly as that banker treated those entrusted to him? You are sending the message that your jewels really aren't all that valuable and are free for the taking; you could even be catching the eye of a jewel thief.

Please think about your clothing; perhaps you have not realized that it is immodest. Examine your wardrobe. Try on your clothing in front of a full-length mirror and put it through some rigorous, prayerful testing! What can you see when you bend over, when you lift your arms, when you sit down? If your clothing is revealing parts of your body that should not be seen by the general public; if your clothing is revealing your undergarments; if your clothing is form-fitting and so tight that very little is left to the imagination as to what your body is shaped like; if your shirts are low cut, open and cleavage-baring, if your skirts and dresses are so short that when you sit down it is likely that the person across from you will see what they should not, then please realize that this is not the attire befitting a woman of God.

You owe it to the Lord who has bought you with a great price to dress as though you belong to Him and not to the Enemy. You owe it to yourself to dress as though you are not cheap and free for the taking, but are a valuable child of God. You owe it to your future husband to save yourself for him in every way.

There is such joy and beauty to be found in doing things the Lord's way! Let's not fall for the lies that Satan would have us believe. Let us seek the Lord in all that we do, whether it is popular or not. Let's seek the path of purity and godly womanhood. The blessings that the Lord has for those that follow Him are rich and plentiful. "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord" (Psalm 119:1). "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways" (Psalm 128:1). "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).

Jennifer McBride is a homeschool graduate and a very happy wife and mother. She and her husband have been blessed with four small children (ages 4,3,2 and ten months) and operate Old Paths, a website dedicated to encouraging a return to the "old paths" of Scripture and the Biblical pattern for raising a godly family.

End Notes:

1. Pollard, Jeff. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America. Vision Forum.com
2. Ibid
3. Allen, J. What the Bible Teaches/ 1 Timothy
4. Chancey, Jennie. "Modesty and the Christian Woman"

© Copyright 2002-2008 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org

Developing Standards of Modesty in Children By Sarah Eppes Dec 2, 2005 - 9:03:00 PM

It is everywhere…the visual assault upon one’s eyes. One cannot drive down a highway without seeing billboards decked out with women in scanty clothes, advertising everything from restaurants named after owls to flooring with suggestive names. (It is not fun to answer an 11 year old boy's question about what kind of food they serve at the owl restaurant!) The checkout lanes at stores are saturated with magazines that promote filth and women in seductive positions with racy headlines. And every time our family faces one of these items, we avert our eyes.

“I made a covenant with mine eyes…” Job 31:1a

Far too often, we are faced not only with averting our eyes from the yuck displayed on inanimate objects such as magazines and billboards, but we are also faced with the yuck paraded in the name of fashion on various people we encounter. It is quite a feat to learn to “keep your eyes on their eyes” when talking to someone dressed immodestly.

As a parent, it could be easy to become discouraged with the state of undress in America. However, my husband and I have been pleasantly surprised at how the Lord has led our family in combating the immodest society in which we live. In the face of a society running rampant with immodesty, as we have turned to the Word, our children have learned volumes about God’s standards, and His desire for their behavior and dress.

It is not uncommon for one of my sons to tell his brothers and sisters to avert their eyes, quietly urging “Look down!” While I admit that my husband and I have giggled at our oldest son’s orders to his siblings, we have found that it is a joy to have children who are seeking to honor the Lord in this area of their lives.

Recently, when I was in a retail store purchasing a few gifts for my youngest daughter’s first birthday. My seven-year-old daughter and I saw a box containing a china teacup in it with the word “Princess” on the box. We peeked at the teacup and stood there debating about whether or not to purchase it. I hesitated because the colors used to paint the princess on the cup were a bit bold, and not to my taste. It was my seven-year-old daughter, however, who cast the deciding vote. She shook her head and gently said, “I don’t like the princess, Mommy, because her dress shows too much of her chest. She doesn’t look modest!” I smiled when I heard my daughter’s words and gave her a huge hug. She had once again discovered immodest dress in daily life.

It is not unusual for this daughter to turn her head or boldly declare (in private) that she does not like an outfit because it reveals too much skin. Although her father and I have never given out exacting rules about standards of dress, we have consistently provided her with “modest” clothes. We also have frequent family discussions about what is “immodest” in our society. Unfortunately, there is much to talk about!

“Modest” is defined in the American College Dictionary as “having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or great pretensions; free from ostentation or showy extravagance; moderate; having or showing regard for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress, etc.; decent.” In contrast, “immodest” is defined as “not modest in conduct, utterance, etc.; indecent; shameless; not modest in assertion or pretension; forward; impudent.”

These terms are further exemplified in abundance throughout the book of Proverbs. As a family, we started the habit several years ago of reading one book of Proverbs per day (one for each numerical day of the month). Proverbs 1:1-6 declares that it's purpose is to instruct in wisdom and teach discretion:

"The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings."

In reading Proverbs regularly, our children speedily learned the definition of a “loose woman,” and my daughter set her sights on never being caught in a situation in which she would be considered “loose!” Our sons, as well, determined to live a life pleasing to the Lord in action, speech and dress.

When our children were little, dress standards were easy--we bought their clothes and they wore them without comment because they were too young to know any differently! As our children have matured, we as parents could have simply dictated personal standards to them. However, we never faced that situation. Our children have never wanted to look like the world! To be sure, as a family, we are still working on these areas of our lives and need an abundance of the Lord’s grace, but we are learning! It has been wonderful to see our children develop these standards as a result of their love for the Lord and His Word. Truly, His Word is sharper than any two-edge sword and will not return void!

If you are attempting to train your children in righteousness, I encourage you to prayerfully consider dress standards in the light of the Word. Then, when making changes and attempting to influence the hearts of your children, read them the Word itself!

It is a beautiful thing to see your young daughter desire to wear modest, yet attractive clothes that allow the love of the Lord to shine through her life, and to see your sons seeking to protect the eyes of their sisters and brothers by warning of immodesty!

The Lord has been so faithful to lead our family in this area as we have turned to the Word. It truly is amazing to see the Lord do the work of influencing little hearts and minds for Him.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" 2 Timothy 3:16


Best Friends by Jessie Wilcox Smith

© Copyright 2002-2008 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org

Modesty: Does God Really Care What I Wear?

In 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 Timothy 2.9-10

This series of several pieces can all be located by clicking on the above title... "Modesty: Does God Really Care What I Wear?"

Other pieces include:
Clothing Communicates
Godly Garments
Philosophies in Conflict
Free to Be Modest
Modesty: Who's to Blame
Modesty: The Wrong Message
Understanding the Differences
Candles and Gunpowder
The Value of Concealed Treasure
What is Immodest?
Partial Disclosure = Exposure
Full Closets and Stingy Hearts
Resolves of the Modest
The Rewards of Modesty


What are your clothes saying about you?
Don't forget to come back and finish reading my posts.

Blessings,
Amanda

Why I am Against Bikini Clad Girls and Bare Chested Boys Swimming in My Lake

~

by Scott Brown, July 11, 2004

~

And I have loved thee, Ocean!
And my joy of youthful sports was on thy breast
To be borne like thy bubbles, onward
From a boy I wantoned with thy breakers
They to me were a delight
And if the freshening sea made them a terror
Twas a pleasing fear
For I was as it were a child of thee
And trusted to thy billows far and near
And laid my hand upon thy mane —- as I do here
— Lord Byron

~

All my life I have loved water and most all water sports. Just this week, I bruised my rib surfing in the Atlantic Ocean. I absolutely love to be in the water. When walking by a stream, there is something so magnetic that I cannot help but look at it constantly. When I was twelve, my father and I built a Kayak and we paddled and swam in the Pacific Ocean, behind Glen Canyon Dam, the Colorado River, and the Salton Sea. Lake or creek, pond or tributary, ocean or sea, I love them all. You can imagine why water baptism means so much to me. The cleansing waves washing over are always deeply symbolic. The statement, “out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37), strikes me to the soul because of my love for water.

~

Problem: this love for water has caused me conflict because of the common attire that is worn. Water activities are engaged either in bikinis or with bare chests.

So why does this have to be a problem? Some would say, “Scott you have changed, why the change?” So, let’s answer the question. What has caused me to re-think bikini clad girls and bare chested boys swimming in my lake. There are at least five things that have caused the change.

1. A Biblical Understanding of History
2. A Biblical Understanding on Modesty
3. A Biblical Understanding of Clothing
4. A Biblical Understanding of Nakedness
5. A Biblical Understanding of Temptation

~

1. A Biblical Understanding of History

Understanding the times is a Christian virtue. And, viewing the flow of history, through a biblical filter, is the way that history should be understood. So, a few years ago I read a book by Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America, where he documents a historical perspective on modesty. Among other things, the book chronicles the reasons for the drift away from modesty in the last one hundred years.

~

Over the last hundred years, we have had, as Jeff Pollard has said, “The public undressing of America.”. What was illegal in clothing 100 years ago, and would cause your arrest, is now popular and accepted everywhere — even in churches.

~

1890’s: Swimwear was modified street clothing 1910: Arms were exposed

~

1920: You would be arrested if you appeared in a modest 21st century bathing suit

~

1920’s: Legs and backs were exposed

~

1930’s: Cleavage was exposed and men began to swim bare chested

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1935: Two piece bathing suits appeared with a small break between upper and lower half

~

1940’s: New fabrics appeared which hugged the body

~

1960’s: Navels were exposed

~

Today: Anything goes... One piece suits with fabrics like skin that really leaves nothing to the imagination and bikinis of various categories prevail as normal.

~

Today, the fashions are so pervasively broadcast over every media outlet that everyone dresses the same when they swim. Movies and TV have so popularized nakedness, that if you challenge it, you are not thought of as being very accepting. In fact, if you do cover your body it seems odd.

~

Jeff Pollard says it this way, “Fashion designers have used swimwear to undress America.” Who can deny this? It is as obvious as a fly on your nose.

~

So it is time to shout it out with perfect clarity: “The empress has no clothes!”. For the last two generations we have been told that swimwear is about fashion. They say, “Fashion is neutral. Don’t criticize fashion, it is only fashion.” No! It is public nakedness.

~

My evaluation of the modern bathing suit is that it is nakedness thinly veiled. And, they are not appropriate for public display. My solution is to cover them up with shorts or some kind of top that keeps private the details.

~

I have come to the place where I am not willing to continue in the direction our culture has taken us. We have followed the styles further than we should have. We have slowly arrived at the place where we are “ok” with our daughters and wives wearing less than underwear in public.

~

As popular dress exposes nakedness it should be rejected, as it is rejected at the Brown’s lake. I am not willing to keep following fashion.

~

2. A Biblical Understanding on Modesty

~

The 1983 version of Webster’s dictionary describes modesty in this way:

~

Behaving according to a standard of what is proper or decorous; decent; pure; now, especially not displaying ones body.

~

Webster is helpful, but Scripture speaks with divine authority regarding modesty. In this case, the scriptural understanding is consistent with Webster’s.

~

I Timothy 2:9-10 makes it clear that God has something to say about how women dress. He is interested in both your appearance and your heart. He is not only interested in your heart. It is not truthful to say that God does not care how you dress, as long as your heart is right. These verses make it clear that appearance is important.

~

Most American Christians do not want anyone to talk about how to dress, but here in this passage of scripture, God is telling the people in the church of Ephesus how to dress.

~

When it comes to dress, Americans are under the nurture and admonition of popular magazines and Hollywood movies. The media has become the jury and judge for matters of dress, displacing the clear teaching of scripture.

~

In I Timothy 2:9-10, Paul uses three words that describe the kind of apparel that women should wear:

~

A. Orderly Clothing — “Kosmeo’ — Order

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We get our word, cosmetics from this word. It means to, “To adorn, arrange, put in order.” It implies harmonious orderly arrangement, instead of rumpled, uncoordinated chaos.

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B. Modest Clothing —‘Aidos” Shamefacedness

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This describes the state of mind that governs dress: respectful timidity, not showy, honoring others, not attracting attention. It is a blend of modesty and humility.

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George Knight explains the meaning of “shamefacedness” in this way:

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Reverence, awe, respect for the feeling or opinion of others or for one’s own conscience and to shame, self-respect... sense of honour. That habitual self government with it’s constant reign on all it’s passions and desires, which would hinder the temptation from arising... — George Knight, Commentary on Ephesians, P134

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William Hendrickson suggests that shamefacedness ‘indicates a sense of shame, a shrinking from trespassing the boundaries of propriety.” — William Hendrickson, New Testament Commentary, p106

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I don’t think many people could argue very effectively against the idea that we have lost a sense of shame regarding dress. It is harder and harder to find clothing that allows modesty. Why, because it is not fashionable to dress modestly as evidenced by a review of the clothing seen in the public in our land. They are places of revealing, not modest clothing.

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C. Moderate Clothing - “Sophrosunes”, or Understatement

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This word calls for “soundness of mind, self control, passions and desires, a self control which holds the reins over Propriety” It is a word that implies moderation; humility; without shame; honorable to God; self control; hating sin.

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This sets modesty in opposition to elaborate hairstyles and expensive clothing.

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In summary there are at least two areas that Paul is addressing for the men and women in the church. As Paul exposes some specific types of apparel that are familiar to all of his hearers, he is forbidding this kind of apparel among believers. So I will, here in the 21st century, do the same for us. It is appropriate for me to take the principles that Paul has given and compare them to the popular experience.

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Paul is forbidding the imitation of worldly fashion in two specific areas:

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1. Sensual/Sexually explicit
2. Ostentatious/Expensive

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All women’s clothing whether on land or sea should not call out “fashion, sex, pride”, but it should call out “God, purity, humility.”

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Paul wants to motivate the women in Ephesus to re-examine their dress because they lived among pagan Greeks who glorified the exposure of the human body. This is exactly what we should do today, even though this places us at odds with the culture, as it did with the Ephesian believers. But what is despised by the world is often acceptable to God.

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3. A Biblical Understanding of Clothing

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If you look at what scripture says about clothing, you find that clothing is meant for covering the body, not revealing it. Scripture tells us that sin is the reason for the need to clothe the body. Since the fall, we are no longer naked and unashamed.

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Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Genesis 3:21 “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” The word “tunics” is translated in other places “coats” or “garments” and they usually refer to clothing that completely covers the body.

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Scripture adequately answers the question, “Why Clothing”? The answer, ‘To cover nakedness.”

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But if you go to the shopping malls to look for clothing and walk the streets and the beaches to see what folks were wearing, you would think that the purpose of clothing was to reveal your body to excite and entice men, not cover it. The predominance of tight shirts, halter tops, string bikinis, tube tops, mini skirts, belly shirts, swimwear, and athletic clothing tell the story quite effectively.

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The joys of swimming or opportunities for participation in certain types of athletics are not adequate reasons to ignore God’s purpose for clothing. But, there are hosts of people in our churches who think that if you are swimming or competing in track and field, it is ok to go half naked or wear revealing clothing.

~We have done with clothing the same thing we have done with art. It is exempt from biblical evaluation. For example, most everyone reveres the artistic contributions of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, who are arguably the most talented painters and sculptors in the history of mankind. Who were these men? Their works were primarily influenced by pagan Greek philosophy which glorified and exposed the naked body. Under the influence of homosexuality, they produced some of the most adored homoerotic sculptures and paintings of the gay community. We call it art.

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Somehow, in the evangelical community, art and fashion have become exempt from biblical evaluation. Call naked sculpture “art”, and modern swimwear “fashion”, if you will, but let’s just be honest and give it the other label it deserves: public nakedness. Unfortunately for swimwear shoppers, public nakedness is forbidden in the Bible.

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4. A Biblical Understanding of Nakedness

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What does the Bible say about nakedness? We know that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” We know that we are made in “the image of God.” The human body is obviously a marvel. God Himself invented sex and the joys of marital nakedness. We know that the Song of Solomon glorifies the shape of a man and a woman. But, do we find encouragement for the public unclothed display of the human body? Do we find examples of a favorable view of public nakedness? Do we find a record of godly artists depicted in scripture who display the naked human form in a favorable light? No!

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When you look up the instances of the word “naked” or “nakedness” you find a certain approach and attitude that should shape our view. Here are a few passages that give the right approach.

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Genesis 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren..

Genesis 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

Exodus 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

Leviticus 18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 18:7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Exodus 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

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It is clear that uncovering nakedness is sinful behavior. It is shameful to reveal the naked body. But in our culture, it is a virtue to reveal it. The world says, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” The Bible says that nakedness should be covered and that you should be ashamed of yourself if you “flaunt it.” This causes us problems because we live in a christian culture that accepts nakedness when it is seen at the beach, when it is displayed in a sports event, when it is seen in the art gallery, when it is watched in the media and when it is displayed in the church. At least we are being consistent.

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Where did we get the idea that naked sculptures and pictures are acceptable and desirable? The Bible does not endorse art with nakedness. Pagan cultures do. Unfortunately, our Greek and Roman roots inform in this area far more than the Bible. We should not forget that some of our most revered artifacts of Greek sculpture were produced by homosexual, pagan artists.

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So what about bare chestedness among men? It is eminently more comfortable to swim without a shirt on. However, I believe that the principle of nakedness applies here. At the Brown pond, I recommend wearing a T-shirt or a surfing shirt sometimes called a “rash guard.”, which is made of polyester and is much more comfortable in water.

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. A Biblical Understanding of Temptation

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There should be a sense of shame for distracting someone from purity. There should be a sense of shame for having a distracting appearance.

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A woman who hates sin would have shame to tempt in any way. This is why Jesus is so clear about causing other people to stumble. Matthew 18:6-10

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

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This is why we should counsel our Christian wives and daughters to rid their wardrobes of tight clothing and modern bathing suits that expose the body rather than understate it’s form.

Joshua Harris writes:

Girls, you have an equally important role. Remember the wayward woman we discussed earlier? Your job is to keep your brothers from being led astray by her charms. Please be aware of how easily your actions and glances can stir up lust in a guy’s mind.

You may not realize this, but we guys most commonly struggle with our eyes. I think many girls are innocently unaware of the difficulty a guy has in remaining pure when looking at a girl who is dressed immodestly. Now I don’t want to dictate your wardrobe, but honestly speaking, I would be blessed if girls considered more than fashion when shopping for clothes. Yes, guys are responsible for maintaining self control, but you can help by refusing to wear clothing designed to attract attention to your body.

I know the world tells you that if you have a nice body, you should show it off. And we men have only helped feed this mentality. But I think you can play a part in reversing this trend. I know many girls who would look great in shorter skirts or tighter blouses, and they know it. But they choose to dress modestly. They take the responsibility of guarding their brother’s eyes. To these women and others like them, I’m grateful.”

“and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24) It’s time to start seeing other people’s purity as our responsibility. — I Kissed Dating Goodbye, p 99

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Without question, the modern swimsuit has created a new spectator sport called girl watching. Men understand this better than anyone. It is incredibly distracting to have an immodestly dressed female nearby.

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So yes, I have changed my mind about swimwear. It happened a few years ago, particularly after I read Jeff Pollards book and began examining the scriptures. Above are the reasons I feel that at least in my area of supervision, that there are different standards of modesty than you see on the beach and the swim parties. Biblical teaching on modesty, clothing, nakedness, and temptation are enough for me to be more careful that I have been in the past.

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So, here are some guidelines that I believe are consistent with the biblical teaching on modesty and clothing and nakedness. So, if you are swimming here in my domain, here are some suggestions. Women, should wear a shirt and shorts over their bathing suits. There should be an effort to cover the details. For men, I ask for shirts or some kind of upper body covering. And, obviously, no speedos!

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As Jeff Pollard has rightly said, anyone who takes on this subject will either be accused of being a libertine or a legalist. I realize this and pray that all of us, in the midst of this “wicked and perverse generation”, will seek to be affected by the Word of God more than anything else.

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About the Author

Scott T. Brown is the director of the National Center for Family- Integrated Churches, a pastor, business man, church leader, and elder at Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

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“We have slowly arrived at the place where we are ‘ok’ with our daughters and wives wearing less than underwear in public.”

www.visionforumministries.org

The What & Why of Modesty & Feminine Apparel

The What & Why of Modesty & Feminine Apparel

What is Modesty and why is it so important for the Christian woman to understand, dress & behave modestly? Modesty is the voluntary personal responsibility to behave & dress in such a manner as to not purposely draw attention to oneself, to not think proudly of oneself and it's a decision to protect from purposeful or "unintended" enticement in inappropriate ways & places. This is crucial for a Christian woman; first and foremost because we're representatives of the LORD Jesus Christ and secondly, if we're married, we're a reflection of our husband.
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It's critical to pay attention to the message and the signal our clothing is sending and to make sure, very sure, that the message is in line with the Word of God. If style & type of clothing is something you're wrestling over in your mind, or if you're feeling convicted about dress, and what in this world should a Christian woman be wearing, then pray, discuss these things with your husband. Many will have ideas and convictions about what *you* should wear, but what matters most is what the LORD is directing and what your husband prefers.
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Pray together & examine what you're wearing each day and why!

www.achristianhome.org

Challenging Department Stores To Carry Modest Clothing

Challenging Department Stores to Carry Modest Clothing
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If you would like to challenge a department store in your community to carry modest clothing for your daughter, here are some suggestions:
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1. Use a business style of writing in your letters.
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2. Seek to challenge the store to carry modest clothes instead of complaining about carrying suggestive clothes. Never be vindictive or offensive.
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3. Be informed and thoughtful rather than preachy. You must know your facts and be correct.
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4. Read and reread your letter. It needs to make sense. Be brief—one page if possible—and forthright.

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Following is a sample letter:

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Dear Sirs:
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My family and I have enjoyed shopping in your store for quite a while. The quality and quantity of options that has come to characterize your store is impressive and has been comforting to us as consumers. Thank you for stocking quality clothes we can count on.
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However, as my daughter moves from being a young girl to being a young woman, we are faced with new challenges. She and I both desire for her to dress modestly—not matronly, but modestly. It is here that we have run into a problem. Up until now, there has always been a wide variety of clothing for us to choose from for young girls. Now, as a young woman, there seems to be a dwindling variety of modest clothing.
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As a long-time customer and a well-intentioned parent, I would like to respectfully ask you to review the style of clothing currently in your store. I am confident, if you carried a greater selection of modest clothing for young women, my family would enthusiastically remain frequent consumers.
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Additionally, my family is not alone in this desire. Many of our friends and acquaintances speak of the declining selection of modest clothing available for parents and young women to choose from. I am confident that balancing the style selection of clothing for young women would not only boost the number of your customers, but would also bolster the community's confidence in your store.
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It is my hope that a favorable response to this letter will allow my family to continue enjoying our shopping here. I deeply appreciate the thoughtful consideration you'll give to this request and eagerly look forward to a response.

Respectfully,

http://www.familylife.com/articles/article_detail.asp?id=750

Harm in Women Working

Picture from www.allposter.com

Harm in Women Working
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1. Harm to the Man: When you work, you rob your husband of his right to meet ordinary challenges, and to grow by these challenges. And, as you become capable, efficient, and independent, he feels less needed, andtherefore less masculine. This weakens him. As you lift, he sets the bucket down.
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2. Harm to the Woman: When you work by choice, you tend to lose some of your womanliness. When you work you tend to take on masculine traits, to be aggressive, bold, capable, efficient, and independent, resulting ina loss of feminine charm. How much charm you lose depends on the type of work. Less masculine jobs are secretarial, clerical, nursing, school teaching, and child care. But any type of work which earns money encourages independence, an enemy to feminine charm. Quoting from my husband's book, "Man of Steel and Velvet": "
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When a woman divides herself between two worlds it's difficult forher to succeed in either. In her world alone she has challenge enough to achieve the domestic excellence she desires. Here she is the understanding wife, the devoted mother and homemaker, and gains great satisfaction from a job well done. This takes great effort. To divide her time and interests between two worlds makes success in eitherdifficult. "Even if she rejects her home sphere and turns her heart and soul to the working world, she will have difficulty. In many jobs she will have a natural disadvantage. She will not meet man's excellence in his world, but will always be secondary to him. So she wanders between two worlds, having rejected her own where she could have been superior and chosen another where she will never be anything but a second-rate man."When a woman works because it is her husband's idea, an even greater harm comes. His suggestion that she work casts doubt in her mind as to his adequacy as a man. If he must lean on her, she will question his ability to solve his problems and face responsibility that is his. This brings insecurity. "Still another harm to consider is the woman's relationship to her employer, especially if he is a man. She's accustomed to looking up to her husband as the director of her activities. When she finds herself taking orders from another man, it is an unnatural situation. She owes him obedience as her employer, and in countless hours of close contactshe may find herself physically attracted to him. Seeing hat his best and perhaps as a more dynamic and effective leader than her husband, she makes comparisons unfavorable to her husband, whose faults and failingsshe knows all to well."
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3. Harm to the Children: When a mother works due to a compelling emergency, children adjust to this situation. They're able to understand when a genuine emergency exists. They may suffer neglect but don't feel lack of love or concern. When a mother works by choice, great harm can come to the child. When he realizes she prefers to work instead of taking care of him, that she places her interests or luxuries ahead of his basic needs, this raises doubt about her love. The children of working mothers usually suffer considerable neglect. Not in all cases,but in most. The woman who works must dedicate herself to her job in order to succeed and justify her pay. During the working hours her job's a priority. At times it will be demanding. Her children are less demanding. They're naturally the ones who suffer. >>
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From Fasinating Womanhood