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We just went over the topic of modesty in our ladies evening Bible class. It was a great study presented by a woman who shows such a great example of modesty and purity in herself and in her family. I am very thankful for her teachings and example. Way to go Aleece. :)
I just recently read this article & thought I would share since the topic is fresh. I know this is a topic I can always be reminded of. There are things I wore last summer that I didn't feel right wearing this summer. I'm sure I'll look back in 5 years and notice the same. Anyways, I just wanted to make sure that I'm not giving the impression that I think I'm the master at this topic. I'm just trying to get better at it because I have failed at it miserably in the past. I know it's a serious subject because it causes others to fall.
Modesty
A young man from Illinois wrote: "Deuteronomy 22:8 says, 'When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it'. My sister has often heard from other girls, 'It seems the whole point of this modesty thing is to try to hide the fact that I'm a female. If I do that, how will a guy ever notice me?' In my opinion, modesty is no more about hiding the fact that a woman is a woman than having a parapet around the roof is about hiding the fact the roof is a roof. The primary purpose of the parapet is so that no one falls off the roof and dies, bringing guilt upon the homeowner. One primary purpose of modesty is to prevent men from 'falling' on account of a woman's unguarded body" (Shannon Moeller, Modesty Survey, The Rebelution.com).
1 Timothy 2:9
"Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modesty and discreetly, not with braided and gold or pearls or costly garments"
This verse makes it clear that there is "proper" and "modest" clothing, which equally means that there is improper and immodest clothing. This verse issues a warning drawing too much attention to oneself through overdressing, and other verses warning about the danger of under-dressing (Proverbs 7:10).
Immodesty is not Purely Subjective
The following is from a flyer entitled "Dress Standards for Visitors" which is distributed to the visitors for the Twin Rivers Correctional Center, a prison in Monroe, Washington: "Clothing Not Allowed: Low-cut (exposing undergarments, cleavage, back). Sheer, transparent or mesh fabrics (other than hosiery). Tight fitting clothing (spandex, lycra or other rubberized or elasticized). Clothing that refers to obscenity, alcohol, drugs or sex in any form. Shorts, cut-offs, and halter tops". While not all shorts are immodest, even the above non-Christians realized that many shorts do incite lust. When it comes to that which incites lust, the world is sometimes more aware and honest than we are.
So what is the Line?
In helping determine what type of clothing would be immodest, I want us to consider two passages:
Matthew 18:6-7
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy-millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea"
Jesus is describing a horrible way to die in this verse, yet this terrible way of dying is to be preferred to what awaits those who cause others to stumble and sin. The method of execution that is to be "preferred" to causing one to sin, is having a large stone attached to your neck and then pushed over the side of a boat alive. "Those who have learned to swim, can easily understand the effect of having a large stone attached to the neck. The head would be pulled straight down with the result being the person would find it impossible to swim. Death by drowning would occur within a few seconds as one struggled in a hysterical fashion to swim to the surface.
We have not discussed this method of execution in detail to horrify anyone, rather to give the reader the kind of understanding of this method of capital punishment that existed in the culture of Jesus hearer. These people knew all about this method of execution so that the full weight of Jesus words was heavy on their minds. It is not our purpose to give anyone bad dreams about this form of execution, but our purpose is to ensure that we will not take lightly the serious nature of this sin. This was a terrible form of execution. It was a terrifying experience both for the person being executed and for his friends as they watched him fight the water struggling in vain to come up for air. In addition to this, his body was pulled to the bottom of the sea probably never to be seen again. This added to the intensity of the punishment since the family could not give the executed man a proper burial" (Alfred Newberry). This type of death would be very similar to what would happen to an Alaskan crab fisherman if his foot gets caught in a line that is attached to a large crab pot that is going overboard. There is panic, shock, intense pain, bursting ear drums and all sorts of other terrible side effects. Yet, as horrible as all of this is, this method of death is to be preferred to what awaits in eternity to the person who causes others to spiritually stumble and sin.
Matthew 5:28
"But I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart"
This verse comes as a big surprise to many people in our culture who have taken it for granted that there is either "no harm in lusting" or that there is "no harm is wearing something that teases and entices the opposite sex". Remember, some mere mortal did not create the truths of the previous verses, rather, the Judge who is going to determine our eternal destiny laid down these standards (John 12:48; Acts 17:30; 2 Corinthians 5:10). In light of the above passages I do not see how anyone could argue that they have a right to:
Wear a bikini at the beach
Expose their cleavage
Wear short, shorts
Or wear anything that teases men sexually
Ask the Right Person
The person to ask whether or not something you are wearing is tempting is not necessarily someone your own age or of your own gender. Ask a man who has been a Christian for decades, even a man who reads his bible, prays to God often, and is a very involved Christian. Even a man with all this spiritual growth is still tempted by someone in a bikini - then you know that article of clothing is dangerous (Hebrews 5:12-14).
Modesty and Worship
"You shall not go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it" (Exodus 20:26). "And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover their bare flesh; they shall reach from the lions even to the thighs" (Exodus 28:42). The prohibition of steps leading up to an altar was designed to prevent the priests from being indecently exposed. "Altars with elaborate craftsmanship and elevated platforms with staircases were common in the worship of false deities" (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 141). Added to this, God also gave very clear instruction for the undergarments that the priests were to wear, so every precaution was taken to assure modesty, especially during worship.
What Men Face
One reason why I presented the two above passages is that the last place that immodesty should be seen is a setting where people, both men and women, are attempting to worship God. This is one place where a man should not have to see what he is constantly presented with in the world. Everywhere a man ventures he faces an obstacle course of skin, from the morning paper that he picks up, the billboards on the way to work, people walking on the street, the person in the car next to him at the stop light, the early morning jogger, the people at work, the magazines at the grocery store or in various offices, not to mention what is found on the Internet and on Television. In our culture, Satan is targeting men, and he is presently being very successful. Many denominations contain a large number of older couples, kids, and women, but very few younger men.
Trap Doors
I know that the devil is after strong Christian men, because they are a rare breed. He will do everything he can to entrap such men and will not stop. He sets traps (2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Timothy 2:26 "from the snare of the devil"). Therefore, do not become one of the devil's snares, do not become the "trap door" or the "snare" for someone who is trying to make it to heaven.
Reverse Pornography
The man who is viewing pornography does not care at that moment who he is hurting; he only wants the satisfaction and pleasure of the moment. His need for gratification and feeling good takes precedence over everything else. In like manner, the woman who continues to dress immodestly is doing the same thing; her pleasure is all the mental compliments that are coming her way through the eyes of men. She knows that she is attracting attention, she likes the power that she seems to have over the emotions and hearts of men, yet her desire to have her ego fed is just as sinful as the man who lustfully looks and doesn't care who is hurt.
The Lordship of Jesus Christ
Who do we live for? "Are you governed by fashion? Are you governed by the culture? Are you governed by your friends' opinions or are you governed by Christ and His Word? Who is your Lord? You see, you and I are not to be enslaved to anything or anyone other than Jesus — to have any Lord other than Him is to be a slave" (Nancy Leigh DeMoss). (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:12). "Could I ask, based on these principles, 'Are you willing to make whatever changes may be necessary in any area of your life, including your clothing, in order to live out those principles, to live under the ownership of God, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven?'" (http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2007/02/cj-mahaney-the-soul-of-modesty-2/)
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
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