Today, opinions are divided about what is the standard for modesty as regards ladies dressing. Some congregations teach that it does not matter what one wears, as long as he/she is a sincere Christian or as long as he/she is not promiscuous. ‘’Besides’’ they say, “God looks at the heart not the outward appearance.” Some think ladies are not to wear pairs of trousers, or mini skirts, but allow them to wear long but tight skirts. There are also ladies that can not in clear conscience, wear the aforementioned clothing to church; they dress decently and properly to church services, but feel okay to dress otherwise to go to offices, markets, or stay at home. Let us see from the bible whether we are at liberty as Christians to wear anything we want to.
A FEW ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST CARELESS DRESSING
1. They hold that it is more convenient to ride okada in pair of trousers or mini. They also say “it is easier to run (in case of emergency) in pairs of trousers than in clumsy, baggy dresses.’’ I agree with these arguments, except that I think you will be freer and find it more convenient if you try riding on an okada or running NAKED. Little knowledge of history tells us that the early athletes ran NAKED. Can you sacrifice modesty for convenience?
2. Suppose you walk into a hospital to have your health checked, and then you see a young man in green overall smeared with grease and engine oil; to worsen matters, you see in his hands spanners, screw drivers, jack and hammer come to attend to you, he introduces himself as a medical doctor and says “your case is an emergency and I will need to conduct a surgery on you.’’ What will you do? What about if you are looking for a builder and someone comes to you dressed as a lawyer about to go to court? IT DOES MATTER WHAT YOU WEAR! That is why soldiers have uniforms, sportsmen and women have their own wears. This is so for the singular purpose of easy identification. Your dressing has a way of describing you and what you do. I think that is one of the major reasons people dress the way they do. When you see a man in black wears from head to toe and a gun, (especially at night) he is most likely to be a police officer or an armed robber.
In the same vein, spiritually, our dressings suggest to the beholder who may not have a thorough knowledge of us that we are either God’s Children, or worldly children. There is a way a prostitute dresses, and there is a way a Christian lady dresses. You can not be both. You are either telling the world you are God’s child or not. You cannot run away from the fact that the way you dress gives a certain impression about you. It reveals your heart and desire. There is something that makes you to dress in the way you do.
Three Wicked Modes of Dressing Condemned by the Bible
APRONS
An apron is a piece of cloth with a string to tie at the back of the wearer. It is designed to cover only the frontal parts of the person. The ropes alone go around the back. It is worn on top of the main clothings. Market women, cooks, barbers, and many other people wear it to work.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their perfect knowledge, dignity and brightness. In an attempt to hide their shameful condition they “sewed fig leaves together and made themselves APRONS”. Gen. 3:7. But aprons could not cover them properly. Parts of their bodies were still naked and exposed to the general public. WRONG DRESSING IS THE FIRST SIGN OF SIN.
Aprons have ropes to tie around the body. What that means is that part of the body will be covered by material while other parts will have just the ropes. Does this not describe some ladies dressings? Have we not seen a lot of ladies including EVEN married women with very scanty clothings that looked somewhat like they just had ropes all around their bodies while they remain exposed?
(2). BABYLONISH GARMENT
Josh. 7:21. Remember the story of Achan? The man who disobeyed God by taking accursed things from Jericho and thereby bringing defeat to the entire army of Israel? Among the stuffs that were cursed in Jericho was their dressing. Their dressing was so wicked that fornication, adulteries and all manner of uncleanness were brought about. By their very dressing- they suggest uncleanness. But the most surprising thing is the phrase used in describing these garments that brought the defeat to the nation of Israel, death to the family of Achan, and disrespect to a lot of our women today is- Babylonish garment. Babylon comes from the word “Babel” which means confusion Gen.11:9. So Babylonish Garment simply means confusing garment. It covers every dressing that brings confusion. For example- when a woman wears a pair of trousers, she tries to look like a man but she is not, it is confusion. When a woman cuts her hair instead of plating, she is trying to look like a man but he is not, it is confusion. When a man perms his hair, he is trying to look like a woman, the same goes for men with long hair, they are trying to look like women (expect that they are ugly) but they are not women, it is confusion. When a man wears a trouser that does not hold him firmly at his waist, his inner wear, (boxers, sometimes the very buttons are exposed, they call it sagging) he is trying to look like a monkey, but he is not, it is confusion.
THE THIRD/DRESSING CONDEMNNED BY THE BIBLE IS ....
3. “THE ATTIRE OF AN HARLOT"
prov 7:10
In the Bible passage (Prov. 7:1-27), God is instructing His children on how to escape the trap of the harlot. But it is interesting to note that, the first mark of the harlot (whore, slut, hustler, ashawo, prostitute, e.t.c.) is in her dressing. " and behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart." Provo 7:10. The attire or dressing of a harlot is that clothing which is deliberately designed to reveal certain parts of the woman’s body (those parts that are her special weapons of mass destruction) to lure the unstable and precious mind in order to cause them to sin against God and their bodies.
Because this is designed to be a tract and not a book, we will just give a few examples of what could be properly called ''The Attire of a Harlot". We trust to deal with this matter in a more detailed manner in the future if the LORD wills and tarries.
1. Every clothing that is transparent is a harlot's. It may be a long, loose, and decent style, but the fact that it is transparent reveals the wicked intention underneath.
2. There are some that are not transparent, but hold tight around the body. They expose every contour of the wearer's body. Sometimes you see these clothing in forms of skirts. They hold tight around the waist but are loose around the feet. It is supposed to be upside down. Some are so tight that it is very difficult to tell whether the wearer just painted her skin or really have something on. I mean it reveals EVERYTHING.
3. Others are specially designed with either bright colours and rude pictures, or bad statements around bad parts of their bodies to attract attention.
4. Most of these "attires of the harlots" come in designs that reveal quarter, half, three quarter or even the whole breasts and bottoms according to how wicked and deep into sin the wearer has descended. It is a common sight to see the hypocrites try to pull or force their rather tiny tops to cover their exposed bottoms as they sit in public vehicles, okada, restaurants e.t.c. It could have slits, just like we see on some skirts worn by ladies today. Slits are cuts in skirts that expose ladies thighs and sometimes more.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR A SINFUL WORLD.
God loves and desires to cloth you, just like He did to our first parents. You see my dear friend, God is not just interested in showing you your faults, but He is even more interested in helping you. To our degraded, depraved, and naked parents, the Bible says "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make COATS of skins, and clothed them." Gen. 3:21. Only God can give you the right clothing that can cover your sin and shame. As wrong dressing was a sign of sinfulness to Adam and Eve; it still is today. You see my dear friend, the Bible says " .. by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven". Matt. 7:20-21. No religion can get you that garment, no baptism, no prophet, no holy communion, Mary cannot, Russell cannot, its only God through Christ. You see my dear friend, bad dressing is a revelation of unsaved condition. And God used good clothing as a picture of salvation that was purchased for you with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
But he cannot save you except you repent ( feel sorrow,) for your sins, and see your deep-need of Him. Why should He save you against your will? Why will He deliver you from the things you love? Like Adam you must see yourself as a guilty person doomed for Hell fire. Gen. 3:8-10. For the Bible says God always hears and will save anyone who is truly sorry for his/her sins Ps. 51 :3-4,17.
Realize also that Jesus Christ God's only begotten, is the only way to heaven Jh14:6. He is the only one that can provide for you a changed garment (salvation). "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying take AWAY the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to PASS FROM THEE, and I will cloth. thee with change of raiment." Zachariah. 3:3-4. the price for the pure and perfect garment is the blood of Jesus Christ. Rev. 7:13-14. Jesus the only begotten Son of God loves you so much that He took your punishments on the cross. 1Cor. 15:3, Rom. 5:8. He did not only die, praise God He rose from the dead! 1Cor. 15:4. Today He wants to bring into your heart a gift of eternal life, a brand new life.
Do you want to be found in your own garments, or God's given garment? Phillipians 3:9. If you want these changes and salvation, see what God says you must do: - 'That if thou shalt CONFESS with thy mouth THE LORD JESUS, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". Rom. 10:9,13
Please be free to contact us for queries and info at the contacts below. Also let us know other topics you will like for us to write on in the future or even if you want us to put a book on this topic. You are alo welcome to contact us for support for more publications.
Bible Baptist Church
(Independent Fundamental)
Jikwoyi Angwan Gade.
P.o box 5769 Garki Abuja.
Opp. Rahinna Model Pri/Sec. Sch.
Email:simonnyam1@yahoo.com, biblebatistabuja@yahoo.com GSM:08098033769,07067901616
Weekly schedule.
Sun - 9.00am & 6.00pm
Tuesday=Soul Winning - 6.00pm Wed mid-week prayer - 6.00pm
Also Bible Clubs Meeting for Children and teen - Saturday 4.00pm and Sunday 3.30pm That in all things (Christ) might have the pre-eminence. Col. 1 :18.
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