Ministering Ladies

First of all, I acknowledge that in today’s society, modesty means different things to different people.  Let’s briefly examine this from a general Christian worldview: Is there a biblical standard that Christians should adhere to?

Remember the account of Adam and Eve?  After eating the forbidden fruit, they experienced shame and self-consciousness.  They tried to cover up their nakedness.  They didn’t ask for God’s advice about how they should dress or what they should do.  Instead, they came up with their own plan to cover just their “private” areas.  What’s so unbelievable is that they used fig leaves to do this, and fig leaves feel like sandpaper!

As we go deeper, we see that Adam and Eve’s primary concern was their nakedness, but God’s primary concern was that they had disobeyed His Word and that their relationship with him had been hurt.  They were concerned about their external appearance, but God was more concerned about their hearts (that doesn’t mean He didn’t care about their appearance, though; we’ll get to that in a minute).

At first, God addressed their disobedience, their sin, and the consequences.  Then, and only then, did it come back to the matter of their clothes (or lack thereof!).  God didn’t overlook their indecency.  He didn’t pass over it as though it didn’t matter.  It just wasn’t the first thing He addressed.

Genesis 3:7 tells us they had first sewed themselves “loincloths”, which is translated to be an apron of sorts.  In contrast, however, the “garments” that God made for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21) were translated as “tunics” or “coats.”  Big difference, right?   Many Bible commentaries will define these garments as an article of clothing that covers the body at least from the neck to the knees.

That’s interesting.  Where do plunging necklines and short dresses come into play?  Are these Bible “stories” still relevant today?  How do they apply in our life, in our church, in our Christianity?

When it comes to our appearance, who or what controls what we wear?  Is it the culture, our friends, the media?  Or Christ and His Word?  Have we even really thought about it?

Society tells us that the purpose of clothing is to reveal the body, but there are several passages in the Bible that indicate its purpose is to cover and conceal the body instead.  Society says, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.”  Christ tells us to be clothed with humility and modesty. 

Being modest doesn’t mean that you must dress old-fashioned, plain, or boring.  You can be fashionable and modest simultaneously.  But I believe that a woman that is conscious of God’s desire for modesty will not dress to seek out sexual attention from men.  Her motivation will not be self-seeking or seductive.  Instead, she will present herself as an attractive woman because she knows she represents God to others.

Along this line, you may have heard it said that men tend to be visually stimulated, while women respond more to touch.  Men receive gratification through the eyes.  We sometimes forget this or don’t understand it, because we’re more gratified by touch and relationship.  We may not understand why men are wired differently, but regardless, it is part of God’s design and plan.  We do have a responsibility to be conscious of our motives and to dress in ways that are not intentionally seductive or immodest.

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:

Former President John Adams made this statement, “From all that I have read of history and government, of human life and manners, I have drawn this conclusion, that the manners of women were the most infallible barometer to ascertain the degree of morality and virtue of a nation.  The Jews, Greeks, Romans, Swiss, and Dutch all lost their public spirit and republican forms of government when they lost the modesty of their women.”

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?… Therefore, honor God with your body.” 

-        I Corinthians 6:19-20

“Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”

-        Proverbs 11:22

“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety…”

-        I Timothy 2:9

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification… It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.”

-        Romans 14:19-21

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world…”

-        Romans 12:2

“Therefore I do not run like a woman running aimlessly; I do not fight like a woman beating the air.  No, I beat my body and my mind and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

-        I Corinthians 9:26-27

Shannon Etheridge, Every Woman’s Battle, WaterBrook Press: Colorado Springs (2003).

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, The Look: Does God Really Care What I Wear?, Revive Our Hearts: Niles, MI (2003).

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