Does God Care About the Way We Dress?

LESSON 1

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on Christian Adornment. The topic for this study is: Does God care about the way we dress? Do the attire we put on have a connection with our spiritual life? Friends, before Adam and Eve sinned; they wore a divine garment which was fashioned by their Maker. In the splendour of this garment, uniquely designed by their Creator, they were 'naked', yet felt not ashamed (Genesis 2:25).

In the third chapter of Genesis, we read the sad story of the fall of man. After Adam and Eve had transgressed against the express command of God, we read the following about their situation: "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). Of this new attire which man had made from fig leaves, God saw defects and decided to provide for them a better form of clothing. We read this account in Genesis 3 as follows: "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21). In this text, we see how God takes interest in every area of our lives, including even the clothes we wear.

Friends, the Bible makes it clear that there are types of clothing that the Lord is pleased with, and there are some that He abhors (see 1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:3-5). In fact, there are types of clothing that Scripture refers to as "the attire of an harlot". We read about this from the book of Proverbs as follows: "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart" (Proverbs 7:10). Beloved, I want you to pause here for a moment and do some serious reflection on this point! Is it possible that some of the clothes in your closet can be regarded as "the attire of harlots"?

Today, indecent dressing has become the order of the day. Several women and young ladies consider it normal to wear forms of clothing that expose their shoulders, stomachs, waists, backs and other vital parts of their bodies that only their husbands should behold. A lot of women and young ladies are no more shy to put on low necklines that expose their breasts, miniskirts that expose their thighs, and tight clothing that expose their buttocks and other female curves. Such women and ladies do not realise the temptation that they place on the path of several young men. Recently, I received this desperate prayer request from a man in Kenya. This is the chat we had through WhatsApp:

Man From Kenya: Hi

WTM: Hello

Man From Kenya: Please put me into prayers I am a victim of masturbation

Man From Kenya: Whenever I see a lady dressed in a mini skirt I lust after her and also whenever I see the breast of a lady especially the brown ladies

Man From Kenya: Pray for me

Friends, this is what our boys and men are going through because many women and young ladies decide to wear the attire of harlots. Today, many young ladies use the occasions of dinner parties and weddings to put on the loose clothes they have piled in their closets. But such people must know that God's command for His people in relation to clothing is not limited by any occasion, place or time. Our women and young ladies must know that God will not consider them guiltless when they cause young men to sin through the influence of their adornment.

It is unfortunate to say that the dressing of many women and young ladies in the church today is so rotten that those who decide to dress modestly quickly stand out as wheat among many tares. Here is a compliment that a Godly lady, Staci Osterman received on the Campus of Andrews University for deciding to dress to please her Lord: "Not long ago I met a friend of mine in the Andrews University library. After our usual greeting, he asked if he could pay me a compliment. I blushed a little and said, OK. He said, Staci, I just wanted to thank you for the way you dress. It is so refreshing to see a young lady dressed modestly. This afternoon in the cafeteria I had to avoid looking at several young ladies seated at my table because their clothing was so revealing. I don't have to do that when I am around you, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it" (Dress: An Issue of Heart by Staci Osterman; Published in Adventist Affirm). Beloved, it is sad to behold in our churches now how the devil has led many astray from the pure religion of Christ to worship the goddess of fashion. It is very sad to hear a young lady proclaim ignorantly that: "It is the state of my heart that matters, not the attire I put on". Beloved, the truth is that there is always a connection between the way we dress, and the measure of our spirituality. From the pen of inspiration, we read the following in relation to this point: "Dress is an index of the mind and heart. That which is hung upon the outside is the sign of what is within" (1MCP 289.2). "... when the heart is converted, everything that is out of harmony with the Word of God will drop off" (Ev 272.1). Friends, it is clear that one cannot serve God and the mammon of loose fashion (Matthew 6:24). One cannot be a daughter of Jehovah and appear as the worldling in her way of dressing. The Spirit of Prophecy provides the following counsel for God's people who want to reach out to the world: "Many dress like the world in order to have an influence over unbelievers, but here they make a sad mistake. If they would have a true and saving influence, let them live out their profession, show their faith by their righteous works, and make the distinction plain between the Christian and the worldling. The words, the dress, the actions, should tell for God. Then a holy influence will be shed upon all around them, and even unbelievers will take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus. If any wish to have their influence tell in favor of truth, let them live out their profession and thus imitate the humble Pattern." -- 1TT 594.3 At this point in our study, I want to make it clear that it is not only our women and young ladies that have deviated from the Word of God in relation to the point of Christian dressing. Some men, and especially the young men of today find it gratifying to trim their trousers so tightly that godly women cannot behold them face to face. Some pull down their trousers so low to show even their underpants. The haircut of many men is a detestable spectacle to behold. This is the current state of affairs with respect to dressing in our world today. We have reached the point where people, both men and women, are no more shy to put on "the attire of an harlot". We have reached the point where tattoos and body piercings which are explicitly condemned in the Word of God (see Leviticus 19:28) are gaining roots even among the followers of Christ. We have reached the point where parents who should have known better are the very ones who introduce their children to loose fashion, and thus set them up for its associated dangers of rape and other abuse.

Beloved, even as Christ gave our first parents better clothing after their fall, so does He expect that we clothe ourselves in a dignified manner in our generation. In fact, the Lord is willing to offer unto us today His own clothe of righteousness (see Matthew 22:11-13; Revelation 3:17-19). Are you willing to accept Christ's garment of righteousness today? Are you willing to let go off "the attires of harlots" in your closet so you can embrace Christ all in all? Are you willing to stand alone for Christ in the way you dress? If this is your wish, why don't you whisper a prayer to God for strength right now?

Exhortation: From the pen of inspiration, we read the following counsels in relation to the worldly adornment of our day:

i) "Do not, my sisters, trifle longer with your own souls and with God. I have been shown that the main cause of your backsliding is your love of dress." -- {4T 647.2}

ii) "One of the points upon which those newly come to the faith will need instruction is the subject of dress. Let the new converts be faithfully dealt with." -- {2TT 393.2}

iii) "Our words, our actions, and our dress are daily, living preachers, gathering with Christ or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter to be passed off with a jest. The subject of dress demands serious reflection and much prayer. Many unbelievers have felt that they were not doing right in permitting themselves to be slaves of fashion; but when they see some, who make a high profession of godliness dressing as worldlings dress, enjoying frivolous society, they decide that there can be no wrong in such a course." -- {1TT 596.1}

iv) "We are, said the inspired apostle, made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 1 Corinthians 4:9. All heaven is marking the daily influence which the professed followers of Christ exert upon the world. My sisters, your dress is telling either in favor of Christ and the sacred truth or in favor of the world. Which is it? Remember we must all answer to God for the influence we exert." -- {1TT 596.2}

v) "There is a terrible sin upon us as a people, that we have permitted our church members to dress in a manner inconsistent with their faith. We must arise at once and close the door against the allurements of fashion. Unless we do this, our churches will become demoralized." -- {1TT 600.2}

In our next study, we will consider the topic: What Does the Bible Teach Concerning Earrings, Makeup and other Ornaments? The Bible Study references for this study are Genesis 35:1-4, Exodus 33:5-6, Hosea 2:13, Isaiah 3:17-21, Exodus 21:1-6, 2 Kings 9:30, Jeremiah 4:30, 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-5. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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