Modesty

Modesty

According  To The Scriptures

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The world of fashion is everywhere you look. The fashion magazines promote low cut blouses and dresses alongside revealing skirts and shorts. Tight fitting jeans and pants. Swimwear , which is the most revealing of all of these items. The question is WHY?  Is it to be noticed, and if so, by whom? Could it possibly be to get men to notice us? Why do we need revealing clothes to capture the attention of a man? What kind of man do we think we will attract by wearing revealing clothes?

Does the way we dress matter to the heavenly Father?  Do the Scriptures define what is modest and what is immodest?

So, what advice does the Scriptures offer about Modesty?

 Why Should A Women Be Modest ?

 

1Timothy 2:9,10

9 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;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1Peter 3:3-6

3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man(countenance) of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

  

6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

 

What does all of this mean? Let’s go to the Strongs/Lexicon Concordance and look at what these words mean.

Adorn / Adorned

G2885   κοσμέω   kosmeō   kos-meh'-o; to put in proper order, that is, decorate, adorn, garnish, trim, garnish, trim, to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare. 

Modest

G2887   κόσμιος   kosmios   kos'-mee-os; orderly, that is, decorous: - of good behaviour, modest, Correct and Polite, well arranged.

Apparel

G2689   καταστολή   katastolē  kä-tä-sto-lā'   kat-as-tol-ay'

a lowering, letting down, a garment let down, dress, attire.

Shamefacedness

G127   αἰδώς   aidōs   ahee-doce'  

a sense of shame or honour, modesty, (through the idea of downcast eyes); bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.

Sobriety

G4997   σωφροσύνη   sōphrosunē   so-fros-oo'-nay

soundness of mind,  self control, sobriety.

Professing Godliness 

G2317   θεοσέβεια   theosebeia   theh-os-eb'-i-ah

devoutness, that is, piety, reverence towards God's goodness.

Paul admonished women to dress according to certain standards and listed them in this order: modesty, inexpensive and non ornamental attire, and clothing that becomes godliness.

Proverbs 31:30

Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

  
We being daughters of Sarah seek to emulate all the fine virtues of a believer’s womanhood, so carefully and prayerfully selects her attire in order to not unduly expose her body. She is deliberately methodical in choosing clothing that will dignify her womanhood without provoking the stares of the opposite sex.

Matthew 5:28

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

1 John 2:16

For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

It is a well known fact that men are aroused by what they "see" the Scriptures says in Matthew 5:28 that if a man looks upon a women and desires to lay with her then he has already committed adultery in his heart.

 

Ladies, this means that we are held accountable for wearing revealing clothes that cause any man to look upon us and lust. We have caused him to sin and commit adultery.

We cannot help what men think about, but we can choose clothes with scriptural guidelines that do not tempt them !

We should be careful not to encourage this problem in others or cause a brother to stumble because of the choices we make.

Paul said,

Romans 14:12,13

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

James 1:15

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1 John 2:16

For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Scriptures also says:
 

Deuteronomy 22:5

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

  

Let’s look again at what the word Apparel said:

Apparel

G2689   καταστολή   katastolē  kä-tä-sto-lā'   kat-as-tol-ay' a lowering, letting down, a garment let down, dress, attire.

 

  Being An Example of What you Profess to Believe

As Believers our behavior sets the tone for how others see us and our faith. Being modest in our appearance is just as great a witness to those around us as our words.

One issue many non-Believers have with believers is that they tend to be hypocritical. If we are preaching purity and modesty to others while wearing revealing clothes we may be seen as a hypocrite.

We all have to seek in the scriptures and pray for the guidance, wisdom and knowledge to understand what is being shown through these guidelines given to us. We also have to pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal these things to us for we seek to obey our Heavenly Father and what he tells us and asks us to do so that we all may walk in his fullness and be able to receive all he desires for us.

I was looking for some good examples of dressing modest and found the following website;
http://thepenningtonpoint.com/2013/01/embracing-modesty-no-1/  

 Here are some of the styles shown on this site that were very nice and good examples of modesty.

 

I pray everyone has a awesome day and be blessed

Shalom