It seems that modesty is very much out of style these days.

We are in the last leg of the summer season here in Toronto, and the past month of extreme heat has brough skirts, short shorts, tanks and extra low cut everything back into extra-popular style.  Everywhere, left right and every place in between you can find girls, young women who are flaunting what they got as if there was no tomorrow–so you might as well!  Even worse, to see sisters in Christ dress like this–as if there are no Biblical rules about how we should dress–is simply a disappointment and disgrace to see in God’s children, in worshippers giving praise to our Savior in the Father’s Holy Sanctuary.

I am simply outright furious at what sin-causing, brother-tripping, im-mobdest dress and behaviour has seeped into our society and our body of Christ.  I’ve even read on the blogs of certain Christians that give praise to starring at such sexually appealing “hot” women–all day.  Such behaviour is unacceptable in the body of Christ.  Period.

Are there rules for how we should dress? 

I am addressing the issue of female attire more than that of us males, as it seems the greater problem lies in how sisters dress which causes brothers to fall into temptation.  (But don’t get me wrong, I’m sure I sometimes dress a bit immodestly, possibly causing sisters to stumble–But I don’t think it’s a big problem!  LOL  Do let me know if it is!)

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.
(1 Tim 2:8-10 ESV, emphasis added)

This quotation encompasses 3 verses (8, 9, and 10), but spans just one sentence here in the ESV–and I think there’s good reason for it.  I don’t intend to give a full exposition on everything here, but take notice that Paul’s call to the women of Ephesus to dress respectably with modesty and self control is a parallel to his call to men to pray with holy hands lifted.  There is tremendous significance in what it means to pray with holy hands lifted, and thus the significance is similar for women to dress in a way that professes their godliness.  In both cases, it is quite frankly behaviour that should be considered worship to God–how we pray and how we dress.  The way in which we pray and the way in which we dress speaks to the attitude of our hearts–in clothese that are respectable to God.

Now… what exactly does Paul mean by “modesty” and “self-control”?

Modesty = Propriety: The avoidance of clothing and adornment that is extravagant, showy, and sexually enticing.
Self-Control = Restraint, moderation for the purpose of purity.

I’ll be honest–modesty is probably a word we don’t want to talk about when going down to the Eaton Centre to shop for a new outfit!  With an intent to go to Guess or Hollister or the like, hearing the call to “go MODEST” has connotations of God commanding us to wear clothes that are out of style, uncool, unfashionable, not sexy, not attractive, and possibly, just plain ugly!  I love clothes and really enjoy shopping for a new top or bottom (YES–I’m a guy, albeit a bit metro or ubber)…but we really must consider the fact that God just might have something to say about the clothes we wear.

When Paul writes about modesty and self control, His goal is the glory of God.  He’s trying to tell us that how we dress / what we wear relates directly to our intention of honouring God.  He doesn’t desire to cramp our style; we have been blessed with our bodies for a purpose.  And this purpose is worship.  To bring in a popular Old Testament word, God just wants us to be holy–because that’s who HE is.  Without modesty and self-control, we are left with fashions that are sexually inviting, lacking in purity and holiness, and in all likelihood, could cause even Godly men to stumble.  (Just think for a moment to King David.)  Henceforth, what you wear, women, testifies to the attitude of your heart of worship.

We cannot consult celebrities or the fashion magazines about how we should dress.  OK–maybe that’s a bold statement, maybe a little too conservative… but I honestly think our generation of Christian girls and young women (and men) must consult God’s Word for direction in what they wear.  God won’t tell us specifically in His word what we should or shouldn’t wear, but these 3 ideas of respectability, modesty and self-control give us clear guidelines as to what is acceptable for God’s holy, chosen, faithful children.  We must not take God’s word lightly; we should really take God shopping with us when we go buy new clothes.

What more is that I do not think the passage here is telling us that godly women should dress as unattractively and out of style as possible, but the complete opposite.  God made all things and said that it was good–He is the Creator of beauty and takes delight in it.  Somehow, by our sin we have made what was originally good and turned it into bad.  HIS beauty is moreover about what is gloriously attractively–pure, holy–rather than appealing to our eyes or mojo on the surface.  The qualties that Paul calls for in our dress is as beautiful as can be glorious to the Father, not eye-catchingly sexually appealing to the world as culture has us thinking.

If ever you can dress in a way that directly glorifies God, that shows that you are a woman of God in heart, word and deed… if ever you can dress in way that tells the world that you have been justified by faith in Christ and His grace is what gives you ability to be sanctified–dress in that way!  Anything that is immodest and attracts attention to the self rather than God, in all due respect, is uncalled for and unworthy for a woman of God to be wearing before the Judge of All.

When Paul calls women “not to dress themselves in braided hair and gold or costly attire“, he is speaking directly in relation to the norm of his time in Ephesus.

To the women of this first century church, Paul writes to warn them against imitating the dress and adornment of the ladies of the Roman court and the prostitutes. These women were known for their extremely expensive, showy clothes and ridiculously elaborate hairstyles. They dressed, not only to attract attention, but to seduce as well. Paul does not want the women of the church to dress in this manner and thus be a distraction during the church service, or at any other time.  (Source)

Paul here condemns the association we can have with worldly and ungodly values; he is not condemning attractive attire.  “Women who profess godliness, should NOT dress in such a way that resembles those who are extravagant, or worse, intent on being seductive or sexy.”  We are to have nothing to do with the sinful, worldly culture through our dress.  If ever there is a hint of this, it is very possible that you are indirectly or directly causing a brother to stumble–and this we must be all means refrain from.

As it says in 1 Corinthians 10: “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up… Do not cause anyone to stumble..

Questions to ponder:
Who are we seeking to imitate or be like in our dress? Who inspires our wardrobe? 

At the end of the day, all this matters all the more in today’s postmodern culture because God’s standard for sexual impurity is this: not even a hint.  “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”  (Ephesians 5:3) 

When women who claim Jesus as their LORD and Savior dress immodestly, in ways following the patterns of this world and in sexually appealing seeking to attract the attention and gawking of women and men… the goal to glorify God is missed by a long shot.  What’s worse is that it puts sexually impure thoughts (and God forbid, intentions and actions) into the minds of brothers in Christ who are trying to profess their godliness in action and thought.  Such women of God no longer profess godliness but cause brothers to stumble and fall into temptation.  The extent of which could be deadly, if not simply impure and detestable in the sight of God.  Do we not know that males are more prone to visual stimulus than females?  Then why do we still live as we have not been saved by the blood of Christ… why do we still behave like the world and unsaved sinners? 

Fashion that honors God comes from a heart of modesty and self-control, and thus modesty is humility expressed in dress that aims to glorify God.

Are we to continue sinning that grace may abound?  Are we sinning because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!  How can we who died to sin still live in it?  You simply cannot, should not at all!  We have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who lives–but Christ who lives in me!

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things!  (Romans 8:32)  As we have been saved by grace, let us now live by it, that it may sustain us in holy living, being enabled sanctified by the Spirit to live in obedience–to the praise of the greatness of the glory of God’s grace!  Let us encourage each other to walk in a manner worthy of His grace & calling.

(To guy readers, I commend you to check out Josh Harris’ blog series about fighting Internet pornography & sexual temptation.  Some really helpful suggestions taken from Harris book.)

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Thanks to the ladies here who have provided
additonal Biblical insight to this topic of modesty.