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BY: Gregg Purcell
Theme Verse: "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing,
modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but
rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness."(1Tim 2:9-10)
- Few things change as much as the fashions of the clothing world. Every year or two, a new
style, new cut, or new idea comes out that the world follows after. Most of the time, however,
especially recently, the new styles and new clothes are only new in the flagrant way they ignore
God's commands concerning modesty. Christians have a duty to dress not as the world does, but
as God commands us to! Let's examine God's Word for principles and commands that relate to
the way we dress!!!
1. Christians are to be different from the world they live in
- God's people have been commanded to stand out from the world since Abraham and
circumcision.
- Examine the following verses and note how they instruct Christians to be -- in relation to the
world around us:
- Phil 2:15 --
- Rom 12:1-2 --
- James 4:4 --
- It can be clearly said and Scripturally supported that Christians are to be different form the
world!
2. Christians must show the world that they are different
- While this may sound redundant, we must not only be different, but be willing to show that we
are different by example.
- Examine the following verses that deal with our example and how important it is to us and to the
world:
- Ec 9:8, Rev3:4-5 --
- Matt 5:13-16 --
- Gal 3:27, Rom 13:14 --
- 2 Cor 1:12 --
- These passages and many others detail the importance we have in preaching Christ through our
examples!
3. We are judged by how we dress
- The world makes judgments about us based on we are dressed. If we are dressed as those who
partake of fleshly lusts, even if we don't, how can the outside world tell? If you don't scuba dive,
you don't walk around in a scuba diving suit. If you don't practice unrighteousness -- don't
walk around in the suit of unrighteousness!
- Examine the following passage and note how a character judgment is made by Solomon:
- Prov 7:10 --
- How could Solomon tell this about this woman? What did he base his conclusion on?
- Do people still judge using this basis? Do you?
- What does that tell you about the clothes that we wear?
- God also can tell things about us based on how we are dressed. Examine these passages and
answer the questions:
- Gen 3:7 --
- After eating the fruit, what did Adam and Eve realize? What did they do about it?
- The word translated as "loin coverings (NAS)" is chagorah, Hebrew, similar to a modern 2-piece swimsuit
- Gen 3:21 --
- After God saw their sin and condemned them for it, what did he do?
- Would you say by this that God does care what we wear?
- The word translated as "garments (NAS) is kehoneth, Hebrew, similar to a tunic-type garment.
- What type of dress does God clearly see as correct?
4. God's New Testament command for modest dress
- God has commanded us to dress modestly in the New Testament also.
- Read the following verses and write what God's command is:
- 1 Tim 2:9 --
- Greek words here: kosmios -translated as modest - KJ, proper - NAS -- means orderly, well-arranged, decent
Sophrosune - translated as sobriety - KJ, discreetly - NAS -- means with sound judgment
katastole -- translated as apparel - KJ, clothing - NAS -- means a loose-fitting outer garment
- So, based on this verse, how is a Christian to dress?
- Christians are to dress modestly -- This does not change with fashions, nor with time!
5. Greek Words and Guidelines
- By examining the Greek words for clothing and present-day dress, we can come up with some
guidelines for modest dress!!
- Read John 21:7 --
- Peter is referred to as "stripped" or "naked" when he is clothed only in his undergarment.
- This Greek word -- chiton -- refers to a tight-fitting undergarment woven into one piece.
- Peter fixes this by putting on an ependutes - a loose, linen frock worn by fishermen during work.
- Can you think of modern clothing that resembles tight-fitting, one piece undergarments?
- According to Bible terms, people dressed in these types of clothing would be referred to as
stripped or naked.
- Below is a composite of acceptable dress guidelines we can get by examining all of these Greek
words
We must accept God's will in all our areas
of our lives. Even if the type of clothing we
wear doesn't seem that important to us, we
have seen in the Scriptures that it is important
to God! Live for Him!!