By Sally Hohnberger
Christians are too often consumed with the externals of dress as Matthew 6:31-33 says, “What shall I wear? Wherewithal shall I be clothed?" When the weightier matter is, “Am I clothed with Christ?”
The question we need to ask ourselves is, Do we know how to get in Christ and manifest a Christ-like spirit in all circumstances? Do we know how to surrender to God's will, when self's will is crossed finding freedom from its rule? Do we daily “Put on Christ," enthroning Him on our heart's will, so His divine power can change, subdue and save us from serving self? True dress reform is put ye on the Lord, Jesus Christ.
My inner self consists of my thoughts, feelings, emotions, tastes and desires. Think about this. This is what our character is that God wants to redeem from serving self. He wants our character to serve Him and His ways instead. This requires a choice on our part. We need to learn to filter our thoughts, feelings, and responses through Christ and choose to do His will not mine. This is letting Christ live inside us. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says it this way, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
God works from the inside outward. He wants to put His heart in us which represents His feelings, His emotions, His habits but He needs our consent and cooperation in order that He can do this. When we let Christ have the throne of our heart Satan can no longer reside there. God does not occupy a divided heart. God wants all of us which is an undivided heart to the level of our thoughts and feelings.
The inward surrender of my thoughts, feelings and words to the Holy Spirit's influence upon my mind, must be learned in order for Christ to adorn me with the essential undergarments of Christ-like faith and virtue! Before we put on our outer clothing we put on our essential under garments. In the spiritual life union and communion, surrender and cooperation rightly understood are the foundations of our life in Christ. We need the Holy Spirit guiding us every moment inside so the outside can be Christ.
2 Peter 1:5 says, “Add to your faith [belief] ... virtue [enabling power to obey].” These are the undergarments of our Christian walk which will influence every response and behavior in trial. Is not the power to live and obey, Christ's outer garment? Yes, His robe of righteousness—right doing can be ours. It represents our being changed in character (thoughts and feelings) and temperament (responses) from self-serving to serving God and holiness. Faith in God plus connection to our source of power must become a daily reality working effectively to change our thoughts, feelings and habits to God’s service. In practicality we turn away from irritation to responding as Christ would were He me. This inner relationship of union and communion must be chosen and experienced. Once our thoughts, feelings, and habits are under Christ’s control we can climb the rest of those rungs of Peter's ladder too and obtain knowledge, then temperance, then patience and last Godliness. Every step requires God’s virtue and enabling power to attend our faith. Securing this robe of righteousness, inwardly first is where we need to put our greatest efforts in the Christian walk. This “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 13:14, needs to be the dress we secure daily. Christ wants to be on the inner man or we are naked.
The question we need to ask ourselves is, Do we know how to get in Christ and manifest a Christ-like spirit in all circumstances? Do we know how to surrender to God's will, when self's will is crossed finding freedom from its rule? Do we daily “Put on Christ," enthroning Him on our heart's will, so His divine power can change, subdue and save us from serving self? True dress reform is put ye on the Lord, Jesus Christ.
My inner self consists of my thoughts, feelings, emotions, tastes and desires. Think about this. This is what our character is that God wants to redeem from serving self. He wants our character to serve Him and His ways instead. This requires a choice on our part. We need to learn to filter our thoughts, feelings, and responses through Christ and choose to do His will not mine. This is letting Christ live inside us. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says it this way, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
God works from the inside outward. He wants to put His heart in us which represents His feelings, His emotions, His habits but He needs our consent and cooperation in order that He can do this. When we let Christ have the throne of our heart Satan can no longer reside there. God does not occupy a divided heart. God wants all of us which is an undivided heart to the level of our thoughts and feelings.
The inward surrender of my thoughts, feelings and words to the Holy Spirit's influence upon my mind, must be learned in order for Christ to adorn me with the essential undergarments of Christ-like faith and virtue! Before we put on our outer clothing we put on our essential under garments. In the spiritual life union and communion, surrender and cooperation rightly understood are the foundations of our life in Christ. We need the Holy Spirit guiding us every moment inside so the outside can be Christ.
2 Peter 1:5 says, “Add to your faith [belief] ... virtue [enabling power to obey].” These are the undergarments of our Christian walk which will influence every response and behavior in trial. Is not the power to live and obey, Christ's outer garment? Yes, His robe of righteousness—right doing can be ours. It represents our being changed in character (thoughts and feelings) and temperament (responses) from self-serving to serving God and holiness. Faith in God plus connection to our source of power must become a daily reality working effectively to change our thoughts, feelings and habits to God’s service. In practicality we turn away from irritation to responding as Christ would were He me. This inner relationship of union and communion must be chosen and experienced. Once our thoughts, feelings, and habits are under Christ’s control we can climb the rest of those rungs of Peter's ladder too and obtain knowledge, then temperance, then patience and last Godliness. Every step requires God’s virtue and enabling power to attend our faith. Securing this robe of righteousness, inwardly first is where we need to put our greatest efforts in the Christian walk. This “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 13:14, needs to be the dress we secure daily. Christ wants to be on the inner man or we are naked.
Modesty. Modesty is the first characteristic of Christian dress that I would like to address. Modesty is being unassuming or modest in our own view of our abilities. Modesty spiritually is being so pliable in God's hands that when God's will and our selfish will are at variance, We will say “no” to self by saying “yes” and doing God's will. We will bend all our energies to do the right, by God's grace, no matter how crucifying to self this may seem. In this position we will lay aside any thought or habit needing reform. But the same is true in dress. We will lay aside any favorite article of clothing and do His will in order to please God and retain the inwelling Christ. Self must willingly and decidedly be laid aside in all circumstances, not just when it is convenient or in accordance with our feelings or will. Where do we get such firmness, decisiveness and self-control as this? By putting self in God's hands, by spending time with God and by knowing His voice to our conscience to guide us. God can empower our choices. God can cloth us with His divine nature, giving us strength and replacing our garments of selfishness with His uprightness.
We must choose to cooperate in this process of putting on Christ’s perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. Putting on Christ is the same as a little child cooperating with his parents to put on their undergarments at the start of our day. In reality we are just as dependent on Christ helping us on with right doing for the day as a toddler child is dependent on the parent putting on his physical clothes properly. You will notice God always works from the inside out. Inward heart modesty (yielding my thoughts and words to Christ) precedes true outward, lasting modesty (acts, deeds, and responses). True modesty begins by choosing to dress for Jesus. “I like this modest top and skirt”. It’s choosing to think Christ’s thoughts. By repetition of such words and choices in Jesus, modesty will become our preference by divine power attending our human effort. As we learn to yield our wills to God, so we will yield our outer dress to His preference too. In Christ, not in self, you can have heavenly modesty.
We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. So we dress modestly covering ourselves in a proper fashion with well fitted not too tight, not too loose clothing. We dress attractively not provocatively so we avoid showing our cleavage being sexual or drawing attention with too little clothing. This is modesty. Dressing for Jesus is wearing what will represent the character of Christ. It’s important to ask God what He approves or disapproves of in your clothing attire and follow Him. Modesty takes courage and a choice.
We must choose to cooperate in this process of putting on Christ’s perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. Putting on Christ is the same as a little child cooperating with his parents to put on their undergarments at the start of our day. In reality we are just as dependent on Christ helping us on with right doing for the day as a toddler child is dependent on the parent putting on his physical clothes properly. You will notice God always works from the inside out. Inward heart modesty (yielding my thoughts and words to Christ) precedes true outward, lasting modesty (acts, deeds, and responses). True modesty begins by choosing to dress for Jesus. “I like this modest top and skirt”. It’s choosing to think Christ’s thoughts. By repetition of such words and choices in Jesus, modesty will become our preference by divine power attending our human effort. As we learn to yield our wills to God, so we will yield our outer dress to His preference too. In Christ, not in self, you can have heavenly modesty.
We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. So we dress modestly covering ourselves in a proper fashion with well fitted not too tight, not too loose clothing. We dress attractively not provocatively so we avoid showing our cleavage being sexual or drawing attention with too little clothing. This is modesty. Dressing for Jesus is wearing what will represent the character of Christ. It’s important to ask God what He approves or disapproves of in your clothing attire and follow Him. Modesty takes courage and a choice.
Fig Leaves. If true modesty is the very life of Christ replacing my nakedness of following self then, as I choose to lay self aside and receive Christ's will, strength, wisdom, selflessness, obedience, purity, etc., then what is the counterfeit to this clothing of Christ?
Why, fig leaves, of course! Man made clothing of fig leaves are the arguments or excuses for why man can disobey. It lays the blame on others or circumstances. It excuses disobedience and thereby denies its condition of nakedness. This is the clothing of self. What a contrast! Isn't this what Adam and Eve did as a substitute to cover their nakedness after their very first disobedience? Yes, they wanted to deny their disobedience, excuse it, cover it up, blame someone else. When they sinned (disobeyed God’s will), their life was, at that moment, in self. Their actions were independent of Christ. They lost Christ's robe of light ... or right doing. They chose to follow self. Separated from God, they lost their outer garment.
So do we, as Adam's children! When we do life our way, or wear the clothes we like without consulting God, for fear He may say no to us, we are not then in Christ, but in self, aren't we? God cannot cover our disobedience until we confess and forsake our sin. So Christ must quietly step aside, taking with Him His garment of righteousness and light. Then man seeing or sensing his nakedness doesn't want to confess his wrong, so he makes a covering of fig leaves, which are the arguments and excuses used to justify his/her disobedience.
God does not want our sins covered up but rather, He longs to cleanse us from our sins, wash them away and make us righteous once again in Him. Notice the “self made” clothing covers and excuses disobedience but God's clothing requires confessing, forsaking and cleansing of unrighteousness in words and actions. We must change! When we cooperate and do Christ's will, trusting in Him, then Christ can replace our unrighteousness with His righteousness once again. Our part is cooperation. Don't we want God to cloth us with the beauty of His holiness rather than retain the dangerous, pretentious fig leaves of self's devising? Then we need to bend every energy to choose to be in Christ and cooperate with God in helping us to change our garments of self, for the garments of Christ.
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning... But let it be the hidden man of the heart in the which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, [surrender] which is in the sight of God of great price.” I Peter 3:3-4.
Practically speaking our fig leaves (outward adorning) could be our “I don't want to change my dress style,” or “I can't,” for whatever reason. By our actions we are saying, “I’m comfortable in my disfunction or misconception and don’t want to change.” So we explain away clear Biblical principles to make them of none effect. We refuse the obvious for the argumentative view. We are fighting God. These fig-leaf thoughts merely represent our present feelings or tastes in this matter, irrespective of knowing God's will and power for us. Would God ask us to change, to obey, if we couldn't? No! Reality is, if we follow such thoughts and feelings, of “I can't,” or “I won't,” without consulting God first, we are exercising our independence from God just as Satan would will for us to do. In this state, either self or Satan is controlling us and not God.
God wants to set us free to serve Him and do the right. If we recognize these facts, and set our will to search out and do Christ's way, we can call upon our Saviour to save us from our resistive, independent feelings and change our tastes in dress. He is the Creator! Christ can and will then put in us that new heart, those new desires to dress for His honor and glory. Redemption is begun. As we choose to connect with God, and act on principle to do right, then sooner or later, even our likes, feelings and thoughts are changed. Our part is to call out to God and cooperate in right doing in order for God’s grace to redeem us on the inside.
And most importantly, we must know and experience that we are happiest in doing the will of God. We must lay aside our “fig leaves” in order to put on Christ’s robe of right doing. A meek and quiet spirit is one that yields self’s ways and then bends all its will and efforts to do God's revealed will, by allowing Christ in our inner man. God is the Creator. So we can praise only heavenly grace for this change in us. But know He can not recreate us into His image without our cooperation. We can enjoy having one more avenue of our lives under the Lordship of Christ.
Why, fig leaves, of course! Man made clothing of fig leaves are the arguments or excuses for why man can disobey. It lays the blame on others or circumstances. It excuses disobedience and thereby denies its condition of nakedness. This is the clothing of self. What a contrast! Isn't this what Adam and Eve did as a substitute to cover their nakedness after their very first disobedience? Yes, they wanted to deny their disobedience, excuse it, cover it up, blame someone else. When they sinned (disobeyed God’s will), their life was, at that moment, in self. Their actions were independent of Christ. They lost Christ's robe of light ... or right doing. They chose to follow self. Separated from God, they lost their outer garment.
So do we, as Adam's children! When we do life our way, or wear the clothes we like without consulting God, for fear He may say no to us, we are not then in Christ, but in self, aren't we? God cannot cover our disobedience until we confess and forsake our sin. So Christ must quietly step aside, taking with Him His garment of righteousness and light. Then man seeing or sensing his nakedness doesn't want to confess his wrong, so he makes a covering of fig leaves, which are the arguments and excuses used to justify his/her disobedience.
God does not want our sins covered up but rather, He longs to cleanse us from our sins, wash them away and make us righteous once again in Him. Notice the “self made” clothing covers and excuses disobedience but God's clothing requires confessing, forsaking and cleansing of unrighteousness in words and actions. We must change! When we cooperate and do Christ's will, trusting in Him, then Christ can replace our unrighteousness with His righteousness once again. Our part is cooperation. Don't we want God to cloth us with the beauty of His holiness rather than retain the dangerous, pretentious fig leaves of self's devising? Then we need to bend every energy to choose to be in Christ and cooperate with God in helping us to change our garments of self, for the garments of Christ.
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning... But let it be the hidden man of the heart in the which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, [surrender] which is in the sight of God of great price.” I Peter 3:3-4.
Practically speaking our fig leaves (outward adorning) could be our “I don't want to change my dress style,” or “I can't,” for whatever reason. By our actions we are saying, “I’m comfortable in my disfunction or misconception and don’t want to change.” So we explain away clear Biblical principles to make them of none effect. We refuse the obvious for the argumentative view. We are fighting God. These fig-leaf thoughts merely represent our present feelings or tastes in this matter, irrespective of knowing God's will and power for us. Would God ask us to change, to obey, if we couldn't? No! Reality is, if we follow such thoughts and feelings, of “I can't,” or “I won't,” without consulting God first, we are exercising our independence from God just as Satan would will for us to do. In this state, either self or Satan is controlling us and not God.
God wants to set us free to serve Him and do the right. If we recognize these facts, and set our will to search out and do Christ's way, we can call upon our Saviour to save us from our resistive, independent feelings and change our tastes in dress. He is the Creator! Christ can and will then put in us that new heart, those new desires to dress for His honor and glory. Redemption is begun. As we choose to connect with God, and act on principle to do right, then sooner or later, even our likes, feelings and thoughts are changed. Our part is to call out to God and cooperate in right doing in order for God’s grace to redeem us on the inside.
And most importantly, we must know and experience that we are happiest in doing the will of God. We must lay aside our “fig leaves” in order to put on Christ’s robe of right doing. A meek and quiet spirit is one that yields self’s ways and then bends all its will and efforts to do God's revealed will, by allowing Christ in our inner man. God is the Creator. So we can praise only heavenly grace for this change in us. But know He can not recreate us into His image without our cooperation. We can enjoy having one more avenue of our lives under the Lordship of Christ.
Defrauding. I recall when God called me to a higher level of modesty in my dress. It required me to change. First He put in me a strong desire to dress more like a lady. As I cooperated in this change, then God began revealing clothes that needed to be put away. He wanted me to cleanse away my short skirts, my V-necks, my tighter clothing, my favorite 2 piece bathing suit and later other figure-revealing articles. My conscience inside was in a war with conflicting likes and dislikes. Conflicting emotions as one to put them away and another to cling to those favorite articles of clothing and argue for them. What a struggle at times ensued with self. God graciously gave me some time and space to make a free will decision. God does not force, but He doesn't leave us unaware either. God takes us from where we are to where He wants us to be one step at a time. These are not clothes for a woman professing godliness He’d suggest but left me free to choose. I had to make a choice. For, not to decide for God is to decide against Him.
God presented defrauding as a stumbling block to both men and women around me. These clothes were encouraging some, to retain that wrong style while wrongly calling these fig leaves appropriate. In some women it can stir up jealousy or coveting for they want that style or article. In men it can stir up their base passions. Since I was now a Christian (follower after Christ) I was to be sensitive and avoid dressing in that way any longer. God would put this sensitivity in me. He would change my likes if I let Him. I was no longer to be an instrument to attract others attention or thoughts away from God to the earthly or sensual.
Was I willing to lay self's likes, gained in the world, aside? God made me aware of the truths He was teaching me whenever I'd wear that controversial blouse or pants. He’d speak to my conscience. God gave sufficient providential evidence that these particular clothes were defrauding. In a relatively short time I yielded to do the right, convinced God's way was best for me and others.
Will I follow Christ was the underlying issue. As I cooperated, God clothed the inner me with divine contentedness and peace. Christ has the power to change us, only, as we cooperate with Him. We must come to find the balanced position and stay away from the extremes to both sides. We can be too liberal just as we can be too conservative. Find God-lead balance.
Now ladies, in the name of defrauding we do not want to swing our dress style from too tight and small to the other extreme of too baggy, untidy, unclean or unattractive attire. That won't please God either! Change toward greater modesty and purity does not eliminate taste, order or properly fitting attire. Let’s find balance pleasing to God. What is God asking you to do?
God presented defrauding as a stumbling block to both men and women around me. These clothes were encouraging some, to retain that wrong style while wrongly calling these fig leaves appropriate. In some women it can stir up jealousy or coveting for they want that style or article. In men it can stir up their base passions. Since I was now a Christian (follower after Christ) I was to be sensitive and avoid dressing in that way any longer. God would put this sensitivity in me. He would change my likes if I let Him. I was no longer to be an instrument to attract others attention or thoughts away from God to the earthly or sensual.
Was I willing to lay self's likes, gained in the world, aside? God made me aware of the truths He was teaching me whenever I'd wear that controversial blouse or pants. He’d speak to my conscience. God gave sufficient providential evidence that these particular clothes were defrauding. In a relatively short time I yielded to do the right, convinced God's way was best for me and others.
Will I follow Christ was the underlying issue. As I cooperated, God clothed the inner me with divine contentedness and peace. Christ has the power to change us, only, as we cooperate with Him. We must come to find the balanced position and stay away from the extremes to both sides. We can be too liberal just as we can be too conservative. Find God-lead balance.
Now ladies, in the name of defrauding we do not want to swing our dress style from too tight and small to the other extreme of too baggy, untidy, unclean or unattractive attire. That won't please God either! Change toward greater modesty and purity does not eliminate taste, order or properly fitting attire. Let’s find balance pleasing to God. What is God asking you to do?
Proper Dress Charactered. There is no one style of dress that is an exact rule to guide all of us in our dress in every age. Lets not urge one style for all. Rather we must follow fundamental biblical principles as our guidelines. Modest, well fitting, attractive, neat, clean, orderly, tasteful, but ultimately, properly reflecting the image of God is what our dress needs to be. It is healthy to cover your limbs appropriate for the weather which aids good circulation. But covering your limbs is simply logical and not meant to be over or under applied. We should shun all extremes. So our clothes should not be too tight, nor too loose, not be too little or too much. God allows for individuality but not independence from His principles and will. “We ought to obey God rather than man.” Acts 5:29.
We should dress appropriate to our activity. A skirt or dress is appropriate for most all occupations, activities, and is very feminine. But if you are slopping out the horse stalls, riding horses, climbing ladders, climbing mountains, skiing or such, pants would be more modest and appropriate than a dress in these activities. God stands for balance in all things.
Above all, the dress question should not fill our minds or be contentious arguments imposing our views on others. That is not the spirit of Christ! We are not to be the Holy Spirit for others. We each need to have a thus saith the Lord for why we do what we do. So we should seek out the Biblical principles that should govern our choices and style of clothes and consider our attitudes wearing them as well. We don’t want to wear them begrudgingly, that is not surrender. Neither do we want to wear them thinking we are superior. Both spirit and truth are to govern us. We should use common sense with God’s eye leading us to avoid making self’s will, God’s will.
I could list all the Bible texts and tell you what I learned in my study but it is better for you to study it out yourself. “Study to show thyself approved, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15. God will use His word and His spirit to interpret and apply the Word properly to lead us individually. You will collect dress quotes but there are underlying principles of walking with God that will lend principles to dress as well. Principles of surrender, of yielding to God, of knowing His voice, or perhaps even the counsel to Nicodemus that you must be born again will be a part of the dress question. You need heavenly power to change and this is an important principle to consider also in dress. The vine and the branch show our need of connection to gain life and power. It’s important to recognize the voice of God from the voice of my will or my fleshly desires to know honestly what proper dress is that God wants me to wear. Collect all texts you feel are important that apply directly or indirectly. This will bring balance.
Many error in their study of this topic in that they listen to speakers and are not Bereans themselves. As the leader collects his proof texts they may give a private interpretation and can lead you further than what the word intends. We each need to be a Berean and give an account for why we do what we do. We need to read the Word honestly and take it as far as the texts indicate and no further. God does want us to add to or take away from His word. God wants to bring us to balance and save us from fanaticism, pride, and extremes. Paul commissions us to be a Berean. So I say with Paul that you are to check out all I say to be convinced yourself by the leading of the Holy Spirit that it is so. Be a God-led Berean searching out this topic.
There are cautions in dress, I’ll name a few. We should not dress so differently from the world that we become a gazing stock, a scarecrow, or become disorderly for this is against God’s principles of neatness and order. “All things should be done decently and in order.” I Cor. 14:40. Nor should we come so close to the world that fashion becomes our god above Christ. “Lord, what would thou have me to do,” needs to be the big question.
Our clothing should not be so tight we are poured into it. Our dress should not go in the opposite extreme and be so loose, sloppy, and distasteful for this too dishonors God. We must find a balance according to the principles found in the Word of God. Dresses or skirts are more lady like. Pants can have a place but if we are trying to be like a man, act like a man, dominate or dress like a man then this is against God. You will need to sort your mind thoughts and motives for why you do what you do. We shoule not use common sense to excuse the way we dress and not deal with our truth motives. This is self leading you and is a dangerous road. Negative motives need to be identified and discarded along with pride and argumentativeness which are a disguise for self being the one in charge instead of God. Some woman wear pants to attract attention to their shape—is this from God? No, once again it is self pushing. Do you really want to attract a man for physcial reasons or do you want a man to love you for who you are as God intended?
In dressing for Jesus we will have propriaty, taste, and order. We will display modesty in deportment and dress. Women have a graceful form and we should drape it attractively but not sensually. We should stand tall with our shoulders back whether we are large or small but we should not do it to accentuate attention to our form. God is sad when we ladies roll our shoulders forward to hide that we are woman thinking this it wrong to have a form. But neither does He want us to flont our wears either. Stand tall being the woman God made you to be with a proper self-confidence, purity, and comfort God would have you to have being His child. This will recommend Christ. We must find the balance to be who God made us to be. That is found by being God-led instead of Self-led. Beware of the two ditches in life—the overdo ditch and the underdo ditch. God wants us in the center of His will, the center of the road of choices pleasing to God and yourself. Avoid the extremes of always or never, too much or too little.
Should God brings conviction to our mind asking us to dress modestly and healthfully and we find ourselves out of fashion we should not change our dress in order to be like the world. In this we should manifest a noble independence with moral courage to do and to be right, even if all the world differs from us. Know that God and I are the greater majority. In Christ we can have the freedom to be independent from the world and comfortable with who we are and what we wear because it pleases God. Again, “We ought to obey God rather than man.”
When the world introduces a dress in accordance with the Bible, embrace it with gratitude to God! The big principle is that Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God’s word. Some will ridicule or oppose us. Humbly pursue a right course, irrespective of applause or censure, and cling to the right because it is right.
Christ is always leading us to a balance, isn't He? As we seek to know God's will through personal study and prayer, God will be right there to guide the sincere in heart to find the answers they seek. I encourage you to study to find the balance to any questions you may now have in the specifics of proper heavenly dress and God will be with you.
If indeed our inward veiling is Christ, then our outward dress will not be defrauding or showy with pride or display. Rather it will reflect Christ by being modest, clean, neat, orderly, and tasteful. We will seek God's will to rule our lives which inclines our tastes in clothing after modesty and uprightness befitting our adooption into God’s family. Remember that God promises to change our wrong tastes as we submit and yield to do His will.
I highly recommend bringing all our clothing before Christ for His approval, and instructions in what is best and right for us. Then God can shine through us manifesting Christ's purity to our family, church and the world. We may be encouraging others who are truly walking in the way as well. Is that what you want to do? As we read God's word He can bring our dress into conformity to His will if we choose. Read to see what God says to you personally. Beware of any man's interpretations that explain away a plain thus saith the Lord. Choosing to follow God, requires being grounded in His Word, and not traditions, customs or the fashions of the day. Don’t wrestle with unclear texts rather base your principles in God’s clear texts. The unclear texts should be in harmony with the clear ones for God does not oppose Himself.
I want you to study God’s word, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and interpret the Scriptures to you and to collect the texts then draw your conclusions. I want you to follow Christ and not even my interpretations. That is why I addressed general guidelines and principles here. I don’t want to be your pattern, I want Christ to be your pattern and you to be the Berean.
We should dress appropriate to our activity. A skirt or dress is appropriate for most all occupations, activities, and is very feminine. But if you are slopping out the horse stalls, riding horses, climbing ladders, climbing mountains, skiing or such, pants would be more modest and appropriate than a dress in these activities. God stands for balance in all things.
Above all, the dress question should not fill our minds or be contentious arguments imposing our views on others. That is not the spirit of Christ! We are not to be the Holy Spirit for others. We each need to have a thus saith the Lord for why we do what we do. So we should seek out the Biblical principles that should govern our choices and style of clothes and consider our attitudes wearing them as well. We don’t want to wear them begrudgingly, that is not surrender. Neither do we want to wear them thinking we are superior. Both spirit and truth are to govern us. We should use common sense with God’s eye leading us to avoid making self’s will, God’s will.
I could list all the Bible texts and tell you what I learned in my study but it is better for you to study it out yourself. “Study to show thyself approved, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15. God will use His word and His spirit to interpret and apply the Word properly to lead us individually. You will collect dress quotes but there are underlying principles of walking with God that will lend principles to dress as well. Principles of surrender, of yielding to God, of knowing His voice, or perhaps even the counsel to Nicodemus that you must be born again will be a part of the dress question. You need heavenly power to change and this is an important principle to consider also in dress. The vine and the branch show our need of connection to gain life and power. It’s important to recognize the voice of God from the voice of my will or my fleshly desires to know honestly what proper dress is that God wants me to wear. Collect all texts you feel are important that apply directly or indirectly. This will bring balance.
Many error in their study of this topic in that they listen to speakers and are not Bereans themselves. As the leader collects his proof texts they may give a private interpretation and can lead you further than what the word intends. We each need to be a Berean and give an account for why we do what we do. We need to read the Word honestly and take it as far as the texts indicate and no further. God does want us to add to or take away from His word. God wants to bring us to balance and save us from fanaticism, pride, and extremes. Paul commissions us to be a Berean. So I say with Paul that you are to check out all I say to be convinced yourself by the leading of the Holy Spirit that it is so. Be a God-led Berean searching out this topic.
There are cautions in dress, I’ll name a few. We should not dress so differently from the world that we become a gazing stock, a scarecrow, or become disorderly for this is against God’s principles of neatness and order. “All things should be done decently and in order.” I Cor. 14:40. Nor should we come so close to the world that fashion becomes our god above Christ. “Lord, what would thou have me to do,” needs to be the big question.
Our clothing should not be so tight we are poured into it. Our dress should not go in the opposite extreme and be so loose, sloppy, and distasteful for this too dishonors God. We must find a balance according to the principles found in the Word of God. Dresses or skirts are more lady like. Pants can have a place but if we are trying to be like a man, act like a man, dominate or dress like a man then this is against God. You will need to sort your mind thoughts and motives for why you do what you do. We shoule not use common sense to excuse the way we dress and not deal with our truth motives. This is self leading you and is a dangerous road. Negative motives need to be identified and discarded along with pride and argumentativeness which are a disguise for self being the one in charge instead of God. Some woman wear pants to attract attention to their shape—is this from God? No, once again it is self pushing. Do you really want to attract a man for physcial reasons or do you want a man to love you for who you are as God intended?
In dressing for Jesus we will have propriaty, taste, and order. We will display modesty in deportment and dress. Women have a graceful form and we should drape it attractively but not sensually. We should stand tall with our shoulders back whether we are large or small but we should not do it to accentuate attention to our form. God is sad when we ladies roll our shoulders forward to hide that we are woman thinking this it wrong to have a form. But neither does He want us to flont our wears either. Stand tall being the woman God made you to be with a proper self-confidence, purity, and comfort God would have you to have being His child. This will recommend Christ. We must find the balance to be who God made us to be. That is found by being God-led instead of Self-led. Beware of the two ditches in life—the overdo ditch and the underdo ditch. God wants us in the center of His will, the center of the road of choices pleasing to God and yourself. Avoid the extremes of always or never, too much or too little.
Should God brings conviction to our mind asking us to dress modestly and healthfully and we find ourselves out of fashion we should not change our dress in order to be like the world. In this we should manifest a noble independence with moral courage to do and to be right, even if all the world differs from us. Know that God and I are the greater majority. In Christ we can have the freedom to be independent from the world and comfortable with who we are and what we wear because it pleases God. Again, “We ought to obey God rather than man.”
When the world introduces a dress in accordance with the Bible, embrace it with gratitude to God! The big principle is that Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God’s word. Some will ridicule or oppose us. Humbly pursue a right course, irrespective of applause or censure, and cling to the right because it is right.
Christ is always leading us to a balance, isn't He? As we seek to know God's will through personal study and prayer, God will be right there to guide the sincere in heart to find the answers they seek. I encourage you to study to find the balance to any questions you may now have in the specifics of proper heavenly dress and God will be with you.
If indeed our inward veiling is Christ, then our outward dress will not be defrauding or showy with pride or display. Rather it will reflect Christ by being modest, clean, neat, orderly, and tasteful. We will seek God's will to rule our lives which inclines our tastes in clothing after modesty and uprightness befitting our adooption into God’s family. Remember that God promises to change our wrong tastes as we submit and yield to do His will.
I highly recommend bringing all our clothing before Christ for His approval, and instructions in what is best and right for us. Then God can shine through us manifesting Christ's purity to our family, church and the world. We may be encouraging others who are truly walking in the way as well. Is that what you want to do? As we read God's word He can bring our dress into conformity to His will if we choose. Read to see what God says to you personally. Beware of any man's interpretations that explain away a plain thus saith the Lord. Choosing to follow God, requires being grounded in His Word, and not traditions, customs or the fashions of the day. Don’t wrestle with unclear texts rather base your principles in God’s clear texts. The unclear texts should be in harmony with the clear ones for God does not oppose Himself.
I want you to study God’s word, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and interpret the Scriptures to you and to collect the texts then draw your conclusions. I want you to follow Christ and not even my interpretations. That is why I addressed general guidelines and principles here. I don’t want to be your pattern, I want Christ to be your pattern and you to be the Berean.
Pants on Women. I’ll share one of my experiences with you. As I read Deuteronomy 22:5 it said, "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." This struck me as so plain and easy to understand. God had previously posed a thought to me to dress more like a woman. I reponded positively to that thought and decided I’d wear dresses more consistently and wean off my pants. Jim was agreeable to that. And this text confirmed this step to me. I need not wear clothes like a man. So I took my first step to change.
Strangely, when I took off my slacks and pants to wear simple dresses and skirts more often to be the lady God called me to be, much animosity and agitation was aroused in one of my fellow sisters that were close to me. This perplexed me. I wasn't pushing or even encouraging others to do the same, just quietly following God myself. I was counseled with arguments and an unchrist-like spirit how wrong I was. Some arguments seemed to be excuses why this no longer applies today. I felt I didn’t have a choice to wear a dress? Must I be under another’s judgment and ruled by their censure? Something was wrong here.
God kept impressing upon my mind, "I am the same yesterday, today and forever." So I sought the Lord's will in prayer and further study to determine His will for me. I was impressed in prayer and confirmed in studies that my course was God's will for me. I decided to follow God in this thus saith the Lord and not to follow man or man's reasoning. I read, “Let us rather be women adorned in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety." I chose not to argue with this sister. Our deportment and dress should both reflect the character of Christ.
God took me another step further. I asked myself, are those sleek fitting Levi's dress pants, God's will for me? I had to wrestle through conflicting emotions to a decision? In listening to God’s principles in His Word I took the step to eliminate wearing any pants.
At this time in my life some ladies felt sloppy, baggy pants were okay as it hid their form. This seemed to me to be the opposite extreme for it did not depict Godly neatness, taste, or orderliness? I find we must continually ask Acts 9:6, "Lord what would thou have me to do?" I don’t need to be upset or have them mold my view of Christian dress. I needed to just know God’s will for me. You too may choose to follow God and sisters will oppose you. Be prepared.
Don’t choose to change your dress for a group of ladies in order to fit in. Don’t change your dress for a church or an individual. I’ve counseled with many ladies that tried to put on the outer dress of dress reform for other people in order to belong, fit it, or in order to be a better Christian. But they tried it without the indwelling Christ. Knowing what is right, or peer pressure are insufficient to change the heart. This is not God. Self has not the power to change our underlying feelings, emotions, habits, or motives—our heart! Group thinks cannot change our habits and inclination etc. These ladies were miserable, frustrated as they were always fighting and denying the old ways until they give up and oppose wearing dresses with a vengeance. Often they got angry at God and were tempted to leave all religion for it doesn’t work! Only in Christ can these things be re-created. That is why I recommend dressing for Jesus for He can change the inner woman that your outer dress matches your inner heart and faculties.
Choose to dress for Jesus, for modesty, for a principle you see in God’s Word. Dressing for Jesus will bring balance in your life, divinity to empower you to change when that is necessary. God is the Creator with power to give you a new heart, new motives, new tastes so dressing for Him has power and reform can be a joy. He will keep you balanced.
Some ladies ask me. Is there no place for slacks? My response is let us give each other room to grow in Christ. I encourage you to seek counsel from God rather than man. Let the Holy Spirit interpret the Word for you. Go and study alone with God, with a heart willing to learn for ourselves. Avoid excusing self or condemning that sister who doesn't hold the exact same perspective as mine. This is modesty. Lord, what would Thou have me to do? Instead of condemning or entering needless controversy with one another let us bring each other before the throne of grace for Christ to work in each heart and life. Remember that God is working with each of us, let us be liberal with each other. If Jesus be our Lord, let us follow Him and leave all free to decide the particulars of this issue in their own consciences before God.
In the Christian life we can develop a misconception, we can become imbalanced. Praise the Lord, God has made provision to correct our course, to show us where we are wrong so we can modify our misconceptions. God did this for me because I adopted the idea to never wear pants again. I adoped the idea that dresses were always right. If you can’t wear a dress than you should not do that activity. I had taken concepts from well meaning sisters but God had a plan to bring me back to the middle of the road and pull me out of the overdo ditch I had slipped into.
Although I put off pants a little and a little until I never wore pants for many years. God showed me a balance about pants I’d like to share with you. I was helping with the construction of our greenhouse and when I was climbing the ladder to the roof God made me aware of my lack of modesty should someone be below me. “Lord is this You?” I felt it was. But I need to always be in a dress to please you, don’t I? After several trips I went in the house and put on a pair of pants for the remainder of my work up and down the ladder. I was not sinning being out of my dress I was dressing appropriate for my activity. My help was needed and it would be wrong to say I will not lend my help in this project. As soon as I was done I returned to put on my skirt. My son Andrew has built three homes and I have helped him painting, staining, cleaning whatever in my skirt for many years now. But when I’m on ladders I change to pants to maintain that principle of modesty. I believe this is balance.
Another time of imbalance; I was again thinking always a skirt, and never pants. Our family went out cross country skiing. I decided it would please God to wear my heavy weight denim skirt instead of my snow pants. I thought I’d be more feminine like Christ wanted me to be. I have good balance skiing typically. Well God let me experience first hand how immodest a skirt can be if you are off balance and falling all over the place while cross country skiing. My skirt was down right immodest under these circumstances. My cotton tights got so wet making me very cold which was not lending to healthy dress. My denim skirt was heavy laden with melting snow. Skiing was tough. I had to ask myself, is always a skirt God’s will for me? God challenged my concept as being too narrow by unrelated Bible texts, reason, and reflecting on what this experience was to teach me. As I evaluated this, I concluded God was teaching me to shun extremes and this was an extreme view and not God’s will for me. I reasoned; clearly a skirt is very impractical cross country skiing. If you want to enjoy innocent family fun in nature with snow then a pair of snow pants is much more modest, durable, and practical than a denim skirt.
Yet still another experience I had. I was visiting a family and offered a horse ride. I climbed on in my long straight skirt and my skirt rose to well above my knees. The lady offered me a pair of pants to wear and I opted that this would be better than riding in my skirt. While riding I was thinking I need to learn to ride side saddle and wear a long full skirt. Just then my horse reared up. I pinched my legs together and grabbed the saddle horn and was fine. Well I concluded, if I was riding side saddle that horn would be occupied with my leg wrapped around it. I could not have grabbed it with my hand. I could not pinch my legs to hang on. Surely I would have been thrown off. I’ll abandon the side saddle idea and concluded riding horses is best done with pants. There are times and places pants are downright practical.
Maybe pants are better to climb the mountains in so you don’t have to always be the last one climbing for modesty. What do you think? Let Christ teach you in your life. Be open to correction or modification of your principles as providence leads you to look at an activity in a different manner. Be honest and under God and remain balanced. Not always but not never are good balancers for us. We need to stay on the middle of the road and not fall into the ditches on either sides of the road of life.
Don’t be afraid to test your seeming truth. If it is true it will bear the test. If it is not true it will fail. We want to believe well seasoned truths. We want to discard things not true.
Men need to evaluate this text of not dressing like the opposite sex. We each need to take Jesus with us to our closets and dressers for balance and instructions in righteousness. Fashion makes jewelry, earrings, scarves and feminine hair styles something men have to evaluate God’s will for them. Let us guard agains self-serving that is within, and worldly fashion or peer pressure to conform from without. Let us make haste to seek God's will for all of us and follow Him withersoever He leadeth us in our dress.
Woman need to evaluate our motives or reasons for wearing pants. Is it something practical were it gives modesty in your activities? Is it in rebellion to wearing dresses because of a former experience? Is it wanting to have the authority of a man and so you dress like a man for this reason? Do you feel more in control to dominate others in pants? When you are in pants do you carry a manly bearing? Yes, we too need to evaluate the specific area addressed in this text for it may apply to us. How will we know? Acts 9:6 Lord reveal to me myself and help me change what needs changing. Choose Christ to be your head and do not submit to be man-managed or self-managed. The truth as it is in Jesus shall set you free and you shall be free indeed to follow Christ in all His ways.
Here is the last imbalance I’ll share here. How sad it is to see a woman professing Christianity dressed in proper attire, texture and look, yet naked of the inner virtue of Christ! Naked of power over self! Her speech of harshness, her gossip, or her critical spirit reveals her nakedness of Christ and its so unbecoming for a woman professing Christ. She misrepresents Christ in deportment. Her outward dress gives a Christ-like appearance while her words and deportment deny Him. If we are going to properly influence others, we need to have both the inner and the outer clothing depicting Christ's righteousness and purity! We need Christ in our hearts.
To many the externals are the sum total of religion. Yet it will be evidenced that the heart has not genuine courtesy which alone is of value with God. Let it be said of us that our externals give true evidence of the indwelling Christ clothing us with His essential undergarments of faith and virtue to make our externals real from the inside out.
Strangely, when I took off my slacks and pants to wear simple dresses and skirts more often to be the lady God called me to be, much animosity and agitation was aroused in one of my fellow sisters that were close to me. This perplexed me. I wasn't pushing or even encouraging others to do the same, just quietly following God myself. I was counseled with arguments and an unchrist-like spirit how wrong I was. Some arguments seemed to be excuses why this no longer applies today. I felt I didn’t have a choice to wear a dress? Must I be under another’s judgment and ruled by their censure? Something was wrong here.
God kept impressing upon my mind, "I am the same yesterday, today and forever." So I sought the Lord's will in prayer and further study to determine His will for me. I was impressed in prayer and confirmed in studies that my course was God's will for me. I decided to follow God in this thus saith the Lord and not to follow man or man's reasoning. I read, “Let us rather be women adorned in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety." I chose not to argue with this sister. Our deportment and dress should both reflect the character of Christ.
God took me another step further. I asked myself, are those sleek fitting Levi's dress pants, God's will for me? I had to wrestle through conflicting emotions to a decision? In listening to God’s principles in His Word I took the step to eliminate wearing any pants.
At this time in my life some ladies felt sloppy, baggy pants were okay as it hid their form. This seemed to me to be the opposite extreme for it did not depict Godly neatness, taste, or orderliness? I find we must continually ask Acts 9:6, "Lord what would thou have me to do?" I don’t need to be upset or have them mold my view of Christian dress. I needed to just know God’s will for me. You too may choose to follow God and sisters will oppose you. Be prepared.
Don’t choose to change your dress for a group of ladies in order to fit in. Don’t change your dress for a church or an individual. I’ve counseled with many ladies that tried to put on the outer dress of dress reform for other people in order to belong, fit it, or in order to be a better Christian. But they tried it without the indwelling Christ. Knowing what is right, or peer pressure are insufficient to change the heart. This is not God. Self has not the power to change our underlying feelings, emotions, habits, or motives—our heart! Group thinks cannot change our habits and inclination etc. These ladies were miserable, frustrated as they were always fighting and denying the old ways until they give up and oppose wearing dresses with a vengeance. Often they got angry at God and were tempted to leave all religion for it doesn’t work! Only in Christ can these things be re-created. That is why I recommend dressing for Jesus for He can change the inner woman that your outer dress matches your inner heart and faculties.
Choose to dress for Jesus, for modesty, for a principle you see in God’s Word. Dressing for Jesus will bring balance in your life, divinity to empower you to change when that is necessary. God is the Creator with power to give you a new heart, new motives, new tastes so dressing for Him has power and reform can be a joy. He will keep you balanced.
Some ladies ask me. Is there no place for slacks? My response is let us give each other room to grow in Christ. I encourage you to seek counsel from God rather than man. Let the Holy Spirit interpret the Word for you. Go and study alone with God, with a heart willing to learn for ourselves. Avoid excusing self or condemning that sister who doesn't hold the exact same perspective as mine. This is modesty. Lord, what would Thou have me to do? Instead of condemning or entering needless controversy with one another let us bring each other before the throne of grace for Christ to work in each heart and life. Remember that God is working with each of us, let us be liberal with each other. If Jesus be our Lord, let us follow Him and leave all free to decide the particulars of this issue in their own consciences before God.
In the Christian life we can develop a misconception, we can become imbalanced. Praise the Lord, God has made provision to correct our course, to show us where we are wrong so we can modify our misconceptions. God did this for me because I adopted the idea to never wear pants again. I adoped the idea that dresses were always right. If you can’t wear a dress than you should not do that activity. I had taken concepts from well meaning sisters but God had a plan to bring me back to the middle of the road and pull me out of the overdo ditch I had slipped into.
Although I put off pants a little and a little until I never wore pants for many years. God showed me a balance about pants I’d like to share with you. I was helping with the construction of our greenhouse and when I was climbing the ladder to the roof God made me aware of my lack of modesty should someone be below me. “Lord is this You?” I felt it was. But I need to always be in a dress to please you, don’t I? After several trips I went in the house and put on a pair of pants for the remainder of my work up and down the ladder. I was not sinning being out of my dress I was dressing appropriate for my activity. My help was needed and it would be wrong to say I will not lend my help in this project. As soon as I was done I returned to put on my skirt. My son Andrew has built three homes and I have helped him painting, staining, cleaning whatever in my skirt for many years now. But when I’m on ladders I change to pants to maintain that principle of modesty. I believe this is balance.
Another time of imbalance; I was again thinking always a skirt, and never pants. Our family went out cross country skiing. I decided it would please God to wear my heavy weight denim skirt instead of my snow pants. I thought I’d be more feminine like Christ wanted me to be. I have good balance skiing typically. Well God let me experience first hand how immodest a skirt can be if you are off balance and falling all over the place while cross country skiing. My skirt was down right immodest under these circumstances. My cotton tights got so wet making me very cold which was not lending to healthy dress. My denim skirt was heavy laden with melting snow. Skiing was tough. I had to ask myself, is always a skirt God’s will for me? God challenged my concept as being too narrow by unrelated Bible texts, reason, and reflecting on what this experience was to teach me. As I evaluated this, I concluded God was teaching me to shun extremes and this was an extreme view and not God’s will for me. I reasoned; clearly a skirt is very impractical cross country skiing. If you want to enjoy innocent family fun in nature with snow then a pair of snow pants is much more modest, durable, and practical than a denim skirt.
Yet still another experience I had. I was visiting a family and offered a horse ride. I climbed on in my long straight skirt and my skirt rose to well above my knees. The lady offered me a pair of pants to wear and I opted that this would be better than riding in my skirt. While riding I was thinking I need to learn to ride side saddle and wear a long full skirt. Just then my horse reared up. I pinched my legs together and grabbed the saddle horn and was fine. Well I concluded, if I was riding side saddle that horn would be occupied with my leg wrapped around it. I could not have grabbed it with my hand. I could not pinch my legs to hang on. Surely I would have been thrown off. I’ll abandon the side saddle idea and concluded riding horses is best done with pants. There are times and places pants are downright practical.
Maybe pants are better to climb the mountains in so you don’t have to always be the last one climbing for modesty. What do you think? Let Christ teach you in your life. Be open to correction or modification of your principles as providence leads you to look at an activity in a different manner. Be honest and under God and remain balanced. Not always but not never are good balancers for us. We need to stay on the middle of the road and not fall into the ditches on either sides of the road of life.
Don’t be afraid to test your seeming truth. If it is true it will bear the test. If it is not true it will fail. We want to believe well seasoned truths. We want to discard things not true.
Men need to evaluate this text of not dressing like the opposite sex. We each need to take Jesus with us to our closets and dressers for balance and instructions in righteousness. Fashion makes jewelry, earrings, scarves and feminine hair styles something men have to evaluate God’s will for them. Let us guard agains self-serving that is within, and worldly fashion or peer pressure to conform from without. Let us make haste to seek God's will for all of us and follow Him withersoever He leadeth us in our dress.
Woman need to evaluate our motives or reasons for wearing pants. Is it something practical were it gives modesty in your activities? Is it in rebellion to wearing dresses because of a former experience? Is it wanting to have the authority of a man and so you dress like a man for this reason? Do you feel more in control to dominate others in pants? When you are in pants do you carry a manly bearing? Yes, we too need to evaluate the specific area addressed in this text for it may apply to us. How will we know? Acts 9:6 Lord reveal to me myself and help me change what needs changing. Choose Christ to be your head and do not submit to be man-managed or self-managed. The truth as it is in Jesus shall set you free and you shall be free indeed to follow Christ in all His ways.
Here is the last imbalance I’ll share here. How sad it is to see a woman professing Christianity dressed in proper attire, texture and look, yet naked of the inner virtue of Christ! Naked of power over self! Her speech of harshness, her gossip, or her critical spirit reveals her nakedness of Christ and its so unbecoming for a woman professing Christ. She misrepresents Christ in deportment. Her outward dress gives a Christ-like appearance while her words and deportment deny Him. If we are going to properly influence others, we need to have both the inner and the outer clothing depicting Christ's righteousness and purity! We need Christ in our hearts.
To many the externals are the sum total of religion. Yet it will be evidenced that the heart has not genuine courtesy which alone is of value with God. Let it be said of us that our externals give true evidence of the indwelling Christ clothing us with His essential undergarments of faith and virtue to make our externals real from the inside out.
Fashions. Worldly fashion can lead to defrauding through the obvious issues of bosom-bearing, shape accentuating, and short skirt fashions which we see all too commonly in "professed" Christian's dress today. Does not the fashion of "baggy fitting style" allow men a peek down your loose neck blouses, up your baggy sleeves, or how about those short mid-drifts tops? Low rise pants. Phew! Bare drop shoulders or any other body-revealing fashion items. Can not these defraud and stir up men's base passions just as much as the first mentioned styles? Sure it can! They all undress the woman in the name of fashion and cool! Satan's cunning must be seen for what it truly is. He uses fashion successfully to crucify Christ's character and to destroy us and others, within and without. All this goes against the godly principles of purity and modesty.
Fashion rules the world. She is a tyrannical mistress, often compelling her devotees to the greatest inconvenience and discomfort. Fashion taxes without reason and collects without mercy. She has a fascinating power, and stands ready to criticize and ridicule the poor, if they do not follow in her wake at any cost. Many professed Christians are imitating the fashions of the world. Their spirituality is dying. Selfishness and pride are taking possession of them, and the love of God finds little room in their hearts. God expects His commandment-keeping people to be distinct from the world, but in many instances the line of demarcation is hardly discernible. And their influence leads others astray. Many lack the courage to stand firm for the right.
Fashion consumes our time and means. Is not spending much time pouring through a profuse number of catalogs that come into our homes, against God's will? Many catalogs pour into our homes. They are just in home shopping malls? The sale catalogs, are more like the outlet stores coming right into our homes. Do your catalogs crowd out God? These are all calculated to steal our last ounce of time and means and keep us from spending that needed time with Christ in prayer or reading our Bibles or spending time with our spouse or family.
How about walking the malls looking for just the right color shoes to match a new color just added to our already bulging closets. This can also be a shameful use of our time and means? Do we really need more? Do we filtered this use of time through Christ for His approval? Ask yourself. Why are there so many shopping malls and department stores in America? Why are there so many mini storage buildings? American’s don’t wear out their clothes they pack them in boxes to store in their storage units which need to be a larger unit now. We excessively indulge our tastes and closets to the point of bulging. And we are not really satisfied. Do we not gather too much to ourselves, even beyond our needs? Yes we do. Ask God Acts 9:6. Simplify, simplify, simplify - what a blessing in conforming to God's ways, it’s freedom from excess.
Do you see Satan's purposes and intentions here? He has a plan! He has obviously taken the world captive. Excess is so common place it’s viewed as normal. God's people need to be warned. Fashion is ever keeping our time and means occupied or consumed! It's ever changeableness encourages us to gather unto ourselves far beyond true needs. We are off the road and again into the ditch of over do. Satan wants to crowd out God. The choice is yours, you can put on Christ, or you can put on fashion?
What would John the Baptist's life say to our excess? Yes, it is a rebuke friends, but oh his life is a needed rebuke to lovingly awaken us to Satan's sophistries at work for our destruction now and eternally. Let us say thank you to John's life, waking us up to choose to live according to principle and no longer fashion! Let us repent and say I want my closet to reflect Christ from this day forward. Show me the errors of my ways and teach me to trust and follow you. I need your self-control! I choose to put on Christ and let You rule over me as my Lord and Saviour of the inner me first, so that by grace, the outer me shall reflect Christ more fully."
With a repentance and commitment like John the Baptist saying with him, “He must increase and I must decrease” our closets will change and represent "divine" self-denial effectually working in us. What might that closet look like? Sit down with God and invision what you and God want your closet and dresser to look like? God will reveal to you your vision.
I recall vividly the joy I had when I began to see this true beauty Christ wished to put in me, as I would consent to cooperate and commune with Him. I longed to put on Christ.
Christ asked me to cooperate by reforming my closet, by practicing self-denial, by being open to receive reproof and corrections from Him. I joyfully went to make the necessary changes in my closet. I took Jesus with me and He looked at each article with approval or disapproval. This was relatively easy. I discerned his will and willingly discarded those articles he impressed me to. I was filled with a strong sense of responsibility and desire to please God. The indwelling Christ gave me power and grace to conform outwardly in this changing process.
But the next test was harder. I wanted to lessen my closet more and making decisions to discard my clothes was difficult for me. The Lord suggested I should use my husband for this process. I should dress for Jim, wear only what pleases him. Jim said you can throw away this skirt and that blouse, this suit jacket. Self did not want to die here! I like that skirt. That jacket is my favorite color! God and I made an agreement that I could take back two items from my discard stack if I chose. I submitted to God and found comfort. Jim was there to help me! It proved a blessing after the first few articles. My boys joined in with their input as well. It was a great character development time for me and God helped me change! Truly subjection to God proved to be restoration to myself. My little closet now had room! It was welcomed and blessed. My God was now Saviour and Lord of my wardrobe. My husband was very pleased I took his input so willingly. It drew us closer together because God changed my heart. I will dress for Jesus. I will dress to please my Jim. Wow what a transformation!
Fashion rules the world. She is a tyrannical mistress, often compelling her devotees to the greatest inconvenience and discomfort. Fashion taxes without reason and collects without mercy. She has a fascinating power, and stands ready to criticize and ridicule the poor, if they do not follow in her wake at any cost. Many professed Christians are imitating the fashions of the world. Their spirituality is dying. Selfishness and pride are taking possession of them, and the love of God finds little room in their hearts. God expects His commandment-keeping people to be distinct from the world, but in many instances the line of demarcation is hardly discernible. And their influence leads others astray. Many lack the courage to stand firm for the right.
Fashion consumes our time and means. Is not spending much time pouring through a profuse number of catalogs that come into our homes, against God's will? Many catalogs pour into our homes. They are just in home shopping malls? The sale catalogs, are more like the outlet stores coming right into our homes. Do your catalogs crowd out God? These are all calculated to steal our last ounce of time and means and keep us from spending that needed time with Christ in prayer or reading our Bibles or spending time with our spouse or family.
How about walking the malls looking for just the right color shoes to match a new color just added to our already bulging closets. This can also be a shameful use of our time and means? Do we really need more? Do we filtered this use of time through Christ for His approval? Ask yourself. Why are there so many shopping malls and department stores in America? Why are there so many mini storage buildings? American’s don’t wear out their clothes they pack them in boxes to store in their storage units which need to be a larger unit now. We excessively indulge our tastes and closets to the point of bulging. And we are not really satisfied. Do we not gather too much to ourselves, even beyond our needs? Yes we do. Ask God Acts 9:6. Simplify, simplify, simplify - what a blessing in conforming to God's ways, it’s freedom from excess.
Do you see Satan's purposes and intentions here? He has a plan! He has obviously taken the world captive. Excess is so common place it’s viewed as normal. God's people need to be warned. Fashion is ever keeping our time and means occupied or consumed! It's ever changeableness encourages us to gather unto ourselves far beyond true needs. We are off the road and again into the ditch of over do. Satan wants to crowd out God. The choice is yours, you can put on Christ, or you can put on fashion?
What would John the Baptist's life say to our excess? Yes, it is a rebuke friends, but oh his life is a needed rebuke to lovingly awaken us to Satan's sophistries at work for our destruction now and eternally. Let us say thank you to John's life, waking us up to choose to live according to principle and no longer fashion! Let us repent and say I want my closet to reflect Christ from this day forward. Show me the errors of my ways and teach me to trust and follow you. I need your self-control! I choose to put on Christ and let You rule over me as my Lord and Saviour of the inner me first, so that by grace, the outer me shall reflect Christ more fully."
With a repentance and commitment like John the Baptist saying with him, “He must increase and I must decrease” our closets will change and represent "divine" self-denial effectually working in us. What might that closet look like? Sit down with God and invision what you and God want your closet and dresser to look like? God will reveal to you your vision.
I recall vividly the joy I had when I began to see this true beauty Christ wished to put in me, as I would consent to cooperate and commune with Him. I longed to put on Christ.
Christ asked me to cooperate by reforming my closet, by practicing self-denial, by being open to receive reproof and corrections from Him. I joyfully went to make the necessary changes in my closet. I took Jesus with me and He looked at each article with approval or disapproval. This was relatively easy. I discerned his will and willingly discarded those articles he impressed me to. I was filled with a strong sense of responsibility and desire to please God. The indwelling Christ gave me power and grace to conform outwardly in this changing process.
But the next test was harder. I wanted to lessen my closet more and making decisions to discard my clothes was difficult for me. The Lord suggested I should use my husband for this process. I should dress for Jim, wear only what pleases him. Jim said you can throw away this skirt and that blouse, this suit jacket. Self did not want to die here! I like that skirt. That jacket is my favorite color! God and I made an agreement that I could take back two items from my discard stack if I chose. I submitted to God and found comfort. Jim was there to help me! It proved a blessing after the first few articles. My boys joined in with their input as well. It was a great character development time for me and God helped me change! Truly subjection to God proved to be restoration to myself. My little closet now had room! It was welcomed and blessed. My God was now Saviour and Lord of my wardrobe. My husband was very pleased I took his input so willingly. It drew us closer together because God changed my heart. I will dress for Jesus. I will dress to please my Jim. Wow what a transformation!
Cotton Fibers. How important are the fibers of my clothing in my Christian walk? Is cotton the only fiber heaven approves? I dare to say "no." If you want to wear cotton, it is an excellent fiber to wear. But recognize cotton cannot be made the test of whether we are a Christian; no more than speaking in tongues verifies our connection with Christ. While there are some real physical advantages to wearing natural fiber clothing in that they breath, let us realize cotton is only one of several fibers that do breath and still meet heaven's standards. What we need to see is that cotton will not save us, whereas putting on Christ can save us! Don’t make a truth, The Truth. Don’t make cotton your Savior in place of Christ.
Now breathing is important! But how much more essential and vital for the life and health of our body, mind and soul is the "breath of Christ" guiding and directing us. How much more important it is to learn how to have a living, vital connection with Christ. How to have communion so that our souls can breathe heaven's life-giving atmosphere of wisdom, guidance, and grace. Without this continual, abiding of Christ in us, we have no life, no breathe to walk the walk of right doing. I want all to see how much more essential breathing Christ is than the issue of wearing only cotton! Cotton as good as it is cannot save me from my sin. It helps my health. But a cotton covering cannot earn us our entrance to heaven. It cannot change our character.
Now Christ in me can save us from obeying our sins. Christ has His robe of righteousness, which is of heavenly made fibers, not one thread of human devising that He longs to cover us with. Jesus has gained an entrance to heaven and will bring us in with Him, if we yield self and let Him clothe us with His ways.
Christ’s robe of righteousness is ours, if we choose to cooperate and put on Christ. In this covering there can be no "man made fibers" of selfishness. Here is where we must examine ourselves closely and these selfish fibers must be given up and Christ's fibers of union, communion and right doing by grace to replace them. Let us not judge one another by what fibers we wear outwardly. Let not cotton consume the position Christ must occupy. But rather let Christ be the center and focus to examine our fibers of our life.
Some are consumed with the cotton issue placing it above Christ and go around judging others by the fibers they wear outwardly. This is the wrong measuring rod. I say judge not by the outward fibers in this way for we can error? A biblical principle found in Matthew 23:24-26 says, "Like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
I see a pretty little girl beautifully arrayed in cotton clothing from the tip of her hair with a lovely bow to the tip of her toes in cotton. A finely made, well fitting dress, apron and bow. Truly she is lovely! She sits in church quietly being admired until her will is crossed. Then we see disrespectful looks, words and actions. Lying, argumentative, uncooperative lips betray the unrestrained selfishness that lies within her inner heart. Is she dressed to the glory of God or is she naked of Christ? She is naked of Christ. Her outward was deceptive. The outward was professing purity, while the inward was enthroned with self and no self-control. No Christ!
It’s so sad! Am I saying not to dress our children in this way? No! We ought to do this, but not leave their character untrained. Self is not to rule the heart Christ should! The child must know Christ personally, recognize His voice to her mind and be surrendered and empowered to do His will and way. This all too common scene brings pain to every sincere Christian's heart, especially the conscientious parents. Now I commend the mother for the effort necessary in presenting her child in simplicity, modesty and cleanliness outwardly. But we cannot leave the teaching and training of the will, nor the inward adorning of Christ neglected or undone, can we?
We as parents must personally understand, experience and exemplify the how to's of yielding our wills to Christ before we can teach our children's minds and train their wills in these vital basics of how to be clothed with the life from Christ on the inner man. The undergarment of Christ in me will enable them to respond to trial properly, to be easily entreated, and posses a genuine sweet spirit. Let our outward clothing be an out flowing of the inward clothing of Christ. Let our deportment and spirit match our outward dress.
I entreat you to follow Christ, not man, and not put reforms in the place of Christ. Determine what changes God is calling you to make today, be that in what fibers of clothing you put on your external bodies, or any aspect of dressing for Jesus. These decisions must come from God, His Word and you in the secret chambers of your prayer life. Seeking Christ to live in you is the weightier matter. We want to properly represent Christ inside and out. We do not want to be a whited sepulchur, full of dead man’s bone.
If this inward is missing or neglected, all outward dress is vanity and not pleasing to God. He wants our whole heart. We need Christ to dwell in us, to redeem our inner selves first. Then the modest, life-giving robe of right doing. Our character is our robe. It must be examined daily, whether every fiber of my life is of God or of self. It is good to ask, Who is our Lord? This is indeed the weightiest matter of the law, is it not? This must be done and not leave the other matters undone. Follow Christ and not man.
What fibers or ways of my Christian walk need to be replaced by the fibers or ways of heaven's order? Does anger or irritation rule over me in my dealings with my spouse, child or friend? These fibers or ways of selfishness can and must be replaced by Christ's new nature ruling in wisdom, love and self-control. These are the fibers we need to examine in ourselves.
Dear friends let us consider the cost of this inner beauty, rest and peace which God longs to put in us. It is purchased with our time, communion with God, and the right action of our will in surrendering to God's way and will, above my selfish inclinations. This full heart surrender requires both hearing and doing. It requires more time than we realize, so let us commence immediately to "redeem our time for the days are evil." It is the best investment of our time and means for now and eternity. Let us put on Christ in our inner man or woman, that Christ's beauty may be manifested in truth to all around us by what we wear, what we say, and how we respond. Proclaim the risen Saviour you serve. God has left the choice with us. What will you do?
Now breathing is important! But how much more essential and vital for the life and health of our body, mind and soul is the "breath of Christ" guiding and directing us. How much more important it is to learn how to have a living, vital connection with Christ. How to have communion so that our souls can breathe heaven's life-giving atmosphere of wisdom, guidance, and grace. Without this continual, abiding of Christ in us, we have no life, no breathe to walk the walk of right doing. I want all to see how much more essential breathing Christ is than the issue of wearing only cotton! Cotton as good as it is cannot save me from my sin. It helps my health. But a cotton covering cannot earn us our entrance to heaven. It cannot change our character.
Now Christ in me can save us from obeying our sins. Christ has His robe of righteousness, which is of heavenly made fibers, not one thread of human devising that He longs to cover us with. Jesus has gained an entrance to heaven and will bring us in with Him, if we yield self and let Him clothe us with His ways.
Christ’s robe of righteousness is ours, if we choose to cooperate and put on Christ. In this covering there can be no "man made fibers" of selfishness. Here is where we must examine ourselves closely and these selfish fibers must be given up and Christ's fibers of union, communion and right doing by grace to replace them. Let us not judge one another by what fibers we wear outwardly. Let not cotton consume the position Christ must occupy. But rather let Christ be the center and focus to examine our fibers of our life.
Some are consumed with the cotton issue placing it above Christ and go around judging others by the fibers they wear outwardly. This is the wrong measuring rod. I say judge not by the outward fibers in this way for we can error? A biblical principle found in Matthew 23:24-26 says, "Like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
I see a pretty little girl beautifully arrayed in cotton clothing from the tip of her hair with a lovely bow to the tip of her toes in cotton. A finely made, well fitting dress, apron and bow. Truly she is lovely! She sits in church quietly being admired until her will is crossed. Then we see disrespectful looks, words and actions. Lying, argumentative, uncooperative lips betray the unrestrained selfishness that lies within her inner heart. Is she dressed to the glory of God or is she naked of Christ? She is naked of Christ. Her outward was deceptive. The outward was professing purity, while the inward was enthroned with self and no self-control. No Christ!
It’s so sad! Am I saying not to dress our children in this way? No! We ought to do this, but not leave their character untrained. Self is not to rule the heart Christ should! The child must know Christ personally, recognize His voice to her mind and be surrendered and empowered to do His will and way. This all too common scene brings pain to every sincere Christian's heart, especially the conscientious parents. Now I commend the mother for the effort necessary in presenting her child in simplicity, modesty and cleanliness outwardly. But we cannot leave the teaching and training of the will, nor the inward adorning of Christ neglected or undone, can we?
We as parents must personally understand, experience and exemplify the how to's of yielding our wills to Christ before we can teach our children's minds and train their wills in these vital basics of how to be clothed with the life from Christ on the inner man. The undergarment of Christ in me will enable them to respond to trial properly, to be easily entreated, and posses a genuine sweet spirit. Let our outward clothing be an out flowing of the inward clothing of Christ. Let our deportment and spirit match our outward dress.
I entreat you to follow Christ, not man, and not put reforms in the place of Christ. Determine what changes God is calling you to make today, be that in what fibers of clothing you put on your external bodies, or any aspect of dressing for Jesus. These decisions must come from God, His Word and you in the secret chambers of your prayer life. Seeking Christ to live in you is the weightier matter. We want to properly represent Christ inside and out. We do not want to be a whited sepulchur, full of dead man’s bone.
If this inward is missing or neglected, all outward dress is vanity and not pleasing to God. He wants our whole heart. We need Christ to dwell in us, to redeem our inner selves first. Then the modest, life-giving robe of right doing. Our character is our robe. It must be examined daily, whether every fiber of my life is of God or of self. It is good to ask, Who is our Lord? This is indeed the weightiest matter of the law, is it not? This must be done and not leave the other matters undone. Follow Christ and not man.
What fibers or ways of my Christian walk need to be replaced by the fibers or ways of heaven's order? Does anger or irritation rule over me in my dealings with my spouse, child or friend? These fibers or ways of selfishness can and must be replaced by Christ's new nature ruling in wisdom, love and self-control. These are the fibers we need to examine in ourselves.
Dear friends let us consider the cost of this inner beauty, rest and peace which God longs to put in us. It is purchased with our time, communion with God, and the right action of our will in surrendering to God's way and will, above my selfish inclinations. This full heart surrender requires both hearing and doing. It requires more time than we realize, so let us commence immediately to "redeem our time for the days are evil." It is the best investment of our time and means for now and eternity. Let us put on Christ in our inner man or woman, that Christ's beauty may be manifested in truth to all around us by what we wear, what we say, and how we respond. Proclaim the risen Saviour you serve. God has left the choice with us. What will you do?