Scriptural
Examples of Proper Dress
William
V. Manson
This study includes
biblical examples that have to do with the subject of proper dress.
First we will peruse
several scriptures that portray proper clothing as being used for specific
situations, and we have no countermanding examples. Proper attire is repeatedly
portrayed in the Scripture in analogy with righteousness. It would not be wise
to do this if there was to be a time when proper clothing would no longer be
respected by righteous people.
Some Clothing was
specifically related to Glory and to Beauty
Genesis 27:15, "And
Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her
in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:"
Exodus 28:2-3,
"And
thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for
beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have
filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to
consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office."
Exodus 28:40,
"And
for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles,
and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty."
Exodus 39:41,
"The
cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in
the priest's office."
Leviticus 8:2,
"Take
Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil,
and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened
bread;"
Leviticus 16:4,
"He
shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen
breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle,
and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments;
therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on."
Leviticus 21:10,
"And
he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing
oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall
not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;"
Proverbs 31:21-22,
"She
is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are
clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her
clothing is silk and purple."
Zechariah 3:5,
"And
I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre
upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD
stood by."
In contrast; the
judgment of God was portrayed when these niceties were taken away and their
nakedness revealed.
Isaiah 3:16-22,
"Moreover
the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with
stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and
making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab
the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover
their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of
their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round
tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The
bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and
the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and
the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,"
Jeremiah 2:32,
"Can
a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people
have forgotten me days without number."
God arrayed His people
in costly apparel and jewelry. Should a good husband, not also aspire to do the
same for his wife?
Ezekiel 16:8-13,
"Now
when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of
love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I
sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and
thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away
thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with
broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee
about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with
ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I
put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown
upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment
was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour,
and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst
prosper into a kingdom."
Christianity has went
to both extremes. They have taught their women to be very plain and then they
have taught them to over dress and then to un-dress or under dress. Women get
the brunt of the nonsense when it comes to proper dress and have been
neglected, relative to what God has taught. This nonsense has caused the Church
to be far less then an efficient witness for the glory of God. All of these
nonsensical variations are produced by our not esteeming the word and the
examples it contains. The Scripture has numerous references to clothing and
they are very often tied to shame and or beauty and glory.
Since clothing is
essential, there must be established ethics or absolutes pertaining to apparel.
Why? Because clothing protects us and our bodies from the elements. Heat, Cold,
Physical damage to our bodies, such as cuts, bruises, abrasions and premature
aging of our skin. Which also involves the following -
1.
Insects bites.
2.
Disease.
3.
Unwanted sexual advances..
4.
Promoting loose sex.
5.
Promoting deviate and disgusting behavior.
6.
Deviate and disgusting display of the base parts
of the human anatomy.
7.
The shame produced by the display of our own
unflattering anatomy.
Clothing can build self
esteem and encourage the respect of others by -
1.
Enhancing our appearance.
2.
Promoting our pursuit of good character.
3.
Directing our attention away from our pervasive
base human desires.
4.
Allowing us to concentrate on who the other
person is, rather then what they are.
Many schools,
academies, businesses, courts of law, and even local bars have strict dress
codes. However, many Churches now have none and this is becoming painfully
obvious. Some of their active members would not be allowed to enter a court of
law, and even some bars would ask them to leave, and not come back until they
put on more clothes.
When a generation of
people gravitate toward immorality they always become lax about covering
themselves. (The debased condition of the Roman Empire is a well known
example.) They eventually rebel against all restrictions, or moral law, and
move toward wanton flesh pleasing activities. In a sense they become addicted
to tickling themselves. They then become so enamored with their loose life
style that they will attack anyone or anything that gets between them and their
fun.
In the case of clothing
they cite how beautiful the human body is and that it is a shame to hide such
an exquisite piece of art. Of course art is but one more of their many tickles
and so it too becomes one of their many gods.
Christians are
necessarily obligated to obey God's Law as it is portrayed in the Scripture.
Unfortunately, too many professing Christians do not know what the Scripture
teaches and do not really care. They want the benefits of Christianity, but
they do not want to comply with its laws. I have written this article as an
outline for those who want to know something of what the Scriptures teaches on
this subject and who do care.
Before sin came through
the acts of Adam and Eve's disobedience, it was not a shame to be unclothed. We
are born into that same state of innocence. But, as we grow older we are either
taught or learn that it is a shame to be unclothed around other people.
Genesis 2:25,
"And
they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
The reason nakedness is
a problem is because of sin. There are groups of people who think we should
live free of shame of nakedness. They espouse nakedness as a way to get rid of
sexual sin and as being a healthy way to live. It is said that to wear clothing
tantalizes and so increases curiosity and so increases temptation and sexual
sin. It is also said that the dedicated Christian can handle any temptation
that would come from skimpy clothing. So, anyone who has a problem needs to get
their filthy mind out of the gutter.
This sounds so simple
and righteous. However, these arguments are void of objectiveness.
We all must face
reality. If we fail to deal with reality we will suffer more from its negative
aspects. Negative results are most often multiplied by our ignorance. The
adverse effects of nakedness is a given in the Scripture. As far as the
Scripture is concerned the obvious results of people living in unkempt nakedness
should be evident to all but the most pagan of people.
The Scripture portrays
wanton nakedness as being a shame.
Isaiah 20:4,
"So
shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians
captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks
uncovered, to the shame of Egypt."
Jeremiah 13:26,
"Therefore
will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear."
Micah 1:11,
"Pass
ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant
of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you
his standing."
There are still tribes
of people who wear little if any clothing and they have problems with sexual
promiscuity and sickness. As a result they have a very short life span. They
also live on the bottom of the scale relative to civilization. They live closer
to the level of animals. Millions and millions of people in Africa are dying
because of their erroneous approach to sexuality. AIDS!
Proper clothing at its
basic level has to do with hygiene. Health is negatively affected by nakedness.
The excretions of the human body are breeding places for bacteria.
Chairs become
contaminated by our nakedness. Clothes can be washed, chairs are seldom washed.
If you wear clothes and always wash your hands after you go to the bathroom you
will prevent sickness. Toilet seats are not known to be germ free. This is an
understatement. Venereal disease can be transmitted by setting on one. Flushing
a toilet or a urinal creates a mist of water vapor that is often filled with
germs. Some of this vapor settles on you.
If you are habitually
naked or if great portions of the area near your private parts, or your legs,
are uncovered and you go to the bathroom you should wash more then your hands.
Again, - Clothing that covers these areas reduces the spread of germs. Your
body has oils and perspiration that are carriers of and breading ground for
bacteria, whereas clothes are usually dry and do not spread germs or bacteria
as easily.
Clothing reduces
exposure to insect bites and their bites can spread disease. Those less
civilized tribes of people who wear little clothing always suffer from higher
incidents of disease. There are many doctors who believe AIDS can be contracted
from an insect bite.
In the more civilized
communities you will find it is among those who wear the least clothes who have
the most skin cancer. They also have the fastest aging skin. Of course this is
also affected by the kind of skin people have. Some are able to stand more
exposure then others. Melanoma, which is a deadly skin cancer is killing people
frequently and I have known numbers of older people who have repeatedly had to
have serious surgery and some have even died - all because of cancer that was
promoted by over exposure to the sun.
Again, those people who
love to fish, swim and sun bathe while wearing skimpy clothing have more skin
problems and they appear to age faster then those who do not. The tanning
parlors are in now. They are well attended by those who want that good looking
tan and this also helps hide varicose veins. But doctors are constantly telling
us on TV and in articles that we are not only ruining our skin, but are also
increasing the odds of getting frightening and vicious types of malignant skin
cancer.
If we would observe
those older people who have had a lot of exposure to the sun we would see
people who looked many years older then their age. The reverse is true of those
who have kept themselves covered. Many, careful, older women have very youthful
looking skin. Many older people can remember when their parents warned them to
keep themselves covered so they would not get sick. They also told them to
always wear a hat or a bonnet while they were working outside so they would not
hurt their eyes and skin. Many ethnic groups, historically, have covered
themselves completely as protection from the elements.
There is ample proof of
nakedness being a problem. Nature, itself, teaches us we should clothe
ourselves.
Now let us further
examine some of the examples of clothing that are portrayed in the scriptures.
They hold the answer.
Genesis 3:6-7,
"And
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit
thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."
They covered themselves
with the equivalent of short shorts or an apron. How was it that they were able
to live naked yet without disease? I do not know. There may not have been any
terrible diseases at that time and the rays of the sun may have been more
filtered by the atmosphere.
Genesis 3:10-11,
"And
he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked;
and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast
thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not
eat?"
Genesis 3:21,
"Unto
Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed
them."
God covered them with
coats. This was a garment that came from the shoulders to below their knees.
Sin had appeared and so, in some manner, their environment changed. Now they
needed extra protection, both from their own sensual desires and also from the
environment.
We think of sin as
being a form of pollution. The resulting negative effects of sin may also
pollute more then the soul of people. It may have since affected microbes. It's
results may have started mutations in other forms of life? Who knows? We do
know that Aids is a problem that has been produced by deviant promiscuity.
Genesis 9:21-23,
"And
he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his
tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father,
and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and
laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the
nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw
not their father's nakedness."
Something unethical
happened when Shem saw his father. His peering at his father involved more then
an accident. To stumble into a situation where someone is getting dressed or
relieving themselves is excusable. However, Shem was cursed for what happened
here. He may have unashamedly peered and made fun of his father.
Exodus 28:40,
"And
for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them
girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty."
Here we find that God
endorses the use of clothing to enhance our appearance. People who have
attained a special position of honor can rightfully, and in good taste, wear
clothing that distinguishes them from other people.
Exodus 28:41,
"And
thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt
anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister
unto me in the priest's office."
We can use clothing to
distinguish those of high office or those who have other special positions.
This sets them apart and reduces confusion. They were said by God to be more
presentable, glorious. I accept this as it reads. Do You?
Exodus 28:42-43,
"And
thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins
even unto the thighs they shall reach: And they shall be upon Aaron, and
upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or
when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they
bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his
seed after him."
Here we have the use of
pants, or under-clothing being described. The reason for there use is revealed
here and in the following scripture. Also note Exodus 20:26, below.
Exodus 20:25-26,
"And
if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone:
for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt
thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered
thereon."
Exodus 28:39-43,
"And
thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of
fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework. And for Aaron's sons
thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt
thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them
upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and
consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the
priest's office. And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their
nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: And they
shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle
of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the
holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for
ever unto him and his seed after him."
These scriptures give
insight into the use of under, beneath, decent, clothing. The term thigh here
refers to the area of the leg below the buttocks. The Scripture does not go
into all of the details as to why we should keep ourselves covered. Neither
does it give us the reasons for all of the washings that it proscribed for
certain types of sickness. However, we now know that good hygiene is essential
to good health. Remember - Proper clothing is a basic part of hygiene.
God demanded that the
people wash in certain situations and then demanded they wear under garments in
other situations. Superstition is not what God wants. He wants us to be
protected and healthy.
Exodus 39:41,
"The
cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in
the priest's office."
Leviticus 16:4,
"He
shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches
upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen
mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he
wash his flesh in water, and so put them on."
Isaiah 61:10,
"I
will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with
the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with
ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
Ezekiel 44:18-19,
"They
shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches
upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that
causeth sweat. And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter
court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered,
and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and
they shall not sanctify the people with their garments."
There are scriptures
that mentions our being clothed with robes of righteousness, white robes, etc.
This phrasing is associated with both decency and beauty. Again, robes have
always been associated with or used as being descriptive of holiness and
righteousness. Remember the angels with their robes?
In this space I will
approach the principle of an analogy again and try to get across the necessity
of having an established ethic for proper or decent dress. The phrase white
robes and the like are used in an analogous way, or they are used in some
sense, that is comparable to our being presented properly, as a means of
revealing to us how we are effected or protected, or covered, by being
righteous.
So, to be naked is one
extreme and is the least protected and least decent appearance. The robe is the
other extreme and provides the best protection and represents the most decent
appearance. It is also obvious that various offices or stations in life were
and still are designated by specific forms of attire. There is also the extreme
of over dressing, which is to set about to draw attention to ones person for
self gratification and pride.
2 Corinthians 5:2-4,
"For
in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which
is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found
naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for
that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality
might be swallowed up of life."
The analogy here has
eternal life as being properly clothed, while being unclothed is to be rejected
or is to fail to gain life.
King David:
2 Samuel 6:14-16,
"And
David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a
linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the
LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the
LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a
window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she
despised him in her heart."
2 Samuel 6:20,
"Then
David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out
to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who
uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as
one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!"
Michal did not approve
of the way David had dressed himself. Note, David did not dance in the
nude as so many have mistakenly believed. He had only taken off the clothes
that distinguished him as being the King and replaced them with a linen ephod.
Note verse 14 above. The linen ephod was a short jacket or coat made for the
priests and it came down to the thigh. He had dressed down and so appeared to
Michal to be undressed relative to his position. Her father had been king and
she despised David for lowering himself. In doing this she showed disrespect
for both her husband and for God. There is a time and a place for all things.
2 Samuel 6:21-22,
"And
David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy
father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the
LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be
more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the
maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour."
Some think that here
David made a statement that provides us with a reason for not worrying about
dress. Note, he says I was doing this - "before the Lord." He also
said that he would even become more vile then this, but in doing so he would be
honored by his woman servants. If this is taken out of context it can support
one's doing any number of indecent acts. However, here, the Ark was being returned
to Israel. David was not going shopping or working in the garden or entering
the temple.
If something of
tremendous spiritual significance happens and one is rejoicing before the Lord
that would be very different then just being laid back and actively rebelling
against biblical and historical examples - by wearing skimpy and unprofessional
appearing clothes every time one feels like it. There is such a thing as
portraying and maintaining a professional appearance, proper decorum,
etiquette, and respect, for one's self, and others, and especially respect for
a position. As for a position, one does not have to be extravagant, but instead
plain, as a servant.
King Saul:
1 Samuel 19:23-24,
"And
he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also,
and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped
off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay
down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul
also among the prophets?"
It is thought by many
Scripture students that this nakedness was not total nudity. They dressed down;
stripped down to their underclothes. Note, they asked the question - "is
Saul also one of the Prophets?" He had taken off the clothes that distinguished
him as the King and so looked like a prophet. If he did strip down he still was
wearing a small patch of material that covered a persons private parts. Such as
a small narrow loin cloth or comparable to what is now called under-clothing,
shorts, panties, etc. In addition it is thought that the equivalent of an
undershirt that reached to the thighs was common.
Isaiah 20:2-4,
"At
the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose
the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he
did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the LORD said, Like as my
servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and
wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; So shall the king of Assyria lead away the
Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and
barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt."
Isaiah still had his
private parts covered. Note,
"even with their buttocks
uncovered." This interpretation can be argued against.
However, because it mentions buttocks, it would seem to imply that it was only
their back sides that were bare.
John 21:7,
"Therefore
that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him,
(for he was naked) and did cast himself into the sea."
The term naked above is
again referring to being improperly dressed.
Matthew 22:11-14,
"And
when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on
a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither
not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king
to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into
outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are
called, but few are chosen."
If proper clothing is
not essential, or if it has nothing to do with righteousness or proper decor,
in any specific situation, then all of these analogies are just so much
nonsense. This man was not properly dressed for the occasion, still he was not
naked or stripped. This is still another analogy where proper clothing is used
to put across a spiritual point.
Isaiah 47:1-3,
"Come
down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground:
there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be
called tender and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy
locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy
nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take
vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man."
Again, the scriptures
speak of the uncovering of the body, or nakedness as being a shame. It was
humiliating to these people to be stripped down and to have their naked or nude
bodies paraded before their enemies.
Habakkuk 2:15-16,
"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to
him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy
foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned
unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory."
Loose living drinking
revelers still like to do this to people. They like to get someone so drunk
they are not able to keep themselves decent. Then they make fun of them and
make vulgar remarks about the way they look. Many men want a woman to undress
or put on skimpy clothes and numbers of them will then turn and call them a
slut when they do it. The discreet woman, the careful and fully dressed woman
has most always received more respect.
In modern lingo, the
modest, discreet, or conservative woman, is lumped in with the plain, homely,
un-elaborate, and the dry person. These are the politically correct
definitions. However the following is what the dictionary says -
dis·creet
adj. 1. Marked by, exercising, or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in
speech and behavior; circumspect. 2. Free from ostentation or pretension;
modest.
This is the opposite of
the following -
os·ten·ta·tion
n. 1. Pretentious display meant to impress others; boastful showiness. 2.
Archaic. The act or an instance of showing; an exhibition.
Someone can dress well
with colorful clothing and wear jewelry and still be in keeping with good taste
as per the scriptures. Skimpy clothes in public is always an exhibition.
Isaiah 59:4-16,
"None
calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and
speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch
cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs
dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall
not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works:
their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their
thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they
have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait
for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We
grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we
stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. We
roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there
is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. For our transgressions are
multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions
are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; In transgressing and
lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression
and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And
judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is
fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that
departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it
displeased him that there was no judgment. And he saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation
unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him."
These scriptures do a
good job of portraying sick morality. Unfortunately this is the state of many
of our leaders. Including many of those in the Church. They lie and think nothing
of it. Our Churches, communities and nation are reeking with this nonsense and
our lack of good judgment. People who are caught up in justifying this
sickness, dress and act accordingly. History has before and will again prove
them wrong.
In verse six it speaks
of people not being able to cover themselves with their nonsensical acts. In
other words they will not be able to justify what they have done by what they
have accomplished. As it is now, many people defend those who have poor
character by pointing to their great accomplishments. This is situation ethics.
Whenever the Scripture
speaks of robes of righteousness it is speaking of actions and results that
prove people right or proper. All of this is pointed to through the analogy of
proper dress. (Being properly covered, not shamed because of revealing
oneself). The wicked are always naked before God. However, the righteous are
covered because they have obeyed God.
1 Timothy 2:8-10,
"I
will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath
and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or
gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing
godliness) with good works."
1 Peter 3:1-4,
"Likewise,
ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the
word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning
let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of
gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."
In these scriptures
Paul and Peter give a recipe or a formula for proper adornment. They are
emphasizing the adornment of good character.
They are not saying, do
not wear jewelry, rather they are saying, do not try to use jewelry as a
substitute for good character. The point being that the poor woman who has good
character is, already dressed up and, beautiful to behold. However, if you are
into outward adornment, beware for it will not make up for a lack of character.
Remember, your good character will make you attractive to both your husband and
God.
So, if you have good
character and your husband adorns you with fine things, they will not detract
from your character. Fine things are not a sin.
Proverbs 31:10,
"Who
can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."
Proverbs 31:21-22,
"She
is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed
with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk
and purple."
Proverbs 31:24-25,
"She
maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength
and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."
Proverbs 31:28-31,
"Her
children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is
deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she
shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works
praise her in the gates."
This text portrays a
women who is dressed in good character on the inside and this is revealed by
what she does. However, she is also dressed in expensive garments. Notice, her
outward appearance does not detract from her goodness, though she is dressed in
expensive clothing.
The following analogy
must also be based on something sensible and proper, otherwise it would cause
confusion and detract from God's integrity.
Ezekiel 16:10-14,
"I
clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I
girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked
thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on
thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a
beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver;
and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou
didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful,
and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the
heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had
put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD."
In this setting God is
telling how he found Israel and what he did for her. (Note, God put his
comeliness on her.) This is an example of how a husband can treat his wife. We
must understand that God is not using an analogy that is based on impropriety.
Luke 15:21-24,
"And
the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight,
and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his
servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill
it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again;
he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."
Again, we have another
example of what is right. This father put the best robe on this son. He also
put a ring on his finger.
There will always be
people who God calls to a special walk with him. Some individuals are set apart
for a special ministry. Because of this they are not bound to wear jewelry and
fine clothing. However, the majority are not called to walk in such special
circumstances. We must make allowances for such callings and in either case not
pressure anyone into being something they are not.
Matthew 23:27-28,
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full
of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly
appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity."
Luke 20:46,
"Beware
of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings
in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at
feasts;"
In these last two
scripture settings we find Christ addressing the life style and appearance of
the Pharisee's. He first says woe to them. He was setting out to warn them. But
in the middle of his exhortation he mentions that as whited sepulchres they
also looked good. However, inside they were also full of dead men's bones. As
an ornate decorated burial vault they did look good.
People do not go to the
expense of preparing an elaborate tomb that is ugly. They did look righteous to
other people. Jesus gave them a back handed compliment on the way they looked,
however, he also ridiculed them for they way they lived. They lacked character.
Do the following have
anything to do with a reflection on being properly clothed? Does our approach
to dress support or distort these verses?
Mark 16:5,
"And
entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed
in a long white garment; and they were affrighted."
Revelation 1:13,
"And
in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed
with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden
girdle."
Revelation 3:18,
"I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy
nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou
mayest see."
Revelation 7:13-17,
"And
one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed
in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation,
and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his
temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall
hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them,
nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them,
and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes."
The ethics of proper
dress are detailed in these scriptures. We need to take note and dress
appropriately. No, this is not the point of these scriptures. However, we would
do well to note the example, and again, the analogy evidently was expected to
be ageless and so always appropriate and easily understood in every age. This
necessarily means appropriate attire is an ageless order among humans.
Generations of people
have used Scripture examples as a way of determining good taste and modesty.
There are also examples of work clothing portrayed in the Scripture. In many
cases work demands the wearing of clothing that is not appropriate for other
activities.
John 21:7,
"Therefore
that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for
he was naked) and did cast himself into the sea."
In this case Peter did
not even have his work clothes on. He may have thought that even with this coat
on he was not properly dressed for being in the presence of the Lord. As the
military would say - He was out of uniform.
Christ took off his
outer garment and stripped down to his under clothes when he washed the
disciples feet. He was in a room eating, so he should have been warm. It is not
necessary to argue that he stripped down to his shorts and T shirt. However, it
is clear that he did something note worthy when he took off his outer garments.
He properly prepared himself for the job at hand. He did something practical.
John 13:4-5,
"He
riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and
girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."
If we are necessarily
stripped down for work, such as loose short sleeves and loose pants this is in
keeping with biblical examples. (Ask some woman who has worked around a lot of
conveyor belts while sorting in a packing shed. It would be dangerous to wear
certain kinds of long loose clothing). They either girded up their clothing
while they worked or wore appropriate work clothes.
If we are under-dressed
in public for no necessary reason we are, again, breaking the analogy. If we
cannot afford anything but work clothing we do not have to dress up, however we
should be properly covered, neat and clean. If we dress so as to appear near
naked yet clothed we are also destroying the analogy. Again, those Christian
men and women who take off their clothes or are under dressed when there are no
necessary reasons for doing so are undermining a moral absolute.
There are numbers of
professions that still demand professional looking attire. There is to be a
distinction between men's and women's apparel, yet their clothing can be made
from the same basic pattern. Biblical men wore skirts and robes, etc. So did
the women. Yet their clothes were still either distinctly feminine or
distinctly masculine.
Some of the results of
improper dress can be seen in the abortion Mills. Why is it that so many women,
daily, insist on revealing so much more of their bodies then men do? We know
why street walkers do this.
David was enticed into
sin by seeing a woman bathing. There are numbers of Christian men and women who
laugh when the topic of clothing is mentioned. Pornography is rampant, more and
more children are being molested for money, fatherless children are, either
being born or, aborted, at an hideous rate, yet the majority of Christians
still laugh and deny there is any connection between clothing and license.
Many men are excited by
seeing women's legs and knees and the higher the hem line the better they like
it. Still Christians laugh. Women are paying to see men strip, and men have
been doing this for ages, yet Christians just laugh when proper clothing is
said to be a moral issue. Cars and many other articles and things are portrayed
in advertisements that are embellished with pretty models scantily dressed with
a lot of leg showing, plus. Still the Christians laugh. A US President has a
problem with pretty, shapely, revealingly dressed woman, but most Christians
just keep on laughing. They think that any man who is enticed just has a dirty
mind and so has nothing to do with a woman's responsibility. "Stumbling
block?"
Muslims and most other
eastern religions have very strict customs for dress, especially for women.
That difference is being portrayed here more as these religions prosper in this
country. Their modesty is readily apparent and reveals the sloppy approach most
Christians have to dress when in public. Their discipline and modesty attracts
people. The same goes for the conservative Jews. Their women are modestly
dressed and yet are very well dressed. Again - many people are attracted to
those who portray their beliefs openly by their actions.
For nearly two thousand
years, Christians modesty in apparel influenced every community where they have
resided. Today, many of the younger set - go about insulting their heritage
through the immodesty portrayed in the way they clothe themselves. They are
supposedly kings and priests unto God and this should prompt them to dress
accordingly, especially as they present themselves before the public. Yet, they
act as if they are being asked to sin if anyone suggests that they should be
more careful about their appearance. It never has been a sin to cover ones
body, yet they act as if it is. In the hottest regions of the world religious
Muslims, Jews and Christians have always clothed themselves and by doing so
influenced their communities into becoming more civilized.
Christians can lose
their sense of shame. If we set out to allure someone of the opposite sex by
the way we dress we may get what we deserve and may even get more problems then
what we deserve. Some Christians dress very provocatively and do so in their
ignorance. Though they may do so in innocence they can still reap severe
situations and a married life of misery. Many people are attracted by what they
see and will act in what ever way it takes to get what they want. Then when the
vows are over, in walks the real person. In many cases, it is better to be less
attractive, more conservative and less provocative, so as to only attract those
who are willing to search out true character. Even then there are those who are
looking for good character, yet have little of their own.
The Jews of the first
century were aghast at the nakedness displayed by the Greeks and the Romans and
in a great part they despised their games because of this. There is no mention
of any of the Jews ever despising the early Christians for the way they
dressed. In fact the history of that period reveals that the Christians were
despised because of their plain dress and conservative ways by the Romans, but
they were not despised by the Jews for these reasons.
Adam and Eve found
themselves naked before God. Since that time, and as a rule wanton nakedness
has to do with sin. There is nothing left to say. There are no tenable
arguments against the Christian etiquette of wearing proper clothing. Those
people who rebel against this absolute make a lot of noise but they are not
objective and they are portraying both a lack of discretion and rebellion.
The literal dress
styles of the Scripture are not binding on us, but their sensibleness and
propriety, or the underlying principles that are revealed by how the Godly
dressed, are to be imitated. Loose, simple, clothing that covers and protects
is the definition of the basic principle. Beyond that there is such a thing as
being properly dressed for the occasion. Underline the word
"dressed."
The history of a
persons life has no equal when it comes time to find out who they really are.
It is only their history that tells us if they really have on robes of
righteousness. No one can fake good character for years at a time.
We are to always be
examples of sensible propriety. We should not be drawing attention to ourselves
by either over- dressing or by being under dressed. (Men or women.) Yes, there
will be times when we cannot dress properly for an occasion without drawing
attention to ourselves. In that case, we are to dress properly and then do not
be self-conscious or ashamed.
We are to be relaxed
and friendly. Do not hide yourself or be tense and so be thought of as being
stuck up. We need to understand proper dress and be able to give reasons for
what we wear and be relaxed while doing so.
Please understand that this article is only for those who believe the Scripture has the answers.