For over 35 years of preaching on modesty, I have always struggled to understand why so many Christians have no problem wearing revealing clothing. Perhaps I have found the answer. While recently discussing this subject, I said I would love to survey all my sisters in the Lord to know how they define the “immodest apparel” Paul referenced in I Timothy 2:9.

During this conversation, I was given an answer I had not thought about. I do not presume that this one answer represents the thinking of all my sisters in Christ. I only share this to spur thinking about the subject. As always, we shall examine this issue from God’s point of view.

Again, how do people define “immodest apparel?” I was told that “Immodest apparel is simply having an improper heart. It all has to do with one’s attitude. If a woman dresses provocatively for the purpose of wanting to create lust, then it is wrong.” Upon hearing this, I could see where this woman and perhaps others were coming from. From this point of view, it is entirely possible for a woman’s intentions to be innocent and for the man to be in error for his lust.

I can see the reasoning with idea, and it certainly answers why some Christian women feel at ease wearing very little clothing when it is hot or when they are dressed up. But is this true in God’s eyes? Can Christian women (and men too) have a proper heart when their clothing is revealing? Let’s look to God’s word to understand His will on this subject.

First of all, let’s not confuse a sincere heart with a pure heart. One who is sincere could possibly be just naïve – lacking knowledge or life experience, they simply may not have given the matter much thought. Such a person may very well be upset if someone was lusting after them. But ignorance is not bliss. People can be sincerely wrong on any issue, especially dress. A pure heart is found in someone who is seeking to be holy by following the teachings of our Lord.

So how does God define “immodest apparel?” In Proverbs 6:10, Solomon spoke about the attire of a harlot. According to the argument I was given, this would mean that you can only have the attire of a harlot if you have the heart of harlot. Solomon went on to state that the harlot followed up her attire with other actions to seduce (verses 11-23). The dress was just part of the plan. This begs a question – can you dress like a harlot and not entice? You cannot.

Without question, people can have impure thoughts no matter how a person dresses. You can read about Amnon and Tamar (II Sam. 13). Tamar was not trying to entice Amnon, but that did not stop him from lusting after her. The presence of people like Amnon does not mean that immodest dress does not exist though. I will also interject that men are not justified in having unlawful thoughts no matter what they see (Matt. 5:27-28). This is where such passages as “flee youthful lusts” comes into play (II Tim. 2:22). There are times we must simply leave a situation and not dwell on it to avoid sinning.

Getting back to our original text about modest apparel, Paul did not tell Timothy to warn the sisters, “remember to avoid having evil intentions when you dress.” No, they were told how to dress. The word “modest” means well-ordered, decorum, seemly. He was not addressing the heart here. Does a Christian’s heart play a role in how they decide what to wear? Of course it does. If we do not care about what God thinks or what dress does to men, then there is a demonstrated heart problem.

The scriptures speak a lot about the dangers of causing a brother to sin (Matt. 18:6; Rom. 16:17; II Tim. 3:6, etc.). We all know that we cannot make someone sin, but we also know that those who even tempt others to sin will be held accountable. This is true with the way a person dresses.

To be frank, men are stimulated by sight. This tendency is what got David into trouble (II Sam. 11). This tendency also led to the beheading of John the Baptist. When Herod saw his step-daughter dance before him and others, he ended up making a promise to her that he regretted (Matt. 14:1-11). It is a mistake to think immodest dress is not connected with dancing as both are linked with the concept of lasciviousness or lewdness (Gal. 5:19; I Pet. 4:3).

Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves (Gen. 3:7), why did God clothe them (verse 21)? Because they were not sufficiently covered yet. Was nakedness wrong for Adam and Eve even if they had a pure heart? This might seem ridiculous to ask, but it is worth thinking about. Why would it be wrong to walk around without any clothes on? If the sin has to do with those who look rather than those who are unclothed, it should be possible to have no cloths on and still be righteous. Some people are perfectly comfortable in nudist colonies, but God still wants us to clothed (James 2:15). Also note that Jesus made the obvious point that nakedness should bring shame (Rev. 3:18).

When Christians (men and women) want to let their lights shine, they obviously must be mindful of the “toos.” We must ask themselves, “Is this too low to wear?”  “Is this too tight to wear?” Is this too high to wear?” Christians are called to strive to be modest, not sexy. Our sisters have a tremendous task of trying to buy modest clothing that is designed by worldly people who largely do not value modesty.

Brethren, be wary of creating double standards in your home. Are you comfortable with your sons wearing the same length of shorts as your daughters? If not, why not? We know how the world thinks. Whether talking about dress or any other worldly act, saints are considered strange if they follow God rather than man (I Pet. 4:4). Beware of the wiles of the devil and do not conform to the world (Rom. 12:1-2).

Chuck                                                                                       

Yes, it is that time of the year where the winter clothes are put away and the summer clothing comes out (what little there is). It used to be that skimpy clothing was only worn on the beach. This is no longer true as similar attire can be found at the grocery story, on the street and even at school. Sadly, the line between the way saints dress and the way the worldly dress seems increasingly less distinct.

The obvious reason has to do with conformity (Rom. 12:1-2). When the majority of the world approves of immodest apparel, those opposed are viewed as oddballs, weird, strange or out of touch. Christians are viewed this way because they are making a big deal out of that which is not a big deal to the ungodly.

Children of God should not just to familiarize themselves with I Timothy 2:9 but need to actually think about what it means. If someone were to ask you, “What is immodest apparel?” most people would probably name revealing articles of clothing. This response is not wrong, but we should give the issue a little more thought so we can understand what God views as immodest apparel and why He is concerned with it.

Consider the word licentiousness (lasciviousness in some translations) (Gal. 5:19). This term helps explain the concept of “immodest apparel” and is described as a work of the flesh. The word means filthy, unbridled lust, shamelessness, wantonness. Also the idea of exciting disgust. This not only has to do with moving one’s body to incite such feelings but also with what one wears.

Those wearing immodest apparel may argue that they cannot control those lusting after them. There is some truth to this, but those who lust after others are without excuse (Matt. 5:28). It is naïve to think that what we wear or do not wear will not impact how we are viewed. Remember, there is such thing as the attire of a harlot (Prov. 7:10). As the temperatures rise, may we all remember who we are and how we are to let our light shine (Matt. 5:13-16).

Chuck 

Tights are not pants!

     As a parent, I am well aware of current fashion trends. Society’s standards for clothing are still a concern to me now that my daughters and son have children of their own. It is clear that modest apparel is not on the minds of today’s designers. Sometimes it feels like clothing becomes more acceptable as it gets tighter, shorter and more revealing!

     Godly women (and men) are aware that lewdness is sinful (Gal. 5:19). Younger and younger children, particularly girls, are being pressured to dress in ways that even adult women found inappropriate within my lifetime. This is no more apparent than the wearing of tights. Also called leotards in my childhood, they are now often known as leggings. My younger sisters would wear them under pants for warmth. At the time, wearing just a leotard to school would have been embarrassing and immodest.

     It is becoming increasingly common for women and girls to wear just tights in public. Often, they throw on a slightly long shirt or sweater with their leggings. Is this acceptable? If you would not wear just the shirt/sweater without tights, you need something looser to cover your legs.

     Perhaps you wonder why I bring this up. John spoke broadly about the sin of lust of the flesh, (I John 2:16). This style of dress fits that category. The simple truth is that today’s women (and men) need to cover up. Skintight clothing leaves nothing to the imagination, which causes the imaginations of people to go awry. It is wrong for people to look with lust, but it is also wrong to tempt others with our clothing.

     Husbands, dads and granddads know this to be true and need to be frank. Although it wasn’t a “dress” issue, Eli had problems with his children because he “did not restrain them” (I Sam. 3:13). Male family members also need to tactfully speak up.  As much as we want our wives and children to dress fashionably, they do not need to parade their bodies around and incite lust in others. As I often have stated when dealing with this subject, remember that the one who dressed like a harlot was not totally unclothed (Prov. 7:10).   

                                                                                                                                        Chuck