“A woman shall
not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever
does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deut. 22:5).
Why do you choose
to wear the clothing that you do? Is it because of comfort? Or is it because it
is a popular style to wear? Or is it because you are trying to draw attention
or lack thereof from others? And more importantly, do the things that you wear
bring glory to God?
The topic of
clothing from a Biblical perspective is somewhat complicated (thus, the reason
for discussing it in this teaching section). A lot of the confusion has to do
with understanding the times. Or put a different way, we need to understand the
cultural implications of clothing in the Bible, look at the heart of why people
in the Bible wore the things that they did, and then bring that understanding
into our modern times to grasp how we can be dressed for success. The core of this teaching is not hard to
understand. For example, back then, pretty much everyone, guys included, wore
what might look like a long dress or bathrobe! Even still they were able to
differentiate between what was appropriate for men and women; and there are
differences between the two. Yet why does Deuteronomy 22:5 teach that it is
necessary for men and women to dress differently?
One writer notes
the following. “Scholars on Deuteronomy 22:5 note that cross-dressing would
have likely been associated with homosexuality or would have been considered
associated with the practices of other religious groups.
Some conservative
Christians have taken Deuteronomy 22:5 to mean a woman cannot wear
pants or slacks. This would be a misapplication of this and other passages in
the New Testament regarding modesty. The clear focus is God's emphasis that men
and women do not seek to appear as the opposite gender and that to do so is
considered shameful. In Western culture, pants are regularly worn by both
genders. Further, the specific law in Deuteronomy 22:5 is part of the
Mosaic Law fulfilled in Christ and therefore does not require the same direct
application in this matter, though the principles behind it still apply.
Christians are called to dress in appropriate ways” (https://www.compellingtruth.org/cross-dressing-transvestism.html).
Therefore, what
principles should guide a Christian with the clothing that they wear? There are
three Biblical principles that can help us in doing just that. The first
principle is to have a surrendered heart to Jesus. This is really the key
to understanding the handful of passages that require women wearing head coverings
(1 Cor. 11:6-10).
William Barclay
said, “The place of women in Greek religion was low. The Temple of Aphrodite in
Corinth had a thousand priestesses who were sacred prostitutes and every
evening plied their trade on the city streets. The Temple of Diana in Ephesus
had its hundreds of priestesses called the Melissae, which means the bees,
whose function was the same…”
Historians
likewise tell us that these temple prostitutes would never wear a head
covering. This was their means of advertising. So if you wanted to know who a
prostitute was, just look for the women who didn’t wear any head covering.
Furthermore, it was common for them to shave their heads.
1 Corinthians
11:5, explains the effects of a woman who came into church with her head
shaved. It is sending the same signal and the same message. This woman was a
prostitute. A head covering conveyed the idea that she was in subjection to her
husband, and more importantly, that she was in subjection to Christ. For a
woman in that culture to not have a head covering would have been a total
declaration of rebellion. In affect she would be saying to the church and to
the world, “I am not under the headship of my husband. And more importantly, I
am not under the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
For me
personally, I have never thought to myself whenever I see a woman who is
wearing a head covering, that there is a woman who is surrendered to Jesus
Christ. Frankly, in our culture, head coverings do not convey that idea. On the
other hand, I have seen some clothing that clearly points to the opposite!
Whenever a person wears something that is promoting a business, or certain type
of lifestyle that goes against what the Bible teaches, then in effect, that
person is communicating to all that they have not surrendered to Christ! Thus,
does my clothing illustrate my surrender to the Lord and my commitment to
holiness (Rom. 12:1; Titus 2:11-12; 1 Tim. 2:10)?
The second
principle that should guide a Christian with the clothing that they wear is to
have a transformed thinking. 1 Peter 3:3-4 “Your
beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and
the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your
inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great
worth in God’s sight.” It is not that there is anything necessarily wrong
with elaborate hairstyles, gold jewelry or fine clothing. The issue is one’s
thinking. For many all they focus upon
is the outward appearance. Yet the Lord wants us to focus on our inner person,
the hidden person of the heart. So are you as focused upon your outward
appearance as you are your inward? How would you know?
1 Peter 3 tells
us that you would seek to display your beauty with a gentle and quiet spirit.
Gentleness and a quiet or tranquil spirit do not come nature. They are a result
of someone who has surrendered their life to Christ and are allowing the Lord
to transform them through the renewing of their minds by the Word of God (Rom.
12:2). So we must distinguish between the world’s evaluation of charm and
beauty and the true loveliness of inward character. Cultivating godliness
should be our priority.
And the third
principle that should guide a Christian with the clothing is modesty.
Modesty relates to both men and women. Modesty is not anti-fashion; it’s
pro-adornment in godly ways (1 Tim. 2:8). Believers should adorn themselves in
a discrete and above reproach ways (Pro. 7:10).
Cultural
discretion is a key component. Just as Paul acknowledged what was communicated
by the culture of his day and warned early Christians not to follow these
fashion patterns of his time, we must be aware of the messages and values
clothing might communicate in our own culture. For example, in many
countries, for a woman to expose her chest is not considered to be sexual
advertisement but rather food for her baby. On the other hand, in some of those
very cultures, for a woman to expose her knees would be considered as sexual
advertising! Thus, it is a matter of
understanding one’s culture.
“When it comes to
clothing these verses leave a lot of questions up for debate. How do you know
what it means to dress modestly in a specific sense? What is too revealing?
What is flashy and what is disrespectfully underdressed? One way to determine
whether your clothes are modest or not is by looking at your intentions in
wearing them. Are you wearing that outfit to attract the attention of someone
of the opposite sex? [Or, even if it is not your intention to draw the
attention of people of the opposite sex, what will they think? Thus, just ask
people of the opposite sex what they think of your clothing.
Here are some
other questions to consider.] Will your outfit cause others to be
uncomfortable? Do you want to stand out as more stylish, as richer, or as more
holy than everyone else? If your outfit is primarily intended to gain attention
or esteem from others, then it might be time to evaluate your heart and your
wardrobe. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and follow the call
of Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through Him” (https://www.compellingtruth.org/dress-modestly.html).
In His service,
Matt
No comments:
Post a Comment