By Steve A. Hamilton

Introduction: Apparel is a sensitive topic.  1 Timothy 2:8-10 tells us to be modestly dressed but it does not define what makes a dress modest.  What is modest to me might not be modest to you.  Who determines what professes godliness in regards to apparel?  Should the world set the standards in fashion and styles?  Or should we look into God’s word to see if it has set a standard for appropriate apparel?

I.  The dilemma (James 2:1-4).

          A. The purpose of this passage is to teach us not to show partiality toward people.  However, what caused the partiality to be shown?  Was it not the apparel of the subjects in the story?

          B.  Apparel makes an impression on people.  Those who wear fine apparel make a fine impression and those who wear poor apparel make a poor impression.  Since we live in the world, we know this to be true.

          C.  So obviously, there are many people in the world who are interested in making an impression upon others by the clothes they wear. 

          D.  However, the Lord teaches us that we become people with evil thoughts if we judge a person by the clothes they wear.  We can’t assume that a well dressed person is a good person nor can we assume that a poorly dressed person is a bad person.

          E.  As a Christian on one hand, we understand we can’t show partiality to those by what they wear but on the other hand we want to impress people so they will show partiality to us by the clothes we wear. 

          F.  Are you beginning to get a sense of what modesty must be?

II. Modesty defined:

          A.  According to Webster modesty is “freedom from conceit or vanity.”

          B.  It is placing a moderate estimate on one self neither being bold nor trying to be different.

          C.  In regard to clothing, it is observing the proprieties of dress i.e. wearing what is proper.  Simply it is being decent.

III. Bold versus Different.

          A.  A person could be immodest by being bold in his dress.  Perhaps it is wearing revealing clothes as we see constantly in our society.  Perhaps it is men wearing jewelry like we see athletes and celebrities who are trying to be seen.  Do you remember Mr. T?  One journalist commented on kids wearing jewelry as Mr. T starter kits. J 

          B.  A person could be immodestly dressed by trying to be different in his attire by wearing rags and dirty clothes.  Celebrities like to wear baggy or skin tight clothes though we know they can afford better.

          C.  Are these the kind of impression Christians should make?  Or should we be dressed in a manner which makes no special impression one way or the other?

IV. Even when we are clothed, we may not be properly dressed.

          A.  Men and women should know what is proper attire for their gender (Deut. 22:5; 1 Cor. 11:13-14).  

          B.  As Christians we can not allow our dress to abuse the senses of others (1 Cor. 8:9).  What would you think if someone came to church in a clown suit?

V.  Instead of getting people to notice us by what we wear, people should notice us for who we are.

          A.  By our conduct (1 Pet. 3:1-6).

                   1.  Wearing that which professes a gentle and quiet spirit.

                   2.  Sarah was a most beautiful women but God holds her out as one who adorned herself in the trust of God and the submission to her husband (Gen. 12:11, 14).  Her beauty didn’t have to be seen by showing her skin.

          B.  Women should be known for their strength and honor (Prov. 31:10, 25).

          C.  Our appearance profits very little (1 Tim. 4:8).  We should appear to be Godly.

VI. Parameters of dress.

A.  I’m concerned when people are more concerned with the limits of immodest apparel than they are with being Godly in all manners of life.

B.  Nakedness in public is wrong.  God made tunics to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness (Gen. 3:21).  A girdle of leaves wasn’t good enough (Gen. 3:7).

C.  Clothes that don’t cover enough of the body is still nakedness (Job 22:6;  Mark 14:51-52).

D. The exposure of sexual organs is nakedness (Ex. 20:26).

E. God even defined nakedness from the waist to the knee (Ex. 28:42-43).

F.  Christ approved the wearing of tunics and sandals for his disciples (Matt. 10:10).  So if you are looking for limits, tunics would be fine. J

Conclusion: One last point.  When we come before our Lord to worship him, should we not be appropriately dressed?  When we go out on a first date, do we honestly care less how we look (ref. Ruth 3:3)?  I believe we should wear appropriate apparel no matter where we go.  Given that we worship God, the creator of all and the one who determines our eternal fates, does it make sense that I present myself to Him wearing less than I would for my date?  Let us all determine to wear appropriate apparel all the days of our life.

Last modified: 05/02/08