What's a Little Skin?
Is Modesty Really That Important?
It’s a hard day we live in to be stylish and modest! Especially when skintight leggings and jeans are the height of fashion for women of all ages. Modesty is one of my husband’s pet peeves. For a woman to think she must flaunt everything she has (whether top or bottom) is selfish and disregards others. “Ladies, please cover up and help a brother out that desires to honor God by having faithful eyes for his wife only!” For a man to flee lust these days, his eyes must be awfully “bouncy” as images are everywhere he looks…media and immodest women. This post if directed to Christian ladies, as this is a command from your loving God.
Sin That Causes Others to Stumble
When modesty is mentioned today it is normally immodesty that is discussed, whether dealing with fashions or actions.
The comments usually go: “It’s just my style.” “Everyone else wears this, why does it matter?” “If my clothes cause him to stumble that’s his fault, not mine. I’m wearing what I want.” These are common rebuttals young women use when questioned on their choice of clothing. Ladies, I’ve been there. Ninth grade fights with my mom about the spaghetti strap tank top! “Ah, mom, you’re being silly. Everyone wears this!”
Mom was right and it took maturing in Christ to see the truth.
Desiring to Be Noticed By the Opposite Sex
Certainly, women desire to be noticed by the opposite sex. We love to feel wanted…needed. However, our main focus should be to seek the glory of our Heavenly Father and his desires, not boyfriends or hot guys walking down the street. Most women do not have pure motives when trying to get attention from a man; therefore, the manner in which we seek attention from men is normally sinful. Truth is immodesty provokes sinful thoughts or feelings in others, particularly men. It is our sinful nature, but most women like knowing a guy wants us!
Important Lesson from Scripture
Paul addresses this action in Romans when he says, “It is good not to…do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (Rom. 14:21). A close study of this verse would teach us that some of the new Roman Christians, who were once involved in sacrificial pagan rituals, thought it sinful to eat the ‘unclean’ meat sacrificed to idols. Whereas other more mature Christians, who understood their freedom in Christ and knew that “no meat was unclean in itself” (Mk. 7:17-19), had no reservations about eating the meat. Paul explains that if the weaker Christian felt it sinful to eat the meat, the more mature Christian should also abstain from eating the meat when in their presence.
Why? The responsibility lies with the one who knows God’s Word—the Truth. Anything that causes a brother or sister to stumble in their walk with the Lord must be avoided and protected. The Porn Epidemic
More than 11 million teens regularly view porn online. As for Christians; over 50 percent of all Christian men are addicted to pornography. If one out of every two Christian men you walk past is struggling with lust, then there is a great need for us to protect our brothers from sinning!
In Matthew Jesus warns, “if anyone causes one of these little ones (child or weaker Christian) who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ‘Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!’” (Matt. 18:6-7).
Our culture has become numb to sin, but our God hates sin and will justly punish it. We will each be held accountable for our sin and causing others to sin. Only through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross can we be washed from our sinful acts against the holy God. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (Jn. 4:9-11). Causing an “Affair”
I would guess that you would never desire to have an affair or cause someone else to fall into adultery. But according to Jesus, who clarified adultery in Matthew, “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:27). Paul passionately instructed the Thessalonica Christians about God’s desire for them to be set apart, by avoiding sexual immorality and controlling their bodies in a holy fashion (1 Thess. 4:3-5).
Claiming to know God must be outwardly displayed by our obedience to his holiness. Scripture says “that we have come to know him if we obey his commands (1 Jn. 2:3-6). “We live in “enemy-occupied territory—that is what the world is;” therefore, remaining pure in a depraved world is nearly impossible. But through Christ, all things—modesty—are possible (Mk 10:27; 1 Cor. 1-:13).
Don’t worry about dressing sexy so guys will notice you. God will honor your modesty; by rewarding you in eternity for faithfulness and—if he chooses—by bringing you a man who loves you for your purity instead of using you for fleeting pleasure. Those of you who are married, God created sex as a gift! So flaunt what you got!!...at home, for your husband only. Your husband will thank you and so will all your married friends! God’s way is always best!
A Modest Woman
Simply stated, a modest woman is pure and virtuous. Biblical modesty is the way a woman dresses, acts, obeys God’s Word, desires the holiness of others, and daily worships God by pursuing a righteous life. Christian women are called to modesty in all areas of life, it is not simply a fashion issue!
Friend, make it your goal to think: “Will this outfit cause my brother to stumble?” And then dress beautifully and stylish in a way that honors others and God!