Four Reasons God Gave Us Clothes

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1 Robert McCurry, Editor & Publisher November 29, 2017 Four Reasons God Gave Us Clothes The content of this article was actually birthed out of a conversation I had with an older pastor about a year ago. I asked him about the shift in dress standards over the last ten years within Fundamental Baptist churches. His response was not that the "old" position was a wrong one, but that we ve been guilty of making the wrong argument. Personally, I was raised in a home very conservative dress standards. My mother never wore man s pants, but instead always wore a modest skirt with the length to the bottom of the knee. My wife and I follow in this pattern, and have no intention of changing. Am I mean spirited about it? Not at all. Does everyone in my church believe like I do? Not hardly. The answer I received from that preacher intrigued me. So I ask the question, "What is the Biblical purpose of clothing? After all, that s what is most important. 1. Covering Clothing came after sin occurred. This is a practical point. The Bible is clear that open nakedness is wrong and sinful. Adam and Eve sinned, and the glory of God departed exposing their nakedness. Their natural response was to cover up! That s why they sewed fig leaves together, and that s why God killed an animal to make clothing for them.

2 I certainly hope we can agree on this point, considering how clearly it is indicated in Scripture. God does not want us exposing our bodies for just anyone and everyone to see. Ex. 28:42 "And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:" 2. Modesty I Timothy 2:9 "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; Shamefacedness "a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect" In those days, fashion was taking an interesting cultural turn. A poet named Juvenal (a contemporary of Paul) said, "There is nothing that a woman will not permit herself to do. Nothing that she deems shameful. And when she encircles her neck with green emeralds and fastens huge pearls to her elongated ears, so important is the business of beautification. So numerous are the tiers and stories piled one another on her head that she pays no attention to her own husband. Another man named Philo (philosopher) said, "A prostitute is often described as having hair dressed in elaborate braids, her eyes with pencil lines, her eyebrows smothered in paint and her expensive clothes embroidered lavishly with flowers and bracelets and necklaces of gold and jewels hanging all over her. (Source: ) Keep in mind, Paul was not advocating the absence of beauty or fashion. The word adorn means to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare; to ornament. This word was often used in the context of a

3 bride adorning herself for her wedding. Paul never equated modesty with bland or ugly." However, Paul was making a clear point: A Christian woman should never allow culturally-driven fashion to drive her to the point of being inappropriate. 3. Testimony Prov. 7:10a "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot..." It s obvious that your clothing says a lot about you. If you walked into a room dressed in boots, jeans and a broad brimmed hat, I might say, Cowboy." If you wore overalls, straw hat and a flannel shirt, I might say, Farmer. The stereotypes could go on forever! In Scripture, God identifies the Proverbs 7 Woman by her attire. This was an indictment on seductive clothing! No question about it, you will be identified by how you dress. If I m not wearing a suit and tie, I m usually wearing khakis or jeans, a polo, and casual shoes. I know, typical mid-western dad look. 4. Distinction (Gender) Deuteronomy 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. There is a lot of disagreement on this verse. Many read it to mean women should not wear pants, or slacks. This is where a lot of the firestorm comes from concerning the topic of modesty.

4 So let s try something Let s focus on the part of the verse we can agree on, and that is that this verse speaks to keeping the "gender line" clear. Women s clothing is off-limits to a man, and vice versa. In short, I believe a study of this subject should shape my beliefs in the following ways: To affect the way I dress and present myself physically before the world and the family of God, thus maintaining a positive testimony that glorifies Christ To avoid being a stumbling block to others To make clear distinction between myself and the opposite gender Proverbs 31:25 - "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. The Proverbs 31 woman was not known for her clothing style, but rather for her hard work and godly lifestyle. What speaks louder your clothes, or your life? Pastor Stephen Russ, a Theology Without Apology Contributor, is the Pastor of Boeke Road Baptist Church in Evansville, Indiana. Editor s comment: I pastored the same church for 50+ years. Although I preached biblical modesty, I was not a clothes-line preacher. Clothes were not a common subject. It was not until the 1970 s that clothing styles become a major subject with the introduction of the mini-skirts / dresses and the unisex apparel craze introduced by the hippies and the rock & roll / Hollywood crowd. This fad was generated by the sodomites who own and control the apparel industry. It became an out-of-control frenzy that left no arena untouched. Prior to this time males and females were easily distinguished and identified by their apparel. Not now. Unisex apparel is now the accepted norm and the genders are no longer identifiable by their apparel. The clothing discussion pales into insignificance in light of today s new subjects of same-sex rest rooms and the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and

5 Transgender (LBGT) subjects. America has sown to the wind and is now reaping the whirlwind. God s Word the Bible tells us how we are to live in this present world. Jesus said, Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Good question. What s your answer? ~Pastor Robert McCurry Wake-up, Pastors! Wake-up, Christians!