Modesty

Modesty discussions are often centered on the wrong questions: How long? How short? How tight? How loose? How much skin (and which skin) can I show? Who else is wearing this/that?

These questions are not the best questions we can ask regarding modesty, because they are questions that appeal to MANMADE rules, MANMADE culture, & MANMADE standards.

If we as Christians claim to be people who live our lives by the word of God, then the only relevant question concerning our attire is this: What do the scriptures have to say about modesty? Over the next few weeks, I want to share with you some better questions we can ask concerning the scriptures’ teaching regarding our clothing.

1. How did God clothe us in the beginning?

Following the initial sins in the Garden, Genesis 3.7 records that Adam and Eve attempted to cover their nakedness by making “loincloths” (ESV); “aprons” (KJV); “waist coverings” (NASB) for themselves.

The word used in 3.7 is the Hebrew word חֲגֹרֹֽת׃ hagorah, which means “girdle, loin-covering, belt”. This word is used in 2 Sam. 18.11, wherein the man who reported to Joab that Absalom, David’s son, was hanging in a tree by his hair was told by Joab that if he had killed him, he would have given him “ten pieces of silver and a belt.” Similarly, in 1 Kings 2.5: David describes the violent Joab as a man who had “…the blood of war on the belt around his waist…”. In Isaiah 3.24; Isaiah is warning Judah of the horrors of the exile, a time in which their beauty and wealth will be stripped from them and replaced by shame and nakedness, a time when their beautifully embroidered “belt” would be exchanged for “a rope”.

Simply put, the garments Adam and Eve had made for themselves were far from anything that would pass for proper clothing. They were waist coverings, something more akin to a “belt” made of fig leaves than a garment. Even Adam recognized that such clothing was insufficient to cover nakedness: Did you ever notice that after making the “loincloths” in 3.7, Adam hides from God because even after doing so, he was still “naked” (3.10)!

To properly clothe Adam and Eve, in Genesis 3.21 God made them both “garments” (ESV); “coats” (KJV); “tunics” (NASB).

The Heb. word is כָּתְנ֥וֹת kotnot, from the root word kuttonet, meaning “tunic, coat”. Genesis 37.3 uses this word to describe Joseph’s “robe of many colors”. In Exodus 28.4, the word is used for the “robe” worn by the high priest. Remember when Nadab and Abihu were struck dead by the LORD for their improper worship (Lev. 10.5)? The text says in Lev. 10.5 they were “…carried out in their coats.” Finally, in 2 Sam. 13.18-19 the Bible describes the garment the king’s daughters would wear as a “long robe with sleeves” (the NKJV calls it a “robe of many colors”).

Why mention all that? This common Hebrew word indicates that a tunic or robe was the sort of clothing that God created and clothed Adam and Eve within the Garden in Genesis 3. Long story short: God judged loincloths to be insufficient and replaced them with coats/tunics.

There are some simple points we can make from this reference alone.

First, covering nakedness involved more than covering the “private areas”. The idea behind the coat, and especially the tunic, was that the region of the body from the shoulders to the knees, and everything in between, was covered. Loincloths left Adam and Eve uncovered from the waist up, which was judged insufficient by Adam initially, and by God due to his creation of replacement garments that covered this region of the body.

Consider our clothing choices today. Do they cover the same areas God saw fit to cover in Genesis 3?

Second, both Adam and Eve were given the same standards for modesty.
This isn’t to say that their clothing would remain uniform or similar. By the time of the Law of Moses, clearly defined clothing for men and women had established, and dressing as someone of the opposite sex was condemned (Dt. 22.5). However, in either case, the standard for what defined modest clothing (i.e. clothing that sufficiently covered the body) was the same for both men and women.

Consider the differences in men and women’s clothing today. As appropriately different as they are, do they each always cover the same areas of our bodies that God saw fit to cover in Genesis 3?

Third, the use of “tunics” is an important one: in the references that we read, the tunics themselves indicated a level of importance, and usually FAVOR, bestowed on the one wearing it. The tunics of Joseph, of the priests, and of Tamar, indicated their status. The same could be said for Adam and Eve. They were clothed to cover their nakedness, but they are also clothed in a way that indicated they were IMPORTANT to God. Adam and Eve were dressed shamefully, but God in His mercy gave them garments that would cover their shame.

Consider our clothing choices. Do they convey a sense of honor, importance, and exhibit the grace God showed humankind in the Garden?

2. Why was nakedness shameful?

Think about it: In Gen. 3, there are no other human beings on the planet. Literally NO ONE can see them aside from God, who created them without clothing them. So, why are they suddenly ashamed of their nakedness in Genesis 3.9-10? What happened between Gen. 2.25 and 3.7?

KNOWLEDGE happened. The most awful sort of knowledge imaginable.

Before Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good/Evil (Gen. 2.17), there was no concept of lust, no conception of sexual perversion, and no such thing as sexual temptation. Therefore, there was no need to address the shame of the above or prevent the commission of these by covering up the body. This all changed when Adam and Eve ate of the Tree, and the doors of their minds were flung wide open to a torrent of potential atrocity. As people began to multiply and spread on the earth, opportunities for sexual deviance would multiply with them, further necessitating clothing not only as a means of protection against the elements, but as a deterrent to sexual sin.

Later in scripture the concept of shame in uncovering the body is solidified further. In the Law, priests were required to wear undergarments that covered “from the hips to the thighs” to cover their “naked flesh” (Ex. 28.40-43). Not only were the hips included in the “naked flesh” category, but also the “thighs”. (Side note: Can you imagine a priest trying to work out just how much hip (at the top) or just how much thigh (at the bottom) they could show? Me neither. So why do we???) Don’t forget the penalty for exposing oneself in this fashion: “…lest they bear guilt and die.” (Ex. 28.43).

In 2 Samuel 10.4 David sends ambassadors to the family of the recently deceased Ammonite king to console the family and show his loyalty to them. The gesture was wrongly interpreted by the Ammonite princes as an effort to spy out their land. As punishment for this imagined motive, the Ammonites in v.4: “took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.” V.5 tells us “the men were greatly ashamed”. The garments were cut off “in the middle, at their hips”: So how long was the garment? For the middle to be the hips, the garment must have reached from shoulder to knee! Their hip region and everything south was exposed, resulting in great shame.

It is no coincidence that uncovering someone's nakedness is used in the Bible almost exclusively to indicate sexual activity. Leviticus 18 does this repeatedly: “None of you shall approach any of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD.” (Lev. 18.6, cf. 7-19; Eze. 16.36-37) This association is logical: What purpose does a person have (aside from medical contexts or the care of small children/the elderly) for uncovering the nakedness of another other than to have access to (and contact with) what lies beneath? Outside of the marriage context, uncovering nakedness is either a signal of or a direct preparation to do that which is shameful, abominable, & vile in the eyes of God. The connection between nakedness and sexual sin continues: The prostitute, or someone who uncovers her nakedness for profit, is described in scripture as one who is without shame in doing so (Jer. 3.3).

It is preposterously naïve, then, to believe that uncovering the portions of our bodies that GOD chose to cover in Genesis 3 is harmless or simply a matter of personal judgment. Most of us still recognize that certain articles of clothing are judged “suggestive”. In fact, many school dress codes include prohibitions against clothing that is “suggestive”. Suggestive of what, precisely? What do you suppose we are “suggesting” when we wear clothing that uncovers (or reveals by way of tightness or looseness) our nakedness? Our holiness? Our separation from this world? Our clothing MUST communicate to the world our desire to “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Cor. 6.18) not our desire to engage in it! If you would be ashamed to wear your garment to a family function or even to worship services, what right do we have to wear it anywhere else?

The more sobering question is this: Can we afford to display our nakedness to a world saturated with lust & illicit sexual activity? Brethren, the clothing we wear must acknowledge that we live in a world full of the knowledge of sexual sin. The eyes of our world are insatiably hungrily, seeking out every square inch of nakedness it can find: “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.” (Prov. 27.20) Regardless of cultural trends and current fashion, exposing one’s nakedness is still shameful (Rev. 3.18), no matter whether the clothes are too loose, too tight, or expose areas God saw fit to cover in Genesis 3. If we’re taking our fashion cues from our world/culture/nation that is far closer to Sodom than Mayberry, we must seriously re-examine not only our choices, but the motives behind those choices. Adam and Eve sought to hide their shame by covering their nakedness, God hid their shame by covering their nakedness, and we must do the same.

3. What do my clothing choices reveal about me?
(Clothing, like many things, reveals the intent of the heart.)

The clothing we wear, as much as our words, actions, and presence, speaks volumes about the type of people that we are, and the values we uphold. Clothing, like many things, reveals the intent of the heart, and we will consider several biblical examples of the types of messages we send via our apparel.

Consider first Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah. In Gen. 38.14 Tamar puts off her mourning garments (indicating her grief) and “covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up” and waited for Judah to pass by on the road to Timnah. Judah correctly read the message her clothes sent: “he thought she was a prostitute” (v.15). In that time and culture, being veiled and covered granted anonymity (i.e. safety) to prostitutes. How very different this is from our culture in which men and women UNCOVER to advertise sexual availability or at least potential! But the point is this: Tamar’s outfit, in its time and culture, sent a clear message: Her body was for sale. This same clear indication of one’s intentions being revealed by one’s clothing is repeated in Proverbs 7.10: “And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.” The adulteresses’ intentions were obvious to all by way of her clothing choices.

It is foolish to dress ourselves and our children to make certain “fashion statements” and then complain that the wrong messages were sent. As is true with verbal and written communication, what you say is what you mean, and if we choose clothing that reveals or accentuates our naked forms, then the message of that clothing is going to be broadcast, no matter how much we protest or intend otherwise. Those who never wear apparel affiliated with the Chicago Cubs are probably never going to be praised (or accosted) on account of their association with that team.

Friends and brethren, if we do not desire to be associated with the sexually immoral of this world, then we must not dress the part!

In contrast, consider the Christian women of 1 Timothy and 1 Peter. In 1 Timothy 2.9-10 Paul addresses not underdressing nor revealing themselves, but overdressing! In our day and time, everyone with a credit card can have a hair arrangement costing hundreds of dollars, gold and pearls and all sorts of precious stones. Jeff Wilson offers this incredible insight: “In a culture where most people did not have such access to these luxuries, they were worn to show the wealth of the individual, which of course makes them desirable (or at least enviable)”. Instead of sending messages of wealth or availability with their clothing choices, Christians are to be adorning themselves in what is “modest” (as opposed to extravagant), and “respectable” (that which affords respect, not envy or jealousy).

Peter exhorted Christian women in 1 Peter 3 along these same lines: “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Pet. 3.3-4). What “adorns”, or what makes us beautiful or attractive isn’t to be the clothing we wear. What makes the Christian, male or female, beautiful and attractive is “the hidden person of the heart”, a beauty that is “imperishable”. It matters not that our world does not regard such beauty. The flowers of Eden were beautiful before human eyes existed to see them!

Consider the sorts of messages that are commonly sent by choice of clothing:

• I am wealthy. Higher class. Better than you. Entire clothing lines dedicated to this message.
• I am physically/sexually attractive, and/or available. Fashion today is riddled with this stuff!
• I am physically strong. Powerful. Fearsome. Attractive. Ever look closely at the mannequins in a sporting goods store? They are almost inhumanly large and muscular. We want that look for ourselves!
• I am intelligent. I have some sense about things. I look like I know what I’m doing.
• I don't care about myself. I'm unimportant. Worthless. Nobody loves me.
• I like ___________ (entertainers, musicians, beverages, foods, football teams, etc.)
• I identify with ________________ crowd/group. (Remember high school, anyone?)
• I am a rebel. I'm not conforming to anything/anyone. I matter because I’m wildly different.

Simply put, our clothing choices should reflect our heart’s desire to please and honor God.

Anything less vandalizes His image.

4. Do My Clothes Coincide with My Purpose?

We readily recognize that clothing choices largely depend on one’s purpose or task at hand: One does not wear a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops to go to work at the steel mill, nor does one wear hazmat gear to worship services. There are specific purposes to which our clothing choices must comply, as well as general purposes. As Christians our highest purposes are divinely ordained and oriented, and our clothing must not hinder our ability to fulfill the roles God has given us as images of Him and imitators of Christ. Consider a few passages considering the question of clothing:

Immediately following a section in which Paul commands the Corinthians to “Flee from sexual immorality” (v.18a), we find Paul making this point: “19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Consider your clothing: Are you dressed to fulfill your purpose as “temple of the Holy Spirit”, or as a walking billboard proclaiming YOUR message, YOUR availability, YOUR virility, YOUR beauty? Would the Holy Spirit which dwells within us be comfortable, or embarrassed, by how I’ve chosen to adorn His temple? If my purpose is to “glorify God” in my body, then my clothing must coincide with that purpose. Revealing our nakedness does not glorify the God who saw fit to cover it in Genesis 3!

Consider Romans 12.1-2: “1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Are we dressed as a living sacrifice to the God of Heaven, or as offerings on the altars of latest fashion, excess, wealth, sex, and our culture’s fixation on all of these? Are we dressed as those who are “conformed to this world” or as those who have been “transformed by the renewal” of our minds? Frankly some Christians dress as if they have no concept of God’s will for their lives, and their objections to the contrary only prove the point further.

Young people: When your godly parents ask you to change your clothes, don’t forget Phil. 2.14-16: “14Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…”. Your parents should be executing God’s mandate for your modesty, for they are responsible as parents for what you wear in public. Respect their judgment and honor them as parents must be honored. Come back to Phil. 2: Are we or our children dressed as lights in a dark world, or more like the “crooked and twisted generation” among whom we dwell and proclaim Christ? So often we lament the pandemic of immodesty and then permit our youth to dress in ways that are indistinguishable from the world around us.

Does our clothing fulfill the mandate of Phil. 4.8? “ 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Just go down the list and note all that apply: Is our clothing honorable, or dishonorable? Pure or defiled? Commendable or deplorable? Worthy of praise, or worthy of shame? We cannot claim to be people who “think on these things” and then fail to consider “these things” when we dress ourselves!

Finally, consider a few good examples from scripture:

• Joseph’s clothing reflected his father’s love and preference for him (Gen. 37.3)
  Dress today in keeping with God’s love and generosity towards you.
• Aaron’s priestly attire was created “for glory and for beauty” (Ex. 28.2)
  Dress in such a way that proclaims the glory and beauty of God!
• Tamar (the daughter of David) was dressed in garments that communicated her status as one of the “virgin daughters of the king” (2 Sam. 13.18)
  Dress as a precious son or daughter of the King Most High!
• Jesus was stripped naked to be crucified: “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom" (John 19.23)
  Dress in keeping with our belief that Jesus bore our shame and guilt in His sufferings on the cross!