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April 2006
No. 244
Immodest Apparel * Apologia
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IMMODEST
APPAREL
The attitude of many people regarding the
subject of immodest apparel is apathy, indifference, and sometimes even distain.
I recognize that this subject is not a popular one in our day and age. The
secular world, certainly, rejects the principles of modesty set forth in God’s
word, and evidence of that fact is seen everywhere. A person, for example does
not necessarily have to go to the beach to see scantly attire. No, all they have
to do is go shopping at the local mall and they see how common it is for people
to dress immodestly! The world has been on a moral decline for some time and
immodest dress is surely a reflection of that decline. But I am not so much
concerned with the world as I am with those who are professed followers of Jesus
Christ. After all, “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (I John
5:19), but Christians are to be different. While immodesty characterizes the
world, the Christian is to “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this
present world” (Tit. 2:12). Dear Christian, what is your attitude toward
this most important subject? I do not hesitate to say that some members of the
church are less than enthusiastic when the subject comes up. Yet, biblical
principles are given in the Scriptures that govern how we are to dress. Are you
interested in learning about these principles and live accordingly?
Contrary
to the way some people act, this is a Bible subject. The Apostle Paul writes,
“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; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. (I
Tim. 2:9-10) No one can seriously consider those words of the apostle and then
entertain the notion that the Scriptures aren’t concerned about the way we
dress! He says that women are to adorn themselves in “modest apparel.” The
word modest refers to that which is “orderly, well-arranged, decent” (Vine,
p. 761). Paul is showing that a Christian woman is to put time and thought into
what she wears. In other words, she is not to just throw anything on, but her
attire is to be orderly, becoming , and arranged in such a way as to cause her
to be esteemed by all for being the godly woman that she is. Indeed, the way
Christian women dress should be the outward expression of a well ordered,
disciplined life in Christ!
Also,
Paul says that Christian women should dress in a manner “which becometh
women professing godliness.” Yes, a Christian woman has a godly profession
and her attire should complement and exemplify the life of holiness she is
pursuing. Obviously she cannot profess godliness while at the same time dressing
in a way that is shameful and disgraceful. Christian women who possess the sense
of modestly and soberness Paul writes about, will neither “overdress” nor
“underdress.” To “overdress” in a manner that goes beyond the bounds of
moderation and where one becomes gaudy is to reveal a heart that is motivated by
vanity and a false sense of values. To “underdress” is to lack the sense of
shame – what is called “shamefacedness” in 1 Timothy 2:9 – that would
lead a person to cover the shame of his nakedness (Rev. 3:18).
However, not only do we have a problem with women undressing in public, but men
are just as bad. Yet, God clothed both the man and the woman in Genesis 3:21 and
Christian men also need to keep their shirts and pants on in public!
Incidentally, a person can have some clothing on and still be “naked” in the
biblical sense of that term, as it applied to Peter in John 21:7. Adam Clarke
says that the term “naked” is often used to signify the absence of the upper
garment only. In other words, since Peter was only partially clothed on that
occasion, he was said to be “naked.” Likewise, many are “naked” today
when they are “thinly-clad” in their immodest apparel!
Immodest, clothing can lead to lust, temptation, and sin. “Ye have heard
that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say
unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart.” (Mat. 5:27-28) When a woman
dresses in a matter to entice a man to look at her and lust, then she also sins.
“It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom
they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck,
and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
(Luke 17:1-2) We might face up to the fact that some garments are designed for
that very purpose! Mary Quant, the fashion designer who is the mother of the
mini-skirt, was quoted as saying, “Mini clothes are symbolic of those girls
who want to seduce a man…” Swimsuits, of course are designed for the purpose
of attracting the opposite sex. Christian women must decide if they want to be
chaste or chased. “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love
their husbands, to love their children, to be
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that
the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Tit. 2:4-5) Such ungodly apparel as
mini-clothes, shorts, see-through blouses, halters, tight outfits, and low-cut
dresses must be rejected by the Christian! Such clothing falls under the
definition of lasciviousness, a work of the flesh that will cause one to miss
heaven. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.” (Gal. 5:19-21)
A
good question to ask yourself is, “Does the clothing I wear enhance my
reputation as a Christian?” When we meet people, one of the first things they
notice about us is the way we are dressed. Let us use this as an avenue to let
our light so shine before men (Mat. 5:16).
From an article by Billy
Dickinson
Submitted
by Harry Cobb
APOLOGIA
Question:
Can you explain repentance? I have a hard time explaining this concept to others
so I guess I do not properly understand it myself.
ANSWER: With all the religious confusion in
the world we are not surprised that many are confused on some of the most basic
and fundamental truths of the scripture. It is always a joy to have one express
the willingness to study the scripture and to learn the truth that God has
delivered unto us. Some have totally closed their mind to the Word and others
have allowed denominational tradition to be a filter through which they read the
Bible. The reader is to be commended for their honesty and their willingness to
learn the truth of God.
Repentance is a fundamental part of God’s
message to man. Consider if you will the following passages:
Luke
24:45-47- “And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the
Scriptures. Then He said to them, Thus it is written and thus it was necessary
for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning
at
Jerusalem
.”
Acts
2:38- “Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let everyone of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts
3:19- “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
Acts
17:30-31-“Truly the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all
men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge
the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given
assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Many other passages could be given but
these should suffice to show the importance of repentance in God’s plan for
man. Now that we have established the need for repentance we turn our attention
to its meaning.
One of the most significant passages on the
subject of repentance is found in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10. Here we find Paul
saying,
“Now
I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.
For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in
nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be
regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
There are several wonderful gems of truth
that can be gleaned from this passage. The first is that this passage dispels
the misconceptions concerning repentance. This passage shows that repentance is
not just being sorry about your sin. It is plainly stated that repentance is the
outcome of godly sorrow but godly sorrow is not repentance. Another
misconception is that repentance is a changed life. Acts 3:19 indicates that
repentance and conversion are two separate things. Note that Peter says we are
to “repent and be converted.” Just as godly sorrow leads to
repentance so repentance leads to conversion or a changed life.
The word translated repentance is from the
Greek word metanoeo. This is a compound word from the word meta
which means change and noeo which means mind or thought. Thus the proper
definition of repentance is to change ones mind or purpose. Consequently as it
applies to the gospel, we are to change our mind and decide to turn away from
sin and be turned to God and His way. As was noted above repentance is preceded
by sorrow and is followed by a life that is changed or transformed.
Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 7 and
clearly illustrates what repentance looks like in the one who has repented. He
writes in verse 11,
“For
observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner. What diligence it
produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what
vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!”
Paul points out that godly sorrow produces
several changes in those who possess it. He differentiates between godly sorrow
and worldly sorrow. These are not the same. Worldly sorrow is a selfish kind of
sorrow. It stems from a mindset that one is sorry that one got caught. Worldly
sorrow is self-centered and therefore does not produce godly change in one’s
thinking. To think godly we must move from self to Him.
Godly sorrow on the other hand is a sorrow
directed toward God. It is driven by sorrow over having sinned against God. Also
factored in is the price that God paid to have our sins removed. Godly sorrow
does not produce regret but rather suffers loss of nothing. It also produces
repentance leading to salvation.
As noted above Paul’s writing in 2
Corinthians informs us of the indicators of repentance. Let’s note each
individually and make application to our own life.
The first mentioned is that of diligence.
The King James Version uses the term carefulness. It means to be earnest,
zealous, and being quick to do what is right. This is why obedience should be
immediate when one discovers the will of God.
The second thing Paul mentions is clearing
self. This has reference to being free from blame. We need to quickly stop doing
wrong and to respond to God’s offer of forgiveness when we realize that we are
guilty of sin.
Another characteristic is indignation. This
word means a type of anger or hatred. When we apply this to our situation we are
to be angry over and have a hatred for our sin.
Paul also mentions fear. Fear as used here
is not the fear of godly respect but rather it is the fear that is to be
associated with sin. When we sin we need to be afraid! We need to be filled with
fear lest the sin be repeated or not removed quickly!
Vehement desire has the meaning of having a
fervent wish. We desire to be right in God’s eyes.
Zeal is an eagerness expressed in pursuing
something. The pursuit should be of godliness.
Lastly we see the word vindication.
Vindication is another word for revenge. This expresses a desire to see justice
done and to do the right thing!
True repentance cannot be driven by apathy or half-hearted service. It must be
out of a sincere desire to do the will of God so that He might be glorified.
Every truth that we find in the scripture is profitable if applied to our lives
in a personal way. So it is with the truth concerning repentance. We have shown
that the Gospel of Christ if properly presented will call those who receive it
to true repentance. True repentance is the result of believing the truth about
Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, and our sin. If we believe that we are
sinners and that one Jesus died for us then repentance is the command to obey.
Since it is a command then it is not some mysterious better felt than told
experience but rather is a matter of will. It is a changing of our minds, of the
way we think, and then a turning away from sin and be turned unto God. Far too
many people choose to turn away from sin but fail in turning to God who can save
them. True repentance acknowledges the need for both.
SAM
DICK
Cave
City, KY
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
1.
Who
were the sons of Joseph and Asenath as recorded in Genesis?
2.
How
old was Isaac when he married?
3.
When
Jesus healed a group of ten lepers, to whom did He tell them to go?
4.
What
does the Psalmist say all the earth will one day do?
5.
Before
God, what does Job see mortal man’s greatest problem to be?
ANSWERS
NEXT MONTH . . .
and
remember last month’s questions?
1.
Which
one of
Judah
’s daughter-in-laws tricked him by portraying a harlot?
TAMAR (Gen. 38:4-15)
2.
By
what means did God first narrow down the number of men Gideon was to use to
fight the Midianites? ALL MEN
WHO WERE AFRAID WERE TOLD TO RETRUN BACK (Judg. 7:3)
3.
With
whom does Romans 12 say to live in peace, if it is possible?
WITH ALL MEN (Rom. 12:18)
4.
According
to David in Psalms, what did the people go through besides fire?
WATER (Psa. 66:12)
5.
Were
God’s people allowed to worship the sun, moon, or stars?
NO (Deut. 4:19)
GOSPEL
MEETINGS
|
Dates |
Location |
Speaker |
| March 31 -- April 2, 2006 |
Valley Congregation
Valley, AL |
Chris Richardson
(Leitchfield, KY) |
| April 3 -- 7, 2006 |
Chestnut
Grove Congregation
Parksville, KY Near
Danville, KY |
Joe Hill
(Hager Hill, KY) &
J.D. McDonald
(Woodbury, TN) |
| April 3 -- 7, 2006 |
Goochtown
Congregation
Near Eubank, KY |
Wilbur Bass
(Auburn, AL) |
| April 7 -- 9, 2006 |
Dowell Hill Congregation
Columbus,
IN |
Joe Hamm |
| April 7 -- 9, 2006 |
Winchester Congregation
Winchester, OH |
J.D. McDonald
(Woodbury, TN) |
| April 10 -- 14, 2006 |
Oak Grove Congregation
Eubank, KY |
Joe Hill
(Hager Hill, KY) |
| April 16 -- 21 |
West Broad
Street Congregation
Wedowee, AL |
Don Avaritt
(Conway, AR) |
| April 21 -- 23, 2006 |
Pleasant
Ridge Congregation
Woodbury, TN |
Wilbur Bass
(Auburn, AL) |
| April 22 -- June 1, 2006 |
Mission journey to Africa |
Harry Cobb
(Wedowee, AL),
Danny Abercrombie
(Gay, GA) &
Gabe Cogburn (Sierra
Vista, AZ) |
|
April 28--30, 2006
Fri. and Sat. 7:30 PM EST
Sun. 10:30 AM & 1:30 PM EST |
Antioch Congregation
Douglasville, GA |
Bill Prince, Jr. &
Chad Prince
(Oxford, AL) |
| April 28--30, 2006 |
Verona Congregation
Verona, KY |
Joe Hill
(Hager Hill, KY) |
| April 28--30, 2006 |
Willow
Oars Congregation
Russell
Springs, KY |
J.D. McDonald
(Woodbury, TN) |
THE
HARVESTER is a monthly publication intended to encourage all men
everywhere to become laborers into God’s harvest (Luke 10:2). This paper is
mailed free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. Please submit name,
address, and all correspondence to:
The Harvester
141 County Road 474
Woodland, AL 36280
Phone: (256) 449-9221
Email: raymcmanus@hotmail.com
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