What the Bible Says About Modesty
If you walked into a grocery store, could you identify Christians by their dress? Probably not. Dressing with modesty and dignity is a lost art in contemporary Christianity and in society in general. This unfortunate trend is relatively recent, taking a major wrong turn in the early 1900s.
The History
It is undeniable that the majority of women (generally with the exception of hunter-gather tribes) historically wore dresses, skirts, robes, and tunics extending down to the foot. Any flesh exposed above the ankle was scandalous. So what in the world happened? In Western society, very loose trousers called "bloomers" were introduced in the mid-1800s. These were popularized because of the ease of movement when walking, playing sports, riding horseback, etc. The style of the bloomer evolved somewhat until the World Wars occurred, forcing many women to work while their husbands were fighting. Again, pants allowed more movement and less risk. For women at factories or other occupations, long skirts might catch fire or snag in machinery, so pants were a better option. After the wars ended, however, many women did not hang up the pants. Instead, pants became a symbol for gender equality, which is still boasted by the feminist movement today.
If loose trousers had become the new norm for women in the West, society might still be decently modest despite the feminist roots. However, skirts and dresses became shorter, and in the 1950s, a few bold women decided to flaunt their legs in very short shorts. Though very risqué at first, the trend gained popularity, especially among the Hollywood elite. "Hot pants" became the new symbol for the 1970s sexual revolution and the banner of sexual liberty.
There is no need to summarize more recent times. We are all very well aware of the embarrassing, undignified, scant clothing that most women (and many men) wear today. Perhaps the worst part is that these trends have infiltrated the Church and become acceptable. As believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this should not be acceptable. We are called not to conform to this world but to be set-apart (see Romans 12).
How Would You Dress Approaching the Throne of God?
Imagine you were standing in the throne room of God. How would you be dressed before Him? Would you approach Him wearing ripped jeans and a scoop neck tank top? A swimsuit? Pajamas? If this picture is too big, imagine you were standing before the President of the United States or any international leaders for that matter. How would you be dressed? Likely in very respectable and respectful attire. God is worthy of even more respect.
When the priests ministered in the Tabernacle, God specifically commanded them not to build steps up to the altar, lest their nakedness be exposed (see Exodus 20:26). He also instructed Moses to create "holy garments...for glory and for beauty" for the high priest (see Exodus 28:2). The whole of Exodus 28 describes these elaborate priestly garments. They were to be woven with scarlet, blue, gold, and purple thread. The ephod was to contain twelve different gems representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The hem of the garment was to have dangling pomegranates and golden bells. In short, the high priest was dressed like a king, and he ministered in God's presence daily.
Multiple places in the Bible express that even the common person is part of God's "royal priesthood". (See Exodus 19:6, Isaiah 61:6, 1 Peter 2:9, and Revelation 1:6). If the high priest dressed in such splendor as he ministered before God, shouldn't we dress with equal dignity since God's Spirit dwells inside us?
An artist's rendition of the high priest's garments
The Spiritual Connotation of Clothing
Most people are unaware that clothing has a very spiritual connotation. When you dress, you are not only putting on a material covering but also a mindset and an attitude. Emma McClendon, associate costume curator at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York comments, "Clothes increasingly are becoming a frontier for political activism....We're all becoming more aware of the power dynamics inherent in clothing."1 Christians should be aware that the fashion industry and society's influencers are manipulating with clothing. So far, most believers have played right into the enemy's schemes.
Clothing can be a great way to gauge your spiritual walk. Often the closer we grow to God, the more we want to cover ourselves. Why? Starting in the very beginning, when Adam and Eve sinned and recognized their shame, they attempted to cover themselves, but it was insufficient. God saw their nakedness, and He provided a full covering for them. When we realize our shame and our need for God, we recognize that He must be the source of our covering. We want God to completely cover our sin and shame. Clothing is simply a physical, material picture of this spiritual reality.
Some Verses About Clothing
We are all familiar with 1 Timothy 2:9-10, which encourages women to seek good, godly character rather than focusing on their personal appearance. We will read this passage again. "In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." (1 Timothy 2:9-10, NKJV)
If we relied solely on this passage without considering the rest of Scripture, we might conclude that dressing beautifully is wrong. However, recall the priestly garments in Exodus 28, and take a look at the following passage.
10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God. (Ezekiel 16:10-14, NKJV)
God illustrates an allegory of His relationship with Jerusalem. God Himself dresses her in beautiful robes and gives her splendid jewelry. He must approve of these things; otherwise, He would not have made the allegory. If you continue reading the rest of Ezekiel 16, it describes Jerusalem's unfaithfulness and how God will punish her by removing her finery.
Again, clothing has a spiritual connotation. The Bible frequently mentions regalia in a positive light when people are faithful to God. However, when people are disobedient, Scripture talks about their clothing and jewelry being stripped away, exposing shame. Here is an example from Isaiah 3:16-24.
16 Moreover the Lord says:
“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
And walk with outstretched necks
And wanton eyes,
Walking and mincing as they go,
Making a jingling with their feet,
17 Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.”
18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery:
The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents;
19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands;
The perfume boxes, the charms,
21 and the rings;
The nose jewels,
22 the festal apparel, and the mantles;
The outer garments, the purses,
23 and the mirrors;
The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes.
24 And so it shall be:
Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;
Instead of a sash, a rope;
Instead of well-set hair, baldness;
Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;
I submit that as representatives of God, we should be dressing with dignity, truly believing that we have value. It is part of our nature as women. We desire to be beautiful and are attracted to beauty. However, we must exercise great discernment so that we do not dress alluringly and seductively to seek attention. Here are some examples of women in other societies dressing modestly but gorgeously. It is important that we represent our own cultures. The Bible describes many nations representing the Kingdom of God, not one uniform people conformed to the same likeness.
Pants Vs. Skirts
Pants/shorts versus skirts/dresses is probably worth a post in itself. The history is undeniable. Women are encouraged to wear pants to embrace the feminist agenda. They have only become acceptable in the last hundred years. My biggest complaint is that in a world where genders are being blurred together, we need to erect more boundaries between the sexes. Imagine if a man walked into your church wearing a dress. It would be scandalous! How is that different than when women started wearing pants in the early 1900s? The transgender movement was birthed from feminism. Christianity is being primed to accept this as the new norm. Regardless of your conviction, it is extremely important that you keep in mind that fashion designers have created clothing to attract attention to certain areas on the body. Both pants and skirts are designed to flatter the physique. We must be very cautious in what we choose to wear.
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