Modesty: Walk ye in Him

We began our discussion on the subject of modesty (regarding clothing choices) in the book of Colossians. Chapters 2 and 3 offer some vital comparisons of following rules versus seeking those things which are above.

The point of this discussion

But first, what is the point of this discussion?

Well, no, that is not necessarily the first thing. There are SO MANY things we could talk about first. We could define modesty, we could define what it is not, we could talk about historic changes in the way women dress, we could talk about the need for instructing women in the church, we could talk about all kinds of things related to this subject. And Lord willing, we will.

But first, just for the sake of starting somewhere, what is the point of this discussion?

One of MANY possible reasons, which touch most of us no matter what, is offering discernment to the young girls in our lives. Without discernment, we are all left with just making reactionary decisions. Without discernment, we just look at what the world offers or accepts, and make a decision which may be the lesser of zillions of evils.

We need instruction, and the Bible tells us who should be instructing us, and what they should be instructing us!

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness,
not false accusers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things;
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.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

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.

So the point of this discussion is to foster discernment in ourselves and those younger than us.

If you look up "discernment" in the dictionary, you will see it associated with virtue, wisdom, and judgment, and you will notice it is not spelled

R - U - L - E - S

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving..." Colossians 2:6, 7

Rules are inferior!

Are rules a good way to foster modesty or discernment about modesty?

As we look at Colossians 2 and 3, we see a pretty good comparison of the inferiority of rules and the superiority of walking in Christ, putting on the new man, and setting your affection on things above.

In Chapter 2, we are warned

"Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosphy and vain decit, after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ."

(verse 8)

We need to beware. We need to beware of worldly thinking, human wisdom, and the traditions of men. Obviously, this can refer to the wiles of the wicked fashion designers who seek to deaden our sense of modesty and shamefacedness through their increasingly "daring, seductive, alluring, flattering, stand-out" ideas. But as a mom, I think we are also to beware of anything which would seek to be a replacement for walking in the Spirit. And that could include RULES of MODESTY.

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
which are a shadow of things to come;
but the body (fufillment) is of Christ...

...Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why,
as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
"Touch not; taste note; handle not; Which are all to perish with the using;)
after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Which things have indeed of shew of wisdom in will worship,
and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

Colossians 2:16-23

Here Paul is speaking of rules based on worldly wisdom. Some of these rules he mentions have a facade of being signs of godliness. However, the goal of rule setters is not a closer walk with Christ. Rules have been substituted for Christ. The goal is an outward show.

The world has resorted to such rules in dealing with the reality of the problems caused by immodesty (and also pride, which can be related). School uniforms have been brought in to help simplify things for school administrators. Camps and youth groups and colleges and conveners of high school proms normally have to lay down the law to ensure some standard of modesty. Even tourist guides to foreign countries give specific advice to women regarding their dress (in order to prevent them from "unwelcome attention").

Here is an example of this in action, from the county jail.



For reasons we will probably discuss later Lord willing, the county jail has determined these rules which are imposed on visitors to inmates. As we look at these rules, we know it is not because the authorities wish to impose any time of christian modesty or devotedness to Christ or obedience to biblical principles. These rules are deemed beneficial for other reasons.

In all these situations, schools, jail, camps, nobody thinks they are giving anyone a spiritual boost through imposing rules. The rules exist because of the reality that the many people have not been taught the same standard of modesty (and possibly no standard of modesty). And even with rules in place, it is not uncommon for people to push to see how close they can get to bending the rules.

Obviously, if you have to tell someone rules of what to wear or not to wear, you are imposing something on them. If they only comply out of obedience or out of cooperation, but not because they have understanding of principles of modesty, they are not walking in the light of the Lord. While we recognize that that is a simple fact of reality, we need to keep pressing on in teaching our daughters not merely rules (though they can be part of an initial form of instruction, just as a book about how to tie a shoe), but the joy of obeying God's plan for godly womanhood.

Let the world settle for rules, but our goal is much higher than that!

"...walk ye in it..."

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it,
when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21

Ahh...Colossians 3! Here we are reminded and instructed.

¹If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

²Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

³For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Paul is about to really get specific about sinful behaviors we are to put off, but prefacing his specifics with these words really paves the way for us. As we meditate on these verses above, we see they are the reality we now live in. We aren't merely dukeing it out with our sin (well, we still do that), but we are risen with Christ, our life is hid in Christ. Our affections are on things above. Is there a sin which can hold me down if these truths are always in my heart and mind?

⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

⁶For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

⁸But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

¹¹Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

¹⁴And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

¹⁷And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

We are not at the prom!

For this coming week, let's continue talking about our real goal and the source of our discernement: a growing walk with Christ. Every good virtue in us, whether it's:

modesty
love
service
orderliness
hospitality
encouragement

....these virtues, to be true virtues, really should be an outworking of the Holy Spirit in us..., otherwise it is probably just a superficial show.

Further, our goal of seeing our daughters and sisters in Christ walking in and growing in Christ will bring about spiritual fruit which includes modesty. We are not at camp or at the prom! We are the body of Christ!

We need discernment, and that discernment comes from a walk with Christ! Nothing more and nothing less.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

To settle for just getting them to follow our rules (again, perhaps rules for a time with our daughters, but as a tool...) is settling for much less!

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,

and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

But speaking the truth in love,

may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:13-15