Modest Apparel

	How Christian Women Ought to Dress

	by Shaun Willcock

“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.”  1 Tim. 2:9,10.
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.” 1 Pet. 3:3-6.
“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.”  Deut. 22:5.

  The Bible, in the passages given above, lays down very specific commandments concerning how Christian women should dress and adorn themselves.  And in this day and age, perhaps more than ever before, Christian women need to carefully read, and re-read, these commandments, and compare their own manner of dressing with the unchanging Word of God.  For we live in an age of astounding immodesty, having moved within a century from a situation in which women wore dresses to the floor, to the situation of today, in which many women wear almost nothing at all.  What was, not so long ago, considered “the attire of an harlot” (Prov. 7:10) is now worn by professing “Christians” (!) as they attend services.  The standard of decency has been lowered, and lowered, and lowered still further, until almost anything goes.
  No true Christian woman can permit the world to set the standards when it comes to the matter of dress.  She is to be subject to the Word of God, which says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 Jn. 2:15); “And be not conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2).  The Scriptures quoted above, concerning women's dress,  were not written merely for the Christian ladies of biblical times, but for Christian ladies in all times and in all places.
  When Adam and Eve fell, it was the LORD who clothed them (Gen. 3:21).  They were clothed so that their nakedness would not be seen.  And thus, when clothing is removed so as to expose those parts of the body which ought to be covered, this is sinful.  In degraded heathen societies, nudity is common, but wherever the Gospel is received in saving power, and Satan is dethroned in the heart, men and women clothe themselves (Mk. 5:15).  As western society has moved ever further into barbarism, clothes are either shed, or used to provoke lust.  It is no coincidence that, as feminine modesty has been jettisoned, men have lost much of that high esteem for women which men of earlier generations possessed.  Rape is on the increase, divorce and extra-marital affairs are on the increase.  Without any doubt whatsoever, immodest dress is a factor in all this.  The man who looks on a woman with lust has committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28); but if the woman dresses in such a way as to excite lust, she is guilty of grievous sin as well!
  The professing Christian woman who takes offence at what is being written here, must examine her profession very closely.  The true Christian will desire to dress in a way that is pleasing to her Lord.  It is no exaggeration to say that modesty in dress is a mark of a true Christian.

  In the three texts quoted at the beginning of this article, we find that commandments are given concerning clothing, hairstyles and jewellery (or what could be called ornamentation).  We shall take a closer look at these.  While earnestly desiring to be obedient to what the Scriptures say, we also do not wish to read more into these texts than what is there.  Some dear brethren, with a commendable desire to ensure that Christian women do not sin against the Lord, have gone beyond the Scriptures in this matter, creating commandments where there are none.  I realise that this article will be considered too “conservative” by those who love the world; but it will also be considered too “liberal” by those who, in their zeal for modesty, have actually made standards of their own.  But we must cleave to the Word of God, neither turning to the right hand nor to the left.

1. Clothing.
  By carefully comparing these three texts, we discover that the Lord commands three things, with regards to the Christian woman's dress: it must be modest; it must not be costly; and it must be feminine.
  1 Tim. 2:9 says, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety”.  Thus a woman must dress modestly; decently; discreetly; not revealing or exposing those parts of the body which must be covered at all times.  Whatever does not adequately cover those parts, or draws lustful attention to them even if covered, is sinful.
  She must always dress in a “shamefaced” manner.  This means modestly, blushingly as it were, always with an eye to God's glory, to the well-being of others, and her own holiness and purity.
  In Isa. 3:16-24, there is a description of women who by their dress seek to be seductive.  And yet it says that these women, who “walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go”,  are “the daughters of Zion” (v.16)!  In other words, they profess to be the saints of God!  They name His name, but depart not from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19).  Churches are full of these daughters of Jezebel, who profess to be daughters of Zion.  Claiming to worship God, they seek the attention of men.  And yet nothing is done about them.  Indeed, all too often the pastors' wives are as guilty as the rest.
  Now what, precisely, is “modest”?  The Scriptures provide the answer.  Ever since the fall, it has been sinful to uncover the loins.  Adam and Eve knew this immediately, and made aprons to hide their nakedness (Gen. 3:7).  As the marginal note says, these “aprons” were “things to gird about” the loins.  These are the “secret parts” of Isa. 3:17, which all but the most degraded heathen peoples have always kept covered.
  But it is not just the loins, as can readily be deduced from a consideration of such Scriptures as Prov. 5:19,  Ezek. 23:3,8, etc.
  Short skirts or dresses on women are sinful because they are not modest – they are provocative.  They expose her when she sits, or bends, and they excite lust.
  Some may ask, What is short?  Nowhere in Scripture does it say that a woman's dress or skirt should reach all the way to her feet; and any well-meaning Christian who insists on this has gone too far!  But it is quite obvious that it should at least reach to the knees, when sitting.  Anything shorter would be immodest; and the point is so obvious that no more need be said about it.

  Now, a question that often arises in these days is the question of women wearing pants, or even shorts.  The Lord made men and women differently, and therefore they are to be distinct in their dress.  This is clear from Deut. 22:5, quoted above.  It is an abomination to God for there to be a confusion between the sexes in their dress, because homosexuality is an abomination to Him!  Today's wicked society glorifies homosexuality, but the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of it, “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude v.7).  Homosexuals are described as “effeminate” in 1 Cor. 6:9.  Even the clothing of men and women must reflect the distinction between the sexes.  The clothing must be appropriate to the sex.  Men are not to dress in an effeminate way, nor are women to dress as men do.  Women must dress in a feminine manner.  Despite what the liberal, radical “feminists” claim, the very beauty and glory of the female sex is their gentleness, their femininity, their womanliness.  The radical feminist movement has persuaded many women that they are the same as men.  This is a demonically-inspired lie.  The Lord made the sexes differently, and women are to act, talk, sit, walk and dress as women, not men.
  Is it sinful for Christian women to wear pants?  Some Christians say yes, because (they argue) pants are men's attire.  However, while understanding what prompts them to say so, we cannot go beyond the Scriptures.  The Scriptures tell us that women's clothing must be modest, feminine, and not costly.  And therefore, if women's pants fit these requirements, they may be worn.  The Bible, after all, does not tell us that pants are solely men's attire!  Israelite men did not wear pants in biblical times – they wore garments which we would call dresses today!  Our Lord Himself would have worn such a garment.  And they are still worn by men in some places: one need only think of the garments of the Middle East, of the skirts worn by the men of certain tribes, and of the Scottish kilt.  And so we cannot say that skirts and dresses are for women, and pants are for men.  That is too simplistic, and unsupported by the Word of God.
  The godly Israelites did not disobey Deut. 22:5.  Both sexes wore garments that today would be called dresses, it is true; but there was a distinct difference between masculine ones, and feminine ones.  There was a difference in style, in design, etc.
  For anyone, then, to insist that pants are wrong for women, merely on the grounds that they are pants, is to go beyond Holy Scripture.  The Lord ordained that His Gospel would be preached to all nations; nations differing widely in their styles of dress, etc.  And He did not lay down that any particular type of clothing was to be “Christian” clothing.  As long as, a) it is modest, b) there is a distinction between the sexes in the manner of dress, and c) it is not offensive in a given society (for example, for men to wear skirts in most western places today would be effeminate, and very offensive, and Christian men would not do such a thing), it is permitted.
  That having been said, a warning must still be issued here: the fact remains that, although pants are not automatically sinful, many (probably most) women's pants are neither modest, nor feminine!  They are all too often deliberately designed to be provocative.  Let Christian women take great care, then, in this matter.
  As for women wearing shorts: the same scriptural standard applies.  If shorts are actually “long” shorts, of a truly adequate length, if they are not figure-hugging, and if they are feminine, they may be worn for certain activities.  To forbid them in all circumstances is to go beyond Scripture; and yet none will deny that great caution must be exercised.

  We have now seen that Scripture instructs us that a woman's dress must be modest, and feminine.  We also see, from 1 Tim. 2:9 and 1 Pet. 3:3,  that it must not be costly.  Spending large amounts of money on expensive clothing is sinful, when inexpensive clothing would do just as well.  It is a waste of the money with which the Lord has entrusted the believer.
  Now of course, some clothes are more expensive than others; and depending on various factors, such as one's employment, and one's station in life (a queen would not dress as inexpensively as a peasant, for example, and nor does she have to!), certain items may have to be purchased, which are more expensive than others.  There is much that is relative in a consideration of this aspect of the subject.  But these words of Holy Writ are addressed to those who would spend money unnecessarily on expensive clothing, merely for purposes of vanity or pride.

  One final matter must be considered, under this heading: the use of make-up.  Again, there are Christians who say that the use of any make-up is sinful; but they have absolutely no scriptural grounds for saying so.  All Christians spend some time and effort on their appearance: they comb their hair; they dress attractively (I did not say seductively; there is a difference!); many Christian men shave their faces; etc.  None of this is sinful, and if women wish to use a little make-up, there is no sin in doing so.  Certainly, a godly woman's use of make-up must be modest and sober: the word, “shamefaced”,  is helpful here, for it means modest; but one is going beyond Scripture if one insists that all use of make-up is sinful.

2. Hairstyles and ornamentation.
  1 Tim. 2:9 says, “that women adorn themselves... not with broided (margin: plaited) hair, or gold, or pearls”.  Does this mean that Christian women are forbidden from wearing any jewellery, or wearing their hair in any style?  We know from 1 Cor. 11:15 that her hair is not to be worn short like a man’s; but can she not even style it?  Again, some have thought so; but they are not rightly dividing the Word of God.
  The text is not condemning the wearing of all jewellery, or all styling of the hair.  It is condemning the excessive wearing of expensive jewellery, and extravagant and expensive hairdos.
  How can we know this?
  1 Pet. 3:3 says, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel”.  If we take these words as forbidding all ornamentation, then Christian women would also have to go about naked!  For not only does the verse say, “Whose adorning let it not be... plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold”, but it also says, “let it not be... putting on of apparel”.  Well, if one does not put on any apparel, one will be naked!
  Obviously, then, the verse is speaking about the putting on of expensive or extravagant apparel.  “Costly array”, in the words of 1 Tim. 2:9.
  And so, when we allow Scripture to interpret itself, we find that both passages (in 1 Tim. 2 and 1 Pet. 3) are saying to Christian women: do not be concerned with outward adornment; do not deck yourselves in lots of jewels, or gold, or pearls, or costly clothing; do not wear expensive, extravagant hairstyles.  These passages  are not forbidding all use of clothing, or jewellery, or styling of the hair, but the excessive and extravagant use of these things.
  Peter's meaning, then, when he writes, “let it not be the outward adorning”,  is, Let it not be principally that.  Far more important is the inward, spiritual adorning of a meek and quiet spirit (1 Pet. 3:4).
  Indeed, we find that the godly women of old did possess some jewellery.  Abraham’s servant, for example, gave Rebekah “a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold” (Gen. 24:22); and later, he gave her other “jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Gen. 24:53).  And yet in 1 Pet. 3, after writing that the inward, spiritual adorning is what godly women should concentrate on, Peter adds, “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are” (vv.5,6).  Sarah and Rebekah were two of the “holy women” Peter was referring to; and yet Sarah was doubtless given some jewellery by Abraham, for he later gave some to his servant to give to the woman whom he would find as a wife for Isaac, and Rebekah was that woman.  What do we learn from all this?
  We learn that these holy women, although they did possess some jewellery, did not concern themselves with outward adornment, but adorned themselves with the spiritual ornamentation of a meek and quiet spirit, as godly wives should.  They were “in subjection unto their own husbands” (v.5), as demonstrated by Sarah’s reverence for Abraham (v.5; Eph. 5:33).  They “trusted in God” (v.5); not “in uncertain riches, but in the living God” (1 Tim. 6:17).
  We learn, then, very plainly, that to have some jewellery is not sinful, but the accumulation of it certainly is, as is spending much money on it.  And many women face great temptation in this area, buying and hoarding gold, and pearls, and other finery.  This is plainly sinful (Matt. 6:19,20).  “And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content” (1 Tim. 6:8); “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6).  And women professing godliness should be adorned “with good works” (1 Tim. 2:10).  This is the true inward beauty that every Christian woman should desire.
  The women spoken of in Isa. 3:16-24 professed godliness (v.16), but they were not holy women.  Their ornaments were outward, not inward.  They had much jewellery; many “suits of apparel” (v.22); fancy, extravagant, costly hairdos (v.24).  The professing “Church” is full of such women today!

  To all truly godly women, who love the Lord and desire to please Him in all things, the Word of God is very plain.  Spend little time and effort on your outward adornment – just do what is necessary to look modest and decent and clean – but spend much time concentrating on the inward adornment, which is in the sight of God of great price.
  This much is certain: the woman who is spiritually clothed in the imputed righteousness of Christ, will desire to be physically clothed in a modest, sober, holy manner, to the glory of God.

Shaun Willcock is a minister of the Gospel.  He lives in South Africa and runs Bible Based Ministries.  For other pamphlets (which may be downloaded and printed), as well as details about his books, audio messages, news articles, etc., please visit the Bible Based Ministries website, or write to the address below.  If you would like to be on Bible Based Ministries’ electronic mailing list, please send your details.

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