Introduction
If you are a Christian sister, the decency of your appearance and the speech will show it.
Are you a sister?, this message is for you. It is not directed at your friend or colleague, but you. Daughters of Zion are ever delightful in their dressing. They appear dignified and self-motivated and confidence because of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Appearance showcases a person and influences how others perceive you. Appearance shows the kind of person you are. A young person can be distinguished from an old person by mere dressing. The bible says that men look on the outward appearance, while God looks on the heart - 1 Sam. 16:7.
The appearance of a woman is exceptionally important to the society because a single woman can influence hundreds of other women. That may not be the case with men because men do not necessarily copy other men. Young ladies look up to their mothers and learn her own dressing.
A New Sister:
The bible says “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, all things has become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). That transformation is the work of the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Spirit begins work in a person's life, changes will begin to manifest.
A born again sister is expected to show her love for Christ in her dressing. That means she should allow the Holy Spirit moderate their behaviour. It takes a believer cooperating with the Holy Ghost to bring about a new person. You are to lay aside the old self, that you may be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, made in the likeness of God - Eph. 4:22-24.
God wants you to know the importance of dressing well, the other people that your dressing could influence, younger girls, the opposite sex and so on. Every sister knows that her body is no more her own, but the Lord, so she will have to please the Lord in her body, which is the Lord's.
The new life in Christ demands:
1. A new way of thinking (Rom. 12:2)
2. A new way of speaking (Eph. 4:29)
3. A new way of relating to people (Luke 6:31)
4. A new way of reading (Phil. 4:8)
5. A new way of eating (1 Cor. 10:31)
6. A new way of spending your time (Eph. 5:15-16)
7. A new way of using your money (2 Cor. 8:3-5; 9:6-7)
8. A new way of looking at life (2 Cor. 4:16-18)
The Lord wants to change your appearance from worldliness to godliness. The difference is in the duty of care you owe others in the society. A child of God should cover her body elegantly, not anything skimpy or revealing. God wants the sisters to take the initiative and dress in dignifying manner always.
Those in the world around you will not be able to understand this perspective since they are controlled by their own personal desires and the patterns of society around them.
Adjusting to please God:
The goal of every believer should be to please God in everything we do (2 Cor. 5:9). This will including our dressing. We should seek to please the Lord rather than ourselves (2 Cor. 5:15). Peter writes that a woman's dressing should reveal “the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3-4).
You should choose your clothes wisely and in harmony with Scriptural directives. Women are to “adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly” (1 Tim. 2:9a).
This means that you should not wear form-fitting, sexy, and transparent clothes. You should not expose your body to the public, for clothes are meant to conceal rather than reveal.
Clothing is meant to cover our bodies in a plain and simple way. It is not meant to create envy in another sister. Nor are clothes meant to arouse lust in the heart of the opposite sex. Jesus warned, “Everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:27-28).
That means that weaker brothers can commit sin by looking lustfully at a seductively dressed woman. That is why sisters should the impact of their dressing on the community at large. If you cause others to sin by your appearance, where is the love and care for your neighbour?
Wear clothes that identify your sex.
God created “male and female” (Genesis 1:27) and He wants men and women to appear as men and women! God said in His Law: “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing” (Deut. 22:5). Even under Christ, God wants a clear gender distinction.
In our world today, unbelieving men wear earrings and other jewelry. God says it's an “abomination” to appear as the opposite sex (Deut. 22:5). Christians should determine to wear clothes that clearly pertain to their own gender and witness to God’s will in a corrupt world.
What hairstyle are you wearing?
The Bible says: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering” (1 Cor. 11:14-15). Men should look like men and women should look like women. It is disgraceful for men and women to look like the opposite sex!
Dressing - What did the Bible say?
The Bible made it clear from the Old Testament that God is not happy in His children exposing their nakedness. Every reasonable person agrees that dressing is to cover our nakedness. So when the person wears clothes and his/her nakedness is not properly covered, that is ungodly.
When a Christian who has the knowledge of God claims that she dresses for fashion, then what about the word of God in Romans 12:1, that says "Present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. What does that mean?
God is interested in how you present your body as well as your heart. How you present your body is more important to God than the sacrifice you present. He told Moses that the children of Israel should be careful so that their nakedness is not exposed, because that might attracts God’s wrath. Exodus 20:26
Biblical Perspectives
For a woman, the bible urge godly, and regenerated woman to be:
1. Moderation
The standard of the Bible is not anything goes permissive style. It is moderation.
Moderation in everything: how you live, what you say, what you eat, what you drink. When you are in Christ, you should be dead to self and your body is no longer your own.
2. Well covered : When you give your life to Jesus and living a new life in Him, you are not controlled by the world fashion's sense, you are not dressing to belong or please yourself, you dress primarily to cover your body as a living sacrifice to God. Because you realize your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Anything you wear must cover you well. How? Your skirts must reach below your knees; your shirts must well cover your breasts; any tops, gowns, etc.
3. Not Transparent : Any clothing you wear as a godly woman must not be transparent, that will be seen. Since the purpose of wearing clothes is the cover your nakedness, wearing transparent or perforated clothes has defeated that God’s purpose in such a woman's life. Wearing transparent, evaporated clothes is an indirect nakedness and disobedience to God; it is as bad as half-naked. As a Christian, godly woman, you are watchful of what you wear and how you wear them so that you are not disqualified by God just because of your dress-style.
4. No Tights : If you are wearing skirts, gowns, shirts, native dress, self-made, uniforms, whatever, where ever, it must not be tight. Wearing tight clothes that show the shape and anatomy of your body to the world is also an indirect nakedness. You wear clothes to cover your body not to show your body shape. When the motive is to show the shape of your body then something is wrong, it is called inordinate motive. A godly woman does not dress to show the shape of her body, so body hugs and all sorts of tight clothing are ungodly and can lead to damnation and condemnation of one’s soul at the end.
5. Not Too Expensive : Modest to your ability: Either a woman or a man, as a child of God, the Bible directly warns us not to buy, wear expensive clothing, not because you can’t afford it but because you are a Christian, modest. Christianity is all about modesty and staying within your means. When you have more than enough, then you must desist from showing-off your riches and becoming self-centred. You should rather share willingly what you have with others, especially those that need help.
Appeal to Sisters:
Sisters should avoid worldly appearance which promotes self and lust. Sister, please cover your body properly and keep yourself pure and holy. If the heart is not pure, the body cannot be clean and holy. Daughters of Zion must learn to carry their bodies in honor, Jesus is coming back soon!
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