"Dress Test" for Women Professing Godliness

That Christian Website ^ | 01/20/2011 | Travis Main

[hawkins]

THE “DRESS TEST” FOR
WOMEN PROFESSING GODLINESS

By Mary Martini

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Look at yourself in a full length mirror – front, back and sideways!
Ask yourself the following:

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Will what I am wearing bring God glory (1 Corinthians 10:31; Exodus 28:40, 43; Isaiah 61:3) and portray me as a godly woman? (1 Timothy 2:9,10) Yes or no?

Does what I am wearing meet or exceed God’s standard for being modest? (Genesis 3:21; Exodus 20:26; 28:40-43) Yes or no? You know!

Is it appropriate and respectful? (Genesis 41:14; Matthew 22:11-14) When I dress, would someone think I was going to a picnic or other social activity, or can they really tell I am displaying my best in service to God? (Exodus 20:26)

Will my clothing help or hurt my influence for Christ? (Romans 13:10; 15:3; Philippians 2:3, 4) Am I concerned about the way other think about me?

Is it too short? Sit down, cross your legs, bend over, reach up and squat down. At any time, does the garment reveal any of your leg above your knees? (Exodus 28:42) With tops and blouses, is your midriff showing at any time? (Genesis 3:21)

Is it too tight? Am I revealing my body form (which highlights or emphasizes my feminine sexuality), thus tantalizing, enticing, or tempting men (young or old) to have impure thoughts (Matthew 18:7; Galatians 5:19 - lasciviousness)?

Is it too sheer? Can I see my skin or undergarments through the material? (John 21:7 - undergarments exposed = naked in God’s eyes)

Is the neckline too low? Bend over - what can you see? Sit. Have another female tell you what they can see while looking down at you. This is a real situation – be honest.

If sleeveless, are my undergarments visible? (John 21:7) Why? What does it say about me? What does it say about the God I am trying to serve with my clothing?

Is what I am wearing stating that I am dressed to be chaste (pure and holy) or chased (by men)? What do I really want for my self-esteem? God’s approval or man?

Because of how I am dressed, would someone mistake me for a worldly woman? (A harlot – Proverbs 7:10; Genesis 38:15)

Will it encourage a man to lust after me, thus causing him to stumble and sin? (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9; Matthew 5:27, 28) So, do I want them to sin?

Please Remember

God holds me responsible for immoral reactions IF I dress inappropriately
(Yes, I am liable for the reactions produced in others by MY appearance)

(Matthew 5:27-28; 14:1-12)

[hawkins]

Thought this might be something useful for someone.

[RobRoy]

If I was a woman I think I would go mad trying to follow those rules every time I got dressed in the morning. Maybe it would be “safest” to just wear a burka and be done with it.

[humblegunner]

[RobRoy]

I think this thread may need some photo examples of what to do and what not to do.

[gleeaikin]

I guess going to the beach to swim is out.

[SIDENET]

Maybe it would be “safest” to just wear a burka and be done with it.

I maintain that burkas are perfect guy clothing.

You could: skip a shower, not shave, go "commando", take a nap, or drink a beer under one of those things, and nobody would have a clue!

[SIDENET]

think this thread may need some photo examples of what to do and what not to do.

Especially the latter.

-GIGGITY-

[what's up]

Heck...do people really have time to ask every one of these questions EVERY TIME THEY DRESS?

Wish I had so many hours in the day.

[ArrogantBustard]

Thank you for demonstrating the Fallacy of the Excluded Middle.

Our next lesson in poor logic will (probably) be the Red Herring.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

If I was a woman I think I would go mad trying to follow those rules every time I got dressed in the morning. Maybe it would be “safest” to just wear a burka and be done with it.

Why? My wife manages to somehow do it every day, and yet she never seems to have on a burka...

[The_Reader_David]

Nah, just dress like a 19th Century Russian peasant woman and the problem is solved.

[ArrogantBustard]

If folks develop a habit of dressing appropriately for various occasions, they won't have to "ask every one of these questions EVERY TIME THEY DRESS".

I'm willing to bet that you already knew that.

[allmendream]

“God holds me responsible for immoral reactions IF I dress inappropriately
(Yes, I am liable for the reactions produced in others by MY appearance)”

And the person who is the immoral reactor? God doesn’t hold them responsible at all apparently, it is HER fault if she “causes” a man to sin.

Loony tunes!

[ArrogantBustard]

I’m willing to bet that your wife developed a habit of dressing appropriately for various occasions a long time ago.

[ArrogantBustard]

And the person who is the immoral reactor? God doesn’t hold them responsible at all apparently, it is HER fault if she “causes” a man to sin.

ROFL!!! Looks like our "next" lesson in poor logic was the Non Sequitur. Congratulations.

[SIDENET]

Wow, I could conceal almost ANY firearm under one of those!

(Gazes at AK-47 on gun rack.)

[ArrogantBustard]

If you walk carefully, you could probably conceal an RPG launcher and several rounds under that tent.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

You know what constantly amazes me?

How that, whenever someone even mentions Christian dress standards for women, there will inevitably be the bozos and losers who want to equate it with 1) wearing burkahs, 2) telling women to stay at home barefoot and pregnant, or 3) both.

Seriously people, don’t embarrass yourselves by displaying such poor reasoning abilities.

On a not tangential note, since we’re on the subject of Christian women dress, and there are sure to be some who want to yap about how it’s their business and they can wear whatever they want and it’s between them and God alone, okay, fine - would you go to church wearing your lingerie. If not, why not?

[RobRoy]

The problem is the tests are too subjective. As C. S. Lewis pointed out, a young woman on a Pacific island wearing almost nothing would be totally appropriate while the same clothing while walking through times square would not be.

And everything in between.

Also, with topics like this I tend to focus more on NT than OT references. I hated the movie “The Passion of the Christ” but one thing I noticed was that the Jews that were persecuting Christ were culturally shockingly similar to devout Muslims. Lotsa strict rules.

[allmendream]

The women of Athens, with their breasts bare and their nipples painted; thought the women of Sparta absolute whores for wearing short skirts (the legs of an Athenian woman were always demurely covered).

In today's society the Spartan women's outfits wouldn't raise an eyebrow, but wearing the Athenian women's outfit would get dollar bills put in your toga!

I do not object to the idea that women are to dress demurely, what I object to is that the sight of a woman's skin “causes” a man to sin, and that the woman is therefore guilty for the sin of the man that she “caused”.