Now, here is what I think are some of the reasons immodesty is such a big sensual problem in the church today:
1) I believe, the biggest problem with immodesty is that it is a very well disguised idolatry. Anything that we replace God with to make us feel whole, to fulfill us emotionally, to make us feel wanted and desired, to lift our self-image, to make us reach our goals (such as attracting a husband-to-be), or to make our lives feel complete is an idol. For example, a man does not lust for the sake of lusting: a man lusts because momentary this physically attractive woman makes him feel a satisfaction he hasn’t fulfilled with his relationship to Christ. The same applies to other sins such as getting drunk–nobody gets drunk to make a fool of himself—people get drunk to escape a reality they do not like because they did not make Christ the center of their reality. Immodesty is no exception: its root is idolatry.
2) There is no teaching in the church about modesty. For example, you can attend a church for a whole year, which means there are about 48 sermons in total, and you would never hear the preacher talk about the virtue of modesty: what the Bible teaches about it, its benefit, why it pleases the Lord, and how immodesty is actually a sin. Preachers seems to focus so much about how to pray effectively, why we should tithe, how to have a successful marriage, how to evangelize and they neglect holiness. Didn’t our Lord say, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”? Then why are we seeking everything except His righteousness?
Do you know what is the best way to have your prayers answered? Live a holy life! The Bible says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.†(James 5:16) Do you know what is the best way to be a good parent and husband or wife? Live a holy life! Do you know what is the best way to evangelize? Be a living testimony—live a holy life!
(Toronto, ON; summer 2011.) by Fadi
3) There are no role models for Christian ladies in regard to modesty. A Christian lady in her mid 20s dresses just like the rest of the world and the rest of her church, get married and pretty soon has a daughter. The child is used to wear tight clothes since she is a baby because that is the clothes her mom buys her. Pretty soon she is a teenager, and then a young lady who is getting married, and the cycle continuous.
Parents are sometimes afraid their kids will have “emotional problems†if they teach them to live a holy life, for example: to dress differently from the world. But that is not true! How can you say that if you teach your child to be Christ-like then she will have emotional problems, so instead you choose to follow Satan’s ways! As a parent your first is responsibility to teach your children how to live a holy life. Your first responsibility is not to make sure they get a “good educationâ€, or have the “latest gadgetsâ€, or to wear the “latest fashion†clothes.
4) It is a very well disguised sin. Let me give you a couple of examples: a little girl look up to her Christian mother, who dresses immodestly, and thinks:
-I want to help others like mommy—which is a good thing.
-I want to learn to cook like mommy—which is a good thing.
-I want to learn to play the piano like mommy—which is a good thing.
-I want to look beautiful by dressing like mommy—which is a sinful thing.
-I want to sing at church like mommy—which is a good thing.
-I want to teach Sunday school like mommy—which is a good thing.
Do you see what is happening? It is a sin that we have accepted, and we are passing our attitude toward immodesty to our children. Let me give you another example:
A bride’s maid is dressed immodestly at a Christian wedding, yet when the Christian guests see her they all smile telling her how beautiful she looks. Now imagine the best man told the Christian guests a dirty joke, they would all frown in disgust and rebuke him. They young woman and the young man both sinned—both sins were sensual in nature: she expressed it through her dress, and he expressed it through his words–but the young woman’s sin was praised and called beautiful, and the young man’s sin was rebuked and called disgusting.
The sin of dressing sensually is so interwoven in our lives–it is at: our churches, our missionary work, our Christian schools, our church trips, our weddings, our worship song, our church altars—it is everywhere.
5) Compromise. The world is simply bombarding our young women with this style, this fashion, and this brand, and promises them if they wear this then they will be more beautiful, more desirable, happier, and more content. But the sins of immodesty is very much like any other sin: it is like drinking muddy water when you are thirsty—the more you drink the more thirsty you will become. It is like standing in a hole and digging it deeper hoping that you will reach the surface!
Compromise is such a big deal when it comes to modest dressing because women usually think, “Well, it is OK to dress a bit revealing in a wedding,†or, “It is ok if someone is going to a picnic or the beach!†First of all, if you are a born-again Christian you have no business going to a beach where you are expected to dress immodestly! For example, a Christian man not only does not engage in sexual immorality, but he also does not go to places where sexual immorality is practiced! A Christian man not only does not get drunk, but he also does not go to places of drunkenness! Yes, our Lord associated with sinners, but He did not participate in their sin. Second of all, if that is how you think then your heart’s attitude toward sin is wrong, which means your heart’s attitude toward God is wrong. Because you cannot have a new relationship with God if you do not have a new relationship with sin.
6) Lack of personal relationship with God and commitment. Christians love to proclaim that Christianity is a personal relationship, but they do not live it as a personal relationship! They wait for their pastor to preach about modesty so they practice it! If that is the case then what happened to the teachings of the Holy Spirit? What happened to spiritual discernment? What happened to asking in prayer, “Lord, speak to me. Show me what You want to change in my life. What can I do to be more like Your Son?â€
You know, there is a preacher from Texas that every time I see him on TV he is only talking about the State of Israel. Do you know what that means? His congregation is not getting any spiritual teachings, is not growing in their faith, and are not being continuously conformed to the likeness of our Lord! In other words: his whole ministry has missed the point of Christianity!
It is beyond me how a Christian lady can start her day with an intimate and focused prayer with her heavenly Father, and 15 minutes later dresses sensually for the rest of the day! What do you pray for, “God, please bless my sins!”? If you cannot make a single commitment to the Lord to dress modestly in the morning–which will impact your testimony for the rest of the day–how will you then continuously make a commitment to the Lord throughout the whole day before each time you utter a word, before each time you look at someone, before each time you think about something?!
As a Christian lady it is your responsibility to read the Bible on your own and pursue God’s will for your life, especially in holiness of the mundane daily things, such as your dressing. ~ Fadi
One thought on “Modesty-Your Spiritual Act of Worship Part 2”
I agree with you completely, Fadi. As a mother of 2 sons, I am dismayed at what I see every Sunday in church, specialy in warm weather.
I am seeing right now how can I contribute in a positive way about this in my church.
Thanks!