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 Chapel |
... Christian Dress ...
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It's a very sad thing to say, but it is true. We have seen marriages broken up by the limitations placed upon members by many churches throughout the land. In one instance that I remember very well, the wife was forbidden, by church rules, to attend any sports functions with her husband, including high-school ball games. Of course, this was only one incident, but it was not the only one. Most of these things result from what we believe Jesus referred to as: "...burdens grievous to be borne...".
Many of these problems are the direct result of church requirements for dress. I remember too well, sitting in one church and watching the minister (who was a woman) dolefully referring to another lady in the community and saying, with free-flowing tears, "There she was, claiming to be a Christian, out hanging up clothes with a pair of pants on!" I remember feeling very sad because of the condescending attitude toward a lady who wore a pair of ladies pants while doing her daily chores.
What caused this type of condescension? Who was right, and who was wrong?...Was anyone scriipturally right or wrong? Where does this belief come from? Are there really any definite standards for Christian dress? Let's look into the situation and see what we can determine.
As we understand it, this widespread belief sprang from the scripture in Deuteronomy 22, Verse 5...
5....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.
First, let's determine exactly what this scripture is talking about. On the face, it would seem that no woman should wear anything resembling what a man would wear. With this in mind, let's look into the recorded history of dress in those days. If we do this, we find that everyone, man, woman and child, wore robes or, as the "Holman Bible Dictionary" puts it, "tunics made of linen or wool hanging from the neck to the knees or ankles. WHAT!!
If everyone wore the same thing, how did one determine one outfit from the other? How could we possibly separate a man's dress from a woman's? The answer is, there were differences.
To generalize, a man's clothing was usually rougher, designed for heavy wear. Usually, a man's outfit had many decorations which depicted his role and position in society. Women's wear was usually softer and more flowing, accompanied by brighter colors. For instance, one would not find a woman wearing a loin cloth, especially one made of leather...those were men's features. ln other words, the differences then were much the same as the difference now...the woman's clothing, be it skirts and blouses, dresses, or ladies' pants, was designed for the inherent delicacy and softness of the woman...to depict femininity. I once asked a pastor who was adament on the subject it he would wear a pair of ladies' pants. He answered with a huffy "No!". I then asked him why not. He started to answer, then decided he didn't want to discuss it. The reason was, because ladies' pants are for ladies.
There is also another factor to consider...modesty. A Christian lady, a friend of ours whose husband was a truck driver, told of how she had to go out and clean the inside of the truck. While she was getting into the many positions that were necessary to do the job she suddenly realized that the dress she was wearing was anything but modest for doing that work. So, she went into the house and put on a pair of pants to finish up, knowing that God would value the modesty much more than exposure.
It is our belief that the scripture in Deuteronomy referred to what we call "transvestites" in this modern day...women who wanted to assume the role of men, and men who wanted to assume the role of women, or what the Bible refers to as "effeminate". We don't believe it referred to the way in which the cloth was sewn together, since it was all sewn together in much the same manner.
Are there standard for Christian dress? Absolutely. Consider First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verse 9...
9...In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;...
There we have it. A Christian, (whether it be man or woman, but especially a woman) should dress in all modesty. To look good, according to their abilities to do so, without being gaudy or overdoing the decorations...showing that they are thankful to the Lord for what he made them to be. But overall, and most importantly, in modesty, not invoking lust, but showing Godly beauty. In other words, God is not worried about how the cloth on your body is sewn together, as long as you have enough of it and wear it in his fashion.
In Jesus' Name,
AMEN
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