CHRISTIANS AND DRESS
by Keith A.
Moser, Sr.
Clothing certainly does not determine character, for God looks on the heart, not the appearance (I Samuel 16:1). But, one’s character can and does determine the clothing one wears. For some reason, however, some professed Christians seemingly give little thought to their attire even though there are a number of biblical principles relating to one’s dress.
In the very first book of the Bible
one can find reference to God’s attitude toward public display of the human
body. After the fall of Adam and Eve
they “made themselves aprons” (Genesis
3:7). But God did “make coats of
skins and clothed them” (Genesis
The Bible also teaches that Christians are to dress in such a way as not to intentionally discomfort another, nor are Christians allowed to “judge” another by his poor dress (James 2:1-9). Some would overdress to impress but the Bible demands “modest apparel (I Timothy 9-10). The term modest is kosmios, which word contains the idea of orderly or decent. A “kosmios” person, to the Greeks, had grace and dignity in all of life— including dress. The style of the world in the first century tended to gaudiness, but Christians then (thus, now) are not to be slaves to style but to decency. The Bible also teaches personal cleanliness for Christians. “... let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (II Corinthians 7:1). The term flesh includes personal hygiene. One who loves his fellowman will not offend. During the hippie culture, American medical doctors were reporting epidemics of scabies (itch). Such is amazing in a supposedly enlightened culture.
One’s dress can provoke lust (Matthew
The Bible further teaches that one
should avoid harmful influence to the church and to one’s person reputation.
“Give none offense; neither to the Jews, not the Gentiles, nor to the
The Bible teaches that God demands
that the distinctions between males and females are to be maintained. There is a curious passage in Revelation that
reads: ”...and on their heads were as it were crowns
of gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women” (Revelation 9:7-8). Of course, the former passage is figurative,
but hermeneutical rules state that figurative speech has some basis in the
literal. God established distinctions
between males and females and does not want such distinctions blurred (Romans
The Bible condemns, in principle, immodest public attire, show-off dress, and indecent, inappropriate clothing. Surely Christians can learn not to offend in what they decide to wear. Personal preferences as to style are matters of liberty. Preferences as to decency are matters of faith.