I plead that as we begin to get into these studies on modesty and health and Christianity. I would like for us to always have this question in our minds:
"Why?"
We must always be investigators as Christians to find why things are so:
Let's begin with this quotation from the book:
*Colporteur Ministry Pg. 131 Par. 2
"Religion and Health —True religion and the laws of health (we'll study the laws of health as time progresses) go hand in hand. It is impossible to work for the salvation of men and women without presenting to them the need of breaking away from sinful gratifications, which destroy the health, debase the soul, and prevent divine truth from impressing the mind."
♡Where do we find in the bible GOD'S care about our health?
There are many verses in the bible where GOD is communicating to us about health that I can quote, but I particularly love this quotation from:
*3 John 1:2
"[2]Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
This means that we really can't prosper morally and spiritually without our health being in harmony with all our faculties:
*Spiritually
*Morally
*Mentally
*Emotionally
*Physically
All these faculties have to be kept in check and brought into subjection to the obedience of CHRIST so that we are able to grow to the full stature of a CHRIST-like character just as Paul says:
*1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"[24]Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
[25]And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
[26]I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
[27]But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
Paul is placing for us a very important illustration of the Christian journey and he compares it to a race, why?
In a worldly race the participants who really prepare themselves for the win really practise true temperance in their regimes in preparation for the race, for example:
*They go on the most strictest of diets, strict exercise programs.
All for a golden cup or medal.
They prove their determination to win by sacrificing the things they like doing in order to be fit for the competion and win the race.
Millions run the race. And sadly enough only one person wins the gold in the end.
This worldly honour is perishable as the world is perishing.
♡What is the race in the Christian's life?
We are all living in a game. This game is called Life. And in this game we are running a race called Salvation. And what is the price to be obtained in this race? The price to be obtained is Eternal Life.
The exciting part about this race of salvation in this game of life to obtain eternal life is that there billions upon billions in this race and all have the potential to win. All can win.
The sad part is that only those who are willing and do make the sacrifice to win the race will win and those who are not prepared and willing to make the sacrifice will lose it is inevitable.
So in order for us to win the price of salvation we must sacrifice the things we are acquainted and familiar with which is (sin- its habits and harmful practises).
Sin is naturally inherited by us because of our first parents' fall (Adam and Eve in *Genesis 3) that is why we are born in sin (notice I did not say "born sinners":
*Definition of a sinner:
Is someone who has knowledge of what doing right is and makes the decision to do the opposite of what is right. Babies have no knowledge of doing what is right.
So they are not born sinners but are born in an environment of sin that makes them susceptible to do wrong even when they have the knowledge of doing what is right and eventually they sin.
*Lamentations 5:7
"[7]Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities."
*We have bourne their iniquities in what sense?
We have inherited their sinful habits and practises because that is the only knowledge we had-the knowledge of sin (that is where the painful truth about DNA comes to effect).
*Psalms 51:5
[5]Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.")
♡What is the point of all that information in this regard?
The environment of sin has made us acquire and inherit habits and harmful habits from our parents and that draws us away from GOD and makes us strangers to the path or race of salvation but now we have the assurance that CHRIST has won this entire game of life through The WORD OF GOD. And HE now draws us to win this game by trusting and having Faith in him that HE will help us to obtain Eternal Life. But there is a sacrifise to be made in our part. We must sacrifice sin in order to obtain eternal life if we cling and hold on to sin we will inherit the reward of sin which is eternal death.
♡What is left for us to do now during this race of salvation in this game of life?
We must learn temperance (self-control) in all things (our thinking, our talking, our behaviour/ actions, our eating, our drinking, especially our dressing as Christians) that we may grow in CHRIST and have HIS Character of CHRIST in order to win this race of salvation.
♡Why should we learn Temperance?
Temperance helps us to make sound decisions (the power of choice) that are in line with the WORD OF GOD that we may develop a strong will power that reflects CHRIST. Who still went ahead with the plan to save humanity even at the cost of HIS own life.
♡Where does Temperance fit in when it comes to the way we dress?
When it comes to our dress we must abstain as Christians from harmful practises that injure our health. And there are many fashionable practises that are harmful to our health as women and also men and this we'll discover as we continue...
♡Why is it important to dress appropriately as Christians?
I would like to quote this statement from:
*Evangelism Pg.673 Par.1
"Our words, our actions, and our dress are daily, living preachers, gathering with Christ, or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter, to be passed off with a jest. The subject of dress demands serious reflection and much prayer."
When one decides to be a Christian and you get baptised, you are ultimately making the decision to deny everything you are used to, all the habits you do, all the things you love as the bible says:
*2 Corinthians 5:17
"[17]Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Christianity is a marriage, you deny your surname to adopt a new surname, you learn to have hobbies that involve both you and your partner, y build a new home with your patner, you learn new activities (taking care of your household, parenting etc.).
Likewise in CHRIST you deny everything in your past to adopt a completely new and different lifestyle and new habits.
If you decide to be a Christian and get baptised and you go back to your old friends and family who are not christians and try to "socialise" and you don't hear the comment "you have really changed" and they say that in a cringe worthy manner in a good way.
And what's the good way?
(You don't do the things you used to do. And when you do and say things they say you are boring). If none of these things happen then you haven't really started practising being a Christian.
If you still enjoy the things you used to do and you can't find any hobbies or activities that include you spending time with CHRUST and doing the things that CHRIST would do then there is a serious problem that needs some thorough evaluation.
The point of getting across this is that we as Christians- (the word it self meaning to be CHRIST-LIKE.)
We must represent the marriage between JESUS and Us individually.
Not doing this only for ourselves but also doing this for our fellow sisters and brothers out there who are not yet in the fold of CHRIST.
*2 Corinthians 5:20
"[20]Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
If we are ambassadors for CHRIST we are to represent. Now put yourself in the shoes of someone who is not a Christian especially a women. She acts like the rest of society she parties, drinks alcohol, behaves in an offensive manner, wears the wigs, the make-up, the nails, the tight t-shirt, mini skirt, the heels. And she comes across a lady who looks like her and behaves like her and talks like her and tells her about CHRIST'S Second Coming. Do you think she will listen and take her seriously? Of course not.
Infact she would think her religion is fake because there is absolutely no difference between them, she must be deceived. Why would anyone want to live their current lifestyle and get into something that is exactly the same as theirs?
People want something different, something better. People need something better. When we call people to the religion of CHRIST we can't offer them a hotbed of worldliness that's far worse that they know and live.
So the way we behave and communicate to others plays a major role in bringing people to CHRIST or scattering people from CHRIST.
Especially the way we dress. A person sees you and already you have made a first impression whether you would like to admit it or not. The way you look has already told a person what kind of lifestyle you stand for.
A muslim lives no doubt that they are a muslim, A ZCC member lives no doubt by the badge that they are a ZCC, A Zionist by the uniform, A Buddhist leaves no doubt, A Shembe, A hindu etc.
I have heard Christians saying "oh, it doesn't matter how we dress, JESUS CHRIST only wants the heart."
JESUS does want the Heart and also the mind and the body. GOD wants our everything. We can't serve him half and half. It doesnt work that way.
*Matthew 22:37-40
"[37]Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38]This is the first and great commandment.
[39]And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40]On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The ten commandments are summarised by these two commandments. The first three and a half to GOD and the last half and six towards our fellow men. Loving our fellows means protecting them from commiting sin by lusting after our bodies for both men and women.
GOD does not want to share His children with the world and the world is ruled by satan and fashion is the god of this world (we'll learn about this as we progress).
So all in all....
♡Does GOD really care about how we dress?
GOD was very specific in giving Israel the rules of dressing and how the high priets was to appear before HIM:
When sin entered through through Adam and Eve, GOD was very specific with how HE wanted Humanity to dress.
*Genesis 3:21
"[21]Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."
Before the fall Adam and Eve had a covering of GOD'S GLORY as a clothing (the bible proves this as we'll study). And after sin the GLORY of GOD does not dwell in sin
(Which solemnly important for us to take note of), so GOD'S GLORY departed. They were cold from the change of whether because of sin. They needed clothes because they were naked.
GOD made them coats of skin to cover their bodies. If GOD wanted humanity to bare the flesh he could have made them jackets to cover their upper body or cover them halfway the tighs or legs 🧥. (But this is a separate study in which will be our first in depth topic.)
Adam and Eve covered themselfs with fig leaves (I'm sure those were not even appetising outfits 😑, their limbs were uncovered and they were cold). But GOD cared so much about how they looked that HE made them COATS
I'm sure it looked like an actual coat covering their whole bodies.
Not like this--->
But more like this --->
And sin will compel us to say
"oh that was in old bible times, we can't be covering our whole bodies, times have changed and we must learn to adapt as Christians. And cover our bodies less in order to be accepted in society."
Well my question is has GOD ever changed HIS standards?
*Numbers 23:19
"[19]God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:........."
*Malachi 3:6
"[6]For I am the LORD, I change not;........"
GOD does not change HIS standards of dressing the body and so should we if we are ambassadors for CHRIST.
*1 Timothy 2:9-10
"[9]In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
[10]But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
*1 Peter 3:3-5
"[3]Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
[4]But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
[5]For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:"
At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the truth be established.
The bible emphasises the way women used to dressand behave and the way women dress and behave so much because these are points in which women are most likely to falter than in any thing else.
So the subject of dress is a lot more serious than we think. And it demands prayer and serious reflection. Especially for us women who are most likely faltering in dress if not idolising fashionable practises around us.
*Child Guidance Pg. 432 Par.4
"The idolatry of dress is a moral disease. It must not be taken over into the new life. In most cases submission to the gospel requirements will demand a decided change in the dress."
So please investigate, reflect, pray this subject further and choose this day whom you will serve.
Stay Blessed and Informed
Love ♡ Modesty
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