CHRISTIAN DRESS

 

In the matter of clothing and jewelry, there are guidelines that apply to all believers, men as well as women. A first principle is expense. How much do we spend on clothes? Is it all necessary? Could the money be spent in better ways?

First Timothy 2:9 forbids expensive clothes: “not with … costly clothing.” It is not a matter of whether or not we can afford them. It is sin for a Christian to spend money on expensive clothes, because God’s word forbids it. Compassion forbids it too. The desperate plight of our neighbors in other lands, their enormous spiritual and physical needs, point up the callousness of spending money unnecessarily on clothing.

This applies not only to the quality of the clothes we buy but to the quantity as well. The closets of some Christians look like branch clothing stores. Often as they travel on vacation, a rod stretched over the back seat of the car holds an array of dresses, shirts, and suits that rivals the samples of a traveling clothing salesman.

Why do we do it? Is it not a matter of pride? We love to be complimented on our good taste, our fine appearance. The expense involved in buying clothes is only one principle that should guide us in its choice.

Another is modesty. Paul says “with propriety and moderation.” One meaning of the word propriety is “decent.” One of the functions of clothing is to hide man’s nakedness. At least, that’s the way it was in the beginning. But now clothing seems to be designed to reveal increasingly large areas of the anatomy. Man is thus glorying in his shame. It is not surprising to find ungodly men doing this, but it is rather shocking when Christians imitate them.

But modest can also mean attractive. This suggests that the Christian should dress neatly. There is no virtue in shabbiness, in untidiness. Oswald Chambers said that slovenliness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. The believer’s clothes should be clean, pressed, in good repair, and well-fitting.

In general, the Christian must avoid fashions that attract attention to himself. That is not his function in life. He is not on earth as an ornament, but as a fruit-bearing branch of the Vine. We can attract attention to ourselves in many ways. Wearing clothes that are old-fashioned will do it. The Christian should also avoid wearing clothes that are uncommonly plain, or loud, or odd.

Finally, the Christian—and this may be a special problem for the young believer—should avoid clothes that are suggestive or provocative. We have already referred to fashions that are “revealing.” But clothes can cover the whole body and still arouse unholy lust in others. Modern fashions are not designed to encourage spirituality. On the contrary, they reflect the obsession with sex in our age. The believer should never wear clothes that incite passions or make it hard for others to live a Christian life.

The great problem, of course, is the enormous social pressure to conform. This always has been true and always will be. Christians need plenty of spine to resist the extremes in fashion, to swim against the tide of public opinion, and to dress in a manner that befits the gospel.

If we make Christ the Lord of our wardrobe, all will be well.

(Believer's Bible Commentary)