APPEARANCE IN CHURCH AND OFFICE...........Maturity influences godly dressing

 

Church Affairs!

Introduction

This message is one that touches the heart of most parents, especially fathers and men.  Many times you would have to make your daughter or daughters know they "just can’t dress the way they want to church" and I would like to add, that if the dress is not good for the church, then it is not good for any other outdoor outing.

The purpose of this message is to remind parents of their duty of care to guide their children and teach them the ways of the Lord, and the obligations of young and matured women to carry their body with dignity and respect.  So, it is not limited to teenagers and the youths alone, it concerns everybody. Some times, you see a woman come to the house of God wearing a dress, so tight that it's almost a 'see-through'.  I am talking about "mature believers," not baby Christians or newcomers, but well-established Sisters, come into God’s sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you would only expect to see them wearing at home. The blouse clings to their bodies, their necklines so low that you wonder what has happened to her.  

You will wonder again, who will guide her daughters in the area of decent dressing?  But when you look at it closely, it bothers on personal discipline and knowing the Word of God.  A "born-again, baptized, and even tongue-speaking believer would not know that 'dressing well' is an obligation and a duty she owes to her Saviour and the younger ones, who look up to her.  She will not also know that your appearance can mirror the 'spirit' controlling you as well as your heart conditions.

A disciplined believer will know that he/she cannot copy worldly fashion, as the Word says we should not love the world, because if we do, then the love of the Father is not in us.  They can do many things, but we cannot follow them.  They can dress skimpy, wear mini and micro skirts, but we cannot.  They can put Tattoo on their body, expose their chest, belly-button and thighs, we cannot do the same. Why?  We are pilgrims here, heaven is our home and we are consigned to doing only those things that please our Father in heaven.

Dressing mirrors your heart
Tight dresses are not good for the church because of the attention it draws, which will distract others in the church.  In a world, where there are so much lust and seduction in the society, it will be a disservice to the work of God for any lady or woman to wear a mini skirt or gown that does not cover her knee to Church.  When you dress like that, you take the focus off God and His word and turn it to yourself. 

When you consider that many people are struggling with the spirit of Lust and how to nakedness in the society, you're undermining the house of God, which should be a place of holiness and safety for those struggling with sin and wants to make amends.

It is the duty of parents to guide their children and no parent should be shy to speak up on the issue of godly appearance.  But, when the mother does not believe in dressing in a godly manner or she is not interested in the topic, who then advises the children, especially the girls?

I have noticed that no matter how holy our daughters may be, peer pressure and youthful exuberance combine to influence their dressing a few times, and it is the duty of a parent to advise and help them to recover.  This is why the parents cannot afford to slip into unbelief.  They owe it duty before God to train their children and instruct them on the word of God and how to live right.


Importance of  Godly dressing

Paul instructed Timothy that women should “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation” (1 Tim. 2:9), and he told the church at Corinth that “our unpresentable parts have greater modesty” (1 Cor. 12:23). Regardless of how hot it is outside or how busy we are, there’s no justification for Spirit-filled women to come to church wearing clothes that cause some men to pay more attention to the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit.

The body is not for branding, as with Tattoos, neither for any kind of exhibition, the body of a believing sister is no longer her own, but the Lord's.  This is why no child of God is permeated to defile his or her body.  If the body is the Lord's, then it must be used to please the Lord and not serve the devil.  Women should learn how to handle their bodies in honour and do everything in their power, not to be conformed to the fashion and trending behaviours of this end-time. 

God created us, men and women, to be attracted to each other.  He created the woman for the man and declared that we are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). But the fallen nature of man and the increased e available this end-time, has impacted on how women present their body.  

From the woman's hair to her legs are all decorated with all kinds of colours, deodorant, perfumes, all in the name of beauty. Today, women who are filled with lust and worldliness can enlarge any part of their body through surgery, altering and changing what God created and called wonderful. The devil wants men to adore and worship the body of women and every law that limits indecent exposure of the body of a person is being abolished to allow for full-scale nakedness.  

The Devil's Agenda
Christians must discern what is happening and avoid being drawn into this wickedness that is unfolding.  The men have fallen for this already, because of their fallen nature.  They have accepted every game the women are playing with their body,  the same way that Adam fell to the advice of his wife in the garden.  It is looking like entertainment and pleasure to them, but it is not.  It is a plot by the devil to destroy men and send millions into hell fire.  

All those people involved in sexual perversion... have all been initiated into the marine kingdom.  If you have ever done sexual perversion before, you may have bowed to the Queen of the Coast and forfeited your soul to the marine kingdom.  The implication is that the person becomes an agent of the queen of the Coast, without knowing.  Their duty is to spread 'the gospel' of sexual perversion as being normal.  I see some universities and schools in the West, teaching children how to pervert sexual, and they call that sex education.  No mention is made of any verse in the bible in such a class, so the children grow without knowing what is right about sex.  Parents should rise up and teach the word of God to their children.

Anyone who have engaged in any kind of sexual perversion, using any part of the human body in a wrong way, in the way not ordained by God for it to be used, should repent today, and cry to God for mercy, and decide never to do such evil again.  Every part of a human body has a purpose, and only those purposes they should be applied to.

Distraction in the church
Imagine how newcomers will feel when they see Ushers and protocol members of the church displaying their flesh in the church. It is a great disservice for a newcomer to the church, to be reminded of his or her rough life due to the dressing of older members of the church.  Once they discover their dressing does not 'single them out', they become comfortable.  Nothing should distract people from hearing the Word of life in the church.  There is enough distraction in the office, market and business places, let keep the church environment holy.  

Brethren, the times are evil.  Dresses like these are not ideal for any outing at all, talk less of going to Church, the house of God.  The bible says men will increase in ungodliness, devising things that are not convenient.  Sleeveless and 'cup' sleeves expose the sensitive body of the woman wearing it.  There are many newcomers and other brothers struggling with sin, and merely seeing such sister, whether they are Ushers or other members of the church, could trigger the spirit of Lust in them.

Women are Ministry Builders
Women are ministry builders.  This statement may not be understood by young ministers and those who are not in the ministry of our Lord, but it is true.  Many men came to Christ through their mothers, girlfriends and those they intended to marry.  Women have a strong influence on men and so they should always dress properly and in honour of God.  For a well-established Sister in Christ to dress in a tight or revealing dress is not acceptable to God.  Let no born again sister be an instrument that will make young men in the church backslide from the faith, It is evil.

But you should not put yourself under pressure, thinking the time is passing you bye or that age is no longer on your side.  Instead, fast for a day, if you can and tell God how desperate you are and asking Him to send you help from Zion.

If you are a decent girl and suddenly see yourself wearing attires not fitting for a believer, know that it is time to make a 'U-turn' back to God.  Rebuke the spirit talking to you to dress that way, go into fasting and prayer, because it is the devil trying to remove the person from the covering of the Almighty, before attacking the person.  Always remember that you are a daughter of Zion and whatever you ask the Father, He will give it to you.

Learn how to balance the Game
For young women, youths, you need to balance the conflict between being born again and your youthful exuberance.  We know your friends will try to pull you to the world, but you must be disciplined to know what the Lord expects from you.  Dressing like the world will not bring you anything from the Lord, it will only make you worldly and expose you to the dangers of sin and spiritual decline.  The good news is that it is easy to please God in your dressing if you commit yourself to it.

1. As a woman, you have the right to look good and feel good about yourselves. But that liberty can be satisfied in Christ. You can diligently make or buy clothes that do not expose your skin and misrepresent who you truly are.  Because you are treated according to your dressing, you can always select clothes that are modest and pleasing to God if you commit yourself to it.  You are responsible for your appearance and if you consciously seek the help of the Holy Spirit, your dressing will modest.

2. Focus On Inner Beauty - This simply means that your dressing should reflect the spirit inside of you. Your dressing reflects that gentle and God-fearing spirit inside of you, as opposed to the spirit of Lust and worldliness.  This is reflected in 1 Peter 3:4 "Let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit."

3. Dress Modestly - How modest is modest? How much of your arms and legs should be seen?  Modesty is about what is edifying.  I have seen women wear long skirts that came down almost to the ground, but it is so tightly fitted that even the shape of their underwear can be seen.  Is that modest, though it is a long skirt? NO!

Timothy 2:8-10 says "Women should dress modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good works."

4. Boost your confidence - There are many times when you ask a Christian lady why she dresses the way she dressed to church or work, and she will just say "I just wanted to feel happy and good"  What I guess she means is that she wanted to be trendy and look like other ladies.  That is not bad.  Dressing reflects who you are and your mood, and when you are happy with yourself and feel confident about how you look, that instantly boosts your self-worth. 

What the bible says about dressing and appearance of women

The bible is simple in this matter.  It says in - 1 Timothy 2:9 - Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.  “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.  The scriptures say it is important that a woman should profess godliness—with good works.

It says, women, do not dress like a prostitute, wily of heart. in 1 Timothy 3:11, it says that wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.  In 1 peter 3:3, the word of God says "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewellery, or the clothing you wear.

Again in 1 Corinthians 11:15, it says  - But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. Altogether, the Word says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.  Therefore, let everyone know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgresses and wrongs his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

FIRE...