Is That What You're Wearing?!?

I'm still adjusting in the new environment that I am in.

I never had to think about what I ought to wear while I was in the past churches I have attended before.

I used to wear shorts, even short-shorts and just a t-shirt and VIOLA! I'm out the door. I never had to think about what my clothes might say about me.

Howbeit, when the Lord made me realize how I need to be in a biblically sound church, to be attending an IFB Church, I started to analyze and to check myself.
Trying to figure out if there's anything that I might  need to "change".

Yes, the people in my new  church dress themselves very modestly.
The women wear skirts, an inch below the knee but some an inch above the knee. The older women sometimes choose to wear slacks. The men wear polo barongs. [It's hot in the Philippines don't expect the people here to wear long sleeves with coat and tie. ] Then last but not the least the children here, cute little ones, wear just about the same as the adults. :)

Since I was new there, I guess it was "accepted" if I still wore my shorts and  blouse for my first visit. But for my second sunday, I was still wearing jeans and a polo blouse.

I was actually surprised that the Pastor didn't call me to the side to tell me that I ought to wear dress next sunday "or else". 
Not that I expect him to. I guess, this church is not very "strict" in their dress code.

Yes, I may have been off the hook for two sundays but what I am really after is that, I knew Baptist Churches encourage, and some even require, proper dress codes for all members.

Even though I knew about  that, I still came, not following the "rules".

Well, I just don't want to follow or do something, just  because I "ought to.
I want t realize first WHY they dress that way.
Why I need to dress that way.

1 Timothy 2

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.

Modesty is the goal.

Imagine if just for the sake of wearing a dress/skirt,  I come to church [or any place], wearing a dress I bought before I got converted?

 A dress that is 2-3 inches ABOVE the knee, plunging neckline and sleeveless. [Does that cover anything anymore?]

If all I know and all I am after is that I have to wear  those things  without knowing why… see,  it might even have caused me bigger problems.

But then some would reason to me that I HAVE to wear dress and skirts, whether I LIKE IT OR NOT, because the Lord has ordered it.

Deuteronomy 22:5    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.

This verse has been used [even abused!] to forbid women to wear anything that is used by men, i.e. pants and slacks.

Woman

H802

נשׁים    אשּׁה

'ishshâh  nâshı̂ym

ish-shaw', naw-sheem'

The first form is the feminine of H376 or H582; the second form is an irregular plural; a woman (used in the same wide sense as H582).: - [adulter]ess, each, every, female, X many, + none, one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

Pertaineth

H3627

כּלי

kelı̂y

kel-ee'

From H3615; something prepared, that is, any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon): - armour ([-bearer]), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

Man

H1397

גּבר

geber

gheh'-ber

From H1396; properly a valiant man or warrior; generally a person simply: - every one, man, X mighty.

Garment

H8071

שׂמלה

śimlâh

sim-law'

Perhaps by permutation for the feminine of H5566 (through the idea of a cover assuming the shape of the object beneath); a dress, especially a mantle: - apparel, cloth (-es, -ing), garment, raiment.

I do agree with one Sister in Christ who pointed this out to me. That a good study of hebrew will give us interesting facts.

1) it is not speaking of all men, but rather a specific type of men...

Soldiers.  The word "man" in that verse is the Hebrew word "geber", not "Adam". "geber" is translated "valiant man, or warrior."

2) it is not speaking of casual clothing, but rather battle apparatus.  The word "pertaineth" is from the Hebrew word "kǝliy" and is speaking of "dress", or "apparatus."

So, in a way, the verse, in its proper  context, will give us a command that goes beyond clothing.

It talks about how a woman should not put on a warrior's attire and become a soldier and fight a war; likewise, men should not put on women's garment to disguise himself as woman, trying to avoid the battle.

This command roots down to how the Lord wants his people to see how He made men and women differently and with different roles. And to not change His design on things that He created because doing so is a sin.

It is an abomination.

Abomination

H8441

תּעבה    תּועבה

tô‛êbah  tô‛êbah

to-ay-baw', to-ay-baw'

Feminine active participle of H8581; properly something disgusting (morally), that is, (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol: - abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

By doing such, we indirectly say with our actions that we abhor God's order of things.

Titus 1:16    They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

So, Celina, does that mean, I can wear anything I want??!!

Sure! But don't forget modesty.

To give you something to think about, if you're a woman,

pants do indeed emphasize the shape of a woman's thighs. Since men are enticed by what they see, if he sees a woman wearing tight jeans, he might be tempted to look at your lower body.
Thus, you might even cause them to stumble with lust.

A good dress hides those legs and thighs, in such a way that, his eyes will be drawn to your face instead.
But if you wear very short dress or skirts, he can still see a great amount of your thighs and it loses the point.

So it is good to keep in mind not to put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall, in his brother's way.

Being godly starts with the DESIRE to be godly.

Nonetheless, it is still more important that we make sure that our souls are wearing the right garments. We might wear the "right" and modest clothes, and we might even seem to be godly in our lifestyles, but let us not forget what kind of raiment matters most.

Matthew 16:26    For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Psalm 49:8    (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

Job 27:8    For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

So what should  our souls wear  and what should they  have for those souls  to be saved?

Psalm 24

3    Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4    He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5    He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6    This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

So we ought to be dressed in righteousness and in every good work; not stained by any sin or any transgression.

Seems impossible.
I agree.. VERY IMPOSSIBLE. I can only say,,, "WOE IS ME!"

Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Romans 3

19    Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20    Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:23    For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Truly no man can attain salvation then. We have no righteousness. All that we do and all that we can do are but  filthy rags and we have sinned greatly and we ought to pay for those sins.
And those sins are only paid by DEATH.

Romans 6:23    For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 

Are we not THANKFUL for the GOOD NEWS? Don't we rejoice because of the GOSPEL? Don't we love that it is all paid for? That it's all by grace?
Don't you want to SERVE the God who chose to save you when there is nothing you can repay Him for? When all we have to do is to RETURN towards God and BELIEVE?

Mark 9

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Genesis 15:6    And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Job 33

23    If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

24    Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

25    His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

26    He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

27    He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

28    He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29    Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

30    To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

Psalm 23

1    The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2    He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3    He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Romans 3

21    But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22    Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23    For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24    Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25    Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26    To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Romans 4

2    For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3    For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4    Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5    But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6    Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7    Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8    Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Romans 4

20    He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21    And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22    And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23    Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24    But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25    Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

For by putting on righteousness that is imputed unto us by believing in the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, we are now right with God. We have peace with Him, we are saved from the wrath to come.
DECLARED RIGHTEOUS! Even if we are not!

Well, where is the justice in that?

Jesus Christ LOVES you and I so much that He would rather experience death [the punishment] unto himself than for both of us, and all the world, to perish.  He did that when we don’t know Him yet. When we were still sinners, loving the filthy deeds of the flesh: which is SIN.

Romans 5

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

1 Corinthians 8:11        And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 6

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 11

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 12

44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Only by believing. Just by believing!

Isn't that amazing?

Look at how the Lord Jesus EMPHASIZES, even repeating it over and over again, TO BELIEVE on HIM??
Because He cares that MUCH.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He wants you to believe and saved!



John 16:31        Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

.…...


Now, let me end with a parable.

Matthew 22

1    And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2    The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3    And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

4    Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5    But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

6    And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7    But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8    Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9    Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10    So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11    And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12    And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13    Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14    For many are called, but few are chosen.

Now, let me ask you... WHAT IS YOUR SOUL WEARING?