Adorned in Modest Apparel
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
1 Timothy 2:8-10
Satan is going to tempt you to forego modesty and embrace a life with no restraint. This leads to misery, despair, and self-hate. Note that the “modest apparel” is tied to “in like manner also”, meaning that the men are expected to have modesty as well. While this temptation hits everybody, we can see in our society that women especially have been conquered by Satan in these ways.
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
The Greek kosmios: “modest” (KJV, ASV, NKJ), “modestly” (RSV, NIV, NRS), and “proper” (NAS, NAU). Strong - “orderly, i.e. decorous.” Thayer - “well arranged, seemly, modest. […] of a man living with decorum, a well-ordered life”
The root word deals with the order of the universe. God created it and put everything in its place (Gen 1). In the same sense, we are expected to behave in an “orderly” manner.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
One can imagine a traditional 1950s housewife in front of the serpent in the garden. The serpent might ask her these things. Even add, "That's all just part of the patriarchy. If you're a strong and independent woman, you can be truly fulfilled..."
I bring this up because women especially have been specifically targeted by Satan, and have borne the brunt of temptation. This is why it is so important for women especially to beware of these temptations, to know what the devil is up to. It is even more important for men to be the Godly leaders we need to protect them.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: “MOD'ESTY, noun [Latin modestia.] That lowly temper which accompanies a moderate estimate of one's own worth and importance. This temper when natural, springs in some measure from timidity, and in young and inexperienced persons, is allied to bashfulness and diffidence [lack of self confidence -SM]. In persons who have seen the world, and lost their natural timidity, modesty springs no less from principle than from feeling, and is manifested by retiring, unobtrusive manners, assuming less to itself than others are willing to yield, and conceding to others all due honor and respect, or even more than they expect or require.
2. modesty as an act or series of acts, consists in humble, unobtrusive deportment, as opposed to extreme boldness, forwardness, arrogance, presumption, audacity or impudence. Thus we say, the petitioner urged his claims with modesty; the speaker addressed the audience with modesty
3. Moderation; decency.
4. In females, modesty has the like character as in males; but the word is used also as synonymous with chastity, or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty results from purity of mind, or from the fear of disgrace and ignominy fortified by education and principle. Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of their honor.
Modesty is a Commandment.
Modesty is a Commandment.
God condemns public nakedness.
Genesis 2:25; 3:6-10, 21 - Adam and Eve were ignorant and unashamed; once they knew right from wrong, they were ashamed of their nakedness. In God’s grace, he provided clothes for them that covered them properly.
Nakedness in the Bible ranges from full nudity to partial nudity.
It may mean NO clothing (Genesis 2:25), or it may mean raggedly or scantily clad (Genesis 3:10).
The fig leaves are basically one and the same as being naked, and Adam was aware of this.
What is the difference between those fig leaves and the swimsuits people wear in the summer?
After their rebellion, neither of these forms were fitting for Adam and Eve.
Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
Tunic: a basic garment that was worn over any loincloth or undergarments, probably reaching from shoulders to knees (Brannan, R., ed. (2020). In Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible. Lexham Press.)
Gen 37:3,23 - Joseph was given a tunic by his father. This was stripped from him by his brothers before they cast him into a pit. In the Bible, such an act is a dishonor to the one who is left without their covering.
After the horrible thing that Amnon did to Tamar, he sent her out, and the Bible tells us she had a robe of many colors, typical of the apparel of King David’s virgin daughters. This is in the general “garment” usage of the word. How covered do you think Tamar was in those robes if David had assigned them? I venture to say it covered her very well.
Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
How can we say that we can embrace ANY form of public nakedness?
“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
God does not condemn private nakedness where appropriate.
In a series of “mini lessons”, the Hebrew author includes this to show us that marriage is to be enjoyed BECAUSE of what God has done, not in spite of it!
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Except in times of prayer and fasting, there should be no restraint in the willingness of a husband and wife to show affection to each other.
1 Cor 7:1-9 - Make sure you “come together again” (physical proximity) so that you are not tempted toward other people or things, away from your spouse.
Proverbs 5:15-19 - after warning about the immoral woman, Solomon encourages the husband to rejoice with the wife of his youth (some think to mean his first wife).
There is never a good reason for a spouse to be unfaithful, but if these are done in the way God shows us, there will be no risk of such a thing ever happening.
Modesty is a Lifestyle.
Modesty is a Lifestyle.
Our lifestyle choices influence everything.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
“Without offense” - BLAMELESS to GOD and MANKIND.
Keep in mind, Blameless does NOT mean Sinless.
It simply means that no one can legitimately lay fault at your feet. Whatever you have done, you have done all you can to make it right.
1 Peter 3:1-6 - Consider what God describes about the behavior a woman ought to have. Think about how this behavior can win over an unfaithful husband!
What you wear matters.
What you wear inevitably says something about WHO YOU ARE.
Proverbs 7:6-10 - “the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Consider the contrast here!
Moreover the Lord says:
“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
And walk with outstretched necks
And wanton eyes,
Walking and mincing as they go,
Making a jingling with their feet,
Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.”
I don’t know what they were wearing that made their feet jingle. Do you believe that the Lord allowed Babylon to take Israel captive because of what their women wore?
He did not. The explicit reason is in 2 Chron 36:15-17.
And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.
Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.
That said, what these women wore was affected by the crookedness and evil in their hearts. Their attitudes were NOT modest and of a quiet spirit, etc. Jesus said our hearts are the source of such filth. Mark 7.
What you wear says something about you.
Right or wrong, people will make assumptions about you based upon how you look. This is unavoidable.
Some things we cannot change; those who dismiss us on such shallow grounds do not know what love or grace are.
Some things we can change. Especially if what we are wearing is revealing more than what God wants us to reveal, we must stop it and wear appropriate clothing.
How you use your material wealth matters.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
We need to master ourselves as Paul mastered this. He did not do it by himself, but he had God’s grace in order to achieve it, and he did so by making himself as small as possible.
For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
If we lack modesty, we will only see the material value of others rather than the soul inside.
What you say matters.
Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
slander (evil speech intended to hurt someone else) comes from a corrupt heart.
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
Our words and communication must be modest and orderly.
Modesty is a Mindset.
Modesty is a Mindset.
Modesty is not only about clothes.
We can be immodest about our homes, our belongings, our wealth, etc. We can be immodest about our families, or immodest about our friends. Many people live lives of disorder and distress as a consequence. Part of the solution is finding shame in the things that are truly shameful in order to bring about lasting correction in our lives through the grace of God.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed;
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time I punish them,
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.
We must speak to and act around others with propriety, and REASON.
Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.
Remember that some will regard the REASON of God as MADNESS. More on this at the end of the lesson.
Modesty is for men as well.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
“of good behavior” - same word - kosmios
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Women can lust over men who are not properly clothed!
In fact, it does not matter what you look like, there is someone in this world that could lust after you.
Don’t ever say “I’m too ugly to be a problem for someone” - maybe that’s what they’re looking for!
Tall, short, fat, thin, we live in a world that caters to a huge diversity of tastes and pleasures.
Do not let your body be ogled by someone else.
“immodesty is unavoidable” - yes, but work on your discipline in order to
Within the marriage relationship, there must be modesty.
God expects wives and husbands to know their roles within the relationship.
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
These are not “inconvenient” scriptures we have to apologize for. This is the truth of the word of God, and we must live it out.
God’s modesty will look immodest to the world.
1 Chron 16:27-29; 2 Sam 6:17-23 - The issue here is not David’s dress not covering enough. His dress is a linen robe that would have properly covered everything. I believe Michal’s issue was bitterness, and it was brought out by David possibly looking a bit silly while he brought the ark into Jerusalem.
Michael thought he was not “kingly” enough in this moment, but David promised that he would make himself even smaller than he was in that moment.
If we look “silly” to the world while serving God, it is worth it.
If we lose friends, family because they disrespect our faith, it is worth it.
Jesus was orderly even during chaotic, upturned times.
John 2:16-17 - Even during the temple cleansing, the “chaos” he caused to the worldly Jews brought about the “order” intended.
And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
Note the ZEAL we must have for God’s order among the true chaos of the world.
Do not let the evil speech of wicked people to turn you away from the God you love.
Do not allow Satan to pluck you from the Lord who bought you with His own blood.
Live a live of modesty that is shown in the good behavior that God intends mankind to have.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
