Modesty: what thoughts or images does that word conjure up in your mind? Let’s face it: we live in a sensuality-saturated culture, where women’s clothing – or lack thereof – is on public display in TV ads, on billboards, on posters ... everywhere. What on earth are we Christian young people, especially girls, supposed to do under the assault of immodesty and overt sexuality? We cannot just go along with the flow of the cultural current. Let’s dig into this whole issue together and have a look at what guidance is offered by Scripture.

When it comes to gourmet cooking, any chef will tell you that presentation is everything. That last phrase is also applicable to the clothes we wear. Why? Because our outfits project an image to others around us; and, whether we realize it or not, the impression people receive from our choice of garments is often a very profound one. If a girl is dressed in a modest outfit, the visual impact is considerably different than if that same girl was revealing as much of her body as possible. The first instance sends a message that the girl respects herself and wants others to respect her and her boundaries, while the second outfit would convey a boy-toy mentality and a selfish desire for attention. Girls teach guys how to treat them through their clothing choices.

Modesty and Faith⤒🔗

Another question that needs asking: do your clothes positively reflect your Christian faith? Think about this scenario for a moment – a scantily clad female walks into church. I can guarantee you that the first thought of anyone who sees her – guy or girl – will definitely not be “she sees her body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.” Our clothes reveal our attitude toward God and his commands.

In 1 Timothy 2:9 we read: “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety.”

Immodest clothes can be a strong hint to what lies in the heart. Admittedly, some girls are naïve about the messages they are sending out and do not intend to portray such an attitude about themselves, toward others, or toward God. Please realize this, girls; it is very important to know that what we wear conveys an unspoken, but nonetheless powerful communication to anyone we interact with.

The deluge of immodesty is permeating our own Christian circles; let’s not kid ourselves here. As much as we would like to say and think that it is not a problem in our churches, we cannot escape the reality of our sensual environment. It does not take much looking to find a girl dressed in a tight, revealing top and a short skirt during a Sunday service, or low rider jeans and a cleavage-revealing shirt during a youth gathering or a Young People’s Society meeting. So, why is it a problem? It is in style and we want to follow the current fashion trends, do we not? This has been beaten to death, but it needs to be repeated: men and boys are visually stimulated. Any girl wearing clothes that call attention to her figure is presenting a serious temptation even to the most dedicated and godly man, single or married. A young man who is “enjoying the scenery” is fuelling a sinful motivation within a girl and is encouraging her to keep up her act. She knows she looks attractive. His response to her appearance and her own pride spur her on.

Culture tells us that we should do and wear whatever we want because it makes us feel good. This falls in direct opposition to a Christ-like attitude of consideration and looking out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). Are you being considerate when you are making it easy for young men to fall into sin, or stoking a young woman’s sinful pride? Girls, let us not be a stumbling block to our brothers in Christ who have to fight very hard to avert their eyes and guard against lust and impure thoughts. Do not let pride get in the way of consideration for others. Guys, encourage the girls to dress modestly and do not reward those who are seeking your attention in a sinful way: keep on fighting against immodest thoughts and desires. Both the young men and young women in church must work together to stem the tide of sensual images and fashions that are infiltrating into our churches.

What Shall We Wear?←⤒🔗

So, what shall we wear? How shall we react to immodesty? Instead of listening to the secular culture, we should heed what our Lord tells us; after all, we are not our own, we belong, body and soul, to Jesus Christ (HC, LD 1, emphasis added).

Galatians 5:24 reads, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

Many of the issues within the modesty debate are rooted in our sinful nature: pride, lust, selfishness, and disrespect. There is much guidance in the pages of Holy Scripture, both for girls and boys about modesty and purity. Read on.

For the men in church, the modesty issue has more to do with thoughts than with clothing, but nevertheless, guys are definitely affected by the immodesty of women. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus warns men, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” That’s a strong statement! If you see an immodest advertisement on a poster or a scantily clad girl walking down the sidewalk, turn your eyes away and fight the temptation to start fantasizing. Try Job’s method:

I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

Job 31:1

Do your best to encourage and respect your sisters in Christ who are dressing modestly. Above all, look to the Lord for help and strength in your battle against immodest thoughts and desires.

Biblical Dress Code←⤒🔗

Even though the Bible does not give girls a specific modesty dress code (skirts must be so long, sleeves must be at least this long, and so on), it does offer us much insight.

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (emphasis added).

This passage, Romans 13:13-14, does not mention midriff-baring tops and low cut necklines, but nonetheless the message is clear. As was discussed earlier, immodest clothes do not reflect Christ or the fruit of the Spirit, but are indicative of pride and lack of consideration for the struggles of others. Fellow sisters in the Lord, don’t be overly proud of your body and show it off to get unhealthy attention, but let your beauty come from within you.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment ... instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

1 Peter 3:3-4

In regards to your actual clothes, set some standards for yourself. You may need to check through your wardrobe and clean out some articles of clothing. For some suggestions and pointers, take a look at the books on the suggested reading list.

Against the Current←⤒🔗

The issue of modesty is not one that we can lightly pass over or dismiss altogether; issues of sin and purity are at stake. Even though the culture is shouting that we should ignore and brush aside “harsh rules,” God does not promote that. Ever since man has fallen into sin, God has established standards for covering ourselves; it is for our own good and the good of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We cannot just slide along with the crowd as if nothing is wrong with its toxic messages of sensuality. This article merely scratches the surface and I encourage all readers to explore further on your own. Search the Bible for other timeless truths and have a look at the books listed here for more discussions on modesty and purity.