Righteous Adornment: A Biblical Approach To Modesty
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
-2 Corinthians 5:2-4, ESV
We recently examined our identity in Christ through the examples of Job’s wife, the woman who anointed Jesus, and the bride of Psalm 45 adorned with modest yet elegant clothing that reflects her status. Since she represents the Church, her modesty indicts the immodesty so prevalent in our churches. Under the influence of feminism, liberal mainline Protestant churches, most evangelical churches, and even some “Reformed” churches have become very effeminate and created idols in that effeminate image. They cater to womenand echo the culture’s glorification of women and subsequent demonization of men, quick to call out sins prevalent among men—like aggression and lust—but not sins more prevalent among women—like gossip, disrespect, quarreling, and dressing immodestly. Men and women can commit all of these sins but are prone to some more than others, which is certainly true of immodesty. This post will examine what Scripture—not culture—says about modesty so that we can all bring our wardrobes under the lordship of Christ.
My Body, My Choice?
As a single man, I approach this topic with the same trepidation as other topics primarily affecting women, like the roles of wives and submission in marriage. Nevertheless, Scripture actually has much to say about modest apparel—more than most American churches do. One reason churches don’t address it is that we have been so thoroughly infected by our culture that modesty elicits a visceral reaction. People counter any attempt to place biblical boundaries on clothing by calling it legalistic and essentially saying with abortion supporters “my body, my choice”. How can I make that parallel since abortion is about another person’s body whereas clothing is only about our own bodies? Scripture clearly teaches that our bodies do not belong only to us. In marriage, both spouses’ bodies belong to each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-4), but all of us belong to someone else: “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” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We emphasize our adoption as children of God—and rightly so, for it is glorious—but we often neglect the fact that Scripture also refers to us as slaves: “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). Every person is a slave to sin or of God. As Christians, we were set free from slavery to sin in order to be not only children of God but also slaves of righteousness. Jesus Christ is not only our Savior but also our Lord, so we are to do everything for His glory (Colossians 3:17), which includes what we wear. Therefore, it is just as absurd to say “my body, my choice” with clothing as with abortion.
Biblical Theology of Clothing
Clothing is a central issue in Scripture. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve did not require clothing (Genesis 2:25), but immediately afterward they were keenly aware of their need to cover themselves and their shame—and nakedness has been shameful ever since. Thus clothing was mankind’s first invention (Genesis 3:7). God judged their hastily-created clothing inadequate, so He made garments that adequately covered them at the cost of another creature’s life (Genesis 3:21). Thus it is also shameful to be inadequately clothed, which is especially evident in the prophets who link even partial nakedness to judgment (eg. Isaiah 47:2). Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice took on shame hanging naked on the cross just as Adam and Eve were naked and ashamed in the Garden. The risen and reigning Christ is no longer naked but fully and elegantly clothed—and the Holy Spirit conforms us that image. Thus we see the glorified saints in heaven fully clothed (Revelation 7:9.13-14), so we too will not be unclothed but further clothed in glory (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). In our lives we must therefore not only put off sin but put on righteousness (Romans 13:12, Ephesians 4:22-23, Colossians 3:9- 10). Christ has removed our sin and covered us with His righteousness, but that does not change the fact that we have sinned, meaning even in eternity we will require clothing. Therefore, any desire to cover less skin is regressive and contrary to sanctification. The necessity of clothing also makes it absurd for a Christian to use clothing pridefully to display wealth, status, or prestige. A. W. Pink observed:
If we duly considered the proper and principal end of apparel, we should rather be humbled and abased when we put it on, than pleased with our gaudy attire. Clothing for the body is to cover the shame of nakedness that sin brought upon us….Raiment, then, is a covering of our shame, the ensign of our sin, and we have no better reason to be proud of our apparel than the criminal has of his handcuffs or the lunatic of his straitjacket; for as they are badges of wrongdoing or insanity, so apparel is but the badge of our sin.
-Arthur W. Pink, “A Crying Sin of Our Age” in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 8.
Modesty Defined
Therefore, Scripture commands modest attire for all, but particularly women: “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:3-4) and “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, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). At this point, some will argue that these passages are prohibiting ostentatious displays of wealth and have nothing to do with how much of the body is covered. But the historical context does not support that view:
This instructed Christian women not to imitate the outrageous dress and hairstyles that were commonplace among the Roman nobility…the unofficial uniform for Roman court women, a uniform that was distinctive and attention grabbing. At the same time, these Roman courtesans were notoriously immoral when it came to sexual matters. These women did not dress properly, modestly, and discreetly.
– Robert G. Spinney, “Thinking Like a Christian About Modest Apparel” excerpt from Dressed to Kill, Tulip Books: 2007 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 3.
Other pagans likewise commonly exposed themselves in stark contrast to God’s people: “So while a naked body was not uncommon for paganism, being without one’s outer garment was considered immodest and even shameful among God’s people. God’s people cover their bodies in public, while pagans often uncover theirs”.[1] These passages therefore contrast the sexually provocative and boastfully ostentatious clothing of pagans with the modest apparel of God’s people. The focus is internal: a gentle and quiet spirit, submission, respectability, self-control, and good works. Those are the traits displayed and accentuated by a godly woman’s clothing.
Based on all of this, we can define modesty biblically, as an “attitude of humility, avoiding improper self-exaltation or excessive flamboyance”.[2] More specifically, “Christian modesty is the inner self-government, rooted in a proper understanding of one’s self before God, which outwardly displays itself in humility and purity from a genuine love for Jesus Christ, rather than in self-glorification or self-advertisement”.[3] Therefore, as much as many modern Christians try to deny this and other difficult commands, the type of modesty commanded in Scripture is just as much about adequately covering the body as not flaunting wealth.
Immodest According to Scripture
What constitutes immodest clothing? Clearly from Scripture there are parts of the body that are not to be exposed: “and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24a). Scripture never defines these parts, but we can deduce much from the Hebrew terms in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve hastily made “loincloths”. This God declared inappropriate and replaced with “tunics”—which normally went from the shoulders to the knees.[4] Among God’s people, even this was often considered immodest when not required for manual labor. In most cases, being properly dressed included a cloak or robe often covering most of the arms and legs, and from Psalm 45 to Revelation 19, the Bride of Christ is depicted with robes. Throughout Scripture, men and women typically covered their heads as well, so about the only parts of the body left uncovered were the face and hands, which would be improper to cover as Vincent Alsop observed:
The use of the face is chiefly to distinguish the male from the female and one person from another. The use of the hands is to be instruments for work, business, and all manual operations. To cover or muffle up those parts ordinarily, whose ends and use require them to be uncovered, is to cross God’s ends and design and so is sinful by consequence. To uncover those parts promiscuously and expose them ordinarily to open view for which there can be no such good ends and uses assigned is sinful.
-Vincent Alsop, “Avoiding Immodest Fashions” excerpt from Puritan Sermons 1659-1689 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 12.
This brings up another often overlooked use for clothing: to distinguish between male and female. Scripture prohibits wearing anything that purposely blurs that distinction (Deuteronomy 22:5), so any clothing that creates confusion about a person’s God-given gender is immodest. Additionally, clothing is meant to protect us from the dangers of the fallen world, so Alsop noted: “It is a horrid cruelty to our frail bodies to expose them to those injuries against which God has provided a remedy, just to gratify pride or to humor our vanity”.[5] When we combine this with our previous definition of modesty, immodest clothing would be anything that flaunts too much, covers too little, or is so tight that it leaves little to the imagination. Clothing that flaunts too much would be extravagant, flamboyant, or otherwise magnify self. Clothing that covers too little draws too much attention by exposing skin that should not be exposed. Clothing that is too tight similarly draws undue attention by accentuating the form underneath.[6] Since Scripture describes the garments God gave Adam and Eve as tunics, a strong argument can be made that immodest clothing for men and women would be anything that exposes or accentuates what a tunic would cover—the shoulders, chest, back, sides, abdomen, and upper legs.[7] I am not saying this is the biblically-mandated standard, but Christian men and women should seriously question the propriety of anything that does not adequately cover these areas.
By this definition, virtually all modern male and female swimwear, most female workout clothing, some male workout clothing, and a great deal of female fashion would be immodest. This proves how far our society has plummeted. The fact that so many Christians would cry “legalism” at this shows how thoroughly pagan culture has infected us. For over a century, a concerted campaign has steadily pushed the bounds of modesty so that what was unimaginable a century ago is now commonplace, and what was normal a century ago is considered prudish and Puritanical. Worse, the broader church is no different from the world in this, making the average Christian almost as likely to wear or encounter immodest clothing at church as the beach or gym. How could this happen?
Guilt for this decaying and debauched state must not be laid entirely at the feet of women, as it often is. The problem lies squarely with the men in the pulpits and homes of this nation. With the near dissolution of Christian manhood in this century, American males have become feminized sex-worshipers who do not lead, but are led. They have followed their silver-screen icons into nudity, and not the purity of Jesus Christ. Had they followed the God of holiness and governed their hearts and eyes as instructed by God’s Word, the present lascivious culture simply would not and could not exist.
-Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2000: 17.
The degradation of modesty like many societal problems is the result of men—mainly pastors and fathers—abdicating their responsibility to protect their congregations and families by setting and maintaining godly standards of apparel. And Scripture holds men responsible for their own lustful thoughts regardless of what women are wearing, so we cannot like Islam blame women’s immodest clothing for men’s lust.[8]
Causing Brothers to Stumble
But just because women are not responsible for men’s lust does not absolve them of all responsibility. As we saw with the nature of responsibility, multiple people can be responsible for the same thing in different ways. Misunderstanding this, many people think that setting any standards for women’s apparel to help men avoid temptation holds women responsible for men’s sins. This contributes to the visceral reaction whenever modesty is taught. In a blog post promoting her book, #ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing, Emily Joy Allison stated: “Theologies of female modesty are the primary evangelical Christian vehicle for victim-blaming in our churches today”. Allison and the many American churchgoers who agree with her err by claiming they have no responsibility for the temptations of the men around them. As we saw recently, non-sinful activities become sinful after we learn that they are causing others to stumble. In this case, if a Christian woman discovers that her apparel is leading men into temptation, she has an obligation to change her wardrobe. If she does not, she is sinning. And many women underestimate just how easy it is for men to stumble in this area: “If a Christian woman could read the minds of all the men as she walks into the church sanctuary with her bare shoulders or cleavage on display, she would never wear such clothing again. But most Christian men are afraid to admit publicly that it takes very little skin to tempt them to sin”.[9] We are surrounded by so much sexuality in culture that men trying to live righteously grow weary of the constant vigilance required, so the church should be a haven of modesty. When women dress modestly, it is very helpful for us men, and we greatly appreciate it! So ladies, I implore you to serve your brothers in Christ by dressing modestly.
Conclusion: Godly Adornment
Ultimately, dressing according to Scripture is about more than simply covering our private parts, clearly distinguishing between male and female, not inviting lustful eyes, and not displaying pride. It is also not about concealing beauty that God created for His glory. Modest apparel does not have to be plain and drab but should be elegant since Scripture frequently depicts the Bride gloriously dressed. Our apparel should display the truly beautiful traits of godliness. Puritan Richard Baxter noted: “Wisdom, holiness, and righteousness are the ornaments of man—that is his beauty that beautifieth his soul”.[10] I understand this type of modest elegance is difficult to find in modern fashion. Therefore, there is a need for enterprising Christians to create clothing that is both biblically modest and elegant. Christ is Lord of our lives and our wardrobes, so let us joyfully submit to that lordship. We belong to Christ as His precious Bride, which our clothing should reflect. Finally, as Christians we should always endeavor to properly reflect the ultimate beauty. Baxter continues: “The image of God must needs be the chiefest beauty of man: let that shine forth in the holiness of your lives”.[11] And while we should be reminded every time we get dressed of the shame of our sin and the great cost of our atonement, we should also be reminded that we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness. So I will end with the words of Charles Spurgeon:
As for me, I can never doubt that Christ’s righteousness is mine, when I find that Christ Himself and all that He has belongs to me. If I find that He gives me everything, surely He gives me His righteousness among the rest. What am I to do with that if not to wear it? Am I to lay it by in a wardrobe and not put it on? Well, sirs, let others wear what they will: my soul rejoices in the royal apparel.
-Charles H. Spurgeon, “Our Royal Apparel”, from sermon 30 April 1865, in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 23.
NOTES
[1] Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2000: 8.
[2] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies: London, UK: Martin Manser: 2009.
[3] Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2000: 4.
[4] W. Andrew Smith, “Clothing,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press: 2014; Janghoon Park, “Clothing,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press: 2016.
[5] Vincent Alsop, “Avoiding Immodest Fashions” excerpt from Puritan Sermons 1659-1689 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 12.
[6] Robert G. Spinney, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Tight”, excerpt from Dressed to Kill, Tulip Books: 2007 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 20-21.
[7] Robert G. Spinney, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Tight”, excerpt from Dressed to Kill, Tulip Books: 2007 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 20.
[8] Dr. Jonathan D. Sarfati, The Genesis Account: A Theological, Historical, and Scientific Commentary on Genesis 1-11, Powder Springs, GA: Creation Ministries International: 2015 (fourth edition 2021): 388.
[9] Robert G. Spinney, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Tight”, excerpt from Dressed to Kill, Tulip Books: 2007 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 21.
[10] Richard Baxter, “Your Clothing Reveals Your Heart”, excerpt from “A Treatise on Self-Denial” in Baxter’s Practical Works, Vol. 3 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 17.
[11] Richard Baxter, “Your Clothing Reveals Your Heart”, excerpt from “A Treatise on Self-Denial” in Baxter’s Practical Works, Vol. 3 in Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 216: Modest Apparel, Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library: 2010: 19.
