IN ALL MODESTY
by Richard Burkard
May I give you three present-day, real-life questions to consider?
* Question 1: You're driving a car that's stopped at a stop sign, and see a car approaching from your left with the right-turn blinker on. What can you conclude from this?
* Question 2: You're sitting in a park, and see a couple walking slowly toward you. You also notice a dark-skinned man with a hood over his head, walking almost in matching strides a few steps behind. What can you conclude?
* Question 3: You're again in a park, and you see a slightly bent-over man walk by with his hands turned behind his back. What does this tell you about the man's background?
Many people probably would offer quick answers to these questions. The trouble is, this group of people could very easily be wrong.
Question 1 was offered by Mr. Gould, my high school debate coach years ago. The answer - you can conclude NOTHING from the car on your left. What if the turn signal is stuck, and the driver doesn't realize it?
Question 2 was taken from a sensitivity training tape, which minority employees at CNN prepared for the entire staff during the 1990's. The man wearing the hood happened to be Leon Harris, a longtime CNN anchor and narrator of the tape. He pointed out how easily people can jump to conclusions, based on what they THINK might happen.
Question 3 came to me as I watched a man walk by my apartment complex recently. If someone walks with his hands behind his back, is he used to it from wearing handcuffs and having a criminal record? Well, I don't know that, nor do you. It could be a simple habit, and nothing more.
These three questions come to mind in light of a recent "hot issue" in the United Church of God and Living Church of God. Both are putting extra emphasis on what people (especially women) wear to church services. UCG published two lengthy articles in the United News and a Bible study for teenagers, in conjunction with an 85-minute video sermon and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation on CD-Rom. It's a lot of attention built around one six-letter word, mentioned only once in the King James Bible - being "modest."
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel...." (I Tim. 2:9) UCG argues the world, especially in the mass media, wears anything but that today - so females need to be less revealing and more (for lack of a better word) proper at church activities.
To be sure, many female celebrities wear a lot of skimpy stuff nowadays - from music videos to awards shows and "beauty pageants." I'll let you name the stars of your choice for examples. But is this emphasis on fashion and clothing in some Church of God spinoff groups missing some important points?
The Usual Stories
Churches (and we shouldn't restrict this to Church of God groups) offer a variety of explanations for why women should dress modestly. Let's start by considering some common arguments, and how plausible they are:
* "We're coming before God." At a church service, this is true - but wait a minute. Isn't a Christian before God all the time?
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous...." (I Pet. 3:12, NIV unless noted) No timeframe is given here. Does God turn His back on you when you're in the shower or bathtub, likely wearing no clothes at all? If an emergency happens at such times, will God refuse to help because you're not modestly dressed?
* "You should be respectful of God in how you dress." Certainly we should respect God. But similar to the last statement, does that respect end outside the church meeting or after the social activity?
"Pray without ceasing," Paul recommends in I Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV). It only recently occurred to me that since every idle word will be eligible for consideration at the time of judgment (Mt. 12:36), we should speak as if every word is a prayer to God. So should we be respectful in our dress "24/7" as well? Should Christians stop praying at their bedside in their pajamas, first thing in the morning or late at night? Or is that really realistic?
* "Your clothes reflect how you think.... We should buy clothes reflecting Jesus." In other words, WWJD could stand for "What Would Jesus DON?"
Jesus gave an interesting response to such a question, concerning John the Baptist: "....What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces." (Mt. 11:8) Christ declared John the Baptist among the greatest men of his time (v. 11) - and apparently his sense for high fashion had nothing to do with it.
The Overlooked Verses
After reviewing the United News two-part series on "Modesty: a Vanishing Virtue" (March-April and May 2003) as well as the video sermon and teen Bible study, I wondered why several fairly obvious Bible verses were left completely unmentioned:
* John 7:24: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (KJV) The first article had a lengthy quote from 20-year-old "beauty queen" Daniela Aranda, who's also an evangelical Christian and a committed virgin. This young woman may grasp something UCG leaders don't - that clothes don't always make the converted woman. Much can depend on the preconceived notions of the individual, whether right and fair or wrong and unfair. If wearing skimpy swimsuits disqualifies someone from being a Christian, then how do we explain recent Miss Americas such as Heather Whitestone?
* Matthew 6:28-33. "And why do you worry about clothes?" Jesus asks directly - and He's speaking primarily to the disciples here (5:1-2). "What shall we wear?" is a common worry, but too common for someone chosen by God to come out of this world. "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." In other words, God will take care of any clothing questions -- such as that old Church of God perennial: "Can we wear jeans?"
* II Samuel 11 and 13. Was it Bathsheba's fault that she took a bath in a place where King David could see her from a rooftop? What did Tamar wear, which led to the rape by Amnon? The Bible seems to make clear that the men were to blame, for not containing their sexual passions.
The entire modesty series seemed built around correction and preventive steps for women - and yes, they do have a place. But as preachers often say about the adulterous woman brought before Jesus, "it takes two to tango." Where was the instruction for guys to watch where they're looking - and learn to resist their own lusts? (I Jhn. 2:16) We only found it in one passing line in a UCG Teen Bible Study on the topic: "....each person is responsible for his or her own thoughts." (Vol. 6, Lesson 3, comment on Question 10)
UPDATED SECTION: The "Second Wave" of 2006
The UCG's United News went farther in September-October 2006, with a Feast-season article titled: "What Kind of Clothing is Appropriate to Appear Before God?" In fact, it was posted in the lobby at one Feast of Tabernacles location as a reminder to worshipers. The Ten Commandments were not posted, nor was the UCG Statement of Beliefs. If you were attending your first Feast, what would you have thought upon seeing that?
But taking this article point by point....
1. There's that phrase "before God" again, right off the bat -- and perhaps we didn't address it enough before. Some people tell me they consider the Sabbath a time to "come before God in a special way," and I agree a worship service provides that. But consider how the phrase is used in the New Testament.
"Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot....to go into the temple of the Lord...." (Lk. 1:8-9) So he was before God, outside the temple -- and the same phrase appears in verse 6, describing Zechariah and his wife "observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." To do them all in this way would include their lives outside the temple.
When Cornelius and his party were led to visit the apostle Peter, he said they were all "before God" in a house (Acts 10:33) - and Peter never corrected him for saying that. In fact, the Holy Spirit fell on the visitors (verse 44). While seven angels are before God in heaven (Rev. 8:2), we're before Him in some way or another at all times.
2. Leviticus 19:30 is cited twice, about God commanding: "reverence My sanctuary." The author implies a sanctuary is where you gather for worship -- and Hebrews 9:1-2 indicates this was the understanding in ancient Israel. But this was in the time of a physical temple. The New Testament indicates believers themselves are the spiritual "temple of God" today (I Cor. 3:16/II Cor. 6:16/I Pet. 2:5) - so doesn't that make them a sanctuary as well? (There's even a worship song with the first line: "Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary.")
3. The author says, "....spiritually, the outward and the inward should agree and reflect our relationship with our God." We'd repeat our observations about John the Baptist and John 7:24. And we'd note who wore the "long robes" in Jesus's day, emblematic of stateliness and greatness - the teachers of the law or "scribes" which He warned against (Mk. 12:38-40/Lk. 20:46-47).
4. The article says a man without a wedding garment was tossed out in Matthew 22:11-12 "because he was not prepared to meet Christ." But this is a simplistic way of looking at the parable. Remember the man was invited to the banquet off the street (vs. 9-10) - and "festive robes were.... given to the guests at a wedding...." (Nelson's Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible, Lockyer, ed., 1996 ed., pg. 312). The man may not have gone out to attend a wedding at all. It's God who provides the robe for the spiritual wedding; you simply have to put it on (more on this below).
5. Revelation 19:7-8 and Isaiah 61:10 are mentioned to show "fine and clean clothing has always been a part of God's thinking...." We'll get into this later as well - but does this mean Church of God members are required to wear linen suits? (And even underwear; see Ex. 28:39, 42) And based on Isaiah, are we required to wear jewelry? (Peter suggested otherwise in I Pet. 3:3-4.)
6. Exodus 19 is offered as evidence that "clothing, cleanliness, etc. were all a part of meeting God...." Indeed, verses there advise Israel to wash clothes before the spectacle of Mount Sinai. But consider: did the Israelites have "Sabbath wear" to put on for this occasion? Ex. 12:35 indicates clothing was taken from the Egyptians as the departure began - and Moses notes in Deut. 8:4 it had to last a long time.
7. The entire article is built on a thought-provoking question: "what would you wear if you were to meet face-to-face with Jesus Christ?" Perhaps the best way to answer this is to study what His disciples wore when Jesus walked the earth. Surely the Lord would have instructed them in this important issue, the way Churches of God instruct today - right?
Well, uhhh - no, Jesus never did that in the Gospels. If anything, he might have quoted the prophet Joel: "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God...." (Joel 2:13) So we're left to "Bible helps" for insight as to how people dressed around Jesus - including those who actually believed He was the Son of God.
"The crowds that met Jesus in Jerusalem threw their himation on the ground (Mark 11:7-8)," says the Anchor Bible Dictionary in its section on dress. That's a Greek word for "the most common outer garment for women and men...." (Vol. 2, pg. 236) Huh?! Instead of putting on fine garments to honor the King of Kings, they took off garments -- and they were common ones?! Yes, that's the indication.
The same source adds when Peter went fishing after the resurrection in John 21:7, he "wore a tunic.... common to the peasants of the day." We should note from the King James that Peter was not "naked" as we might consider the word today. "A person was said to be 'naked'.... whether he was without clothing, or had thrown off his outergarment.... and was clad in a light undergarment, as was the case with Peter...." (Vine's Expository Dictionary, 1996 ed., pg. 191)
8. The author notes: "Many major corporations and banks have some pretty stringent standards of dress.... Several large religious institutions of higher learning have set a basic standard of modesty...." It's noteworthy that those institutions are never named for double-checking. But the statement in general puts a whole new spin on the phrase, "corporate worship." Is the Church a corporation, a bank - or a family, as sons of God and brothers of Church head Jesus Christ?
9. "Dress is an important factor in Christian character," the article contends. I'm not sure the New Testament writer James would agree with that. He scolded believers for showing favoritism based on clothing: "If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes.... but say to the poor man.... 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" (Jms. 2:1-4)
10. Related to this, UCG Pastors and officials apparently received some complaints about how people were dressing for church services, so Romans 14:12-13 was quoted. Consider verse 13 carefully: "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."
In any aspect of life, the people in charge have the power to decide what an obstacle is -- whether in food, which is the real context of this chapter, or in clothing. But cannot "stumbling blocks" be two-way streets? Loose dress can distract some worshipers, but stringent dress codes might dissuade some people from coming to worship -- and might just turn them away from a close relationship with God.
Assuming the clothing complaints came from veteran Church of God members (as most UCG members likely are), should they not practice Psalm 119:165? "Great peace have they which love they law; and nothing shall offend them" (KJV) - or "nothing can make them stumble." (NIV)
IN SUMMARY: I finish this update shortly after hearing a radio sermon by Chuck Swindoll about discernment. He quoted Heb. 5:12-14, about believers requiring milk as opposed to meat. This article strikes me as a matter of milk - a "twig issue," as opposed to the "trunk of the tree" which Herbert Armstrong kept emphasizing in his last years of life (although admittedly he focused on twigs at times during his years of ministry). If the Kingdom of God is not about "meat and drink," as Rom. 14:17 says, why should be about a dress code, either?
The Off-the Subject Questions
At the risk of sounding off-the-wall, the emphasis of UCG on one part of I Timothy 2:9 leads to questions about other parts of the passage:
* Why aren't people in the Churches of God told to raise their hands when they pray? (v. 8 - especially men, since Chuck Swindoll has pointed out that word in the Greek refers to males only.)
* Why aren't girls and young women warned not to wear braided hair, gold and pearls at Church -- not to mention "costly clothing"? (v. 9, NKJV)
* Why isn't the emphasis for women (and men could benefit too) more on "good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God" ? (v. 10)
We'll leave these questions from I Timothy 2 for you to study as you wish. Our point is to say UCG and LCG are making much of one section of Scripture, while leaving other parts ignored or unanswered.
The Point - and They Do Have One
While we've taken some conservative Church groups to task so far, there's a deeper point at the core of the messages about modesty - one that's buried and lost amid the emphasis on physical dress and appearance. Do a word study in the Bible relating to "clothing," and you'll find several cases referring to a move from nakedness to spiritual clothing.
A good example is found in Luke 8. "When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs." (8:28) In other words, this man was a perfect candidate for "The Jerry Springer Show." Yet after Jesus ordered the man's demons to occupy a group of pigs, look at what people in the area encountered: "When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus's feet, dressed and in his right mind...." (8:35)
Two decades ago, I could have heard Worldwide Church of God ministers turn this passage into a claim that scantily-clad women were demon-possessed and crazy - and I probably would have accepted that claim. Today, I see a deeper point. Coming to Jesus allows someone to be "clothed with Christ" (Gal. 3:27/Rom. 13:14) -- as by the Holy Spirit, we can be "clothed with power from on high." (Lk. 24:49)
Consider other verses relating to the concept of a believer putting on spiritual clothing -- and this is not a complete list:
* Psm. 132:16 -- "I will clothe her priests with salvation...."
* Zech. 3:3-4 -- Not nakedness here, but filthy clothes worn by Joshua. "Take off his filthy clothes," an angel instructs. "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
* II Cor. 5:2-4 -- Paul writes of being "clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.... we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling." (See also Rev. 3:17-18)
The Other Definitions
It's interesting that the UCG series confined the definition of modesty to the area of fashion and clothing. The word has other definitions - which admittedly are not directly related to I Timothy 2:9, but could provide a valuable lessons for Christians in the Churches of God.
Webster's New World Dictionary (1966 ed.) offers this lead definition of modest: "Having or showing a moderate or humble opinion of one's own value, abilities, achievements, etc.; unassuming." The Churches of God have struggled with this at times over the years. In the name of "godly boldness" ministers have proclaimed their group has "The Truth," while other denominations (and even other COG's) do not. Yet at the same time, members often have been reminded to walk in humility - which is indeed Biblical (I Pet. 5:5-6, etc.), but can be at odds with how the ministers speak and conduct themselves.
I once heard a United Methodist Bishop declare during a special community service: "Ministry can be a very competitive business." Some COG's seem to take that as their motto -- with articles touting their growth in numbers, or how their doctrine is superior to another COG's doctrine. Yet in doing that, are they forgetting the advice of the apostle Paul? "For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." (II Cor. 10:12, NASB)
The Summary
It's easy to jump to conclusions - whether it involves other drivers, total strangers, or fellow brethren called by God. It's also easy to jump to conclusions based on one set of Scriptures presented about a topic. We can be thankful God looks much more closely at us - as even the UCG modesty series admits. "What is in the heart of a person will always impact decision-making.... God is first and foremost concerned with the inward man...." (United News, May 2003, p. 12)
But please don't jump to conclusions about me as a result of this article. I'd personally rather not see church services turn into displays looking like an Abercrombie & Fitch or Victoria's Secret catalog. But a maturing church should be able to discern between the statements and commands of the Bible, and what one of my college economics professors called "T&P" - tastes and preferences. (That's true, by the way, in areas beyond clothing, such as music and worship styles.) May you and your church group learn this spiritual discernment, to stay focused on what Churches of God historically have called "the trunk of the tree."
To reply to this article, e-mail: rburkard@yahoo.com
© 2003-09, Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.