Do you always dress modestly? In this post, I’ll share 3 important reasons to dress modestly as Christians.
The question of whether we are dressing modestly shouldn’t even arise as Christians because after all, we have the mind of Christ. Shouldn’t we instinctively know what constitutes modest dressing that glorifies God? But we are all work in progress, therefore we don’t claim to know it all. Hence the reason for this post.
As God’s royal diadems, we are expected to dress modestly at all times although this can be more challenging in the summer. Because it’s always hot during that time of the year.
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During the summer, some people including myself prefer putting on just the barest minimum of clothing to allow air circulation. The question then arises as to whether we’re still dressing modestly as Christians should?
To answer this question, we have to remind ourselves about what the bible considers as a modest dressing for Christians.
But before we continue, here are some faithful reminders about important reasons to dress modestly.
3 Important Reasons We Should Dress Modestly as Christians
Who We Are in Jesus Christ
One important reason to dress modestly as a Christian is because of who we are.
Who we are in Christ should be the driving force and determinant for our decisions and choice of dressing.
In a previous post on what it means for us to be a crown of glory, I shared that God’s plan and promise is to make us His showpiece. For this to happen, we must be prepared both inwardly and outwardly and live a sanctified life.
Furthermore, we understand from 1 Peter 2:9 that we are a Royal Priesthood.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
And because we are a royal priesthood, we have to dress the part. One key differentiator of royalty is in the dressing, how much more when we belong to the King of kings.
We Are Bought With a Price
When we understand who we are and the fact that we are bought with a price, we’ll require less persuasion to dress modestly.
Although God has given us a free will, we do not own ourselves, we are bought with a price.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
We are bought with a price and our bodies are the temple of God, therefore we are to honor God with our bodies.
If we are to honor God with our bodies, then it follows that the dress that covers our bodies must honor God.
Oftentimes when the topic of dressing modestly as Christians arise, we immediately think it’s limited to women. But this isn’t always true, although I agree that we women have more to think about. Especially because we have lots of varieties and options of what to wear.
However, both men and women have a need to dress modestly and honor God with their dressing.
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God is Concerned About Our Dressing
There are several Bible passages that corroborate the fact that God is concerned about our dressing. Therefore we must pay attention to how we dress.
For example we read in the book of Genesis that it was God who made the first cloth for Adam and Eve.
And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Genesis 3:21 (ESV)
God made the cloth for them because they were naked.
… and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10 (ESV)
So despite God being angry at Adam and Eve for their disobedience, He cared enough about their dressing. And He made sure they were properly clothed.
What Does it Mean to Dress Modestly As Christians?
To dress modestly means to dress in an unassuming manner, without vanity or arrogance.
It means to dress in a manner that isn’t elaborate or luxurious and to dress in a way that avoids impropriety and indecency.
Dressing without vanity means dressing without a lot of pride and conceit in your appearance.
How often have we dressed in vanity?
It’s so easy to be overtaken by vanity in our appearance.
If you’ve ever “dressed to kill” or been conceited about your appearance, you’ve been vain.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t dress or look nice but we must not be consumed by it and it shouldn’t be our sole focus.
Our sole focus in dressing should be to glorify God.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
The above Bible verse instructs us not to do anything with selfish ambition or conceit but with humility.
Dressing Modestly in the Bible
The bible is not silent about dressing modestly, let’s examine 1 Timothy 2:9-10 posted below for convenience.
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and discreetly in proper clothing, not with [elaborately] braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but instead adorned by good deeds [helping others], as is proper for women who profess to worship God. 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (AMP)
Although the above Bible passage is directed at women, it is applicable to men as well.
It is not only women that need to dress modestly and without conceit, men do too. There’s no double standard with God, what He says to one, He says to all.
And this can be clearly seen in God’s requirement for the dressing of Aaron and his sons.
42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; 43 and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him. Exodus 28:42 – 43 (ESV)
Related Post: Self Discipline – A necessity for the Christian Race
3 Benefits of Dressing Modestly As Christians
There are several benefits to be derived from dressing modestly as Christians and some of them are listed below.
- When we dress modestly, we demonstrate that we are honoring God outwardly.
- Because our appearance is the first thing people see about us, they will have no trouble identifying us as Christians. And they will be more receptive of the gospel we preach.
- We will have peace of mind in knowing that we have not caused lust to arise in someone else’s mind because of us. This is so important because we do not want to sin against Christ. Recall that Apostle Paul said;
12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:12-13
So even though we could argue that it’s the weak brother or sisters’ fault that they have lust, we have to do our part to ensure we are blameless before God.
3 important reasons to dress modestly and attendant benefits. #modestdressing #dressmodestly #teacupclub Click To TweetConclusion – Dressing Modestly As Christians
Due to the heat during the hot summer months, it’s tempting to dress immodestly. But here are a few reminders.
- You are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.
- Your body is the temple of God therefore, dress in a dignified manner that befits who you are in Christ.
- Dress in such a way as to avoid arousing lust in others. Remember that Jesus said whoever causes someone else to stumble, it will be better for them to be hanged.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. Mark 9:42 (ESV)
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This is an interesting view on dressing modestly. Since I have retired I mostly wear shorts, t-shirts and sweats! That about fulfill’s my wardrobe!
Remembering that I am a temple in which the Holy Spirit lives helps me to be mindful of what others see when they look at me. Not just my words but what I am wearing, too, will reflect how I honor God and myself. Thank you for this much needed post … ❤
Thank you for outlining the reasons to dress modestly. As Christians we should glorify God with our whole being, and set an example to others.
Thanks for sharing this timely post, very deep and well written. We are addressed the way we dress, we cannot claim to be children of light when our dressing portrays a different message.
This is a reminder and a wake up call for us to follow Bible standard at all times in our dressing (Moderation). Even when we are tempted during the summer months, there are still very decent lightweight clothes that can help us in such season.
I was scrolling through Instagram just this week and saw some girls in my extended family “letting it all hang out” and was thinking about a lot of the things you wrote about here! I wish they understood these important reasons to dress modestly!
Thank you for addressing this topic. We need to represent our Heavenly Father well in all things, even our clothing.
There is so much truth and value in this post. Thank you for the encouragement to dress modestly.
These are great reminders to make sure that we are glorifying God in the way we dress. I like how you brought up that we can dress vainly, too. We may be covered up but we need to make sure our hearts are still in the right, God-honoring place.
You give some good thoughts to consider here. Especially useful in explaining to our tween/teen daughters why they should or shouldn’t dress a certain way.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder of who we are in Christ and how what we wear should reflect that. This is something we should all be conscious of, especially in the er months. Blessings, Joni
I like that you included not dressing vainly or luxuriously as part of dressing modestly. We may remember to “cover up,” but sometimes we don’t think about the vanity part. Thanks for addressing it!
As a momma, God has helped me tremendously with this. I used to show a lot more skin that I show these days. Thank you for this reminder about what God thinks about how we dress.
You make an important point about the meaning of modesty. It’s not just making sure our bodies are covered, but it also means that we don’t dress in a way to call a lot of attention to ourselves. Great post!
Teaching the importance of honoring your body as the temple of Christ is important for all ages.
I know as I matured in the Lord, the way I dress also changed. God is always doing good work in us.
Great look at the important reasons to dress modestly. I do believe the Spirit nudges us to pay close attention to how we present ourselves.
Sure Rachel, I agree with you that as we mature in the Lord, the Holy Spirit nudges on appropriate dressing and comportment befiting of Christians.
Thank you for these important reasons to dress modestly and what the Bible says about it!
You’re welcome Karen, I just couldn’t resist seeing as we’re in the Summer in the states.
I appreciate that you say this applies to
Men and women. At the end of the day, it is all about honoring God!
Yes, praying is not just for women alone, it’s for both men and women alike.
Great post
Really enjoyed this post…Keep posting!!
Hi Rosetta,
What did you enjoy about the post if I may ask? That would help me improve in my writing and to know which areas to target more and more.
I wear a plain long dress together with a long knitted wool cardigan in a muted color whenever I attend Church both for Services or other reasons. It helps me focus on worship and not myself, respects other members of our Church and reminds me of the need to think of others and submit myself. I don’t wear jewelry or make-up and always wear my hair in a modest style such as a ponytail or bun. Some of my friends of similar age say it makes me look old and dowdy to which I reply that when attending Church I should be seen as plain and dowdy and not the focus of any attention.
God bless you
I was richly blessed by your write up
Amen, God bless you too and thanks for visiting.
I went to church yesterday with my husband. This particular Sunday, it was very cold which many people was dressed for the weather. One woman came in with high thigh boots with tight red leather pants and my husband said, “Have mercy!” Then another woman came in with a very tight blue sweater outfit exposing more than we wanted to see and the pastor wife came in with a blond wig with a tight leather outfit. Then the pastor stated that his wife looks “juicy” which raised eyebrows in church. Later after church, I got upset and argued with my husband for his outburst because I thought his comment was disrespectful to me because he eyes saw more than he should. It concerned me all day what he said and what I saw in the House of the LORD. The LORD told me to let the discussion go, so I did.
I woke up around 10 pm with a heavy burden on my heart about the women dressing provocatively in my church. At first, I felt that I was judging them, so I pray about it, but it still didn’t go away. So, I asked the LORD, am I wrong the way I feel about the way the pastor’s wife and other women worn today in church? I heard the LORD said, “Is not your husband’s fault the way he responded to the way the women were dressed?” Then, I felt convicted in my heart in how I responded to my husband earlier because I knew the answer was not all his fault. Holy Spirit dropped this scripture in my spirit that a “women should dressed modestly,” (1 Timothy 2:9-10 AMP) and also “if your brethren is weak, you don’t cause him to stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:12-13). My husband is still a baby Christian. The LORD was not excursing my husband comment, but it is what provoke an arouse in his reaction that caused him to stumble. My pastor’s wife does set the tone of dressing for all the women in the House of the LORD especially the younger generation. I look up the word, “Modest” which is defined dressing or behaving so as to avoid impropriety or indecency, especially to avoid attracting sexual attention (typically used of a woman); (of clothing) not REVEALING OR EMPHASIZING THE FIGURE. I search the scripture for truth which led me here to your post. This is a great concern to the LORD which I will be praying for my church in this area.
Thank you for this website!! I found what I was looking for. I think the church is a sacred place and we should approach it with respect and awe, for we are going in the presence of an all-knowing and powerful God. (Habacuc 2:20) God speaks these words of comfort to Habakkuk: “But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20)
When I first read these words, they didn’t strike me as greeting card material. I haven’t yet shared this verse in a “thinking of you” card. How can we find comfort in these words?
The Lord’s presence in His holy temple teaches us that He is ruling and reigning over all things. Psalm 11:4 says, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.” He’s ruling from His throne, and He also sees us. He sees the sin of others that affects us. He sees our hurt. He sees our tears.
And since we live at this point in history, after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lord’s presence in His holy temple means even more. God the Son left the throne of heaven to dwell among us. Now His redeemed people have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us – now we are God’s temple. First Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
God says in Habakkuk 2:20 that He is in His holy temple – and Scripture tells us that we are God’s temple. What does that mean? It means God is with us.
The words of this verse brings comfort to those who are in Christ because we know the Lord reigns from His throne and He resides with us in our suffering.
No matter what you face this week, the Lord is in His holy temple.
Hi Elly, very well said. Thank you.
Thank you sister, most people know the truth but they don’t put into action we must learn to put in action what we always read from the Bible, James 1:22. Orther thing is that we represent Christ not only in the church but even outside the church but you fine that people only think about dressing well when they are in the church but when they are outside the church they changed and become different things, you can’t even tell whether is a Christian or not, we should fine the way of addressing this, even if you are a man or a woman nomatter our location but we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. May God bless you so much for your post.
be blessed my sister