Modesty Series: What Does God Want? - Part 2

In Part 1 of this series I made the point that what we wear sends a message. If you missed Part 1 of this modesty series you can read it here.

In Part 2, I would like to go further into the fact that as Christian women, God's will is that we make certain that the message we are sending by the way we dress, is one that reflects his will for us.

Here are some points that will help us understand God's will for us in this area:

#1. God wants us to be modest.

1 Tim. 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;


Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. ⁴ You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

The word of God admonishes us to adorn ourselves modestly; meaning in a way that is moderate and restrained. The versus above also let us know that God wants us to be more concerned with our character and with having a meek and quiet spirit, than with our hair, makeup, outfits etc.

#2. God wants us to understand that immodesty leads to sin.

Mattew 5:28 says, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Adultery is a sin. The verse above lets us know that if I man even looks at a woman and lusts after her in his heart, he has already committed adultery and has sinned.

Men are naturally visual and attracted by what they see. So, can you imagine how much sexual temptation is bombarding men in the sex-saturated culture we live in?

Can you imagine how difficult it is for a man to guard his eyes and his heart from lust with all of the half-naked women on television, in magazines, on billboards, on the street, at work, and at church?

Yes, I said, "at church" because they are there too. What a shame it is when a man who loves God and has come to church on Sunday to enter into the sanctuary to praise his God can barely even look around because of all of the breast, butts, and hips that "the women of God " have on display.

#3. God wants us to be apart if the solution, not the problem.

God hates lust. He died to deliver man from it. Lust is a huge problem for many people and it leads to adultery, fornication, pornography, and other sexual addictions. It is destroying peoples lives.

As a Christian woman, if I am dressing in a way that is causing men to lust, then I am apart of this problem, not the solution.

But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin.

Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. ⁸ So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet (Mattew 18: 6-8).

The scriptures above let us know that God doesn't only judge those who sin, but those who cause others to sin by their actions. Dressing immodestly may seem like a "small" or "insignificant" action; however, because that action can cause someone to stumble and to fall into temptation, then it is a very big deal to God.

On the other hand, when I am modestly dressed, I glorify God by not only being an example of what is pleasing to Him, but people can be comfortable in my presence because I am not dressed in a way that is distractingly provocative and that might cause them to stumble.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think there is anything wrong with being cute, or what I call "Modestly Fashionable." Seriously, if I had it my way, I would resemble someone who just stepped out of a J. Crew catalogue.

Nevertheless, I want to make sure that I don't follow trends and fashions off the deep end. Regardless of what our style or particular absolutes may be when it comes to what we wear, God wants modesty.

Furthermore, I do realize that even if every Christian woman walked around wearing a potato sack, some men are going to lust regardless, because they have a lust problem. This is sad, but true. Even so, this fact does not change God's word or mind on this issue. God is still holding us accountable to be be apart of the solution, not the problem!