7.24.2012 MODESTY WHY?

today more and more women are discovering the principle of modesty as they read God's word. they are appalled by modern society's lack of it, or their own conscience is troubled as God convicts them.

modesty was defined in noah webster's original 1828 dictionary as
'not forward or bod;
not boastful
not loose or lewd
not excessive or extreme
moderate
decent
in females it is used synonymously with chastity or purity of manners'.
webster reflected biblical principles that early american homes, churches and schools were established on.

the world book dictionary defines it as
'freedom from vanity
the quality of being shy or bashful
the quality of being decent or chaste
not calling attention to one's body'.

why do we need modesty?
1. God said so.
'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
but (which becometh women professing godliness)
WTIH GOOD WORDS.' (I timothy 2.9-10)
'likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation (behavior, manner of living)  of the wives; while they behold your CHASTE CONVERSATION COUPLED WITH FEAR. (I peter 3.1,2)

..3. we are not to cause others to stumble.
'but i say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' (matthew 5.28)
if looking has such an effect on a man, then women do men a great disservice by dressing immodestly.

'he that loveth his bother abideth in the light and THERE IS NONE OCCASION OF STUMBLING in him.' (I john 2.10)
'let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a STUMBLING BLOCK or an OCCASION TO FALL in his brother's way.' (romans 14.13)

4. weights and sins impede our progress in God's kingdom. (note: deliberately causing another person to covet may be a thrill but this very thing makes it harder to be the person God intended them to be for His glory.)
'wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every WEIGHT and the SIN which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us'. (hebrews 12.1)

modesty involves clothing, but is also an attitude, as the definitions showed. WE NEED MODESTY IN BOTH CLOTHING AND ATTITUDE. women who desire God's modesty will reflect it in their dress and actions. how serious it is to impede our progress in holiness or cause someone else to sin because we take our way instead of God's.)

5. God will judge immodesty.
'moreover the Lord saith, because the daughters of zion are
haughty and
walk with stretched forth necks and
wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go, and
making a tinkling with their feet:
therefore the Lord will
smite with as scab, the crown of the heads of the daughters of zion, and the Lord will
discover their secret parts...

and it shall come to pass, that
instead of sweet smell...there shall be stink
instead of a girdle...a rent
instead of well set hair ...baldness
instead of a stomacher...a girding of sackcloth
and
burning instead of beauty.' (isaiah 3.16,17,24)

how about you? are you forward, bold, flirtatious, or boastful?
do you dress in a lewd or tempting, form-fitting manner, or with costly array?
or as you dressing...and acting...to please God?

'who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies'. (proverbs 31.10)

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