Modesty – The Bible Dress Standard

Does God care about what people look like or how they attire themselves?

After Adam and Eve sinned, they dressed themselves as they pleased.

Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

God was not pleased and made them clothing after His heart’s desire.

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

God cares what people look like.

A proud look is an abomination unto God.

Proverbs 6:16-17
(16)  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
(17)  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

The word “Look” means outward appearance. A proud look or outward appearance comes from a proud heart.

Proverbs 7:10-11
(10)  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
(11)  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

This woman wore the attire of a harlot because she had a harlot’s heart. We all have a purpose or reason why we adorn ourselves in the manner we do.

A proud look is manifested by a person’s mannerisms or the way he conducts himself and by the articles he adorns himself with.

Isaiah 3:16-24
(16)  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:
(17)  Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
(18)  In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
(19)  The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
(20)  The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
(21)  The rings, and nose jewels,
(22)  The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
(23)  The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
(24)  And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

This was prophecy concerning the New Testament dispensation.

Isaiah 3:18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

“In that day” – in the gospel day God would take away ornaments such as these which displayed pride.

There is a biblical dress standard.

1 Timothy 2:8-10
(8)  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
(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;
(10)  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Modest means: “lack of pride and vanity, decent, virtuous, orderly, and well arranged, not extreme.”

Our hair is given to us for a covering; thus it is part of our outward adornment and should be modest.

1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

The Greek word for “covering” means veil.  The woman’s hair is given to her for a covering or instead of a veil.

Wearing a veil is a man-made custom (verse 16). The woman’s hair should be long – as long as God allows it to grow. It should be neither shaved nor shorn (verse 6). Shorn means to shear, cut, or clip.

Men should cut their hair and keep it short (verse 14).

Long hair on men is a sign of dishonor or rebellion. Women cutting their hair is a sign of dishonor or rebellion.

The wearing of jewelry is not modest apparel.

1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

“Not with broided hair, or not plaiting the hair,” means hair woven with numerous trinkets and ornaments (jewelry).

1 Timothy 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;

The wearing of jewelry does not display modest character.

The wearing of “make-up” or painting the face is contrary to “shamefacedness” or humility (1 Timothy 2:9) and is characteristic of pride and vanity.

2 Kings 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

The name Jezebel speaks of lewdness and indecency to this day.

Modest apparel – God’s wardrobe for mankind ought to show a distinction between the sexes – male and female.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind

“Effeminate” is a womanish man in mannerism and attire.

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

A distinction in the attire of men and women has been a correct moral principle in any age of time.

Modest apparel ought to be evident in all our adornment.

Clothing ought to be decent, long enough, and thick enough to cover decently.

Matthew 23:25-26
(25)  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
(26)  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

God cares about our outward appearance. When a person gets saved and gets cleansed first within, the outside or outward appearance will naturally begin to conform to their pure heart.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The condition of our heart affects us in every way for out of the heart are the issues of life.