Black and White

The popular trend these days is for everyone to dress in black. Some people even dress all in black. They may have black trousers, a black shirt, a black tie, and a black sport jacket. Others may wear black pants, a black hat, and a black T-shirt. While this may be very popular, even among Christians – and even pastors --  is this the way in which the holy people of God should dress, or is it worldly?

 
After all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of Satanists, witches, and Gothic people is that they dress in black. And when you consider the main color of Halloween, the evil holiday that celebrates darkness and death, it is the color black. Black clothing represents death and mourning, which is why people (like widows) dress all in black at funerals. I think the reason why it is so popular these days to dress in black is because we live in a culture that loves death, darkness, and evil.
 
Since there seems to be confusion about this matter in the Church today and compromise among so many that think the way we dress does not matter at all to God, let’s do a study in the Word to see whether this has any importance at all to Him. This is in no way meant to have any relevance to one’s race or skin color, but rather to the clothing we wear.
 
Light and Darkness, Day and Night:
Listen to what the Scriptures say about light and darkness, as well as day and night.

“And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.” (Gen 1:3-5)
 
“No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived..” (Exo 10:23)
 
"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” (Luk 16:8)
 
"'Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.' When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.” (Joh 12:36)

"...and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." (Col 1:12)

 
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom 13:12)
 
“for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1Th 5:2).
 
“You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” (1Th 5:5)
 
“For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.” (1Th 5:7)
 
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” (Joh 9:4)
 
“It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." (Joh 11:10)
 
“As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” (Joh 13:30)

 
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1Jn 1:5)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (Jas 1:17)

"...who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1Ti 6:16)

 
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” (1Jn 1:6)
 
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1Jn 1:7)
 
“Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true Light is already shining.” (1Jn 2:8)
 
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.” (1Jn 2:9)
 
“Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” (1Jn 2:10)
 
“But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.” (1Jn 2:11)
 
“But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Mat 6:23)
 
“But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mat 8:12)
 
"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mat 22:13)
 
“And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mat 25:30)
 
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (Luk 11:34)
 
“See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” (Luk 11:35)
 
“Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour--when darkness reigns." (Luk 22:53)
 
“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (Joh 1:5)
 
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Joh 3:19)
 
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’" (Joh 8:12)
 
“Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.'” (Joh 12:35)
 
“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Joh 12:46)
 
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:14-16)

"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." (Pro 4:18).

"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear." (Mt 13:43).

 
Black

While some black animals like the rat, the black vulture and the bat have an evil (or negative) connotation in our minds, the white dove is always considered a symbol of peace and of the Holy Spirit. In the same way, the man wearing the black hat is considered the evil villain and the man in the white hat is the good guy, at least in the movies. Listen to what the Scriptures say about the color black:

 
“These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.” (2Pe 2:17)
 
“They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jud 1:13)

Blackness and darkness are associated with judgment, such as when the Lamb opens the sixth seal, and the sun turns black like sackcloth made of goat hair." (Rev 6:12; cf. Matt 24:29)

The collage below that I created shows various people dressed in black, all of whom are either Christian pastors, worship leaders, musicians, or vocalists. You may recognize Guy Penrod, former Hillsong pastor Sam Collier, apostate pastor Rick Warren, the disgraced Mike Bickle and Misty Edwards of IHOP-KC, and Michael W. Smith, as well as disgraced Hillsong pastors Brian Houston and Carl Lentz among them. It seems that these days there is only one color for such people to dress in any more, and that is black. It's a sign of the times. 

Notice also how most of the backgrounds behind them are dark, too. We've noticed the same trend in the way some church sanctuaries are designed today with black ceilings, dim lighting, and a dark atmosphere. For more examples, hit mute on your speakers, and quickly jump through this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, and this video. In these videos of top Christian performers Philips, Craig, and Dean, Mercy Me, Hillsong Worship, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, Jenn Johnson, Amy Grant, Michael W Smith, and Casting Crowns, notice the black clothing of the lead singers, as well as their ensembles and the backdrops around them. 

Other examples not shown here include the now-disgraced Willow Creek Community Church founder, Bill Hybels, Third Day, Newsboys, Darlene Zschech, William McDowell, Leeland, Matt Redman, Toby Mac, Cody Carnes, Michael Tate, Steven Curtis Chapman, Kari Jobe, CeCe Winans, Kenny J. West, Zauntee, Paul McClure, Passion, Building 429, Audio Adrenaline, DC Talk, Cory Asbury, Mandisa, Nichole Nordeman, Newsong, Jon Reddick, Matt Maher, Big Daddy Weave, Kirk Franklin, Needtobreathe, and Bethel Music. The list goes on and on. Is it just a coincidence? I think not. I see a dark theme.

 
White
Now let's see what the Scriptures say about the color white, especially white clothes:

“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” (Mat 17:2)
 
“His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” (Mar 9:3)
 
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.” (Rev 1:14)
 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” (Rev 2:17)
 
“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.” (Rev 3:4)
 
“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” (Rev 3:5)
 
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Rev 3:18)
 
“Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.” (Rev 4:4)
 
“Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.” (Rev 6:11)
 
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” (Rev 7:9)
 
“Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" (Rev 7:13)
 
“I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 7:14)
 
“I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.” (Rev 14:14)
 
“Fine linen, bright (white) and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev 19:8)
 
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.” (Rev 19:11)

“The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Rev 19:14)
 
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.” (Rev 20:11)
 
“Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.” (Ecc 9:8)

For more on this, also see Righteous Deeds and White Robes.
 
Closing Words
God is light, who dwells in unapproachable light, and in Him is no darkness at all. He is the Father of the heavenly lights. Likewise, Jesus is the Light, the radiance of God's glory, whose face is like the sun shining in all its brilliance. He sits on a great white throne and rides a white horse, The angels are dressed in white, and so are the twenty-four elders, the martyrs, and the rest of the saints in glory. The Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus do not dress in black, and neither do the saints in heaven. However, the devil, his demons, and those who follow them, like satanists, witches, Gothic people, Druids, and other Luciferians, do dress in black and prefer black. They are of the darkness. So why should the people of God, who are sons of light, be dressed like them? Shouldn’t we avoid even the appearance of evil, as the Word tells us to do (1 Thes 5:22)? 

Those who would go to heaven must begin their heaven now. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the righteous must always wear white clothing. We are not making this into a rule or a law and creating some kind of cult. We are not saying it is a sin to wear black clothing. But in my opinion, based on the Scriptures, wearing black should generally not be the preferred way for the people of God to dress.

Rather those who love to dress in black should ask themselves why they are drawn to copy this worldly fashion, in light of what I've plainly laid out here from Scripture. They should pray and ask the Lord to show them why, and to remove every desire from their hearts that is displeasing to Him, including the sin of worldliness. They should wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. They should ask to buy from Him white clothes to wear, so they can cover their shameful nakedness. They should seek to separate themselves from the world, and not be led astray by what the world is doing, which is a sign of the times. Any changes they make should be done out of love for God. If they want to be sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, this is what He requires, and He says they must purify themselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
 
Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2Co 6:17-18; 7:1)

Attribution Notice: The photo of lead singer for German Christian worship group called Outbreakband (OBB). You may find the worship video here and their website here. The image in the closing is that of  Christian music artists Shawn Craig and Randy Philips of Philips, Craig, and Dean performing on Trinity Broadcasting. These photos are all used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only. All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV), copyright Zondervan, used by permission, all rights reserved.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Righteous Deeds and White Robes, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, The Fruit Test of a Genuine Disciple, The Truth About Hillsong, Avoiding Worldly Worship, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Separation from the World, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, and Doing What is Right. You can find more of my articles related to Seeking the Lord on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org 

Garments of Godliness

Many preachers have gotten into trouble mentioning certain topics from the Bible.  One such topic is that of modesty, particularly in the way women dress.  People have contemptuously branded such men as "clothes line preachers" and will not tolerate such preaching.  But the Lord has plenty to say in His Word about how His people should dress, and we had better take heed.  He is coming back for a holy Bride, and this is part of the holiness He requires. Just look at some of these Scriptures:

Proper Clothing
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness." (1Ti 2:9-11)

The apostle Peter wrote: "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear." (1Pe 3:1-6)

Both Paul and Peter were explicit about what godly women should and should not wear on their bodies, which also applies to men.  The apostles were equally as clear about how the women should wear their hair, even the types of garments to wear, and which ones to avoid.  They also gave instruction on what kind of godly attitude should adorn holy women.

A Symbol of Authority on Her Head
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels." (1Co 11:3-10)

There are many opinions about this.  Some believe this refers to a woman's hair.  If a man grows his hair long, that is considered a head covering, according to this passage. Certainly I think it's important for a woman to take care of the veil God gave her, and not to cut it off like a man or to shave her head.

At the time of this writing, my wife and I did not believe she needed to wear a head covering, but we were open to being adjusted by the Lord. So we prayed and asked Him to show us, and subsequently we heard some testimonies that have changed our mind. Now we believe that a woman should cover her head when she is in the presence of the Lord.  This means she should cover her head when she prays, worships, prophesies, reads the Bible, or enters the house of worship. Also see my article Is a Woman's Hair Her Head Covering? for more on this. 

Jewelry, well-set hair, headbands, veils, headdresses, fine clothes, and sweet perfume
Please look at the heart of God and what He is after here. The prophet Isaiah wrote:

Moreover, the LORD said, "Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet, Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, And the LORD will make their foreheads bare." In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, finger rings, nose rings, festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, money purses, hand mirrors, undergarments, turbans and veils. Now it will come about that instead of sweet perfume there will be putrefaction; Instead of a belt, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, a plucked-out scalp; Instead of fine clothes, a donning of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty. (Isa 3:16-24)

The Lord is after every proud, vain, and seductive heart among the daughters of Zion.

The Woman Dressed Like a Whore
King Solomon warned his son of the seductress..."In the twilight, in the evening, in the middle of the night and in the darkness....behold, a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home." (Pro 7:9-11)

We know from Scripture that the Lord is not pleased with any woman dressed as a harlot.

Cross Dressing
Does God condone cross-dressing?  Certainly not! In fact it's detestable to Him.

"A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deu 22:5)

But hasn't cross-dressing crept into the church and doesn't it now abound in the Church?  Trousers are clothing for men, and yet many Christian women wear trousers, even during worship and prayer.  Some will say that they only wear so-called "Ladies trousers."  Well, if you do so, I encourage you to take that before the Lord to see what He says.  Just because some clothing manufacturer has changed the labeling to increase sales does not mean God has changed His mind.  We all need to let Him evaluate our wardrobe and make the necessary adjustments.

Worldliness
The world has fashions and trends.  But in adopting those, the Church seems to have forgotten that worldliness is a sin. Let's take the lead in showing the world what godliness looks like, rather than adopting those fashions and following the latest trends.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1Jo 2:15-16)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Rom 12:2)

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." (Jam 4:4-6)

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (Jam 1:27)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. (Mat 5:13)

Poorly Clothed
Here was the testimony of the apostle Paul: "To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless." (1Co 4:11). "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. (Act 20:33)

Does this mean we all need to be poorly clothed and homeless?  Certainly not. But if your emphasis is on outward adornment, on wearing gold jewelry and fine clothes, compare yourself to the life Paul lived and ask the Lord to correct you.

Special attention to those wearing fine clothes
For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?  (Jam 2:2-4)

Do you pay special attention to those who are adorned well outwardly? Do you want to look like them? Do you treat them differently than those who are poorly clothed?   

White Garments to Cover Your Nakedness
You can be clothed in the finest clothes, and yet be naked before God.  Jesus says,

"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see." (Rev 3:18)

Garments Polluted by the Flesh
Our garments can become polluted by the flesh that wears them, if we are carnal-minded and worldly.

And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. (Jud 1:22-23).

We should hate the garments polluted by the flesh, and refuse to wear them.  Think of the fleshly spirit at work in those who design and produce such immodest garments.  We should be disgusted and reject such things.

What God is Saying to sister Claire Andoun
There is a woman, named sister Claire Andoun Atongo, from Cameroon, who says the Lord has been speaking to her about the dirtiness in His Church (see video testimony). He's been showing her that there is a strange power that has come into the Church, because this unclean spirit has been invited in by the women of God, and the pastors will not preach against it.  This strange power is the Queen of the Coast, who leads the sisters in the Church to dress immodestly.

She says this spirit has taken the fire out of the men of God.  I did not watch her entire Warning from God to All Women, but only the first 20 minutes or so, because someone pointed it out to me.  However, I think it's a message that every woman of God and every pastor needs to take before the Lord, seriously asking for the heart of God regarding dressing modestly with purity and holiness.

Wesley on Godly Dress
We need to go back to the old way, and preach holiness once again like John Wesley, the famous eighteenth-century holiness preacher did. He removed the ring ceremony from the Anglican wedding manual.  And in his article, 'Advice to the People Called Methodists with Regard to Dress,' Wesley wrote: “Wear no gold, no pearls, or precious stones; use no curling of hair, or costly apparel, how grave soever. I advise those who are able to receive this saying, buy no velvets, no silks, no fine linen, no superfluities, no mere ornaments, though ever so much in fashion. Wear nothing, though you have it already, which is of glaring colour, or which is in any kind gay, glistering, or showy; nothing made in the very height of the fashion, nothing apt to attract the eyes of the by-standers. I do not advise women to wear rings, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, or ruffles, which, by little and little, may easily shoot out from one to twelve inches deep. Neither do I advise men to wear coloured waistcoats, shining stockings, glittering or costly buckles or buttons, either on their coats, or in their sleeves, any more than gay, fashionable, or expensive perukes.” [1] [2]

Wesley's original advice on attire and adornment became part of the Methodist church manual, known as Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Church, and remained unedited until 1852. The early Methodists took their founder's admonitions seriously, and lived a plain lifestyle. They avoided gambling, dancing, makeup, and jewelry, including rings. It's high time for the Methodist people and the rest of the Church to return to the Word of holiness. Those who don't want to preach holiness will never see Jesus. Without holiness no man shall see God (Heb 12:14b). Let's Ask for the Ancient Paths once again.

Putting it All Together
So as we see, both Peter and Paul addressed this topic.  Today perhaps they would be labeled as "clothes line preachers."  Yet they were not afraid of speaking about how we dress, and exhorting us to live godly and modest lives.  There are also plenty of other Scriptures to support their positions.

If you are honest, you'll have to admit that it’s fashionable today for the women of the world in general to dress like whores. That's not to say that all women dress that way, but they are encouraged to do so. The women of God must not be worldly. We disciples of Christ are supposed to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Friendship with the world is hostility toward God. The people of God must not be conformed to this world.

This doesn't just apply to women, but men as well.  I remember watching Christian music videos in the 1980's of Christian rock bands performing on stage wearing, form-fitting, spandex body suits.  And then there's the obsession many guys have with their muscle-bound bodies and showing them off.  Somehow I don't see how that fits the standard of God's Word. Another example is men wearing expensive designer clothing, earrings and other jewelery, or expensive suits. The Lord is after every spirit of vanity, conceit, immodesty, pride, arrogance, sensuality, and seductiveness. So it's up to each of us to ask the Lord to examine our hearts and show us anything that is dishonoring Him or keeping Him away.

Footnotes: [1] What Should We Wear, Wesley Experience. [2] Cited in The Encyclopedia of World Methodism, 1977 edition, s. v. "Dress" (vol. 2, p. 717).

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: Also see Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Is a Woman's Hair Her Head Covering?, Claire Andoun Solomon's Encounter with Jesus, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, and The Wardrobe of the Saints. This post is a follow up on the following articles I've written recently:

Is Obedience Optional?
The Cost of Discipleship
Salvation with Fear and Trembling
Faith Works!
Pleasing the Lord
Called to be Blameless
Pleasing the Lord

Here is an excellent site where you can find attractive head coverings.   You can also find my complete collection of blogs at Writing for the Master.

Image: Photo courtesy of Garlands of Grace.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.