Showing posts with label attire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attire. Show all posts

Monday, July 31, 2017

God's View of Public Bathing

Dear God-seekers,

At this time of year, as millions flock to the beaches, pools, and water theme parks, Christians are among those throngs, and I suppose that most probably don't give a second thought to what the Lord thinks about it. They certainly won't hear it from their pastors in most cases, so I think it's appropriate to address this here. I am specifically addressing Christians only.

A few years ago, my family and I were among those throngs, but since then the Lord has spoken to us about His holy standards for His people. He requires holiness from us at all times, and without holiness, no man will see the Lord (Heb 12:14). When the Lord speaks about holiness in His Word, it applies not only to our inward lives, but to the whole person, including our bodies. He requires that even our attire and adornment be godly. All our apparel must be modest, as I have written extensively about in my articles, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Garments of Godliness, and Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy.

It has been a few years since we have been to the beach, and the last time we were there, we went in the evenings with our children, after the crowds were gone. While we remained fully dressed, we walked the beach together barefoot along the water's edge, as the waves lapped over our feet. It was a very beautiful time together beholding the majesty of God's creation, the powerful ocean with its surf and salty smell, as we walked with our feet in the water, collecting shells that we found along the way. Of course, there were still other people around, but not the usual crowds that are there during the daytime. I have included a photo above of one of those occasions, which was at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire in July 2013.

Hampton Beach, NH, USA in May 2011
The main issue with these places is that the clothing that people usually wear for swimming and sunbathing essentially provides the same amount of coverage of their bodies as their underwear does. Take for example the bikini bathing suit that women commonly wear. When a woman dresses like that in public, it is no different in God's sight than if she were walking around in public wearing a bra and panties. The only difference is the kind of fabric and the colors, but the body coverage is about the same. In fact, her bathing suit may even expose more of her body than her bra and panties would! Even other styles of bathing suits for women, such as one-piece suits, are not modest, because they expose most of a woman's body. The same is true of men's bathing suits, which cover about as much of their bodies as a pair of underpants would. Men's bathing trunks provide coverage similar to either boxer briefs or tight, stretch underwear. There are even bikinis and thongs for men, which are obscene!

This is not the way God's holy people are supposed to be dressed. It is worldly, immodest, and indecent, which is sinful. We are supposed to be separate from the world, peculiar, and pure. How can we do so when we are dressed like that in public?

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." (1Ti 2:9-10). The same rule of modesty applies to men in Christ also.

Shells collected at the seashore
You won't find any Scriptural basis for mixed, public bathing. None of the prophets or saints practiced this in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus didn't practice it, and neither did His Twelve disciples. In fact, going into an environment like the beach or the poolside is just asking for temptation. All around you, there are people dressed naked and half naked, exposing their bodies for all to see. Some women when they sunbathe will even remove the straps on the back of their bikini top to avoid getting suntan lines on their back. Then there are couples who lay on their blankets together, kissing one another passionately. There are too many scenarios to mention each one specifically. Some of these sights occur very close up, and others happen off in the distance, but all are easily visible to anyone frequenting a beach or pool. If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that the whole atmosphere is permeated by flesh. It is my advice not to go into that kind of an environment and expose yourself to that, if you care about your own soul and the souls of your children.

Jesus said, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mat 5:28).

He also taught us to pray that we would not be led into temptation. In fact, we must abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul (1 Pe 2:11). And we are supposed to flee immorality, but these days Christians are flocking to the beaches and swimming pools where inappropriate amounts of flesh are on display. The apostle Paul said, "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1Co 6:18-20).

If you know that the environment at the beach or pool may tempt you, your spouse, or your children, then why would you go there? You are just asking for trouble, by knowingly going into a place where there is temptation. And if you know that you could cause someone else to stumble, possibly even a brother or sister in Christ, then why would you do that? You could cause someone to stumble either by the way you are dressed or simply by your act of going to such a place.

Paul wrote, "Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit...It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles." (Rom 14:16-17, 21)

Shells collected at the seashore
Remember that the Lord will hold you accountable for everything you do while in the body, whether good or bad. "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." (Rom 14:12)

Perhaps you are thinking that this is too severe, and we cannot possibly avoid this recreational pastime. Well, the Lord said "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." (Mat 5:29). He commanded you to guard your soul by cutting out of your life those things that offend you and others, which could cause you to end up being thrown into hell.

As I already mentioned, I confess that I was once among the throngs of Christians who go to the beach. I was even a Sabbath breaker. Sometimes after church on Sunday I would go with a group of young singles from my church to the beach and play volleyball. The sisters in our group were wearing the kind of immodest attire I have already mentioned, which is displeasing to the Lord. This ought not be so.

Nevertheless, the Scripture warns us, "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)

Putting it All Together
Whatever you decide to do is your own choice, but I have done my part to sound the alarm. I felt it was necessary to write and warn you about this, since it is so widely accepted in the Church. Please consider this prayerfully and repent, if it is applicable to you. Jesus is coming back very soon. Do you think He is going to rapture you up, while you lay there on the beach among thousands of naked and half naked people, and you yourself are dressed immodestly? He is coming for a holy Bride without spot or wrinkle (Eph 5:27).

If you want to go for a walk along the beach, because you want to see the Lord's beautiful creation, collect seashells, or spend time in prayer there, or read the Bible, and you believe the Lord has given you the liberty to do so for the glory of God, then I suggest you find a time to go there, such as during the cooler months, or in evening or very early morning, when there are far fewer people there. Or find a secluded place away from the  crowds. And if you do go, dress modestly. Please cover your body! Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Author holds exclusive rights to all photos, which are not to be used without permission.

Author's note Also see Garments of Godliness, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, For the Glory of God Alone, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, The Wardrobe of the SaintsAn Open Mind that Loves the Truth, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the WorldAsk for the Ancient Paths, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Pleasing the LordIs Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Called to be Blameless, Keeping Sundays Holy, and Restored Truth. You can access the Seeking the Lord Main Directory or 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.

Saturday, August 13, 2016

The Wardrobe of the Saints

As I have written previously in my articles, Garments of Godliness and Godly Attire and Adornment, there is virtually a Christian "dress code". The Scripture defines what is appropriate and not appropriate for a disciple of Christ to wear on his or her body. That cannot be denied, even though some people attempt to do so on the faulty premise that God is only interested in the things of the heart, not our bodies.

In this post, I would like to discuss the inward garments we are instructed in Scripture to wear at all times. We'll call this the wardrobe of the saints.

A Garment of Praise
We begin with a rather long but beautiful passage in Isaiah, which says:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." (Is 61:1-3, NIV)

The Lord Jesus read from this very same passage when He announced the beginning of His public ministry (Lk 4:18). He said the Spirit of the Lord was on Him, because the Lord has anointed Him to do all these wonderful things mentioned in this passage. One of those things was to provide for those who grieve in Zion -- to bestow on them a garment of praise. Therefore, we know from Scripture that one garment we must be wearing is this garment of praise, which the Lord bestows upon us by His Holy Spirit.

Praise is an action that we should continually practice, as part of our practice of the presence of the Lord. We should not take a vacation from praise, or only praise the Lord on a certain day of the week, in a certain building, or at one particular time of day. The psalmist David said, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Ps 34:1). We should praise Him in the good times and praise Him in the bad times. May we never cease to praise Him. For He is worthy. Let's put on the garment of praise.

Clothe Yourselves with Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, Patience, and Love
The next passage we will look at is from the apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians. He wrote:

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Col 3:12-14, NIV).

We are supposed to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And over all these virtues put on love as an outer garment.

Clothe Yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ
Paul also wrote to the Romans saying, "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." (Rom 13:14, NIV).

In the context of this passage, in the previous verse, Paul was speaking about our behavior, when he wrote: "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy." (Rom 13:13, NIV). So this tells us that to clothe yourself with Christ or to "put on Christ" will involve a behavioral change. He also wrote to the Galatians saying, "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:27). Christ not only lives on the inside in our hearts, but we must also wear Him outwardly, so that He shows on the outside and others can see Him.

Put on the Armor of Light
In this same passage and context, Paul said, "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, NIV). He contrasted putting on the armor of light with the deeds of darkness, so again it is a behavioral matter. On the one hand, we must put aside the deeds of darkness, while on the other hand put on the armor of light.

Paul described each piece of armor in detail in his epistle to the Ephesians. He wrote:

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Eph 6:11-17, NASB)

In this passage he says to "put on the full armor of God" (v. 11) and then again to "take up the full armor of God" (v. 13). He emphasizes the need to put it on and to ensure we are not missing any piece of armor. These are necessary to protect us from the schemes of the devil in this spiritual warfare we are in daily.

The important thing is that we put them on, and that they are to the soldier of Christ as armor is to a soldier of any worldly army. No soldier in his right mind would go into battle without his armor on, and neither should we. It's a daily battle, so we need to put these on daily, at least once every 24 hours. 

You may be wondering how to put on the full armor of God, as Scripture instructs us to do. Here is how to do it. Pray like this: "Father, would you please put your complete armor on me now, I ask and thank you for it, in the name of Jesus."

This is what Dr. Rebecca Brown, MD was shown by her guardian angel, as she wrote in her book called, He Came to Set the Captives Free: A Guide to Recognizing and Fighting the Attacks of Satan, Witches, and the Occult. I highly recommend reading this book, which is available from Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and other major retail outlets, as well as used book retailers online.

The adversary of our souls is always prowling around looking for someone to devour. As Peter says, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1Pe 5:8). Let's be sober and alert. Please see this very important, related article, The Armor of God.

Clothe Yourselves With Humility
Just as Paul did, the apostle Peter also admonished us to clothe ourselves with humility. He wrote: "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (1Pe 5:5-7).

The reasons he gives for clothing ourselves with humility are fully sufficient for us. Since God opposes the proud, then if we fail to clothe ourselves with humility, we may behave proudly and find that God is opposing us. However, if we walk humbly before God, He will give us grace. If we humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand, He will lift us up in due time. Since pride is a weakness of young men especially, Peter addressed this admonition to them, but it applies likewise to all of us.

Clothe Yourself with Good Works
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." (1Ti 2:9-10). As I have written in my article, Garments of Godliness, this passage teaches how women should outwardly adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, so as to glorify God. It forbids certain types of adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, and expensive clothes, all of which apply to men as well. But it also teaches how women should adorn themselves spiritually by means of good deeds appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

Bind Kindness and Faithfulness Around Your Neck
The proverb says, "Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart." (Pro 3:3). We are supposed to bind kindness (mercy) and truth around our necks, which is in contrast to the way the wicked wear pride as their necklace (Ps 73:6).

Put on the New Self
The apostle Paul taught that the old self or former way of life must be put off, which means it must be completely discarded, since it is being corrupted like an old rag by its deceitful desires. He taught that we should throw it off and in place of it we should "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Eph 4:24, NIV). This, too, is part of the saints' wardrobe. For more on this topic, please see Walking in Truth, Righteousness, and Holiness.

White Garments So That You May Clothe Yourself
In the book of Revelation, in the apostle John's letter to the angel of the Church in Laodicea, he wrote in part the following message from the Lord: "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). This indicates that there are actually spiritual, white garments that we are supposed to wear and that we must buy them from the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all seek to buy from Him those white garments, so that we may clothe ourselves. In the case of the Church in Laodicea, the Lord said they were naked without these garments (Rev 3:17), and they needed them to cover the shame of their nakedness.

Be Dressed in Wedding Garments
In His parable of the wedding feast, Jesus said:

"Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'”  (Mat 22:10-13)

The man who came to the wedding feast without wedding clothes was thrown into the outer darkness, which is hell. This is a stark reminder that not all who call Jesus “Lord, Lord” or are within the church will be qualified to participate in the wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven. To be fit for heaven, we must be wearing our white garments. As Matthew Henry once wrote: “Those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, that have a Christian temper of mind, and are adorned with Christian graces, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding garment.”

Be Dressed in Readiness
The Lord also taught us to "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit." (Luk 12:35). Other versions say, "Stay dressed for action" (ESV) and "Be dressed ready for service" (NIV). The original language literally says, "Let your waist be girded about," which is rendered in many translations with the expression, "Let your loins be girded about," (see KJV, MKJV, ASV, Darby, and YLT translations).

In Bible times, the men wore long garments, and when they were preparing for action, such as labor or a journey, they girded it up or tucked it up around their waist (loins). This would enable them to move freely without restriction (see Lk 12:37). Therefore, in using the expression, "let your loins be girded about," the Lord was teaching us to remain dressed for action. He was obviously speaking of a spiritual state of being dressed in readiness, rather than one that requires being in your literal day clothes, even though it may often times involve being physically dressed in certain instances.

Peter used essentially this same expression in the original language, when he wrote, "Therefore girding up the loins of your mind..." (1Pe 1:13a, MKJV; cf., KJV, ASV, Darby, and YLT). Other versions use a more dynamic equivalent translation, such as "Prepare your minds for action." (1Pe 1:13a, NASB). This helps clarify what the Lord meant in Lk 12:35. The point is to stay alert in your thoughts, so that you are always ready for action.

Putting it All Together
According to God's Word, there are some garments of righteousness that all disciples of Christ are supposed to wear at all times. It is our responsibility to do so. The expressions "clothe yourself," "adorn yourself," "put on," "take up," "gird up your loins," "buy from me," "be dressed," and "bind around your neck" are all actions that we must personally take. They are not automatically done for us and are not a one-time occurrence.

These garments include praise, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, faithfulness, patience, and love. We must put in the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. We must put on the armor of light, which is the armor of God that includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, the hope of salvation, love (once again), and the Word of God. We must stay dressed for action with our minds alert. We must buy from the Lord white garments, so that we may clothe ourselves. We must be dressed in wedding clothes. We must adorn ourselves with good deeds. Last but not least, we must clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We are not properly dressed unless we are clothed with these.

Attribution notice: Some Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. The "Robes of White" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page. I recommend reading Garments of Godliness, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Godly Attire and Adornment, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Tattoos and Body Piercing, The Beauty of Brokenness, Holy Fire Baptism, Fruit in Every Season, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, Is Tolerance a Virtue?, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit: What's the Difference?, The Ways of Life, and The Way, Will, and Word of God. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

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.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?

The Word of God is our basis for living, and the Holy Spirit leads us into all Truth. Every true sign and wonder, including every revelation and prophecy, must confirm the written Word of God and conform to it. We must hold fast to that which is good and reject all kinds of evil. So what are we to do with revelations that claim the Lord has said he hates the practice of His daughters wearing trousers or pants, such as the ones I have written about in Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations.

Someone might object by asking, “Did I hear you say it is a sin for women to wear trousers? What verse in Scripture tells you that trousers are for men only? Deuteronomy 22:5 is the verse that is always quoted.  However, that is one of many other laws in that chapter. Why not obey all the other laws in that same chapter?  Many girls, who have claimed it is sinful for them to wear trousers, do wear them in youth services or in the house.  Is this not hypocrisy? Don’t condemn what has not been condemned in Scripture. The Bible does not condemn this practice.  Rather, it simply teaches us to dress modestly.”

For the sake of this article, please allow me to reply to that objection, assuming that someone reading this may actually share that perspective.  If you are suggesting that cross-dressing is not detestable to God, then you will give an account for that before him. Are you suggesting men wear that which pertains to a woman?  Scripture says explicitly:

"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)

If you agree that Scripture teaches us cross-dressers are an abomination to the Lord our God, then why do you defend women’s trousers? 

If you will research the origin of trousers, you will find that God’s holy people in the Bible never created them for women. Ancient Hebrews wore robes, which were drawn up when working or running (2 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 18:46). However, trousers have been a style of clothing developed especially for men to wear while running, performing heavy manual labor, or during battle.  We should avoid all that is worldly and immodest.

“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. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1Jn 2:15-17)

Is Deuteronomy Irrelevant to us Today as Christians?
First of all, we should remember that our Lord did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill, and said that not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass until all is accomplished (see Mt 5:17-20).  So the Law and the Prophets have not been abolished.

Secondly, we know that the Law is good if one uses it properly.  The apostle Paul said, “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.” (1Ti 1:8-11).  Notice he said the law is for the ungodly and the unholy, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.  Since cross-dressing is unholy, ungodly, and is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, then Deut 22:5 may legitimately be applied to the practice of women wearing trousers (see The Law is Good if Used Lawfully).

I think Deut 22 is a great passage of Scripture to read and understand in the Spirit. As partakers of the New Covenant, we now read the Old Covenant with the veil removed, since in Christ it has been taken away (2 Co 3:14).  For example, building a parapet around your roof (22:8). That's a wall around a flat roof, so that a guest walking there does not fall and die. God expects you to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and consider them even when building a house, lest their blood be on your hands.  He says,

“When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.” (Dt 22:8)

And God also sees every sparrow that falls to the ground (Lk 12:6-7). So of course the Lord wants you to let the mother bird go free, so she can reproduce more offspring. It's God's wisdom to prevent extinction of the animals He created.  He says,

“If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.” (Dt 22:6-7)

And when it comes to wearing clothes of mixed fabrics (e.g., wool/cotton), which the Lord Himself warned us about (Dt 22:11), that must also be great wisdom for our lives!  Certainly there is a spiritual lesson in this verse, regarding the purity of our hearts.  But there are plenty of verses about having a pure heart, and this verse seems to speak plainly of a practical matter regarding our clothing. I know of one sister in Christ who wears only clothing made of 100% cotton or pure wool, for the sake of her health, since it is healthier. God our Creator knows what's best for us.  He says,

“Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.” (Dt 22:11)

Synthetic Fibers Are Harmful to Your Health
Science is always proving the Bible to be true. One day we may find that the electrostatic charge that is on mixed garments (e.g., cotton/polyester or cotton/wool) or garments made of synthetic materials (e.g., polyester, acrylic, Spandex polyurethane, olefin, or rayon) is actually harmful to the body. If we discover scientifically that it causes cancer or skin problems, then everyone would be changing to only pure cotton or pure wool clothing. They all care about their physical health and want to save their lives.

But when we don't understand the reasons why God requires certain things of us, why do we scoff or make excuses or call such things legalistic? It's because of our own ignorance. Do we know better than our Maker?

In fact, in writing this article, after I wrote the two previous paragraphs, I did discover that “chemically treated natural and synthetic fabrics are a source of toxins that adversely affect your health.”  An article called The Top 6 Fabrics You Should Avoid Wearing lists the following as harmful to your health: polyester, acrylic, rayon, acetate/triacetate, nylon  and anything static resistant, stain resistant, permanent press, wrinkle-free, stain proof or moth repellant.

There is another article called The Clothes that Kill You Slowly but Surely, which amazingly confirmed my suspicion that synthetic fibers may contain harmful electrostatic charges.  It states: “Electrostatic charges accumulate in synthetic clothing. There are stories of shocking mini-explosions from mixing layers of synthetic clothing with synthetic carpeting. And get this: synthetic undergarments contribute to infertility in men.”  The article goes on to state: "Today's clothing (a $7 trillion/year industry) is manufactured using an astounding 8,000 synthetic chemicals...Nowadays, clothes also contain toxins like formaldehyde, brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated chemicals (Teflon) to provide "non-iron" and "non-wrinkle" qualities. Insecticides are even applied in the name of good health...For half a century, skin and chemicals have been interacting… creating problems like infertility, respiratory diseases, contact dermatitis, and cancer...The more synthetic clothing you wear, the greater your risk of absorbing toxic chemicals that harm your health.”

All of these points somewhat indirectly confirm what I had suspected, and which I had written down in this article before doing a quick bit of research on it.  I had stated that we might find out that mixed fibers contain electrostatic charges that are harmful to your health, and I did not even know about the studies. By the way, the studies did not directly prove my point, but only confirmed the possibility that the same issues they have found in synthetic fibers may also be true of mixed fabrics.   Whatever the reason is for God giving the prohibition against mixed fabrics, it must have been in His wisdom that He did so.  My main point here is that if God said it, there is a very good reason for it, which we do not need to know, if we trust Him.

These days it is nearly impossible to find affordable garments made of purely organic materials like 100% cotton or 100% wool.  I agree that in many countries like the US, it would be a very difficult – if not impossible -- task to find an entire wardrobe (i.e., undergarments, shoes, pants, dresses, shirts, coats, mittens, hats, and pajamas) like that for an entire family on a tight budget.  I am not suggesting you go out and do that! But I am demonstrating that the laws in Deuteronomy 22 are full of wisdom, and our Father knows best.  The Law is still profitable for addressing that which is ungodly and the unholy, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.

In Deut 22:11, we see that the Lord’s heart is for His holy people to even wear clothing that is pure, so that everything about us is pure. This still has relevance for today.  Even Jude speaks of “hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 1:23).  God’s heart hasn’t changed.  But the clothing we buy in the stores has changed, and it is not pure. Therefore, it is important to pray and fully commit everything we buy to into the hands of God through prayer with thanksgiving, destroying the satanic powers it may come with, and purifying it.  And I want to be clear that I am merely pointing out the wisdom of Deut 22:11; I am not saying you need to wear textile of a single, natural fabric in order to be justified before God. We are not under Law, but under grace, and we have been released from the Law.  We are justified by faith in Christ. 

Arguments from Culture
Some people try to argue from culture, by attempting to show that certain cultures have customs that other cultures would consider cross-dressing.  One example is the Scottish kilt.  They argue that what appears to be women’s clothing to other cultures is men’s clothing to the Scotsmen.  If you research the kilt, you will find that it was originally much longer, covering the legs down to the ankles.  They shortened the kilt to make it easier to work in them.

And now they have turned them into a decorative costume, which not only exposes the naked legs below the knee, but has many worldly aspects to it that disqualify it as a Christian garment.  In fact, Scottish custom states that a true Scotsman should wear his kilt without underwear, which is certainly immodest.  So this is nothing more than a worldly custom. And just because it has been made to resemble a women’s mini-skirt, we cannot use it to prove that the biblical command against cross-dressing is either subjective, depending on what country you are in, or irrelevant in the 21st century.

You can argue your position based on culture, defending women’s trousers, but that is a dangerous approach.  If we realized just how much satan has corrupted the cultures of the world, we would be shocked.  Demons are behind extra-biblical cultural practices, since satan is the god of this world.  If you say that we cannot base our doctrine on anything extra-biblical, such as prophecies or revelations, then how can you use culture as the basis for your doctrine that women should wear trousers?  Since the Word of God is our standard, then everything else must measure up to it, including prophesies, revelations, and cultural practices.
 
A Case from Christian or Hebrew Queens or Princesses of Old

In fact, if we do the research on Christian or Hebrew Queens or Princesses of old, we will find them depicted wearing dresses, not trousers. Jewish and Christian noble women would never wear trousers, since that would not befit royalty. You might find a female warrior from a pagan culture, such as the Amazon Indians, Egypt, or Babylon, depicted on an ancient vase with trousers, but not a Hebrew or Christian one.

Can you imagine a Hebrew or Christian queen, such as Queen Elizabeth or biblical Queen Esther sitting on her royal throne, wearing trousers?  How about imagining a princess in her royal carriage wearing trousers?  If you were going to play that part in a movie, do you think the costume designer would choose pants for your character?  If they did, and you were the actress, wouldn’t you be disappointed they did not cloth you with a proper princess dress? 

One might even say that the traditional wedding garments worn by brides throughout the centuries express an inward desire of women to look like a princess.  That is why they wear gowns and not trousers on their wedding day.  Can you imagine a bride wearing trousers? I have never seen one, and think it would look very strange. 

The Bride of Christ
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are kings and priests.  The apostle Peter said, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1Pe 2:9).  The apostle John wrote, “And He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father--to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:6).  Again the saints in glory sang, "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." (Rev 5:10). 

We are also the royal Bride of Christ (as depicted by my daughter in her artistic rendition above), according to the apostle Paul (Eph 5:25-27).  That includes every male and female one of us, who are betrothed to Jesus Christ our Lord.  And He is in the process of sanctifying us “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Eph 5:27)  But it’s not just a passive process that happens spiritually without any participation on our part.  In heaven they sang, “"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." (Rev 19:7).  The Bride of Christ must make herself ready.  It’s not only an inward preparation of the heart, but one of the body, too. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Th 5:23).

The sisters in Christ are not only the Bride of Christ, but also daughters of the King, His royal princesses. They should desire to be a worthy Bride such as He is coming for right away, and put off every worldly, unholy practice, including those related to how they dress.  In fact, we men, too, must look at how we dress and be sure it is appropriate for those who profess the name of Christ.
 
Origin of Women’s Trousers in Modern Christian Culture

If you want to know whether trousers are women’s clothing or not, it’s worthwhile to do a study on their origin.  Women in countries like Korea have been wearing trousers since at least the 15th century, but it was unusual for them to do so without a covering skirt. However, in modern Christian culture, only men wore trousers until about a century ago.  Women in the Western Christian world began to wear them during the 1900’s feminist movement, when they began to perform jobs that were traditionally done by men, such as coal mining.  An 1890 census reported that out of 369 occupations, women were represented in 360 of them.  And by 1900, ladies in the U.S. employed away from the home comprised 20% of all women in the country.

When they first began to wear trousers, they wore men’s trousers, since women’s trousers did not exist.  Afterward, a French designer named Paul Poiret became one of the first to design pants for women. In 1913 he created loose-fitting, wide-leg trousers for women.  It was only much later in the 1960’s that it became fashionable for women to wear them.

And even to this day, at public restrooms (WC) around the world, if the sign on the door is a person in trousers, it still means that restroom is for males -- not females.  This is an internationally recognized symbol. Although Arabic countries may show a man in a robe, rather than trousers, you will never see a ladies' room identified by the symbol of the person in trousers.

"She Wears the Pants in the Family"
Have you ever heard the expression, “She wears the pants in the family”?  I know that this is considered sexist and offensive to many, but I am merely making a point by using an expression.  It means that the wife in a particular family is the dominant partner, who is the head of the household.  It means that she is the most powerful person who makes all the decisions in the family.  Where did that idiom come from?  It originally meant that the wife functioned in the role that was traditionally held by the husband in the family.  It’s just another example that proves pants or trousers were not ladies’ garments until the sexual revolution and the feminist movement of the 1960’s.

Argument from Hypocrisy
Someone might argue that there are some girls who claim it is biblically wrong for them to wear trousers, and yet they themselves wear them in certain situations.  I would agree that this is a type of double standard.  But just because someone is inconsistent in living out his or her Christian beliefs does not give anyone else a license to sin.  Two wrongs don’t make a right.  And just because there are hypocrites in the world does not mean there cannot be sincere followers of Christ.

Follow the Money Trail
Since today's clothing industry in the US is a $7 trillion/year business, and since most clothing would not meet biblical standards of godliness, we must ask some hard questions.  Who are the people getting rich from this great evil?  Follow the money trail, and I can assure you that you will not find godly Christians at the very top of that industry.  Any godly woman knows it is very difficult these days to find modest clothing.  All the styles have changed and the way they design the cut of the garments, they are not made for modesty.  The clothing manufacturers are getting rich by selling garments that are unfit for a godly woman to wear, and I am sure they would not want anyone to interfere with their lucrative business.  It’s no wonder the enemy gets so angry when people preach against this. 

I am reminded of the incident in the Bible, during the apostle Paul’s ministry, when those who had made a good income making idols had become furious with Paul that he was hurting their business. By preaching the truth of the gospel, Gentiles were turning to Christ from idols, and no longer buying from the craftsmen that sold them.

“About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.’ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’” (Act 19:23-28)

When Paul’s biblical preaching threatened their income, they started a riot. That’s similar to the way some people act when you uphold the biblical dress code for women.  They get angry and protest vehemently.  It’s like they are crying out, ‘Great is the Queen of the Coast!’  ‘Great is the Queen of the Coast!’  They are supporting the ungodly clothing manufacturers, and the demons that inspire their popular, worldly designs.  They don’t realize that they are standing up for a bad cause.

The Scripture says: “Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’  Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.” (Ecc 8:2-5)

The reason well-meaning Christians stand up for such a bad cause is that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2Co 4:4).  They think that verse only applies to those who have never given their lives to Christ, but they themselves have become unbelieving “believers”!

Demolishing Strongholds
Those who are preaching this message of holiness are causing something like an earthquake in the heavenly realm above the earth.  It’s shattering and demolishing the strongholds of satan. 

The apostle Paul said, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2Co 10:3-5)

Through the Word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Take Heed Lest You Fall
The apostle Paul said that if you think you stand, take heed lest you fall.  Do you think you stand, and that the Lord has no issue concerning cross-dressing?

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." (1Co 10:12-14)

We all face many temptations in our lives.  But no matter what the temptation, it is common to all men.  You will never be able to use the excuse that this temptation was unique to you, and more difficult than any that others have faced.  When I have been tempted, and prayed to God for the way out, I have found that the cross is the way out.  If I will deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Jesus in that situation, then I will have victory.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Mat 16:24).

Love the Truth
You’ve got to love the Truth.  If you will approach this matter with an open mind, sincerely wanting the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, you will find it.  I know this from personal experience, since that’s how I came to know Christ.  When a friend first told me I was searching for Jesus, as a nineteen-year old soldier in the US Army, I didn’t believe him.  But when I searched the Scriptures and asked God to show me the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth, then the Truth set me free, and the Lord Jesus Christ saved me (see The Truth Set Me Free!). He is the Truth!

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Joh 14:6)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Joh 8:31-32)

I elaborate further from Scripture in my article, “An Open Mind that Loves the Truth,” on the biblical way to approach this matter of cross-dressing and godly attire with an open mind.

Confirming Divine Revelations
I mentioned in my introduction to this article that several people have received divine revelations from the Lord warning against cross-dressing.  Here are just a few excerpts:

In Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetaga, I wrote that the Lord told him to give this warning: "A man should not put on the attire of a woman, and a woman should not put on the attire of a man or harlot: silver, gold, attachments, changing of skin, painting of eyes and mouth, or fixing of any artificial thing (Prov 7:1-27). The Lord has spoken; now obey. I will curse them that disobey."

In Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, I wrote that he testified: "When we arrived to hell, a young lady saw me afar off and shouted, 'Oh, have you come to help me out of this place?' I could not respond to her question. Then she began to tell me the story of her life. She said, 'I was a member of a Pentecostal Church. My pastor told me that wearing trousers, as a lady, was not a sin against God..."

The Lord spoke to each of these people separately and independently without any collaboration between them.  Some of them were even guilty of committing this sin before the Lord warned them.  And He gave them many other warnings for the Church besides women wearing trousers.  Therefore, I urge you to begin by reading Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, and then listening to the entire testimonies of each person highlighted in that article, as well as the others I have mentioned above.

Those Who Practice Abomination
Finally, perhaps you thought that abominations were limited only to the law of Moses; however, this is clearly taught as part of the New Covenant. At the end of the book of Revelation, we learn that those who practice abomination will not enter the holy city, the new Jerusalem. It says, "And nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Rev 21:27).

Moreover, according to Scripture, those who practice abomination end up in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. It says, "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev 21:8). Therefore, since the Lord said it is an abomination for a woman to wear that which pertains to a man (Deut 22:5), then it should be quite plain to see from Scripture that no woman who wears trousers will enter the holy city, but will go to the lake of fire.

Note: The Greek word for abomination in Rev 21:27 is "bdelugma", meaning "a foul thing or detestable thing; an abomination." This same Greek word is used in Deut 22:5 for "abomination" in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for "abomination" in that same verse is "tô‛êbah", meaning "something disgusting (morally), that is, (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol: - abominable (custom, thing), abomination." There is absolutely no difference between the meaning of "abomination" in Rev 21:27 and Deut 22:5. It is the same exact word.

Likewise, the word for "abominable" in Rev 21:8 is "ebdelugmenois", which comes from the root word "bdelussomai", meaning, "1) to render foul, to cause to be abhorred 2) abominable." Obviously the words "ebdelugmenois" and "bdelussomai" are directly related to "bdelugma". This proves that both Rev 21:8 and 21:27 are related to Deut 22:5 in the sense that they all speak of abominations and/or those who practice such things, otherwise known as those who are abominable.

For more on this topic, please see my article Abominations in the Sight of God.

Putting it All Together
Why can’t Christians understand and accept that trousers are not women’s clothing and should not be worn by women according to Scripture?  Why can’t we realize that they are immodest and worldly, rather than godly attire? Why can’t we let go of women’s trousers? It is because trousers have become a modern type of golden calf.

There are some people who say that we should not talk about these matters, and we should focus only on the Lord, and on being Christ-centered.  Yet God cares about purity and holiness.  And this matter of bodily purity cannot be separated from a Christ-centered life.  It is definitely God’s heart.  People who don’t see this do not really know who Jesus Christ is.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Christ's Bride" drawing is from my fifteen-year old daughter, C.V. Lacroix, and may be found in the art gallery at A Brush with Life.

Author's note Also see Garments of Godliness, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Garments of Righteousness, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Abominations in the Sight of GodCrucified with Christ, The Law is Good if Used Lawfully, An Open Mind that Loves the Truth, Faith Works!, Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetaga, Pleasing the Lord, and Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? My daughter has also written a lovely poem called Cross Bearing. You can access the Seeking the Lord Main Directory or 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.

An Open Mind that Loves the Truth

Sometimes when people come to God for confirmation, they do so with a closed mind. They come to Him wanting Him to tell them what they want to hear, and that prevents them from getting His opinion on those issues.  It prevents them from knowing God's will. For example, there are the matters, which I have posted in Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, and A Warning for Married Christian Couples,  just to name a few.

Love the Truth
You’ve got to love the Truth, buy it, and sell it not (Pr 23:23).  If you will approach this matter with an open mind, sincerely wanting the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, you will find it.  I know this from personal experience, since that’s how I came to know Christ.  When a friend first told me I was searching for Jesus, as a nineteen-year old soldier in the US Army, I didn’t believe him.  But when I searched the Scriptures and asked God to show me the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth, then the Truth set me free, and the Lord Jesus Christ saved me (see The Truth Set Me Free!). He is the Truth!

I want to be very clear what kind of open mind I am not talking about.  I am not talking about being open to every idea that comes along, nor do I mean being open to every religion’s beliefs, as if they all represent the Truth.  To do so is like having a well in front of your home, which is open at the top, above the ground.  If it were left uncovered, and any time someone comes along and asks to dump something in it, you allow them to do so, people would come and dump sewage, used engine oil, and all kinds of toxic substances into your well.  Since the spring that supplies the well is your source of pure drinking water, you would be foolish to have that sort of openness to your well.  You need to guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Pr 4:23). No man comes to the Father, except through Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Joh 14:6)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Joh 8:31-32)

It’s the same way with anything.  If you approach it with a closed mind, you will only succeed in holding onto your old ideas and ways of thinking, as well as your old way of living.  Like an old faucet that has been closed for so long that when it is turned on it only gushes forth with rusty water, your mind will only gush forth with corrupted, corroded, polluted ideas. 

Renewing of Our Minds is Needed
Sin has a noetic effect.  That means it has a negative influence on the mind’s ability to function correctly.  It leads to warped thinking and spiritual blindness. We’ve become conformed to the world more than we even realize!  This is why we need Jesus Christ to transform us by the renewing of our minds. 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Ro 12:1-2)

There are too many unbelieving believers! We cannot begin to fathom how much we have been conditioned, programmed, or brainwashed by the world and the traditions of men. The term “world” refers to this present world system we live in, which is ruled by the god of this world – satan.  

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor 4:4)

Culture and Traditions of Men
Much of what we call culture or fashion is actually the world.  Then there are traditions of men, which are teachings of men that are not from God.  Although they may have a form of godliness, they deny the power thereof.  Although religious men in positions of spiritual authority may teach them, they are not the Truth. 

As I demonstrated in my article, Tradition vs. Truth, they actually keep us from obeying God’s Word.  God commands us to love and do good.  But the traditions of men say things like, “You cannot heal on the Sabbath, since that would be work,” or “You are no longer obligated to help your parents, because you have dedicated that money to God through a solemn oath.”  Beware of the traditions of men!  Don’t be deceived into hell by them!

The Voice of the Lord
You had better make sure you are listening to the Lord’s voice and not the voice of men.  (See Hearing the Lord's Voice). The Lord is the Good Shepherd of the sheep, who leads His sheep lovingly and wisely into paths of righteousness (Ps 23:3).  Sometimes He uses His staff to do so, and other times He may use His rod (Ps 23:4b).  His sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not listen to a stranger.

“But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (Jn 4:5)

Strangers are those teaching traditions of men or anything contrary to God’s holy Word.  It could be your pastor, who knows that you, as a sister, are living with your boyfriend or cross-dressing, and yet only speaks of grace, telling you that you are “free,” rather than confronting your sin.  It could be a commentary of the Bible, or a preacher on TV.  It could be your Christian brother or sister – even a member of your own family.  Will you love them more than God?  They will not be able to deliver you when you stand before the Lord in the judgment.  If you did not act on His Word, He will tell you, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Mt 7:23)

Peace or Division
The Lord said we must love Him more than father or mother – more than our own flesh (Lk 14:26-27).  When we do so, it will bring division, because He did not come to bring peace on the earth, but a sword.

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Lk 12:49-53)

His Word is sharper than any two-edged sword!

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (He 4:12)

Doctrines of Demons
A closed mind refuses to even consider the possibility that something could be true.  It says, “Everyone knows the world is flat, not round.”  It says, “There’s nothing wrong with living together with my boyfriend, because we love each other.” It leads to bigotry, prejudice, and false teachings.  It leads you to approach a subject with your preconceived notion, and reject anything that does not agree.

We should have a closed mind to anything contrary to God’s Word.  We should not open ourselves up to strange teachings and doctrines of demons.  We must make sure we only listen to the Lord’s voice.  But when we are challenged, reproved, or corrected from the Word of God by someone, we need to take it to the Lord.  We must search the Scriptures to see if these things are true.

If apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, have properly equipped you, then you will be prepared for works of service (Eph 4:11-13).  Then every new teaching you hear will no longer sway you.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph 4:14-16)

You will be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.  You will become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The Whole Body Builds Itself  Up
From Him the whole Body builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  This means that you are not an island.  No church or individual has a corner on the Truth.  You need the other members of the Body, and we need you.  Just because the Lord has not revealed something to you or to the group you belong to, it does not mean it is not true.  If the Lord revealed everything to you, then you would possess all knowledge, and you would cease to need the other members of the Body.  No matter whether you are a teacher of the Word, who can explain the Bible well.  No matter whether you are an apostle or prophet, and the Lord has genuinely given you exceedingly great revelations, you still need the other members of the Body.  So don’t close your mind to what they say in the name of the Lord, but search the Scriptures to see if it is really so.

Scripture Meditations
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Ac 17:11)

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (Jn 16:13a)

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life." (Pro 4:23)

“I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.” (Ps 36:1-2)

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim 4:3-4)

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. (Pr 12:15)

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (He 3:15)

“The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.” (Pr 14:6)

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Pr 14:12)

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” (Is 5:20-21)

"The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." (2 Thes 2:9-12)

The Challenge
Don't be deceived by all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.  Don’t just gather around yourself teachers to say what you want to hear.  Don’t turn you’re your ears away from the Truth. Don’t assume that your way is right, just because it seems right to you, but listen to advice.  Even though the way you have been going may appear to be right, it could still lead to death.  Don’t stand up for a bad cause, and call evil good or good evil.  Don’t put darkness for light or light for darkness, and don’t be wise in your own eyes or clever in your own sight.  Make sure you are listening to the Lord’s voice, and not man’s.  Don’t harden your heart to the Lord’s voice. Don't refuse to love the Truth and so be saved.

Love the Truth and keep your mind open to what the Holy Spirit would say to you.  No matter who you are, you still need the other members of the Body of Christ.  Listen to the revelations that I have presented in these testimonies given in the name of the Lord Jesus, and search the Scriptures like a Berean to see if what they said is true.  Pray about it and ask the Lord to confirm to you if these things are true; the Holy Spirit will lead you into all Truth.  Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.

If any man wants to see the Lord, he must walk in truth, righteousness, and holiness.  That is the only standard for heaven. The Lord still loves you, but His standard is high, His mercy is only attainable in the world.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's note Also see Garments of Godliness, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Rachael Mushala Testimony of Hell, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Faith Works!, Keeping Sundays Holy, Separation from the World, The Highest Form of Slavery, and Is Tithing Required? You can access the Seeking the Lord Main Directory or 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.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy

Dear God-seekers, I want to speak to you today about keeping your body pure and holy in God's sight, because your body matters.

First, I'd like to say a few words about sex.  The Lord created sex for married couples, and I am talking about husband and wife. Fornication and adultery are sins against your own body, as well as the other person's body.

The apostle Paul wrote: "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body...Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1Co 6:13,18-20)

Paul explicitly said that immorality is a sin against your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to flee immorality (1Co 6:18). The Scriptural standard is still complete sexual purity.

The churches in Pergamum and Thyatira tolerated sexually immoral people in their midst, and the Lord had this against them (2:14, 20). For we are to avoid unholy associations with so-called brothers, who are sexually immoral (1Co 5:9-11), because there must be no immoral or godless person among those who are the disciples of Christ (Heb 12:16). No unholy person has any inheritance in God’s kingdom (Eph 5:5).  The Lord revealed to the apostle John that unholy people will inherit the lake of fire, not the kingdom of Christ (Rev 21:8), and those outside the holy city are the unholy people (Rev 22:15). 
 
However, immoral sins against your body are not limited to sexual acts committed physically between two people. Any impure or lustful thoughts or acts you commit by yourself or with anyone else are also immoral sins, according to Scripture.

Moreover, in addition to your physical acts of sexual immorality, and the thoughts and intentions of the heart, you also need to be sure that you keep your body pure and holy in terms of the attire and adornment you wear, as I explained in Garments of Godliness. Likewise, on another blog in my article, Faith Works!, I explained this in more detail, but I would like to share an excerpt from it here. 

"Paul stated when he wrote in Galatians 5: '"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.' (Gal 5:19-21)"

"To those who say that what a woman wears externally does not matter, and that jewelry, makeup, and other artificial adornments are not a problem for Christians to put on their bodies, this is what the Lord says.  He says the 'property of Jezebel' that the daughter's of God are wearing just like the world are not pure.  They are not of God.  Jezebel 'painted her eyes and adorned her head' to make herself sexually attractive, in order to deceive and seduce men, probably in the hope that Jehu would not kill her (1 King 9:30b).  That is impurity. It is also sensuality, since it lends itself to exciting sexual desires.  And can also be idolatry, since they love those things of the world that they wear, just as the men likewise love them.  They do not want to part with them.  And it also causes men to idolize women, as if they were goddesses, because of the way they are artificially adorned with worldly things.  It also leads to lust and envy, as well as carousing, and 'things like these.'  Paul clearly forewarned us that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God; they will miss heaven."


"To those who insist that the property of Jezebel is not impure, sensual, or idolatrous, I say that you are badly mistaken.  Don't you know where all those worldly things originally came from? Do the research as far back as you can go, and see for yourself. Those things were introduced into the world by satan through his angels."

The apostle Paul wrote:

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." (1 Thes 5:23-24)

"What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.' 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 6:16-18; 7:1, NIV).

"...The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit..." (1Co 7:34b)

"And do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Rom 6:13)

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Rom 12:1)

"Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience." (Col 3:5-6)

"I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God." (1 Tim 2:9-10; cf., 1 Pet 3:1-6) 

Putting it All Together
Paul explicitly taught that we must keep our bodies holy and pure, and so did Peter.  These days it is popular to eat things that are considered "pure and natural".  There's nothing wrong with that.  But we must not neglect the more important matters in the sight of God, and that includes keeping our bodies holy, pure, and natural, the way God created them.

The Lord created sex for married couples, which means fornication and adultery are sins against your own body. The Lord will cast anyone committing these sins into hell, if they do not repent.  It doesn't matter how many souls you have evangelized or how gifted you are spiritually.  It doesn't matter how much money you have given to charity or any other things you have done. You cannot earn your way into heaven by your gifts or your good works.

The Lord created us in His image, and it is sin to change the image of God, by making ourselves look unnatural or putting artificial things on our bodies.  That includes jewelry, makeup, hair attachments, unnatural hairdos, tanning cream, bleaching cream, tatoos, body piercings, dying the hair, perming or relaxing the hair, gold teeth, fake fingernails, fake eyelashes, expensive clothes, or anything that is immodest, impure, immoral, worldly, or unholy.

Without holiness, no man shall see God's face (Heb 12:14).

It's not legalism to obey God's Word.  If this is an area where you know you have not been walking in obedience to God, then please repent and amend your ways.  Change your life, so that you don't perish in hell.  The Lord Jesus still loves you!  But His standard for heaven is high, and He is not changing it for anybody.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.  The "Pure Water" image is courtesy of Wayne Consultants & Mfg. Inc.  The image of the hands under pure flowing water is courtesy of the BHR Group, copyright © 2011 BHR Group, a trading name of VirtualPiE Ltd.

Author's note Also see Garments of Godliness and Faith Works!, as well as my other articles called, Obedience by the Spirit and Baptized with the Spirit. You may also like Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Called to be Blameless, Keeping Sundays Holy, Restored Truth, The Highest Form of Slavery, and Is Tithing Required? You can access the Seeking the Lord Main Directory or 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.