Now that we have finished shivering through our last really cold weather (hopefully!), we have the privilege of looking forward to warmer weather coming soon. This warmer weather seems to cause a problem to many Christians in regard to modesty. It is definitely not too early in the year to think about this problem.
For some reason, when the heat begins to go up, the clothes seem to come off, or at least get tighter and smaller. Someone might say, "I know my clothes are a little immodest, but this is the style." It must be stated that society and style do not decide what is acceptable and modest and what is not. God does! Scriptural modesty simply stated is not to wear clothes that emphasize sexual aspects of the body and thus cause evil thoughts.
The world in which we live gives proof that man is affected by the way the opposite sex dresses (or undresses). Notice the advertising industry. The biggest tool in the advertising industry is sex. Why? Because this sells a product. The problem is: what a person is advertising by the wearing of immodest clothing is not what a Christian should be "selling." In the world we live, however, many are not content with God's way of doing things. Many young people feel they must dress immodestly to attract a boyfriend or girlfriend. Many older people dress immodestly just because it is the style. Many dress designers have admitted that the purpose of the design of clothing today is not to be in style, but to attract the opposite sex. Mary Quaint (The Mother of the mini-skirt) has stated, "mini-clothes are symbolic of those girls who do not want to wait until dark to seduce a man into bed." This should be appalling to a Christian. Obviously when a man or woman dresses immodestly to attract a member of the opposite sex, that attraction comes because all see their personality, characteer, and intelligence, right! Of course this is not right, and no relationship can be built on such a fleshly attraction. The attraction is necessary to the relationship, but not the basis.
No Christian man or woman wants their mate to be lusted after by others. In a survey taken among High School students 96% said that fashion uses sex appeal. The same percentage said if they were married they would not want men or women to lust after their spouse. 77% said that if they dressed like most today that members of the opposite sex would be tempted to lust.
Does this mean that no woman or man can be in fashion without wearing immodest clothing? NO! Our whole attitude toward fashion should be, "Is my clothing pleasing in God's eyes?" In Solomon's day clothing identified the harlot (Prov 7:10). Paul states that the Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), not a sexual instrument. Does your clothing identify you as a child of God, or as a friend of the world?