Sunday, 25 December 2016

THE BIBLE AND DRESS CODE (PART 2)

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com
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THE BIBLE AND DRESS CODE (PART 2)
Indecent Dressing as a Mark of Prostitution

Devotional Text: Prov. 7:10-23

Introduction:
The heart of every true believer truly seeks to please the Lord in every aspect of his life, and this, includes his dress code. To this end, the cited believer ensures that his lifestyle and mode of dressing are always to the glory of God. According to Ben Onyeukwu (2004), the primary objective in dressing is the covering of nakedness. Other objectives as necessitated by climatic and environmental problem include; the giving of warmth to our bodies and the protecting of the skin from insect bite”. Socially speaking, Ben Onyeukwu continues, “man also should dress to look nice”, but there is no biblical support for indecent dressing which has become a common feature in both church and society of today.

GENERAL REMARKS
(1)     Indecent dressing is indeed, a mark of prostitution, (Pro. 7:10)
(2)     Indecent dressing goes with crafty intent, (vs. 10)
(3)     Indecent dressing is equally a sign of defiant spirit at work, (vs. 11)
(4)     Indecent dressing also stimulates wandering behaviour (vs. 11-12)
INDECENT DRESSING AND SPIRITUALITY
No doubt, indecent dressing does not connote spirituality. One who dresses indecently and still claims to be spiritual is, indeed in falsehood. Indecent dressing depicts sodomy, and sodomy, according to the EN English Dictionary, simply means “any of several forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural, particularly bestiality or homosexuality, but also sometimes, anal or oral sex”. In fact, one’s dress code is a window by which one’s spiritual life could be mirrored.  For, it is not often possible for one who dresses like a prostitute to be a saint inside. Indecent dressing smacks the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16), and on this note, the Scripture says
(i)                   Walk in the spirit, that you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, (vs. 10)
(ii)                 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes”…
“is not of the Father, but of the world”, (1 John 2:16)
(iii)               “And the world passes away and the lust therefore, but he that does
the will of God abides forever”, (vs. 17)
INDECENT DRESSING AND THE GLORY OF GOD
The way we eat, speak or even dress should give God glory, if we really acknowledge Him as our Master and Saviour. In this connection, the Apostle Paul says…”whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God”, (1 Cor. 10:31). In the words of Ben Onyeukwu (2004), Christian attire must be designed to give God glory. Though, he did not specify any particular fashion, but stresses that Christian should always consider what promotes the glory of God as they make their attires. And, to be blunt here, no indecent dress code gives God glory. Indecent dressing is a mindless exhibitionism, which means, “the practice or character trait of deliberately drawing attention to oneself” and, without mincing words, such a tendency can never be to the glory of God. Based on the foregoing, therefore, the believer should ensure that;:
(i)                   What he wears to church services is not in the category of what the Bible
 refers to as the attire of the harlot, (Pro. 7:10)
(ii)                 His garment for social activities (if different from what he wears to church)
 should distinguish him as a child of God and not a harlot, (vs. 10)
(iii)                The attires he wears at home do not depict him as something different
from what people know about him in church and social services, (vs. 10)
INDECENT DRESSING AND CHRISTIAN IDENTITY
                        This section of the lesson is designed to specify the character trait of the Christian, and not just the successfully socialized into what may be termed the excellent dress code of the Christian faith, but remains porous in terms of the inward beauty of the believer, (2 Tim. 3:5). On this note, the Apostle Peter, in a message to the women says, “while people behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear, let not your adorning be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel. But of the hidden man of the heart”… (1 Peter 3:2-4). Peter’s address indicates that it is possible for someone to religiously relinquish indecent dressing, plait hair in Christian manner, wear gold like Christians, as well as maintain other forms of Christian dress code, and yet, without Christian virtues. (2 Tim 3:5).  In line with this, let it be stressed that the Christian identity can only be said to have been achieved when:
(i)                   Decent dress code and inner Christian virtue replace indecent dressing and
 ungodly behavior, (1 Peter2: 2-4)
(ii)                 Indecent dressing is relinquished with a firm decision to adopt and maintain
Christian dress code and lifestyle, (vs.2-4)
(iii)                Hypocrisy in dress code is no longer prevalent in the life of the Christian, whether
 at home or abroad or in secret or open place, (vs. 2-4).
In conclusion, let it be summarized that indecent dressing has been a big  problem in both church and society of today, but the Christian is expected to live above board,  and accordingly shine as light, as a way of giving God glory, (Matt. 5:16). And, to drop indecent dressing without a consideration for Christian virtue is meaningless. PLEASE MAKE UP YOUR MIND!


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