I ran into a conversation where I realized that I took a view on a passage with a lot of implications in my life with very little research. It is one of those passages about women that always get people worked up. If these passages make you worry, it could be the Holy Spirit convicting you of something. Maybe Jesus does want you to spend less time on your appearance or put less importance on your outward image. I know I have reexamined how much I care about my appearance against how much I care about a quiet Spirit and being like Christ.
In the first century women spent hours on their hair to parade their hair around. Read this quote:
Talk about high maintenance! During the late first century, the Flavian style of Julia, daughter of Titus fashioned the court with curls arranged on crescent-shaped wire frames. The back hair was divided into sections, braided, then curled. Sometimes the hair was coiled without braiding (see Roman…, 2002).
Now, if you know me, I wear no make up, very little jewelry and almost refuse to buy anything at full price. That being said, I am semi-informed of current trends and enjoy new items in my wardrobe. Now, does 1 Timothy 2:9 talk about something spiritual or physical? Weigh the following passages in as well:
…in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works (1 Timothy 2:9-10).
Do not let your adornment be that outward adorning of arranging the hair, of wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:3-4).
I see physical and spiritual implications whenever the epistles talk about how a woman should adorn herself. We see that Paul finds our beauty should be focused on the hidden person inside and adorned in good works. And not in the physical things he list like braided hair or expensive gems. This seems like a command,”not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing.” Seems straight forward. And yet it doesn’t. No Christian I know thinks long before wearing gold or braiding their hair. Is the church overlooking something huge? Are we all practicing disobedience without second thought?
Not sure. Maybe we should worry more as Christian women about how much the Bible determines to wear and how much culture determines what we wear. We need to find a balance and we need to remember the Bible is above culture. We need to remember that maybe shorts to our finger tips might just be toeing the line and not inside the lines of modesty. Maybe it is inside. It’s so hard to tell. How can I judge what is modest? I have had a few times the Spirit has convicted me to change. It might be okay for the rest of the world to wear leggings as pants, I can’t. I change. I can often walk out my door feeling confidently covered with no rebuttal from the Spirit in me and still find that it caused problems. For some men nothing is modest enough. In some parts Africa you shouldn’t show leg, but breast are fine. It’s the opposite here. God cares about what is modest, not what is fashionable. Is it time to rethink our wardrobes, haircuts and accessories? Most likely not, but you should answer that question and pray about it.
Do I, do you, care more about our gold and hairstyles or more about kosmioi. Kosmioi is the word for modesty in the Bible. It means to be appropriate and respectable. It comes from the word Kosmos, meaning the universe (1). A universe has order and self control. It’s a word that means not getting attention through being flashy or showing flesh. Are we being flashy ladies? I don’t know. I don’t know how you can know. I just know if you pursue Christ your desires will align with his and that includes how you dress. Think of the most Godly woman you know and ask her what her standards are. Ask the question, are they different from me? Why? But do not worry, you will hear plenty of speeches on modesty. I doubt you will encounter one on carrying a $100 purse while there are members of your church living in poverty. Plenty of rants on lust to scare you into modesty. We all agree on modesty (even if we don’t agree on what is modest) we never talk about if it’s okay to wear pricey clothes and follow the latest trends. For a man maybe this would be driving a flashy car or putting in to many hours at the gym. It’s wanting the wrong type of attention. Modesty is cultural. I can’t see how I can remove the Corinth culture from this. In some places topless swimming is nothing to blink at and in some places a one suit is a scandal. I don’t think Paul gave us a Universal dress code. I can show my knees and have no conviction. Sorry Asia.
Paul wants our hearts, motives and obedience, not just our gold ladies. You will likely never see me wear a million dollar silver necklace and claim it’s okay because it isn’t gold. I don’t think anyone who wears something like that is very concerned with good deeds and an upright character being their beauty. I think they want to glorify themselves.
My conclusion is that I am not sinning when I braid my hair or put on gold. It is sinning when I steal attention from the Lord with my appearance. I will adorn myself with Christ and I will not concern myself with outward beauty and I will not neglect myself. He is the most beautiful thing a girl can have. I will not be a Corinth woman. I will not turn worship time into “Look at my nails” time. I will not MERELY be pretty on the outside. Abraham gave Rebekah jewelry. Oh well. It’s something you should look into yourself. You don’t have to agree with me. It isn’t a salvation thing. It is a maturity thing.
I think the biggest thing I learned from college is a quote Dr. Ramsey said. “A mature Christian doesn’t ask what is permissible. He asks what is beneficial.” Are we clothing ourselves permissively or beneficially?
Alright, ladies. Here are some devotion starting questions.
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Am I A Corinthian Woman?
Is my beauty primarily external?
Do I adorn myself in a quiet spirit and with good deeds?
For what purposes do I choose to look as I look?
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(1) http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1210
(2) http://qideas.org/articles/modesty-i-dont-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means/
On This Side. 