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If I hear the word "modesty" one more time...

Winter is finally over and that means flowers, sunshine, warm weather, the beach, sports, and Christian magazines printing articles about modesty. I was thinking about this last week when I saw two fifteen-year-old church girls, one with yoga pants that outlined her panties and the other with shorts that resembled jean underwear with pockets, and I thought "I don't think those articles with rules about modesty make a difference."

Here's why. 

The church today seems to be more interested in the outcome than the principle. We would rather deal with the repercussions than to nip them in the bud. We live in a society that is existential and self-seeking and we are raising young people that are believing the lie of post-modernism. Everyone should be able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, because they want to. There is little thought for others in our society (especially those who cannot benefit me) and that thought has not merely "dripped" into the church but rather come in with the force of a garden hose; our grandparents dealt with standing in the puddle it made; we are swimming in it, not treading for our lives, but swimming.

Here's how this plays into modesty. Jesus expressly tells us "but if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." (Matt. 18:6) What cause's you to sin? (Remember, sin is a violation of God's law in word, deed, emotion, or thought.) Maybe every time you get together with certain friends they complain about their parents and you join in, slandering the authority God put over you and so slandering God too. Maybe your sister asked you to lie about her staying out with her boyfriend all night. Maybe that boy at church plays head games with you, leading you on and steeling bits of your heart that belong to your husband. Do you appreciate it? Do you like sinning? If you said "yes" to those two questions you need to repent now and ask Jesus to forgive you and help you not to enjoy sin anymore. If you answered "no" listen up. 

Jesus doesn't appreciate it either. Here is the key to why you, your friends, your sisters, and your mom dress modestly and why your father must require it of you. Jesus requires it. Done deal. He says you are not to lead others into sin because they are the people He was born for, He lived on earth for, and He died for. And every time you encourage another person to sin you are saying "what I personally desire is more important than the death of the Son of God." That applies to watching movies that take God's Name in vain, that applies to doing whatever you want on Sunday, that applies to killing someone, and that applies to the way you dress.

I am not going to tell you how to dress because modesty is not the issue. Loving Jesus more is. More than yourself, your popularity, the feeling you get when guys stare at you, the attention you crave. Loving Jesus more is the issue.

We are given the concept of modesty because we want the least amount of sin in the world as possible. If you don't care about sin you do or you are causing others to do you won't care about modesty. It's true that you can't control the thoughts guys will have. But when you stand before God on judgement day will you be able to say with full confidence that you did not encourage your brother in Christ (or any other man) to sin by the way you dressed and acted? Because you are required to answer for YOU not for the guy next door. 

Parents, when you stand before God on judgement day will you be able to say "I shielded my son's eyes and mind from evil and I taught my daughter to respect herself, others, and You so that she would not lead others into temptation." Or is your daughter a visible harlot, to be used as eye candy for men who have no self-control and your son exposed to physical and verbal porn from your TV and radio? 

What kind of answers will this generation of the church have for the One who chose us, loved us, and died for us? Will we continue to with our self-lust and enjoy what we want rather than love and desire what God wants? Perhaps we should stop swimming and start a bucket brigade...before we all drown. 



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