HOW TO BE MODEST AS A CHRISTIAN WOMAN

Modesty can be viewed as a controversial topic within the Christian community especially as we live in a mainstream feminist age, and as there is not a set of ground rules of how we should dress, yet people have a lot to say about how women should modestly dress.

Is modesty old-fashioned?

Is modesty merely about how we should dress?

Is there a set of ground rules that we should follow in order to be modest?

In this blog post, I will share 4 points the Bible teaches about modesty and how we as Christian women can learn from it and apply it.

Let’s begin!

1. Your Body Belongs To God

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 teaches us that your body does not belong to you but in fact, your body was bought at a price. How? This is through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross for your sins, it was to save you from perishing in eternal damnation so, that you can spend eternity in heaven with Him. It meant that your flesh died on the cross with Him (Galatians 5:24).

Our bodies/flesh resemble our sinful nature. Dying to your flesh means not falling into the temptation to sin and not following the desires of your flesh. But instead, to be led by the Holy Spirit and to do the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2).

Biblical modesty means you recognise that your body is supposed to be treated with respect and honour because Jesus paid the price on the cross for your body to be redeemed from being a slave to sin, so it can be a slave to righteousness (Romans 6:22).

Your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit resides. When you sin against your body, such as through sexual immorality, you are dishonouring the holy dwelling place where the Holy Spirit lives (1 Corinthians 6:18-19). The Holy Spirit is called “Holy” for a reason. He is separate from sin. Therefore, your body should be treated like a sanctuary; holy and righteous.

2. Beauty Comes From Within

1 Peter 3:3-4 teaches us that the true beauty of a godly woman comes from her inner beauty, not from her outward appearance. Peter did not forbid women from wearing hairstyles, jewellery or apparel but he emphasised that these things should be done in moderation (1 Timothy 2:9-10).

Real beauty, however, does not come from your reflection in the mirror, but rather from the hidden person of the heart. A woman who carries herself with a gentle and quiet spirit is a modest woman. She does not depend on her outward appearance which will decay with age, but she depends on the incorruptible beauty of having Christlike characteristic traits, which gets better with age (Galatians 6:22-23).

A gentle and quiet spirit does not imply weakness or speaking at a low volume. Peter implied that a godly wife expresses self-restraint which is Christlike strength in meekness or gentleness towards her husband, and she speaks and behaves in a peaceful and well-ordered manner.

So, modesty is not just about your clothing or how you present yourself exteriorly, it is also about your character and how that is perceived. It is a matter of your heart, how you dress determines the motive and intent of your heart (Proverbs 7:10). Ultimately, biblical modesty helps you to sets your standards right accordingly to what is worthy and precious to God, not the world.

You do not need to keep up with the standard and trends of beauty from the world, your glory should be placed in Jesus Christ not yourself (Romans 12:1-2).

3. God Looks At Your Heart

1 Samuel 16:7 teaches us that our natural inclination is to judge people based on their outward appearance, however, God judges people based on their heart posture. Now, although this verse in context is not about modesty, there is much to learn from this verse that implies how we view people in contrast to God.

In this verse, God exposed the way humans think. We clearly do not think the way He does (Isaiah 55:8-9), but here God was exhorting Samuel to have godly thinking. We all should. When looking at someone, we are only concerned with how they look which determines how we perceive them. But such things which God is not concerned with. God is concerned with the matter of our heart because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). However, the former should not be neglected we can learn from it.

If humans pay attention to how we look because it determines how we perceive them, then we should be careful of how we present ourselves. How does your outward appearance or the way you carry yourself determine what people perceive?

Now back to the latter. Whatever you focus on dictates your actions. Treasure is what you value above all else and which motivates your actions. You are to set your heart and mind on things above; godly things (Colossians 3:1-2). Your priority should be what God prioritises and values.

Therefore, biblical modesty values pleasing the heart of God, than pleasing others and conforming to the culture of the world. Having biblical modesty means that you understand that God is concerned with the intention of the way you present yourself through character and appearance. You want to make sure that the way you dress and present yourself reflects that God sits on the throne of your heart.

4. Have The Fear Of The Lord

Proverbs 31:30 teaches us that having the fear of the Lord is unfading beauty. To God, having deep respect and honour for Him is praiseworthy and it is beautiful in His sight. The fear of the Lord has a strong connection to wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In order to begin to have wisdom; which is a quality of a virtuous woman, you must fear God.

When you fear the Lord you submit your life to God, you walk in His ways, serve Him and love Him. You understand that God hates sin and therefore, you too hate sin (Proverbs 8:13). You will therefore live a life of righteousness out of your reverence, awe (Hebrews 12:28-29) and love of God to keep His commandments (John 14:15).

A biblical modest woman, when it comes to character, she is one of the best dressed. She is dressed with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25) and the way she speaks, wisdom and faithfulness in on her tongue (Proverbs 31:26). She lives her life for the Lord and everyone else can see it.

What have you learnt today about being a modest woman? Leave a comment below!

I hope you can take away some practical teachings that can help you become a biblical modest woman.

Stay blessed,

Divine L.