INTRODUCTION: “Jesus Christ…gave Himself for us, that He might purify for Himself His own special people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:13-14. (RSV) When we really love Jesus we will be zealous to glorify Him in the way we live. This involves such practical matters as eating, dressing, giving, spending our time, relating to family members, and witnessing. These things will not save us, but if Jesus is abiding in our hearts we will be growing more and more like Him every day. This last set of lessons discusses these issues. Our topic today is on how to dress to the glory of Christ. 1. What does Jesus say about the way men look at women? Matthew 5:27-29 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: God made the home for perfect compatibility. He made the man to notice his wife, and the woman to be noticed by her husband. But when men lust, or women invite lust by the way they choose to dress, e.g., outside of marriage, it is adultery. Thus the Bible deals with men’s eyes and women’s dress. Proverbs 4:25 2. How are wives to be submissive to their husbands? 1Peter 3:1-5 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: By modesty in conduct, in conversation, and dress is how wives are to be submissive. God made men and women equal, but in the home He made the wife to be submissive to her husband’s godly affections (not the world’s). Women are not to seek the world’s attraction by wearing outward ornamentation. Submission was to help create peace and happiness for wives, but in sin men have often exploited their wives rather than loving them and encouraging them to reach their potential. Ephesians 5:22, 25-28 3. How should Christian women dress, and what should they not wear? 1Timothy 2:9 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: This test sets forth perfect guidelines for dress: modest, appropriate, and moderate dress; but not extreme hairdos, gold, pearls, or costly array. Deuteronomy 22:5 4. When the Lord judges His people, what fault does he find with the “daughters of Zion?” Isaiah 3:13, 16, 18-24 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: A majority of the items mentioned were part of and created because of idol worship and gross paganism and were a part of the false religions that surrounded Israel. This is still true in many heathen nations today. The clothes were a symbol of rank and privilege and related directly to the individual’s false sense of pride and self-exaltation and that is definitely true today everywhere. 2Kings 9:30 5. Today, since 1844, we are living in the “hour of God’s judgment.” When coming down to judge ancient Israel, what did God tell them to do with the ornaments that they had adopted from the surrounding countries? Exodus 33:5-6 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: All of those ornaments were based entirely in paganism and the mere possession of them, let alone wearing them or using them in pagan practice, as in the worship of the golden calf, was an offense to God. All of it had to go in order for the people to be forgiven and purified of their sin before the Lord. 1Peter 2:9 6. What did Jacob bury before meeting with God? Genesis 35:1-4 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: As mentioned previously, the earrings were part of the worship of the foreign gods that were in their hands. When one went, so did the other in order to be pure to meet God. Hosea 2:13 7. What trait of character was at the root of Lucifer’s downfall? Ezekiel 28:13, 15-16 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: Pride, self-centeredness, no doubt because of his extreme outward beauty being adorned with every type of precious jewel in its purest form encouraged him to exalt himself above all else, including God. God is training us for heaven and knows that we are subject to the same temptation as Satan in terms of pride and self exaltation. Therefore, He forbids us to wear jewelry of any kind, lest we fall prey to the same fate. Proverbs 31:30 8. In what kind of dress does God picture the woman that represents Satan’s kingdom? Revelation 17:4-5 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ Revelation 18:5-7, 16 9. What kind of garment is to clothe God’s people? Revelation 19:8 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: Our outer garments of simplicity and modesty should reveal that we are wearing the inner garment of Christ’s character. The “fine linen” garment of Revelation, which all the saved must wear, is “the righteousness of Christ”, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him.) Matthew 22:11-13; Isaiah 61:10 10. Who gives us this garment of Christ’s righteousness? Zechariah 3:2-5 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ Revelation 3:18 11. What symbolic clothing represents our characters apart from Christ? Isaiah 64:6 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 12. In what condition should our real clothing be when we meet with the Lord? Exodus 19:10 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ Ephesians 5:26; 1 Corinthians 6:11 13. What will eventually become of this world’s vain adornment? 1John 2:15-17 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ James 4:4 14. How can we glorify God in our bodies? Romans 12:1-2 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ John 17:15 God uses clothing to represent our characters; and in reality, the outer covering often reveals what is inside. God calls for every Christian to be renewed, both within and without. He wants us to dress tastefully and becomingly, in a manner that will attract attention to Jesus instead of to ourselves. External adornments that encourage pride God forbids - His perfect character is the only adornment the true Christian needs. And that adornment will be far more attractive to the regenerate heart than external glitter! Is it your desire to reflect Jesus’ character in your manner of dress? MY RESPONSE TO CHRIST IS: □ YES □ UNDECIDED Email us at: admin@thebiblesays.net