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It is self-evident that a person’s dress is an expression of the intellectual standing of that same person. In other
words: a person’s attire represents how that particular person thinks. Someone who indulges in a life of sex, drugs
and rock ‘n’ roll is evidenced by long hair, torn jeans, black t-shirts, etc. A woman whose lifestyle is one of sexual
impurity often dresses in short shorts, with tight, short cut shirts. A person who lives the lifestyle of a street gangster
will wear colored do-rags, having tattoos representative of his or her gang with large gold or platinum chains. A
businessman wears a button-up and slacks, or the occasional suit, and a sports fan wears his team’s logo. Being
able to determine who is who when in public is not a matter of splitting atoms, it is quickly understood that a person’s
dress is a manifestation of a person’s lifestyle. Anyone who seeks to deny that each person is judged by his or her
attire is simply not being honest. Further, a person dresses a particular way to purposely express his or her lifestyle.
When a person is questioned about his or her attire the response is given: “this is an expression of who I am.”
Sadly, some attire becomes fashionable. For example, in our present day, the gangster-rap look has become the
trendy look. Hence, many kids who have no concept of thuggery have began dressing with their pants sagging and
baseball caps turned sideways; sometimes in complete ignorance of the impression they are leaving in the minds of
others. The fashionable dress for women has become low-cut jeans and short-cut shirts. Because this has become
fashionable, whatever that means, people feel they have to dress in this manner to “fit-in” with the “in” crowd,
whoever they are. So, the young teenage girl who does not desire to be loose, sexually speaking, dresses the part
because “everyone else is doing it.” The young teenage boy who does not desire to be a street thug dresses the
part because “everybody dresses like that.” What they fail to realize, however, is that a person’s dress is still
understood as a representation of that person’s intellectual standing. Now, what is sad is that Christians have
bought into the “we need to fit-in” mentality and have began to dress like those who are representatives of ungodly
lifestyles. And, as if it were not bad enough that they dress this way in public, they are now posting photos of
themselves dressed in this manner on MySpace pages, etc. Some are even desirous to be participants in beauty
pageants, which does nothing more than send the message to our young people that beauty is all that is important
and to be recognized and popularized you need to just be “pretty.” The Bible says that we ought to be concerned
with inner-beauty, does it not? I would like for one person to name one passage that expresses God’s concern for a
person’s physical beauty. No, we read: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the
height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the
outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). It is even said of Jesus that there was no
“comeliness,” or beauty, about him (Isa 53:2). Is it not hard enough fighting the physical, temporal stigmas of the
social mindset in trying to get people to become more concerned and aware as pertaining to spiritual things without
Christians allowing, and often encouraging, their children’s participation in such events?
First, let it be recognized and understood by all who bear the name Christ that we are to be different from the
world, and as such we are to be examples to the world. In 1 Peter 2:9 Peter writes that Christians are a “peculiar
people.” This is often misunderstood. He is not suggesting that we are peculiar in the sense that we are different
from the usual or normal, but that we are peripoiesis, which literally means a preserved people who are the property
of another. The translators used the word peculiar to show that Christians do not belong to the world, but to God. If
Christians are God’s people, who they have become as a matter of being purchased (cf. Eph 1:14), should we not
seek to be the best representatives of Him to whom we belong as possible? Indeed. Then why do Christians want to
take that which is God’s, themselves, and dress as if they are rendered unto Caesar? Paul wrote that Christians “be
not conformed to the world, but be transformed” (Rom 12:2). The word “conform” is translated from the word
suschematizo, which means to be impressed into the pattern. The negating me, translated “not” is an expression of
what is to be avoided. That which is to be avoided is being like the world. In contrast Christians are called to be
“transformed,” metamorphoo, totally changed into something else. The change is from being like the world, to being
like Christ. The world calls wearing skimpy, revealing clothes, on men or women, fashionable, but the Bible calls it
nakedness, “make bare the legs, uncover the thigh…thy nakedness shall be uncovered” (Isa 47:2, 3). Remember,
dear Christians, the world is not the standard, God is. I would much prefer looking outdated and be pleasing to God
than to look stylish in order that I might fit-in with society. Now, as separate people it is our duty to be an example to
others.
Jesus commanded His disciples to “let your light so shine before men” (Matt 5:16). This is the concept of acting in
a godlike manner, which becomes evident to those with whom we come in contact. By “letting” our “light shine” Jesus
said, “they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When we dress like street thugs
and whores is our light shining? Are people able to see God living in us? Do you not remember the words of Paul: “I
am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20)?
It is hard to even begin to imagine the pressures of society, especially on our young people, to fit-in. However, all
must strive to overcome these pressures, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1). Let us develop an attitude of stubbornness.
Yes, stubbornness. Not stubborn in that we refuse to conform to the will of God, but stubborn in that we refuse to
conform to the world. Stubborn in that we refuse to allow our heathenistic society to influence us, hence we refuse to
let Satan win. Let us glorify the great God of heaven in every aspect of our lives—including the way we dress.
