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A WORD TO WOMEN ON MODESTY (Part 9) |
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Written by Kevin L. Howard
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Legalism versus freedom
I don't want to be called a legalist, but it's time to speak out. Immodesty isn't primarily a freedom issue, it's a character issue. As one scholar put it, ". . . a woman's dress is a mirror of her mind" (Guthrie, 74). Christians are not free to dress or act in a way that causes others to stumble. Even if this were a freedom issue, grace should provoke Christians to watch out for the weaker brethren. And when it comes to lust, all men in the church are weaker brethren. Men are as susceptible to lust as women are to feeling fat, ugly, and insecure.
If you're trying to look like the models in the magazines, consider what the Bible teaches. Psalm 37:1-2 says, "Do not fret because of evil men [and women] or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." Don't envy risqué women--they're going to pass away soon. Virtue and truth will last, not tight pants, low-cut shirts, or abs of steel. Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."
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Women and the Church 
= Required