Modesty — Prescribed by God

 

Whenever I start with any topic, especially ones that are not so clearly laid out, I also check to make sure that it is something that God cares about through His Word.  Modesty is no different.

Modesty is used a decent amount of times in the ESV translation (and others), yet it’s when you really dig deep into the Word that you see it throughout the entire Bible.  From Genesis to Revelation, I am almost positive that I could find some sort of mention in each of the sixty-six books.  That’s because modesty is so much more than just how we dress, and it is most definitely prescribed by God.  That also means that it applies to women of all ages, not just the teenagers or 20-somethings as most of our society is concerned with today.

Modesty? Pshaw!

Before I go any further, I want to tell you a little bit about my journey, so that you understand where I’m coming from.  Since this topic is such a hot-button issue, I want you to know that I come to it from an angle of love and understanding and not critical judgment.  Not that many years ago, I would have laughed in your face if you started to talk to me about modesty and then I would have promptly ignored you.

And now I’m writing a whole series on it, so let me tell you my tale…

[mis]Adventures in Rendering Lard

On our path to be more natural and healthy, we purchased a half pig and quarter cow from a local farmer.  We got the pig already, but we are still waiting on the cow.  The animals that we got are raised on a healthy diet, with no hormones or antibiotics, and our cow is mostly grass-fed.  That means that the fat of the animals are nutrient full, and we didn’t want the free fat to go to waste, so I decided to render lard.

Modesty: A Heart Issue

I felt like God has been putting modesty on my heart lately, not just for myself (that’s been an ongoing process for the last several years) but to write about.  Turn on the TV and you can see the different views of modest held by Christians.  There is a show where parents to children are concerned about modesty and run on the very conservative side.  Then there is a Christian TV actress has been quoted multiple times about wanting to show modesty and share her testimony, while being on a dancing show definitely not known for modesty.  My questions are these:

He is Risen!

He is risen indeed!  For Christians, we cannot have the crucifixion be the end of the story.  And it’s not!  Our Lord rose on the third day, appeared to many, told us to share the gospel, and then ascended into heaven.  He is alive!  And He will be back on Earth again someday!  Amen!!!

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Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”  So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.  Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples went back to their homes. (John 20:1-10)

Good Friday – The Crucifixion

Instead of doing a homemaking post, I have decided to post scripture from when Jesus was delivered to the crowd until before he is resurrected.  I have tried to put together Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into a cohesive story as best I can.

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Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”  (John 19:11)

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.  (Matthew 27:27-31)

Pilate: Choosing Inaction

This week is a glorious week for Christians for we celebrate everything that our lives revolve around.

Our crucified and risen Lord!

Our propitiation for our sins!

The new covenant!

For me, since I grew up in the church, I have heard about the saving of our sins since I was little.  I have heard the story told many times.  I have participated in choir programs that have told the story and worshiped our Lord.  But it never gets old.