Whosoever Looketh

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:27, 28.

Obedience to the seventh commandment requires much more than abstaining from the actual act of adultery. If we think wishfully about committing the sin, if we enjoy focusing on sights that lead us in the direction of sin, we are already committing sin. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he….” Proverbs 23:7. One who thinks with relish about sin, loves sin. In contrast, one who loves God “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:6.

Especially today, our world suffers from a drastic plague of immodesty. God’s principles of appropriate dress that does not tempt a man to commit mental adultery have become so blurred that most people no longer “see anything wrong” with clothing that is actually seductive. Professed Christian women dress and decorate themselves in a way that actively leads men into mental sin. One who actively, willingly leads another into sin is guilty of sin herself.

The only solution is to return to God’s definition of modest dress. Do not judge a piece of attire by how it compares with what others are wearing today. It may appear very tame, but how does it measure up against God’s requirements?

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9.

The Greek word here translated as apparel is katastole, and is used only once in the Bible. It means “a lowering, letting down; hence…a garment let down, dress, attire” (Thayer’s Lexicon). This word paints a picture of a long, flowing garment, something that reaches down, not something cut off short. It fits in well with the long, flowing robes worn by women of biblical times. The sight of bare legs is seductive. So is tight, formfitting clothing, such as the wildly popular spandex tops of the day. Mini sleeves, which reveal a bare arm high above the elbow, are immodest. So are necklines that do not come up close to the neck.

I encourage you to look over the following interesting article, in which Christian men share honestly what kinds of clothing they find tempting: http://www.remnantraiment.com/subpages/survey.htm

Yes, it will be hard to go to a clothing store and find clothing that is modest, if we uphold God’s standards of modesty. We may need to resort to used or home-sewn clothing. Our wardrobe will probably be limited. Definitely we will appear out of fashion. However, if God is asking us to dress modestly, none of these considerations should hold weight. The only important question is: will I obey?

 

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