PRACTICAL
IMPLICATIONS OF MODESTY
I
Timothy 2:9-10; I
Peter 3:1-4
In our immodest era, we as a culture have
lost touch with the concept of modesty. Modesty is, nevertheless, a very
important principle of life. This lesson will deal with modesty primarily as it
relates to sexuality and with an emphasis on its relationship to women. Several
of the thoughts were suggested by Wendy Shalit, author of A Return to Modesty.
Cultural Observations (Acts 17:28)
1. No
less a Feminist leader than Simone de Beauvoir acknowledged that if a society
trivializes modesty, violence against women will result.
2. Our
culture, however, expects women to be casual and matter-of-fact about sex.
3. The
spirit of the age says, “If you want to be modest, be modest. If you want to be
promiscuous, be promiscuous. That’s the wonderful thing about this society, you
can do whatever you want to do.”
4. However,
if people opt for adultery and promiscuity, the whole of society will be very
negatively affected.
5. Would
we accept an “If you want to save lives, save lives. If you want to kill
people, kill people” kind of philosophy?
6. We
have come a long way from a young lady relying on a father’s protection in the
1948 song Baby
It’s Cold Outside to parents renting motel rooms for their children
on prom night in 2001.
Four Myths And Their Biblical Counterpoints
1. Modesty
is a Victorian invention that is no longer acceptable.
a. Rebekah
was not a Victorian (Gen. 24:64-65).
b. When
we cover external features we are actually saying something from the heart that
serves to distinguish our behavior from that of mere animals.
c. Modesty
with regard to the more sexually suggestive areas of the body is as old as the
Garden of Eden (compare Gen. 3:7 with 3:21).
d. I
Timothy 2:9 demonstrates the need for women to be adorned in modest clothing
and to stay within the limits of proper feminine discreteness.
2. Modesty
is synonymous with being a prude.
a. A
prude is one involved in an extreme or hyper display of modesty.
b. There
is nothing wrong with a woman or a man being regarding as attractive (Gen.
12:11; 24:16; 29:17; cf. Song of Solomon).
c. Actually
both promiscuous and prudish behavior prevent people from experiencing proper
biblical spirituality.
d. Promiscuous
and immodest activity reduce sex to a mere biological response to hormones.
e. Prudish,
hyper-modest attitudes never allow our God-given sexuality to be realistically
expressed .
3. Modesty
isn’t natural.
a. Modesty
is actually to be cultivated as a natural, God-given aspect of how our
conscience works (Jer. 6:15a; Eph. 5:11-12).
b. Sexual
intimacy releases the hormone oxytocin, the bonding hormone, that God has given
women, also secreted when they nurse. Modesty protects women from casual sex
and the emotional and psychological feelings of bonding that could easily be
produced. Women generally have a more difficult time in not ascribing
unrealistic, long-term feelings to casual sexual encounters.
c. Modesty
gives women a power they can properly use to encourage proper sexual attention
while discouraging the improper kind.
4. Modesty
is solely a concern for women.
a. Modesty
helps even ungodly men behave as gentlemen (I Pet. 3:1-2).
b. But
when women do not behave as ladies, they need not be surprised when men don’t act like gentlemen (Prov. 7:6-23).
c. Men
must respect a woman’s modesty if it is to be effective. Men must also refrain
from improper dress and actions, even though their sins in the area of modesty
do not usually create as many problems as do the sins of the ladies (I Tim.
5:2b).
Modesty is
always in vogue. Even many secular women today are choosing modesty because
they have discovered that immodesty does not get them what they want. Good
husbands are not won through immodesty, neither is either respect from others
or self-respect. We cannot be truly happy imitating animals. We were not made
that way (Gen. 5:1-2). Modesty is a precious gift from God.
Edwin
4/22/01
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