Godly Conduct

1
Godly Conduct Modesty in Dress

• 1 Timothy 28-10

2
Considering the Alternatives...

• Some view immodesty as totally subjective or
  determined by the styles of the day
• But Bible condemns immodesty as sinful
• Is some level of undress immodest?
• If not, anything is proper
• If some level of undress is immodest by
  biblical standards, violation of limit is sin
• If sinful, principles to determine limit arise
  either from revelation or innate knowledge
• Can we know what constitutes this sin?

3
1 Timothy 28-10
I desire therefore that the men pray in every
place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and
disputing. In like manner, that women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness
and sobriety not with braided hair, and gold or
costly raiment but (which becometh women
professing godliness) through good works.
4
1 Peter 31-6
1In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to
your own husbands that, even if any obey not the
word, they may without the word be gained by the
behavior of their wives 2beholding your chaste
behavior coupled with fear. 3Whose adorning let
it not be the outward adorning of braiding the
hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of
putting on apparel 4but let it be the hidden man
of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a
meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of
God of great price. 5For after this manner
aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God,
adorned themselves, being in subjection to their
own husbands 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling
him lord whose children ye now are, if ye do
well, and are not put in fear by any terror.
5
N.T. Words Involved In Study

• 1 Timothy 28-10
• Holy
• Modest
• Shamefastness
• Sobriety
• Godliness

• 1 Peter 31-6
• Chaste
• Fear
• Meek
• Quiet
• Holy

6
Cumulative Effect of Words

• If word modest used by itself, could be open to
  various interpretations
• If two or three words used in isolation, may
  still be difficult to make application
• However, when all of the words are used in
  conjunction with the historical context and
  biblical principles, a clear pattern for
  application exists
• That pattern differs from modern practice

7
Old TestamentPrinciples Definitions
8
Do We Consider O.T. Principles?

• Yes, 1 Peter 3 tells Christians to consider
  after this manner aforetime in clothing
• May show chaste behavior coupled with fear
• May show characteristics of harlot (Prov. 710)
• Example of Sarah predates the Law
• Learn from things written aforetime about
  definitions basic concepts (Rom. 154)
• Some order set from the beginning (see use of
  Gen. 2 by Jesus in Matt. 19)

9
Set In Order From The Beginning

• Nakedness not shameful before sin (Gen. 225)
• When shame recognized in sin, man sought to cover
  nakedness (37)
• First clothing attempted was insufficient to
  cover nakedness (310)
• Gods covering clothed them (321)
• Note this must be seen as setting original order
  just as so with marriage

10
Aprons - Mans 1st Attempt

• Hebrew hagora - girdle, belt, loincloth
• Greek (LXX) peridzoma - a compound of around
  plus life
• A covering for loins (Jer. 131-4)
• Below hips and above waist uncovered
• Equivalent of modern shorts or miniskirt
• Completely naked before apron still called
  naked by inspired record after apron

11
Coats or Tunics

• Hebrew kuttonet - a tunic generally with
  sleeves, coming down to knees, rarely to the
  ankles (Gesenius, 420 Harris, I459 BDB, 509)
• Greek (LXX) chiton - garment covering shoulders
  to knees, sometimes longer (Gen. 373)
• Original ISBE (Dress) says chiton resembled
  the Roman tunic, corresponding most nearly to our
  long shirt, reaching below the knee always, and,
  in case it was designed for dress occasions,
  reaching almost to the ground (I.S.B.E.,
  II877). Later says chiton of peasantry was
  shorter like modern kamis or Syrian fellah which
  is to the knee.

12
Fred H. Wight Manners and Customs of Bible
Lands, 91 The tunic (inappropriately translated
coat) was a shirt which was worn next to the
skin. It was made of leather, hair-cloth, wool,
linen, or in modern times, usually of cotton.
The simplest form of it was without sleeves and
reached to the knees or sometimes to the ankles.
The well-to-do wore it with sleeves and extending
to the ankles. Women as well as men wore it see
Cant. 53, A.R.V., although there was no doubt a
difference in style and pattern in what was worn
by the two.
13
What Is Defined As Nakedness In Old Testament
Record ?
14
Words Used for Nakedness

• Hebrew erya--"nakedness" (Harris, I695)
• May refer to absolute or relative nakedness
• Greek gumnos
• "Unclad, without clothing" (Thayer, Greek-English
  Lexicon, 122) "unclothed" (Kittel, Theological
  Dictionary of the New Testament, 1773) "naked"
  (Liddell and Scott, Greek-English Lexicon, 170).
• "Ill-clad" or "clad in the undergarment only"
  (Thayer, 122) "badly clothed" or "not fully
  clothed" (Kittel, 1773-74) "in common
  language...lightly clad" (Liddell and Scott,
  170).
• Examine passages showing each sense

15
Strict Sense of Nakedness

• Gen. 225 Both naked, the man and his wife
• Gen. 37 They knew that they were naked
• Gen. 921-23 Ham saw fathers nakedness
• Job 121 Naked... out of my mother's womb
• Mk. 1451-52 Having linen cloth cast over naked
• Lk. 827, 35 ...wore no clothes...

16
Naked Not Fully Clothed

• 2 Sam. 614 David in a linen ephod (also v. 20)
• Matt. 2536 ...naked, and ye clothed me
• Jn. 217 Peter naked without outer garment
• Acts 1916 They fled out of that house naked
• Acts 2223 Cried out, and cast off their
  clothes
• Jas. 215 "If a brother or sister be naked...."

17
Nakedness With Moral Shame

• Nakedness as a moral shame found from Genesis
  (37) through Revelation ( 317 1615 1716)
• Gen. 310 Adam with apron hid because naked
• Ex. 2026 No steps on altars that thy nakedness
  be not discovered thereon
• Ex. 2842 linen breeches to cover their
  nakedness from the loins even unto the thighs
  they shall reach
• Isa. 472-3 uncover the thigh thy nakedness
  shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be
  seen.
• Isa.204 buttocks uncovered to the shame
• Ezek. 167-8 naked and bare with breasts shown

18
Summing Up The Bibles Definition Of Nakedness

• Exposing any of the following rendered one
  naked in Bible terms
• loins
• buttocks
• breasts
• thighs
• When God clothed Adam Eve, all were covered
• These principles predated law covenant
• Which can we leave uncovered be godly?

19
Nakedness Thigh

• Hebrew yarek
• Used to denote that fully covered by priestly
  breeches (significance of minad construction)
• Same word used to signify loins as source of
  reproduction (Gen. 4626 Exod. 15 etc.)
• If yarek is euphemistic reference to generative
  parts, does this not suggest thigh is private
  part?
• Could this euphemism be used if there was no
  problem seen with exposing the thigh?
• Can we be sure exposing the thigh is pure?

20
Principle Regarding Influence

• 1Thess. 521f prove all things
• Col. 317 do all in the name of the Lord
• 1 Cor. 1031 do all to the glory of God
• 1 Pet. 211-15 work to glorify God
• Lk. 171-2 not to be a stumblingblock
• 1 Cor. 1032 no offense, but profit
• 1 Pet. 315-17 live beyond reproach
• Matt. 513-16 let your light so shine that
  men...
• Eph. 511 have no fellowship with the
  unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even
  reprove them

21
What Can We Prove Right?

• Topless attire of some native tribes and other
  cultures worn without shame?
• Young men going shirtless in mixed company
• Modern swimwear which uncovers entire leg to hip
  and much of top and back?
• Plunging neckline which accentuates top?
• Tight-fitting garments which outline human form
  rather than concealing it?
• Miniskirts and shorts which leave almost all of
  the thighs exposed?
• If one or more are proper, why are not all?

22
Other Applications of Godliness

• Dress which is modest in amount covered, but
  failing to show respect (casual)
• Speech which fails to show priority focus on
  spiritual things
• Attitude in worship which fails to show proper
  reverence
• Participation in entertainment that is coarse or
  suggestive
• Dating activity that tends towards immorality