We could be Christians. Answers in Genesis distributes a little quiz about modesty: I took it and failed. Most of the questions assume clothing is defined by God, that the purpose of clothing is to hide sexuality, and the focus is almost entirely on women — look at questions #9 and #10, for instance. That could have come straight from a Muslim handbook.
The Style Quiz
Take the following True/False quiz to discover what you really believe about clothing, and then compare your responses with the answer key below.
1. According to the Bible, the primary purpose of clothing is to cover the body.
2. There's nothing right or wrong about particular clothing styles. It's all just a matter of taste and personal opinion.
3. The Bible tells us what styles of clothing Christians should wear.
4. Since the Bible says God looks on the heart, what we wear and how we appear aren't that important; it's what's on the inside that counts.
5. Our clothes and appearance reveal a lot about our values, our character, and beliefs.
6. What I wear is not really anyone else's concern. I should be free to wear the kind of clothes that I like and that I feel comfortable wearing.
7. Modesty means dressing in a way that is outdated, dumpy, and unattractive.
8. If a girl doesn't wear trendy clothes that are at least a little revealing, guys won't notice her.
9. Except for guys who are "over-sexed," most men are not really affected by the way women dress. Most guys don't even notice how women dress.
10. I can't help it if guys struggle morally because of what I wear. It's up to the guys to control their minds. I shouldn't have to change the way I dress just because they can't control themselves.
11. Parents shouldn't impose their standards or beliefs about clothing on their kids. They should let them make their own decisions, even if they don't approve of what their kids are wearing.
12. Christians are free to dress as they wish, because we're not under the law, but under grace. It's legalistic for parents or youth leaders to establish guidelines or standards for the way young people dress.
13. Christian women should never wear clothes that are revealing or that look sexy (i.e., clothes designed to arouse sexual desire or interest).
14. There are some public settings where it is okay for Christian women to wear clothing that exposes their private parts (e.g., thighs, breasts).
15. A woman can be covered from head to toe and still be dressed immodestly. 16. A woman can wear modest clothing and still be an immodest woman.
17. Most girls and women do not understand the meaning, the power, or the benefits of true modesty.
Oh, you want to know the right answers? Look below the fold.
The Style Quiz Answer Key
1. True. God designed clothing to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness, which became shameful after they sinned.
2. False. Choosing clothing styles is not just a matter of personal taste and opinion. Clothing choices should be based on biblical principles (e.g., modesty, moderation, and gender distinctiveness).
3. False. The Bible doesn't spell out specifics of "right" and "wrong" clothing choices.
4. False. You can't separate what's on the inside from what's on the outside. The external is a reflection of the heart.
5. True. A woman's clothing and appearance are powerful non-verbal communicators of what she believes.
6. False. Everything we do--including the way we dress--affects others. As believers, we have an obligation to be sensitive to others and to avoid anything that could put temptation in the path of another.
7. False. We may not be able to wear all the most popular trends, but it is possible to be fashionable and modest.
8. False. It's a matter of what kind of attention you want, and from whom. The right kind of guys will be drawn to women who are modest--inside and out!
9. False. Even godly men can be easily enticed to lust by the sight of an immodest woman.
10. False. We may not be completely responsible for how guys think, but we are responsible for modest appearance so we do not tempt them to sin.
11. False. Parents are responsible to provide guidelines, instruction, and, where necessary, restraint for children who are still in their home. (This does not mean that parents should not give their children freedom to express their own tastes, when those preference do not violate biblical principles.)
12. False. Every area of a believer's life is to be lived under the authority and lordship of Jesus Christ. Grace gives us the desire and ability to please God. Parents and spiritual leaders are responsible to provide wise, biblical leadership for those under their authority.
13. False. It is absolutely appropriate for a woman to be sexy (in private settings) with her husband!
14. False. "Place" does not determine modesty. Unfortunately, when it comes to swimwear and formal wear, many Christian women do not even consider the issue of modesty, or they are content to settle for a standard that is "relatively" modest--i.e., modest compared to what "most people wear"--rather than asking, "Is this truly modest?"
15. True. A woman can be dressed from head to toe and still be immodest, if her attire is revealing, clingy, or too tight.
16. True. Modesty involves more than just our clothing. It includes our attitudes, the way we talk, and our behavior--how we walk, use our eyes, engage with others, etc.
17. True. Unfortunately, many Christian girls and women have never taken the time to discover God's will concerning biblical modesty. They do not realize the great rewards and blessings modesty will bring to them and to others.
© Revive Our Hearts. Excerpted from The Look: Does God Really Care What I Wear? by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com
- Log in to post comments