Emman Aighalua
13 July 2008
Many people, due to their blatant disregard for God and His word, have turned God's laws upside down. This is in keeping with the character of the devil. (Isaiah 29:16) In addition to propounding and propagating various beliefs and practices that are hostile to the Christian faith, they now regard as acceptable behaviour the gross sin of encouraging women to expose their bodies even in Church services - a practice that should not be tolerated even outside the place of worship.
Adam and Eve who were naked in the Garden of Eden sought leaves to immediately cover themselves when they became conscious of that fact-after they ate the forbidden fruit at the instance of the devil. Thereafter, God made clothes of animal skins for them, showing that the ultimate plan was for man to be clothed. (Genesis 3:7,10-11,21). Since then being properly dressed has come to be associated with enlightenment and nudity with primitivism. Let us look again at the trajectory: Originally man was naked. He disobeyed God, felt embarrassed by his nakedness and God clothed him with skins. Having being clothed, man now wants to go back to nakedness. Is that progress?
Some say it is the heart that matters, not what one wears, forgetting that actions are expressions of the things in the heart and as Christ said "these (evil thoughts suppressed or shown in actions) defile the man." (Matthew 12:35-37; 15:15-20). The Bible says when men disregard the laws of God they descend to the level of beasts. (Psalm 49:12,20) This is all so evident in the female preference for wears that expose as much of their bodies as possible, which they call "body-baring".
It is the devil who has insinuated into men the thinking that such repulsive wears that expose the body are permitted in Christianity. The Bible is against nakedness and speaks of the "attire of an harlot" as distinguished from that of rational human beings who are naturally ashamed to be naked.
St. Paul under the inspiration of God declared: "I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hairstyles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses, but with good deeds, as is proper for women who claim to be religious."(I Timothy 2:9-10 [Good News Bible]) (See also I Peter 3:1-6).
In the Christian era the law on morals is more stringent than in the time of old. For example merely looking at a woman lustfully is a sin whereas in time of old, it was only the act itself. Jesus Christ warned "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28) Why then should women dress in a way that excites men to lust after them thereby making them to sin? The danger of lust according to James the Apostle is that it breeds sin which will eventually lead to death unless one repents by the grace of God. (James 1:13-16). We therefore admonish women in the words of St. Paul that no one should "put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way". (Romans 14:13)
From the above it is evident that the law of God forbids nudity or dresses that excite sexual lust in men and women. Christians are peculiar people; they should not be carried away by the fashion of this world which are usually by people who do not know God. (1 John 2.15-17; Titus 2:11-15; Romans 15:4; etc.) All should do things in the fear of God so as to please Him and be blessed by Him by His grace. St. Paul says: "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God". (I Corinthians 10:31).
Brother Aighalua is the president of GKS, Warri.
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