CHRISTIAN MODE OF DRESSING

The contention among Christians as to what is the proper and acceptable way of dressing has generated much controversy that has become necessary that we address it in this short write up. Such controversy was rife in the days of the early apostles that it prompted Apostle Paul to pass some comment on it. And he said in 2 Tim. 2:9-10, In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with braided hair, or gold or pearl, or costly array; but as becometh women professing godliness with good works. By virtue of the foregoing instruction handed down to Timothy by Apostle Paul we know that God is interested in what a Christian wears as clothing or ornament. How then can we determine the limit of modesty?

The seemingly unavailability of a well defined parameter for measuring the limit of modesty in adornment seems to create divergent judgments in the Christian circles. Therefore it has become expedient today to address this issue from the factual, biblical, cultural, visionary and spiritual point of view. A holistic appraisal of this issue is required in other to disabuse the minds of believers from the confusing allays of judgments that bedevil them today. Every denomination have set their own yardstick for measuring and determining what to them is the limit of modesty in dressing, to which their members are enjoined to adhere to. And with this scale they judge all believers outside their fold on what they wear.

THE BEGINNING OF CLOTHING

When Adam and Eve were created they were allowed by God to walk about naked and were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25). But when they ate the forbidden fruit their eyes were opened to know their nakedness and they made for themselves a covering of fig leaves (Apron only for the waist ‘Chigorah’ in Hebrew Gen. 3:7). Yet they weren’t content with their looks in the fig leaves because when God visited them they lamented their nakedness. Then God decided to cloth them with animal skin instead; which he made into underwear that hangs from the shoulder to the knee (‘Kethoneth in Hebrew) (Gen 3:8).

THE HISTORY OF BIBLICAL CLOTHING CIVILIZATION

When civilization commenced men sought out many inventions (Eccl. 7:29) including divers kinds of clothing. In ancient time dating back to between 4000 BC to 1600 AD, civilized men and women in the then civilized world dressed on GOWNS, referred to in KJV as ROBE, (Himation in Hebrew, Jer. 13:22 and 26, 1 Sam. 2:19, Nahum 3:5, 1 Sam. 24:4-50. They dressed also in SKIRTS AND SHIRTS, Isa. 20:2-3. Others wore FLOWING GOWNS, referred to in KJV as MANTLE or CLOKE, (Addareth in Hebrew) a wide flowing garment that has a hole for the neck at the top (for the head to pass through) used as covering for the cold. Elijah, Ezra, and Paul had such. Paul used his own during winter (2 Tim. 4:13, I Kings 19:13, Ezra 9:3).

There was an undergarment won generally known as TUNIC, a sleeved or sleeveless inner garment that hangs from the shoulder to the knees or angle, fashioned after the clothing of skins that God made for Adam and his wife. Jesus was dressed in a contemporary attire in his days (John 19: 23-24) and he referred also to such underwear in Matt. 5:40. The priests wore it in addition to their peculiar breeches (drawers) and gird it with girdles before wearing the outer garment (Lev. 8:7, Job 30:18, Mark 6:9). If someone puts on only this inner garment he is said to be naked in Hebrew society (Isa. 20:1-5, John 20:7).

THE HISTORY OF TROUSERS

In should be noted that trousers as a form of dressing was not invented nor worn during the times that the scriptures were being written and compiled. The word Trousers is coined from Scottish Gaelic and the Middle Irish word, ‘Triubas’. According to history TROUSERS were first won by Eurasian horsemen such as the Iranian (Persian) Scythians along with Achaemenid Persians. In ancient China trousers were only worn by soldiers. In England in the 14th century the Rustic (country rural people) were often seen in long garments to the ankle (rather like trousers). This style vanished in the 14th century AD. Then in 15th Century men’s clothing in Hungary consisted of a shirt and trousers as underwear, and a Dolman (a long-loose flowing garment). Their trousers were simple in general but the dolman covers a greater part of the trousers.

At various times in history TROUSERS were introduced into Western Europe but it did not gain the present dominance until the 16th century AD, that is, about 500 years ago and over 1500 year after Christ. It was first designed and won as men’s clothes in Europe. Then in early 20th century (1901 AD – upward) women who work as coal loaders began to dress in trousers as work garment, because they found it a convenient work dress but it was never for fashion in those days.

Then in the 1930s two women actress namely Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich popularized the use of trouser by women by posing for pictures publicly in trousers, then the vogue began to catch on gradually but there was yet a popular resentment against it in the western societies. During the second world war in 1940s due to scarcity of clothing wives of service men were in the habit of wearing their husbands’ trousers to make up for the short fall in dresses, but this was understandably welcomed in Europe and America. However, popularizing trousers as women’s fashion habiliment was not to become a vogue until the 1960s when a designer by name Andre Coureges introduced it in fashion parades as an acceptable fashion mode for women. Although the western society showed some disgust but by then the number of women that dressed on trousers for fashion had multiplied five times. When the western society could not suppress the surging crave for trousers by women it capitulated, and from then regulations prohibiting women from wearing trousers at schools, public places and restaurants began to be relaxed.

If the state of opposition against women wearing rousers in western world persisted till 1960s one need not be surprised at the present state of uproar in Nigeria and other African societies against the use of trousers by women. Clothing is a cultural thing and the evolution of cultures entails that the society must naturally oppose any thing novel being introduced into it till such a time when through resistance and education it will grow up to comprehend the virtue that the new way of life being introduced presents.

With this short appraisal of clothing history in this write up we should all be in a position to know that trousers is a new mode of dressing generally introduced in the Western societies some 500 years ago.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL WEAR

Traditionally in primitive times African forebears dressed only in a type of CODPIECE (A covering flap or pouch or a layer of linen that covers the genital area of men, strapped around the waist with a rope), while women wore beads around their waist. It was this CODPIECE that Igbo People of Eastern Nigeria forbade women from wearing by their culture in olden days. When an Igbo man today raises issues against women who dress on trousers he is doing it with his forefather’s conscience of idols (1 Cor. 8:7). They are still prohibiting women from wearing trousers because to them it represents the same codpieces that their forefathers proscribed in the primitive eras. But their forebears held that custom mischievously because they enjoyed exposing the nakedness of women irrationally. But by fighting to retain this obnoxious tradition today they still retain the same mentality of mischief, treachery and suppression of women’s right. However, they cleverly veil their antagonism against women’s right and liberty with a citation from the scriptures (Deut.22:5), which scripture they feel that it appeals to and seems to support their natural lusts and oppressive tendencies.

SKIRTS IN MODERN HISTORY

modern times is a feminine habiliment is not out of the picture as men’s dress too; because till today men have cultural skirts they wear in Europe and in Asia and Africa. In Scotland men still wear their traditional skirt called KILT. In Nigeria’s Delta region titled men wear skirts, also in Ibo land titled men have their traditional long skirts too which they wear under a usual traditional jumper.

DECENCY IN DRESSING

To us as Christians, decency in dressing should be defined as – ‘whatever is approved of the Holy Spirit’ which also must be in consonance with decorum and good spiritual judgment. Such clothing must not expose the nakedness of the wearer. Importantly, it must not be instigated by the devils or worn with the aim of seducing the populace into lust and it must not have anything to do with idol worship and occultism .

Therefore those who oppose some decent mode of dressing simply because it doesn’t sooth their culture should know that they are not fighting for God but rather are exhibiting a known form of resistance the society nurses against any form of change to the status quo. This antagonism against change has always been there since the world began.

THE LAW ON CLOTHING

mBut those who oppose modern and modest apparels (especially trousers for women) basing their argument on the old testament law (Deut. 22:5) should note that the law (when it was applicable) never had trousers at its object of condemnation when it decreed against transvestite clothing; rather the law was referring to the kind of Gowns, Skirts, Shirts and Blouses won at the time. That trousers were originally designed for men is true but clothing evolution has extended the use of trousers to women too. Moreover, women have their distinct peculiar design of trousers and yet, there are trousers that are unisex in style like jeans. We must learn to live with these pragmatic realities of modernity in dressing for it has actually come to stay because God himself approves it.

In the Law of Moses God regulated what men should wear in the Jewish Nation by issuing judgments concerning dressing. A true Israelite must assiduously abide by these commandments about dressing. The law on clothing encompasses in its range all their attires, ranging from styles, to the type of materials to be used. The Jews weren’t granted leave to be selective in the application of these commandments as some advocate today. Because whoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point is guilty of all (James 2:10) and cursed is he that confirmeth not in all the words of the law to do them (Due. 27:26).

Many people oppose the use of trousers by women on cultural ground but disguise their contention by feigning to hide behind the dictate of the Law of Moses as written in Deut. 22:5. But their argument is easily defeated if we consider other aspects of the law concerning dressing which they craftily evade. If these protagonists of the law are sincerely pursuing after keeping the law they should also consider the following aspects of the commandment concerning clothing and observe them too.

The law says also Deut. 22:11 & Lev. 19:19 “Thou shall not wear a garment of diverse sorts, as of woolen and linen together”. With this we see that the law was also against combining two kinds of materials in one dress, but today who cares about this commandment for even the diehard teachers of the law are not circumspect to observe this injunction.

Moreover, the law says also in Num. 15:38 and Deut. 22:12 “Speak to the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes (wings in Hebrew) in their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringes (tassels) of the borders a ribbon of blue”. This injunction clearly stipulates that a Jew must wear either a gown or skirt always in other to enable him attach four tassels (Tsiytsith in Hebrew twisted thread or a festoon) at the four quarters of their garment. And a blue ribbon must be attached to the tassel also. Therefore a well dressed Jew must always have a blue ribbon and fringes on every garment he wears. Now who among us keeps to this commandment, assuming that we are even bound by the Law of Moses?

Any Israeli that dresses in any other type of clothing other than that which is stipulated in these verses are said to be dressed in a strange apparel (Zeph. 1:18). If therefore, Christians must abide by the dictates of the law concerning clothing, then all of us are clothed in strange apparels; and by that have contravened the law, because none of us dresses in conformity to the ideals of the law. That is why the bible is against the advocated of the law who “Desires to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (1 Tim. 1:7). They want to teach the aspects of the law that suit their personal judgment (likes and dislikes) and not after Christ.

WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW

But we know that by the works of the law shall no man be justified in the sight of God, for the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith (Gal. 3:11-12). Moreover, we know that what things so ever the law says it says to them who are under the law… (Rom. 3:19-20). “For Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us”. (Gal. 3:13). Believers in Christ are not to be judged by the Law of Moses because we are not under it. The scripture says in Gal. 3:23-26, “But before faith came, we (the Jews) were kept under the law, shut up into the faith which shall afterwards be revealed therefore the law was our school master to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under the school master”.

Born again Christians are not under the Law of Moses and never shall be. Neither were Gentiles ever under the Law of Moses; because the oracles were committed unto the Jews only (Rom. 3:1-2). Therefore, it is inappropriate to bring believers into the bondage of the law, seeing that they are exempt. When some teachers of the law endeavoured to force believers under the law; the Apostles and Elders held a council in Jerusalem and came up with the following declarations. “Now therefore why put a yoke upon the neck of disciples, which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear?...we have heard that certain went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying…you must keep the law: to which we gave them no commandment…it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden (Act 15:10 & 24-28)

With this understanding those who quote Deuteronomy 22:5 to condemn Christian ladies for wearing trousers are fighting against the liberty of believers to eat, drink or be clothed responsibly and modestly, because we are free from that law, being purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ and filled with the Spirit of truth. And where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). No fellow has the authority to judge believers in Christ by the law of Moses; for as many as are led of the Spirit are not under the law (Gal. 5:18, 1 Cor. 2:15).

In the New Testament God has cleansed many things heretofore condemned by the law, even as he instructed Peter through a vision in Acts 10:13-15, “And there came a voice to him, RISE PETER; KILL AND EAT. But Peter said, Not so Lord for O have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spoke again unto him the second time. What God has cleansed that call not thou common”. At this New Testament age God has set aside the ordinances contained in the law of commandment. In Coll. 2:20-23 it is written, “Wherefore, if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances. Touch not, taste not, and handle not: which all are to perish with the using; after the commandment of men. Which indeed have a show of wisdom in will-worship, and (false) humility, and neglecting of the body; and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh”.

Christians are not subject to any of these human promulgated ordinances of “Touch not, taste not, and handle not”. Let us allow the Spirit of God to guide us into all truth with the RHEMA and not the Letter (logos), for the Letter kills but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:5-7).

Through this short write up we are assaying to convince the skeptics and restore the teachers of the law to the path of grace and truth (John 1:17); yet we know that the Pharisees of our days who claim to see while they are blind shall still stick to their gun of drinking the old wine and patching old garment with the new (Mark 2:21-22). But in the end ‘WISDOM SHALL BE JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN’ (Matt. 11:19).