Meh. I didn't realize a short, very uninformative blog made this lady the expert voice on the issue and more authoritative than many great men who say the opposite.
Personally, I think she is full of baloney. It is stupid to think that how you dress cannot be a clear stumbling block that causes a person to lust where they normally wouldn't. This is just another article by some lib'd up feminist wannbe who thinks women should be able to dress however they want and bear no responsibility for what effect it may have on men. "Oh they shouldn't lust. They just need to pray more and control themselves".
Or maybe you should dress more modestly instead of tramping it up or painting on the skin tight apparrel.
The comments below her blog are primarily men!! LOL
Men who most likely haven't dealt with their responsibility to know the difference between healthy sexual attraction and lust!!
Of course, women have a responsibility to dress modestly! However, that is hard to define without ending up trying to make folks holy by decree, instead of maturity!!
Both have very serious responsibility!!! Men that cannot stay off of porn sites, will not be able to avoid lusting, no matter what the ladies wear!!!
__________________ For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11- NASB)
No, a woman is not directly responsible for a man's lust, but she is responsible to God for her own licentious behavior. God will hold the man responsible for not keeping his thoughts and actions in subjection and He will also hold the woman responsible for her immodesty. Ergo, while one may not be culpable for the sins of another, they are still responsible for their own sins, and immodesty is ungodly.
In our teen class, we recently talked about the works of the flesh, and I found this definition of "lascivious" to be interesting:
las·civ·i·ous
adjective
1.inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd: a lascivious, girl-chasing old man.
2.arousing sexual desire: lascivious photographs.
3.indicating sexual interest or expressive of lust or lewdness: a lascivious gesture.
This definition has lasciviousness working from any direction; it can be lusting, and it can be inciting lust. It can be indicating or expressing lust, or having an inclination toward lascivious behavior.
The linked article is a trite, cursory commentary on the issue of modesty, and fairly unimpressive.
While I don't think we are directly responsible for the sins of other people, it would also be shortsighted (not to mention unbiblical) to think we lack the ability to cause our brothers to stumble. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the actions of another person--even when wrong--don't excuse our own sins. Ergo, a woman dressing immodestly does not excuse the sinful thoughts of a man, but God won't excuse her either.
There is no myth about modesty. God expects women to be modest in their dress.
"In like manner also, that women adorn[put in proper order, decorate, garnish, trim] themselves in modest[orderly, decorous, of good behavior, well arranged, seemly, modest] apparel[costume, apparel, a lowering/letting down, a garment let down, dress, attire], with shamefacedness [(through the idea of downcast eyes) bashfulness (toward men), modesty or awe (towards God), reverence, regard for others, respect] and sobriety [soundness of mind, sanity or self-control], not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
This passage addresses outward--appearance, actions and words. A godly woman wears modest dress, is sober, has self-control, is orderly, bashful toward men, has regard for others, and does good works--among other things.
__________________
"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
Last edited by MissBrattified; 12-04-2012 at 07:56 AM.
Well, she kind of took the responsibility off of the woman and put it on men. And don't think for a minute that women that dress immodestly do it for themselves. They do it attract men and/or attention. But, we can look attractive without being immodest. Sadly immodesty has become so common it has seeped into the Christian/Apostolic culture.
__________________
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
No, a woman is not directly responsible for a man's lust, but she is responsible to God for her own licentious behavior. God will hold the man responsible for not keeping his thoughts and actions in subjection and He will also hold the woman responsible for her immodesty. Ergo, while one may not be culpable for the sins of another, they are still responsible for their own sins, and immodesty is ungodly.
In our teen class, we recently talked about the works of the flesh, and I found this definition of "lascivious" to be interesting:
las·civ·i·ous
adjective
1.inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd: a lascivious, girl-chasing old man.
2.arousing sexual desire: lascivious photographs.
3.indicating sexual interest or expressive of lust or lewdness: a lascivious gesture.
This definition has lasciviousness working from any direction; it can be lusting, and it can be inciting lust. It can be indicating or expressing lust, or having an inclination toward lascivious behavior.
The linked article is a trite, cursory commentary on the issue of modesty, and fairly unimpressive.
While I don't think we are directly responsible for the sins of other people, it would also be shortsighted (not to mention unbiblical) to think we lack the ability to cause our brothers to stumble. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the actions of another person--even when wrong--don't excuse our own sins. Ergo, a woman dressing immodestly does not excuse the sinful thoughts of a man, but God won't excuse her either.
There is no myth about modesty. God expects women to be modest in their dress.
"In like manner also, that women adorn[put in proper order, decorate, garnish, trim] themselves in modest[orderly, decorous, of good behavior, well arranged, seemly, modest] apparel[costume, apparel, a lowering/letting down, a garment let down, dress, attire], with shamefacedness [(through the idea of downcast eyes) bashfulness (toward men), modesty or awe (towards God), reverence, regard for others, respect] and sobriety [soundness of mind, sanity or self-control], not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
This passage addresses outward--appearance, actions and words. A godly woman wears modest dress, is sober, has self-control, is orderly, bashful toward men, has regard for others, and does good works--among other things.
__________________
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
"9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." (1 Cor 8:9-13)
If the Apostle Paul felt so moved to modify his behavior due to the struggles of a "weak brother", why don't we? Are we responsible for the sin of another? No. Should we bear the infirmities of the weak? Yes (Ro 15:1; Gal 6:2).
The author stated two things: "I would absolutely encourage men and women to dress in a socially acceptable manner", and "Live in the culture God put you in". Until the last quarter of the 20th century, even Western "culture" was considered modest in regards to its "socially acceptable manner" of its clothing. Now, I don't think it's a stretch to say that western culture is considered quite risque compared to most other cultures in the world.
Cultures change. Fads and styles come and go. Shouldn't our behavior- even down to the way we dress- be an expression of a biblical paradigm, not a socially-accepted one? Since when have the morals of the Bible and of our society ever aligned? Not very often.
BTW, I'm not UPCI. And although I'm a man, I have been convicted by the Holy Ghost concerning what I wear, and have made adjustments accordingly after I prayed about it and sought what I felt was God's perfect will on the matter. Shouldn't we all?
At the end of the day, Christians do not have the luxury of walking thru this world unattached to those around us. We are called to win the lost to Christ, and within the body to be connected to the, part of the body. You cannot be part of the body and not be concerned with the other parts.
I must consider the effect my actions have on those around me. When I fail ( and boy have I failed), the impact is not to me alone. So it is with how we dress and behave.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!