What does the Bible say about Modesty?

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

I thought this was interesting:

How did the Israelites dress in the wilderness?

(be forewarned, this is an ex-UPC site)

Interesting. They claim Israelite women were bare-breasted sometimes. Obviously wouldn't fly in today's society, and the taboo of it is all the more a sexual delicacy.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Interesting. They claim Israelite women were bare-breasted sometimes. Obviously wouldn't fly in today's society, and the taboo of it is all the more a sexual delicacy.

This is why I wonder if modesty is primarily a cultural thing, instead of biblical.

[Scott Hutchinson]

Modesty or being modest in the greek is kosmios,which means good behaviour,well arranged being decent.So basicly being modest would mean living as a believer should.

Certainly this would include men and women not dressing seductively,or in a provactive manner.
But one could dress in a clean-cut manner and have sin in their heart and life.
Modesty goes beyond external dress.
What a man or women wears could be wrong based on their motive.

What one wears to go fishing in or go jogging in certainly would be different from what one would wear to a funeral or something,wearing modest clothing would have to do with best being dressed for the proper occasion as well as not being seductive.

One can be modest without being homely or being out of style.
Motive should be considered by men and women when determing clothing,and I might add,which department the clothing comes out of does makes a difference,certainly a man would not purchase clothing for himself out of a female deaprtment and vice versa.

[Scott Hutchinson]

Modesty is a biblical principal,and the culture we live to a degree does influence us ,for example if I resided in a different culture I might wear different apparel,but the principle of not being provactive in my dress would still apply to Christians.

The church's mission is eternal but her culture is diverse.

[Scott Hutchinson]

See a man or women dressing to entice sexual feelings would be wrong,because if a man looks at a women to lust after her he has commited adultery in his heart,same with women lusting after a man.

Modest as a principle should be taught and upheld.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

Modesty is a biblical principal

Where is modesty a biblical principle? That's what I'm trying to find out. Other than Timothy, where's it mentioned? I'm not denying that it is, I just want to know where in the Bible it is found.

[*AQuietPlace*]

I think we can take biblical principles, and apply them to how we dress, but is 'covering most skin' a principle found clearly in scripture?

[Scott Hutchinson]

Hebrews 12:14 would include the principle of modesty.
The word modest in only mentioned in 1 TIM.2:9 but the principle of good behaviour or conduct is found all over the scripture.
Conversation means lifestyle in the KJV,see 1 Peter 1:15 this would include modesty,and verses like this are all over the word.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

Hebrews 12:14 would include the principle of modesty.
The word modest in only mentioned in 1 TIM.2:9 but the principle of good behaviour or conduct is found all over the scripture.
Conversation means lifestyle in the KJV,see 1 Peter 1:15 this would include modesty,and verses like this are all over the word.

But I'm really referring to our Pentecostal definition of the word modesty - our clothing.

[Scott Hutchinson]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

I think we can take biblical principles, and apply them to how we dress, but is 'covering most skin' a principle found clearly in scripture?

I think we can take being covered enough to not dress provactively,but as far as finding a big list of dos and don'ts for clothing,you won't find one in the word.

But we find if we are led by The Holy Spirit we won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh.