Eld Chew Chong Kiat

The Christian Woman’s Adornment

1Ti 2: 9-10, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

Introduction

1Ti 2: 9-10 state God’s standards for the Christian woman’s dressing and adornment. This first epistle was written by Apostle Paul to Timothy, the pastor of the church at Ephesus. One of the problems in the church was related to how the women were adorned in public worship. From our text, we can deduce that there were some women who lacked modesty, putting on unseemly clothes, which was a distraction in worship. They also flaunted their wealth through their dressing and caused envy and rivalry in the church.

The text teaches the God honouring manner in which all Christian women ought to dress and the attitude behind her modest attire.

The Christian Woman’s Apparel

The phrase in verse 9 “in like manner” takes us back to verse 8 where men’s proper attitude in worship was highlighted: “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting”. Now “in like manner”, the women should adorn themselves properly for public worship.

Paul used the words “I will” (v8) to express a command that men should pray in this manner and that women should adorn themselves properly in public worship.

Paul commanded “that women adorn themselves in modest apparel”.

The word “adorn” in Greek is where we get the word “cosmetic”. It means to “put in order, arrange, decorate or garnish”. The word “modest” is from a related Greek word and it means “well arranged, seemly and modest”. To “adorn themselves in modest apparel” will require them to prepare and be ready on the day of worship to come before God in apparel that is well arranged and modest. Her clothes should reflect a worshipful heart focused on God and His glory alone.

The Apostle Paul was very specific in his exhortation on dressing when he described the “broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array”. He was targeting very specific styles of extravagance that had corrupted worship in the church at Ephesus. There were women who came to church to flaunt their wealth by their clothing and hairdo.

The “costly array” is said by one commentator to cost up to 7,000 denarii, which is a 20-year salary if one was paid a denarius a day. And when such a one was in church, the whole focus of worship shifted to her instead of God. She also engendered envy and strife among other worshippers who could not afford such costly apparel.

“Broided hair” refers to some very elaborate way of weaving the hair which was time consuming. This called attention to those who did it. They would deck their hairdo with gold, silver, pearls, and jewellery to flaunt their wealth and status. They wore a fortune on their heads, on their fingers, ears, sandals, and even around their necks. There is nothing wrong per say with braiding the hair or wearing gold and pearls. It is the extent these women went to so as to draw attention to them. They dressed to flaunt and distract!

But the believers in the Ephesian congregation were to be a testimony of godliness to those in the world and not allow worldliness to destroy their testimony. Women worshippers in the church were supposed to be the epitome of godliness and not dress like the prostitutes or showy women who called attention to themselves, to allure men, and cause envy and strive among other women in the church. Such carnal behaviour resulted in the world being found inside the church, corrupting it; instead it should be the church being in the world but not of the world, sanctifying it.

The Christian Woman’s Attitude

Paul’s emphasis was not just on the external, but also on the heart attitude which is the source of the problem. Paul added “with shamefacedness and sobriety”, i.e. with godly fear and self-control. The woman’s apparel is to reflect what she is inside. She is to be adorned from the inside out. The correct attitude in her adornment is “shamefacedness and sobriety”.

Shamefacedness means to have a sense of shame. It is to be ashamed if one contributes in any way to someone else’s evil or lustful thoughts, or if one distracts someone in the worship of God.

A woman with a proper sense of shame will dress in such a way that she does not allure, or become the source of temptation or stumbling to anyone. She fears God and is sensitive to such sin. It grieves her if she commits such an offence. The old English word ”shamefacedness” in the King James Bible aptly describes the godly attitude of every Christian woman. Being without shame will result in shameful behaviour whereby the conscience is seared. Public display of carnal activities will become the norm which is seen in the world today. These must not happen in God's house of worship and fellowship which is one of the reasons Calvary Pandan does not allow kissing during and after a holy matrimony, especially inside the sanctuary.

“Sobriety” means “self-control, self-mastery”. It has the idea of having one’s passion and desire under total control. The world seeks to cause us to conform, to lower our standards and to dress like them. They may frown on us when we choose otherwise. They may taunt us and say that we will never be appealing if we don’t flaunt a little. The fact that there are more single ladies than single men in church may cause some ladies to resort to ungodly dressing to attract. Such carnal thinking will only attract carnal men and drive away godly men!

But the Christian woman is to exercise sobriety. She is to resist the carnal fashions of the world and the constant bombardment of the retail stores and online sites to keep buying. Admittedly, it may be harder to get decent clothes at a reasonable price and she will need self-control so as not to buckle under pressure. Let us not allow the fashions of the world to dictate our dressing. Let Christ-likeness and godly modesty dictate! A case in point is a bride-to-be who may fret to find a decent gown and finally compromises for something less than ideal.

The media is filled with people who are consumed with a pre-occupation on appearance and sadly, some Christian women are as well. Some women like to comment on what they and others are wearing. When that becomes the favourite talk, it in turn will add pressure and provoke to a greater pre-occupation on appearance instead of unto love and good works!

There are so called Christian women in high places, including wives of pastors and elders in some churches, who promote that women can be godly and sensuous at the same time. They claim to be workers and servants of the Lord but betray Him absolutely by their carnality and a consuming pre-occupation with their own appearance.

Modesty is not a subjective notion. It is an objective and biblical teaching that applies to both women and men. Tight fitting garments, skirts and dresses that are above the knees, and all forms of “fleshy” garments ought not to be found in any Christian’s wardrobe. The Christian must dress modestly all the time and not only on Sunday. On the other hand, a “couldn’t care less” attitude in dressing is not all right as well. Looking unkempt must also be avoided. In itself it is also a distraction but of a different kind. A perfect balance is found by those whose hearts are right, seeking to please the Lord.

John Chrysostom, one of the early church fathers, commented on 1Ti 2: 9-10: “And what then is modest apparel? Such as covers them completely and decently, and not with superfluous ornaments, for the one is decent and the other is not. What? Do you approach God to pray with braided hair and ornaments of gold? Are you come to a ball? To a marriage feast? To a carnival? There such costly things might have been seasonable. Here not one of them is wanted. You are come to pray, to ask pardon for your sins, to plead for your offenses, beseeching the Lord and hoping to render Him propitious to you. Away with such hypocrisy!”

A Christian woman should draw attention by her character, not her clothing. She should show by her dressing and attitude her love and devotion to God. She should show by her dressing that she has no intent to flaunt her wealth and body, but that her appearance and attitude reflect a humble heart that is obviously committed to pleasing the living God.

1Pe 3:3-4 adds, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Ladies, don’t give great thought about your hair, your clothes, your jewellery, but consider firstly your heart.

The Christian woman who adorns her heart with godliness will be properly adorned. A woman with a beautiful character, a meek and quiet spirit, will want and know how to be properly adorned when she comes to worship God.

Paul recommends the best adornment for women – good works. “But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” (1Ti 2:10) They will stand out not by their accessories and ornaments, but by their light that shines before man in the good works that she abounds in. Such are the most beautiful women in the sight of God and every godly man. Pr 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” May I add that the woman who abounds in good works shall also be praised.

May God bless the testimony of the ladies, young and elderly, in Calvary Pandan to the praise of His holy name.