Presentation gives the Biblical rationale for dressing modestly.

1. Biblical Basis
for Modesty
Love Your Brother

2. Special thanks are owed to Jeff Pollard and to
the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer for their
powerful insights into Western culture that
give glory to God. Some of their perspectives
have been integrated into this teaching tool.
Compiled & written by Cecilia Leighton 2014

3. How Do You Define Modesty?
In Scripture and the dictionary, modesty refers both to character and to
clothing. God calls men and women to be modest.
How Does God Define Modesty?
This presentation is devoted to finding the answer to that question as it
pertains to clothing in the words of Scripture, God’s infallible revelation of
His will for us.
Modesty is a Scriptural mandate that involves the necessary covering of our
bodies.
The covering of our flesh and of our natural character have become
necessary since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden (the Fall). Thus, modesty
is a part of God’s plan of redemption.
Our physical covering is linked symbolically with our spiritual covering in
Christ Jesus.

4. Is Modesty Important to God?
The concept and importance of modesty is woven into many texts in the Old
and New Testaments beginning in the third chapter of Genesis.
Let’s read Genesis 2: 25-3: 11 NASV
“25...the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat
from it or touch it, lest you die.’”
4 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die!
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her
husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

5. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the
man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 And he said, “I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I
hid myself.”
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I
commanded you not to eat?”
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve realized after they ate the
fruit? Gen. 3:7
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve did after they ate the fruit?
Gen. 3:7
Are we ashamed of our nakedness because our bodies are “sinful” in
themselves? No. Our bodies are not “sinful.” Our fallen hearts are sinful.
Notice that before Adam and Eve sinned, they were naked and not ashamed
(Gen. 2: 25). Since sin has entered the world, the exposure of nakedness is
shameful, except when we are by ourselves and in marriage, as we read in
I Corinthians 7: 4.

6. Let’s read Genesis 3: 12-21 NASV
12 And the man said, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I
ate.”
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The
serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 And the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all
cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the
days of your life;
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall
bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain and childbirth; in pain you shall bring
forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from
the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground
because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you
were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.
21 And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

7. God cursed the s_____ and the g______ (not man), and foretold the cosmic
battle that would ensue between the serpent’s (the devil’s) seed and the
woman’s seed.
The woman’s seed would bring forth the Victor Jesus Christ, who would
eventually crush the serpent’s head, dealing a fatal blow. Satan would
bruise Christ on the heel (the cross), dealing a non-fatal blow.
God showed great mercy towards Adam and Eve and all mankind before He
dealt with their sin. He promised to save them from the curse of their sin
(eternal death) through our Messiah born of the seed of the woman.
Why did God send Adam and Eve from the garden and curse the ground?
Gen. 3: 17, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have
eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, “You shall
not eat from it…” They disobeyed God’s command, and sinned against God
their (our) Maker.
What did the Lord do next, immediately after pronouncing His judgments?

9. Gen. 3: 21, “The LORD God made garments (coats) of skin for Adam and his
wife, and clothed them.” (God used animal skin to clothe them. The first death
in the world was of the animal sacrificed for Adam and Eve’s sin, to cover their
sins symbolically and their bodies literally. This “lamb of God” was our first
introduction to Christ Jesus, the eternal Lamb of God, slain for our sins.)
Why did God clothe them with animal
skins instead of fig leaves?
God did not accept man’s standard of
modesty, covering just his private parts.
God covered their bodies according to His
standards. He also gave them their first
picture of Christ the Messiah who would
cover all their sins with His perfect blood.
What is God’s purpose for clothing?
God’s purpose is to cover our bodies so that we do not sin with our eyes, and
to protect us from the environment.

10. Let’s read Gen. 9: 18-27
18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the
father of Canaan.
19 These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was populated.
20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
21 And he drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers
outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked
backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that
they did not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
25 So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.”
What does Scripture say that Ham did?
Why did Noah curse Ham?
Why did Noah bless Shem and Japheth?

11. God’s Protective Commands Concerning Modesty in
Leviticus 18: 6-17
6 “None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.
7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to
uncover her nakedness.
8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
9 The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born
outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover.
10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their
nakedness is yours.
11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her
nakedness.
12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s blood relative.
13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s blood relative.
14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt.
15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her
daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness (wickedness).

12. Why does God command modesty, even among
relatives?
Think about it.

13. How Does God View Our Bodies?
“I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,”
sang the psalmist in Psalm 139: 14.
I Corinthians 6: 15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members
of Christ?”
I Corinthians 6: 19, 20, “Or do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and you are not your own?
For you have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your
body.”
What price did God pay for your body, soul, and spirit?
If you do not recognize that your body belongs to
God, then how will you treat your body?

14. Both Peter and Paul address modesty as it pertains to apparel (the physical) and to character
(the spiritual).
In I Peter 5: 5, Peter says, “... clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God
is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
In I Timothy 2: 9, 10, Paul writes, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper
clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly
garments, but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to
godliness.”
Paul is not forbidding women to wear gold (Rebeccah did), or to braid hair. Paul is telling us
that we should not use clothing and hair to show off our external appearance or our wealth (by
wearing very expensive clothing). We are to attract attention to ourselves with good works that
point to our loving God.
Peter and Paul link clothing and character; both are to reflect godliness, humility, and
discretion. Your clothing reflects your character.
How beautifully a humble attitude points us to Jesus Christ and His gentle love for us. If we are
humble, we will not boast, show off, tease others, or tempt others.

15. Detail of “Tres Riches Heures,” painted for the Duc de Berry, by the
Limbourg brothers in 1400s
The World’s Standards for
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint,
what are the purposes of
clothing?
Today, some designers admit
that their designs reflect
rebellion and uncover as much
flesh as the law allows! They
have deliberately undermined
Biblical standards of modesty,
which influenced the West for
centuries after Christ came into
the world.
The painting shows how God’s
Word influenced dress in the
1400s. People covered up, but,
often, the rich showed off their
money by dressing lavishly.
The World’s Standards for Women’s
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.

16. “The fashion industry caters to pride, the
lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes…”
says Pollard. Pride and lust are sin.
What does the LORD Jesus Christ say about
people who cause other people to sin?
Read Matthew 18: 6-10
Queen Victoria, in the 1800s, influenced
England in holding strongly to Biblical
standards of dress.
A Victorian bathing suit, around 1850, worn
only on the beach.

17. How did we get from Victorian bathing dress, which covered all body
parts except the neck, hands and feet, to the bikini of today?
Several things occurred in the late 1800s that eroded Biblical influence on the
West. The late Dr. Francis Schaeffer explains these phenomena in his prophetic
documentary, “How Should We Then Live?” made in the early 1970s.
1. Charles Darwin (1800s) proposed a theory (evolution) that has been discredited
by significant 20th century scientific discoveries.* However, Darwin is still being
taught because Darwin’s theory discredits the Bible. Until Darwin, the Bible was
the only comprehensive explanation for how we arrived on planet earth: God
made the universe. Darwin presented an unprovable alternative explanation for
the creation of the world. Thus, either in ignorance or rebellion, people
embrace Darwin’s theory and feel the freedom to disregard the Bible.
2. Without the Bible, there is, literally, no absolute truth. Man is no longer
considered as made in the image of God. Now, man is just another animal. Each
man can do and dress as he/she pleases. This rebellion has corrupted Western
culture, including the fashion industry.

18. *The theory of evolution is dependent upon the
concept of an earth that is billions of years old.
Certain geologists and the fossil record have proven
that the earth is only thousands of years old. The
Bible is right about the age of the earth.
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1,
19, etc.)

19. There were other subtle bridges from modesty to
immodesty. One such bridge was... the bathing
machine.

20. What is a bathing
machine?

21. Beaches were segregated by gender in the US until early 1900s. Both men and women used
bathing machines to change into bathing apparel at the beach.

22. The Bible says there are unseen evil beings called devils,
bent on destroying God’s creation (Gen. 3:1ff, Eph. 6:16,
2 Cor. 2:11, and numerous other references). The devil is
subtle and deceptive, as he was first described in
Genesis 3.
I speculate that Satan may have put into some entrepreneur’s
mind the idea of marketing a “bathing machine!” Bathing
machines were a lucrative business from the mid 1700s to the
early 1900s in Europe and the US. Possibly, the evil one
introduced the foolish idea that bathing machines would allow
people to retain their modesty if they changed from their
modest street clothing into revealing bathing outfits in the
privacy of a bathing machine. However…

23. ...the ideas that bathing machines and segregated beaches could preserve
modesty were foolish because these ideas did not take into account sinful human
nature. No laws or bathing machines could keep men and women from flocking to
beaches and mingling in their daring new immodest outfits.
Because the segregation
laws were not enforced,
ladies and gentlemen
became comfortable
wearing little in front of
each other. The fashion
industry has taken full
advantage of this new shift
in culture, as Pollard has
noted.
Men enjoyed women’s
immodesty as much as
women enjoyed men’s
attention.

24. In the Bible, does the LORD say that nakedness, or near
nakedness, anywhere in front of anyone (male or female)
except one’s spouse, is OK? Go back to Leviticus 18 for the
answer.
God clothed Adam and Eve in “coats” of fur that
covered their bodies, not just their private parts as
their fig leaves had done. From other passages of
Scripture we may discern the areas of flesh that God
wants us to cover.
As Pollard stated in his book, I also wish to make clear, I am not
advocating returning to Biblical clothing; just covering what the
LORD wants us to cover.

25. Scriptural Standards for Modest Clothing
In Exodus 28, God told the priests to cover their heads, their arms, legs, and
private parts under tunics, from neck to ankle. The Lord even specified the
material, linen, so that they would not sweat (Ezekiel 44:17,18; Ex. 28:42, Lev.
16:4). Peter tells us that now we believers are all priests, in I Peter 2: 5, 9!
Jesus Christ wore inner and outer garments that extended from his neck to
His feet, dressing something like the rabbis (Luke 20:46), for he taught
regularly in synagogues and such clothing was required of teachers
(Edersheim, 622, 624). The rabbis never grumbled about Jesus' clothing!
In Rev. 6:11, God clothes the saints in white robes. Robes are long and flowing.
In Isaiah 47: 2,3, the LORD defines “nakedness” as exposed legs.
In I Timothy 2: 9, “proper clothing” is discreet and it covers the body, not just
private parts.
Throughout Scripture, angels are always clothed, often in white, never naked.

26. Some Effects of Immodest Dress
How do most men respond when they see women/girls in clothing that reveals undergarments,
bare shoulders, almost any bare flesh, or emphasizes the woman’s form even if no flesh is
revealed? They often struggle with sin, not just with temptation.
Does God care about our thoughts? Read Matthew 5: 28, “ but I say to you, that everyone who
looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
If a person struggles privately with sinful thoughts upon seeing a girl in revealing clothing, is that
just “his/her problem?”
Read Mark 9: 42; I Corinthians 8: 13, “...if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never
eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.”
This is the law of profound brotherly love. Dressing modestly is a love issue.
Are those people unusual who have private, sinful thoughts upon seeing another person in
revealing clothing?
What message does revealing clothing send to others? Revealing clothing says, “Look at ME!” It
says that the wearer is interested in attracting physical attention, which could bring unwanted
attention from ungodly, even dangerous people. For women, flaunting their figures is also driven
by pride.

27. I Corinthinans 13: 4-6, 8: “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is
not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth….
Love never fails.”
L
O
V
E
Matthew 19:19 says,
“You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”
photo copyright cecilia leighton 2014

28. Love does not tease.
Love does not laugh at your brother or
sister.
Love does not tempt.

29. Is there a difference between looking physically attractive and
looking seductive?
God made all beauty and it is good. But, inner beauty pleases God.
I Peter 3: 3, 4 states, “…and let not your adornment be merely
external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting
on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
imperishable quality of a GENTLE and QUIET spirit which is
precious in the sight of God.
For in this way in former times, the holy women also, who hoped
in God, used to adorn themselves, being SUBMISSIVE (obedient)
to their own husbands.”
Physical Beauty, Inner Beauty, Marriage, God Made Them
All

30. What could happen in a marriage when either the husband or the wife does not care
about God’s holy law and our Savior’s saving grace?
Are there any circumstances when it is pleasing to God for men or women to be naked? Yes! In
marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all…”
I Corinthians 7:4 says, “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband
does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife
does.”
In marriage, we may be naked and not ashamed. Marriage and children are wonderful blessings
from God. Read Mark 10: 6-9
What kind of spouse do you want to attract and marry someday? If you are a Christian, God
commands you to marry a Christian. There is no way around it.
2 Corinthians 6: 14, 15 say, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership
have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what
harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”

31. In Thee, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed.
Psalm 71:1
HOPE! FORGIVENESS! NEW LIFE!--ALL are found in the
LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Remember, no matter what we have done, there is no sin that the Almighty God who created
this universe cannot forgive if we turn in faith and repentance to the LORD Jesus Christ.
His perfect blood paid the price for every sin that every repentant sinner has ever committed
or ever will commit-- forever!
In Jesus Christ, there is hope for a new beginning, no matter how old you are, or how young.
There is no sin, no bondage, no addiction that is too tough for the Almighty God to overcome.
He has the power to change your life. Give it to Him.

32. Beloved, may God bless you mightily as you
apply His precious truths to your heart.

33. Scripture texts are from the New International Version, the New American Standard Version,
and the English Standard Version.
Pollard, Jeff. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America. San Antonio, Texas,
The Vision Forum, 2002, 65.
Edersheim, Alfred. Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. New York, New York, Longmans,
Green, and Co., 1904, 622. 624.
Schaeffer, Francis, A. How Should We Then Live? Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1983
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1, 19, etc.)

34. Biblical Basis
for Modesty
Love Your Brother

35. Special thanks are owed to Jeff Pollard and to
the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer for their
powerful insights into Western culture that
give glory to God. Some of their perspectives
have been integrated into this teaching tool.
Compiled & written by Cecilia Leighton 2014

36. How Do You Define Modesty?
In Scripture and the dictionary, modesty refers both to character and to
clothing. God calls men and women to be modest.
How Does God Define Modesty?
This presentation is devoted to finding the answer to that question as it
pertains to clothing in the words of Scripture, God’s infallible revelation of
His will for us.
Modesty is a Scriptural mandate that involves the necessary covering of our
bodies.
The covering of our flesh and of our natural character have become
necessary since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden (the Fall). Thus, modesty
is a part of God’s plan of redemption.
Our physical covering is linked symbolically with our spiritual covering in
Christ Jesus.

37. Is Modesty Important to God?
The concept and importance of modesty is woven into many texts in the Old
and New Testaments beginning in the third chapter of Genesis.
Let’s read Genesis 2: 25-3: 11 NASV
“25...the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat
from it or touch it, lest you die.’”
4 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die!
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her
husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

38. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the
man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 And he said, “I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I
hid myself.”
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I
commanded you not to eat?”
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve realized after they ate the
fruit? Gen. 3:7
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve did after they ate the fruit?
Gen. 3:7
Are we ashamed of our nakedness because our bodies are “sinful” in
themselves? No. Our bodies are not “sinful.” Our fallen hearts are sinful.
Notice that before Adam and Eve sinned, they were naked and not ashamed
(Gen. 2: 25). Since sin has entered the world, the exposure of nakedness is
shameful, except when we are by ourselves and in marriage, as we read in
I Corinthians 7: 4.

39. Let’s read Genesis 3: 12-21 NASV
12 And the man said, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I
ate.”
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The
serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 And the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all
cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the
days of your life;
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall
bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain and childbirth; in pain you shall bring
forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from
the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground
because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you
were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.
21 And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

40. God cursed the s_____ and the g______ (not man), and foretold the cosmic
battle that would ensue between the serpent’s (the devil’s) seed and the
woman’s seed.
The woman’s seed would bring forth the Victor Jesus Christ, who would
eventually crush the serpent’s head, dealing a fatal blow. Satan would
bruise Christ on the heel (the cross), dealing a non-fatal blow.
God showed great mercy towards Adam and Eve and all mankind before He
dealt with their sin. He promised to save them from the curse of their sin
(eternal death) through our Messiah born of the seed of the woman.
Why did God send Adam and Eve from the garden and curse the ground?
Gen. 3: 17, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have
eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, “You shall
not eat from it…” They disobeyed God’s command, and sinned against God
their (our) Maker.
What did the Lord do next, immediately after pronouncing His judgments?

42. Gen. 3: 21, “The LORD God made garments (coats) of skin for Adam and his
wife, and clothed them.” (God used animal skin to clothe them. The first death
in the world was of the animal sacrificed for Adam and Eve’s sin, to cover their
sins symbolically and their bodies literally. This “lamb of God” was our first
introduction to Christ Jesus, the eternal Lamb of God, slain for our sins.)
Why did God clothe them with animal
skins instead of fig leaves?
God did not accept man’s standard of
modesty, covering just his private parts.
God covered their bodies according to His
standards. He also gave them their first
picture of Christ the Messiah who would
cover all their sins with His perfect blood.
What is God’s purpose for clothing?
God’s purpose is to cover our bodies so that we do not sin with our eyes, and
to protect us from the environment.

43. Let’s read Gen. 9: 18-27
18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the
father of Canaan.
19 These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was populated.
20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
21 And he drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers
outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked
backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that
they did not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
25 So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.”
What does Scripture say that Ham did?
Why did Noah curse Ham?
Why did Noah bless Shem and Japheth?

44. God’s Protective Commands Concerning Modesty in
Leviticus 18: 6-17
6 “None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.
7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to
uncover her nakedness.
8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
9 The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born
outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover.
10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their
nakedness is yours.
11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her
nakedness.
12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s blood relative.
13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s blood relative.
14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt.
15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her
daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness (wickedness).

45. Why does God command modesty, even among
relatives?
Think about it.

46. How Does God View Our Bodies?
“I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,”
sang the psalmist in Psalm 139: 14.
I Corinthians 6: 15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members
of Christ?”
I Corinthians 6: 19, 20, “Or do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and you are not your own?
For you have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your
body.”
What price did God pay for your body, soul, and spirit?
If you do not recognize that your body belongs to
God, then how will you treat your body?

47. Both Peter and Paul address modesty as it pertains to apparel (the physical) and to character
(the spiritual).
In I Peter 5: 5, Peter says, “... clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God
is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
In I Timothy 2: 9, 10, Paul writes, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper
clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly
garments, but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to
godliness.”
Paul is not forbidding women to wear gold (Rebeccah did), or to braid hair. Paul is telling us
that we should not use clothing and hair to show off our external appearance or our wealth (by
wearing very expensive clothing). We are to attract attention to ourselves with good works that
point to our loving God.
Peter and Paul link clothing and character; both are to reflect godliness, humility, and
discretion. Your clothing reflects your character.
How beautifully a humble attitude points us to Jesus Christ and His gentle love for us. If we are
humble, we will not boast, show off, tease others, or tempt others.

48. Detail of “Tres Riches Heures,” painted for the Duc de Berry, by the
Limbourg brothers in 1400s
The World’s Standards for
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint,
what are the purposes of
clothing?
Today, some designers admit
that their designs reflect
rebellion and uncover as much
flesh as the law allows! They
have deliberately undermined
Biblical standards of modesty,
which influenced the West for
centuries after Christ came into
the world.
The painting shows how God’s
Word influenced dress in the
1400s. People covered up, but,
often, the rich showed off their
money by dressing lavishly.
The World’s Standards for Women’s
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.

49. “The fashion industry caters to pride, the
lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes…”
says Pollard. Pride and lust are sin.
What does the LORD Jesus Christ say about
people who cause other people to sin?
Read Matthew 18: 6-10
Queen Victoria, in the 1800s, influenced
England in holding strongly to Biblical
standards of dress.
A Victorian bathing suit, around 1850, worn
only on the beach.

50. How did we get from Victorian bathing dress, which covered all body
parts except the neck, hands and feet, to the bikini of today?
Several things occurred in the late 1800s that eroded Biblical influence on the
West. The late Dr. Francis Schaeffer explains these phenomena in his prophetic
documentary, “How Should We Then Live?” made in the early 1970s.
1. Charles Darwin (1800s) proposed a theory (evolution) that has been discredited
by significant 20th century scientific discoveries.* However, Darwin is still being
taught because Darwin’s theory discredits the Bible. Until Darwin, the Bible was
the only comprehensive explanation for how we arrived on planet earth: God
made the universe. Darwin presented an unprovable alternative explanation for
the creation of the world. Thus, either in ignorance or rebellion, people
embrace Darwin’s theory and feel the freedom to disregard the Bible.
2. Without the Bible, there is, literally, no absolute truth. Man is no longer
considered as made in the image of God. Now, man is just another animal. Each
man can do and dress as he/she pleases. This rebellion has corrupted Western
culture, including the fashion industry.

51. *The theory of evolution is dependent upon the
concept of an earth that is billions of years old.
Certain geologists and the fossil record have proven
that the earth is only thousands of years old. The
Bible is right about the age of the earth.
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1,
19, etc.)

52. There were other subtle bridges from modesty to
immodesty. One such bridge was... the bathing
machine.

53. What is a bathing
machine?

54. Beaches were segregated by gender in the US until early 1900s. Both men and women used
bathing machines to change into bathing apparel at the beach.

55. The Bible says there are unseen evil beings called devils,
bent on destroying God’s creation (Gen. 3:1ff, Eph. 6:16,
2 Cor. 2:11, and numerous other references). The devil is
subtle and deceptive, as he was first described in
Genesis 3.
I speculate that Satan may have put into some entrepreneur’s
mind the idea of marketing a “bathing machine!” Bathing
machines were a lucrative business from the mid 1700s to the
early 1900s in Europe and the US. Possibly, the evil one
introduced the foolish idea that bathing machines would allow
people to retain their modesty if they changed from their
modest street clothing into revealing bathing outfits in the
privacy of a bathing machine. However…

56. ...the ideas that bathing machines and segregated beaches could preserve
modesty were foolish because these ideas did not take into account sinful human
nature. No laws or bathing machines could keep men and women from flocking to
beaches and mingling in their daring new immodest outfits.
Because the segregation
laws were not enforced,
ladies and gentlemen
became comfortable
wearing little in front of
each other. The fashion
industry has taken full
advantage of this new shift
in culture, as Pollard has
noted.
Men enjoyed women’s
immodesty as much as
women enjoyed men’s
attention.

57. In the Bible, does the LORD say that nakedness, or near
nakedness, anywhere in front of anyone (male or female)
except one’s spouse, is OK? Go back to Leviticus 18 for the
answer.
God clothed Adam and Eve in “coats” of fur that
covered their bodies, not just their private parts as
their fig leaves had done. From other passages of
Scripture we may discern the areas of flesh that God
wants us to cover.
As Pollard stated in his book, I also wish to make clear, I am not
advocating returning to Biblical clothing; just covering what the
LORD wants us to cover.

58. Scriptural Standards for Modest Clothing
In Exodus 28, God told the priests to cover their heads, their arms, legs, and
private parts under tunics, from neck to ankle. The Lord even specified the
material, linen, so that they would not sweat (Ezekiel 44:17,18; Ex. 28:42, Lev.
16:4). Peter tells us that now we believers are all priests, in I Peter 2: 5, 9!
Jesus Christ wore inner and outer garments that extended from his neck to
His feet, dressing something like the rabbis (Luke 20:46), for he taught
regularly in synagogues and such clothing was required of teachers
(Edersheim, 622, 624). The rabbis never grumbled about Jesus' clothing!
In Rev. 6:11, God clothes the saints in white robes. Robes are long and flowing.
In Isaiah 47: 2,3, the LORD defines “nakedness” as exposed legs.
In I Timothy 2: 9, “proper clothing” is discreet and it covers the body, not just
private parts.
Throughout Scripture, angels are always clothed, often in white, never naked.

59. Some Effects of Immodest Dress
How do most men respond when they see women/girls in clothing that reveals undergarments,
bare shoulders, almost any bare flesh, or emphasizes the woman’s form even if no flesh is
revealed? They often struggle with sin, not just with temptation.
Does God care about our thoughts? Read Matthew 5: 28, “ but I say to you, that everyone who
looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
If a person struggles privately with sinful thoughts upon seeing a girl in revealing clothing, is that
just “his/her problem?”
Read Mark 9: 42; I Corinthians 8: 13, “...if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never
eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.”
This is the law of profound brotherly love. Dressing modestly is a love issue.
Are those people unusual who have private, sinful thoughts upon seeing another person in
revealing clothing?
What message does revealing clothing send to others? Revealing clothing says, “Look at ME!” It
says that the wearer is interested in attracting physical attention, which could bring unwanted
attention from ungodly, even dangerous people. For women, flaunting their figures is also driven
by pride.

60. I Corinthinans 13: 4-6, 8: “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is
not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth….
Love never fails.”
L
O
V
E
Matthew 19:19 says,
“You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”
photo copyright cecilia leighton 2014

61. Love does not tease.
Love does not laugh at your brother or
sister.
Love does not tempt.

62. Is there a difference between looking physically attractive and
looking seductive?
God made all beauty and it is good. But, inner beauty pleases God.
I Peter 3: 3, 4 states, “…and let not your adornment be merely
external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting
on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
imperishable quality of a GENTLE and QUIET spirit which is
precious in the sight of God.
For in this way in former times, the holy women also, who hoped
in God, used to adorn themselves, being SUBMISSIVE (obedient)
to their own husbands.”
Physical Beauty, Inner Beauty, Marriage, God Made Them
All

63. What could happen in a marriage when either the husband or the wife does not care
about God’s holy law and our Savior’s saving grace?
Are there any circumstances when it is pleasing to God for men or women to be naked? Yes! In
marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all…”
I Corinthians 7:4 says, “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband
does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife
does.”
In marriage, we may be naked and not ashamed. Marriage and children are wonderful blessings
from God. Read Mark 10: 6-9
What kind of spouse do you want to attract and marry someday? If you are a Christian, God
commands you to marry a Christian. There is no way around it.
2 Corinthians 6: 14, 15 say, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership
have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what
harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”

64. In Thee, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed.
Psalm 71:1
HOPE! FORGIVENESS! NEW LIFE!--ALL are found in the
LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Remember, no matter what we have done, there is no sin that the Almighty God who created
this universe cannot forgive if we turn in faith and repentance to the LORD Jesus Christ.
His perfect blood paid the price for every sin that every repentant sinner has ever committed
or ever will commit-- forever!
In Jesus Christ, there is hope for a new beginning, no matter how old you are, or how young.
There is no sin, no bondage, no addiction that is too tough for the Almighty God to overcome.
He has the power to change your life. Give it to Him.

65. Beloved, may God bless you mightily as you
apply His precious truths to your heart.

66. Scripture texts are from the New International Version, the New American Standard Version,
and the English Standard Version.
Pollard, Jeff. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America. San Antonio, Texas,
The Vision Forum, 2002, 65.
Edersheim, Alfred. Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. New York, New York, Longmans,
Green, and Co., 1904, 622. 624.
Schaeffer, Francis, A. How Should We Then Live? Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1983
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1, 19, etc.)

67. Biblical Basis
for Modesty
Love Your Brother

68. Special thanks are owed to Jeff Pollard and to
the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer for their
powerful insights into Western culture that
give glory to God. Some of their perspectives
have been integrated into this teaching tool.
Compiled & written by Cecilia Leighton 2014

69. How Do You Define Modesty?
In Scripture and the dictionary, modesty refers both to character and to
clothing. God calls men and women to be modest.
How Does God Define Modesty?
This presentation is devoted to finding the answer to that question as it
pertains to clothing in the words of Scripture, God’s infallible revelation of
His will for us.
Modesty is a Scriptural mandate that involves the necessary covering of our
bodies.
The covering of our flesh and of our natural character have become
necessary since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden (the Fall). Thus, modesty
is a part of God’s plan of redemption.
Our physical covering is linked symbolically with our spiritual covering in
Christ Jesus.

70. Is Modesty Important to God?
The concept and importance of modesty is woven into many texts in the Old
and New Testaments beginning in the third chapter of Genesis.
Let’s read Genesis 2: 25-3: 11 NASV
“25...the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat
from it or touch it, lest you die.’”
4 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die!
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her
husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

71. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the
man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 And he said, “I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I
hid myself.”
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I
commanded you not to eat?”
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve realized after they ate the
fruit? Gen. 3:7
What was the first thing that Adam and Eve did after they ate the fruit?
Gen. 3:7
Are we ashamed of our nakedness because our bodies are “sinful” in
themselves? No. Our bodies are not “sinful.” Our fallen hearts are sinful.
Notice that before Adam and Eve sinned, they were naked and not ashamed
(Gen. 2: 25). Since sin has entered the world, the exposure of nakedness is
shameful, except when we are by ourselves and in marriage, as we read in
I Corinthians 7: 4.

72. Let’s read Genesis 3: 12-21 NASV
12 And the man said, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I
ate.”
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The
serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 And the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all
cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the
days of your life;
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall
bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain and childbirth; in pain you shall bring
forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from
the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground
because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you
were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.
21 And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

73. God cursed the s_____ and the g______ (not man), and foretold the cosmic
battle that would ensue between the serpent’s (the devil’s) seed and the
woman’s seed.
The woman’s seed would bring forth the Victor Jesus Christ, who would
eventually crush the serpent’s head, dealing a fatal blow. Satan would
bruise Christ on the heel (the cross), dealing a non-fatal blow.
God showed great mercy towards Adam and Eve and all mankind before He
dealt with their sin. He promised to save them from the curse of their sin
(eternal death) through our Messiah born of the seed of the woman.
Why did God send Adam and Eve from the garden and curse the ground?
Gen. 3: 17, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have
eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, “You shall
not eat from it…” They disobeyed God’s command, and sinned against God
their (our) Maker.
What did the Lord do next, immediately after pronouncing His judgments?

75. Gen. 3: 21, “The LORD God made garments (coats) of skin for Adam and his
wife, and clothed them.” (God used animal skin to clothe them. The first death
in the world was of the animal sacrificed for Adam and Eve’s sin, to cover their
sins symbolically and their bodies literally. This “lamb of God” was our first
introduction to Christ Jesus, the eternal Lamb of God, slain for our sins.)
Why did God clothe them with animal
skins instead of fig leaves?
God did not accept man’s standard of
modesty, covering just his private parts.
God covered their bodies according to His
standards. He also gave them their first
picture of Christ the Messiah who would
cover all their sins with His perfect blood.
What is God’s purpose for clothing?
God’s purpose is to cover our bodies so that we do not sin with our eyes, and
to protect us from the environment.

76. Let’s read Gen. 9: 18-27
18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the
father of Canaan.
19 These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was populated.
20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
21 And he drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers
outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked
backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that
they did not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
25 So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.”
What does Scripture say that Ham did?
Why did Noah curse Ham?
Why did Noah bless Shem and Japheth?

77. God’s Protective Commands Concerning Modesty in
Leviticus 18: 6-17
6 “None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.
7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to
uncover her nakedness.
8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
9 The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born
outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover.
10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their
nakedness is yours.
11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her
nakedness.
12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s blood relative.
13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s blood relative.
14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt.
15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her
daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness (wickedness).

78. Why does God command modesty, even among
relatives?
Think about it.

79. How Does God View Our Bodies?
“I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,”
sang the psalmist in Psalm 139: 14.
I Corinthians 6: 15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members
of Christ?”
I Corinthians 6: 19, 20, “Or do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and you are not your own?
For you have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your
body.”
What price did God pay for your body, soul, and spirit?
If you do not recognize that your body belongs to
God, then how will you treat your body?

80. Both Peter and Paul address modesty as it pertains to apparel (the physical) and to character
(the spiritual).
In I Peter 5: 5, Peter says, “... clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God
is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
In I Timothy 2: 9, 10, Paul writes, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper
clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly
garments, but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to
godliness.”
Paul is not forbidding women to wear gold (Rebeccah did), or to braid hair. Paul is telling us
that we should not use clothing and hair to show off our external appearance or our wealth (by
wearing very expensive clothing). We are to attract attention to ourselves with good works that
point to our loving God.
Peter and Paul link clothing and character; both are to reflect godliness, humility, and
discretion. Your clothing reflects your character.
How beautifully a humble attitude points us to Jesus Christ and His gentle love for us. If we are
humble, we will not boast, show off, tease others, or tempt others.

81. Detail of “Tres Riches Heures,” painted for the Duc de Berry, by the
Limbourg brothers in 1400s
The World’s Standards for
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint,
what are the purposes of
clothing?
Today, some designers admit
that their designs reflect
rebellion and uncover as much
flesh as the law allows! They
have deliberately undermined
Biblical standards of modesty,
which influenced the West for
centuries after Christ came into
the world.
The painting shows how God’s
Word influenced dress in the
1400s. People covered up, but,
often, the rich showed off their
money by dressing lavishly.
The World’s Standards for Women’s
Clothing
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.
From the world’s viewpoint, what are the
purposes of women’s clothing?
Some designers admit that their designs
reflect rebellion and uncover as much flesh
as the law allows! Many fashion designers
have admitted this without embarrassment for
centuries—they have deliberately
undermined Biblical standards of modesty.

82. “The fashion industry caters to pride, the
lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes…”
says Pollard. Pride and lust are sin.
What does the LORD Jesus Christ say about
people who cause other people to sin?
Read Matthew 18: 6-10
Queen Victoria, in the 1800s, influenced
England in holding strongly to Biblical
standards of dress.
A Victorian bathing suit, around 1850, worn
only on the beach.

83. How did we get from Victorian bathing dress, which covered all body
parts except the neck, hands and feet, to the bikini of today?
Several things occurred in the late 1800s that eroded Biblical influence on the
West. The late Dr. Francis Schaeffer explains these phenomena in his prophetic
documentary, “How Should We Then Live?” made in the early 1970s.
1. Charles Darwin (1800s) proposed a theory (evolution) that has been discredited
by significant 20th century scientific discoveries.* However, Darwin is still being
taught because Darwin’s theory discredits the Bible. Until Darwin, the Bible was
the only comprehensive explanation for how we arrived on planet earth: God
made the universe. Darwin presented an unprovable alternative explanation for
the creation of the world. Thus, either in ignorance or rebellion, people
embrace Darwin’s theory and feel the freedom to disregard the Bible.
2. Without the Bible, there is, literally, no absolute truth. Man is no longer
considered as made in the image of God. Now, man is just another animal. Each
man can do and dress as he/she pleases. This rebellion has corrupted Western
culture, including the fashion industry.

84. *The theory of evolution is dependent upon the
concept of an earth that is billions of years old.
Certain geologists and the fossil record have proven
that the earth is only thousands of years old. The
Bible is right about the age of the earth.
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1,
19, etc.)

85. There were other subtle bridges from modesty to
immodesty. One such bridge was... the bathing
machine.

86. What is a bathing
machine?

87. Beaches were segregated by gender in the US until early 1900s. Both men and women used
bathing machines to change into bathing apparel at the beach.

88. The Bible says there are unseen evil beings called devils,
bent on destroying God’s creation (Gen. 3:1ff, Eph. 6:16,
2 Cor. 2:11, and numerous other references). The devil is
subtle and deceptive, as he was first described in
Genesis 3.
I speculate that Satan may have put into some entrepreneur’s
mind the idea of marketing a “bathing machine!” Bathing
machines were a lucrative business from the mid 1700s to the
early 1900s in Europe and the US. Possibly, the evil one
introduced the foolish idea that bathing machines would allow
people to retain their modesty if they changed from their
modest street clothing into revealing bathing outfits in the
privacy of a bathing machine. However…

89. ...the ideas that bathing machines and segregated beaches could preserve
modesty were foolish because these ideas did not take into account sinful human
nature. No laws or bathing machines could keep men and women from flocking to
beaches and mingling in their daring new immodest outfits.
Because the segregation
laws were not enforced,
ladies and gentlemen
became comfortable
wearing little in front of
each other. The fashion
industry has taken full
advantage of this new shift
in culture, as Pollard has
noted.
Men enjoyed women’s
immodesty as much as
women enjoyed men’s
attention.

90. In the Bible, does the LORD say that nakedness, or near
nakedness, anywhere in front of anyone (male or female)
except one’s spouse, is OK? Go back to Leviticus 18 for the
answer.
God clothed Adam and Eve in “coats” of fur that
covered their bodies, not just their private parts as
their fig leaves had done. From other passages of
Scripture we may discern the areas of flesh that God
wants us to cover.
As Pollard stated in his book, I also wish to make clear, I am not
advocating returning to Biblical clothing; just covering what the
LORD wants us to cover.

91. Scriptural Standards for Modest Clothing
In Exodus 28, God told the priests to cover their heads, their arms, legs, and
private parts under tunics, from neck to ankle. The Lord even specified the
material, linen, so that they would not sweat (Ezekiel 44:17,18; Ex. 28:42, Lev.
16:4). Peter tells us that now we believers are all priests, in I Peter 2: 5, 9!
Jesus Christ wore inner and outer garments that extended from his neck to
His feet, dressing something like the rabbis (Luke 20:46), for he taught
regularly in synagogues and such clothing was required of teachers
(Edersheim, 622, 624). The rabbis never grumbled about Jesus' clothing!
In Rev. 6:11, God clothes the saints in white robes. Robes are long and flowing.
In Isaiah 47: 2,3, the LORD defines “nakedness” as exposed legs.
In I Timothy 2: 9, “proper clothing” is discreet and it covers the body, not just
private parts.
Throughout Scripture, angels are always clothed, often in white, never naked.

92. Some Effects of Immodest Dress
How do most men respond when they see women/girls in clothing that reveals undergarments,
bare shoulders, almost any bare flesh, or emphasizes the woman’s form even if no flesh is
revealed? They often struggle with sin, not just with temptation.
Does God care about our thoughts? Read Matthew 5: 28, “ but I say to you, that everyone who
looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
If a person struggles privately with sinful thoughts upon seeing a girl in revealing clothing, is that
just “his/her problem?”
Read Mark 9: 42; I Corinthians 8: 13, “...if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never
eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.”
This is the law of profound brotherly love. Dressing modestly is a love issue.
Are those people unusual who have private, sinful thoughts upon seeing another person in
revealing clothing?
What message does revealing clothing send to others? Revealing clothing says, “Look at ME!” It
says that the wearer is interested in attracting physical attention, which could bring unwanted
attention from ungodly, even dangerous people. For women, flaunting their figures is also driven
by pride.

93. I Corinthinans 13: 4-6, 8: “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is
not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth….
Love never fails.”
L
O
V
E
Matthew 19:19 says,
“You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”
photo copyright cecilia leighton 2014

94. Love does not tease.
Love does not laugh at your brother or
sister.
Love does not tempt.

95. Is there a difference between looking physically attractive and
looking seductive?
God made all beauty and it is good. But, inner beauty pleases God.
I Peter 3: 3, 4 states, “…and let not your adornment be merely
external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting
on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
imperishable quality of a GENTLE and QUIET spirit which is
precious in the sight of God.
For in this way in former times, the holy women also, who hoped
in God, used to adorn themselves, being SUBMISSIVE (obedient)
to their own husbands.”
Physical Beauty, Inner Beauty, Marriage, God Made Them
All

96. What could happen in a marriage when either the husband or the wife does not care
about God’s holy law and our Savior’s saving grace?
Are there any circumstances when it is pleasing to God for men or women to be naked? Yes! In
marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all…”
I Corinthians 7:4 says, “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband
does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife
does.”
In marriage, we may be naked and not ashamed. Marriage and children are wonderful blessings
from God. Read Mark 10: 6-9
What kind of spouse do you want to attract and marry someday? If you are a Christian, God
commands you to marry a Christian. There is no way around it.
2 Corinthians 6: 14, 15 say, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership
have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what
harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”

97. In Thee, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed.
Psalm 71:1
HOPE! FORGIVENESS! NEW LIFE!--ALL are found in the
LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Remember, no matter what we have done, there is no sin that the Almighty God who created
this universe cannot forgive if we turn in faith and repentance to the LORD Jesus Christ.
His perfect blood paid the price for every sin that every repentant sinner has ever committed
or ever will commit-- forever!
In Jesus Christ, there is hope for a new beginning, no matter how old you are, or how young.
There is no sin, no bondage, no addiction that is too tough for the Almighty God to overcome.
He has the power to change your life. Give it to Him.

98. Beloved, may God bless you mightily as you
apply His precious truths to your heart.

99. Scripture texts are from the New International Version, the New American Standard Version,
and the English Standard Version.
Pollard, Jeff. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America. San Antonio, Texas,
The Vision Forum, 2002, 65.
Edersheim, Alfred. Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. New York, New York, Longmans,
Green, and Co., 1904, 622. 624.
Schaeffer, Francis, A. How Should We Then Live? Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1983
thatsafacttv.com/tag/age-of-the-earth/ (episodes 1, 19, etc.)