menageriekeeper said:
Not a bad arguement, Mike, but you still have to explain the verses from Phillipians.
If Paul can rejoice that Christ was being preached even though those doing the preaching were only trying to cause trouble, than who are we to fuss and complain about someone we don't especially approve of, BECAUSE OF THEIR DRESS, who is doing the same thing? A woman preaching Christ in a bikini might simply be a new Christian who hasn't the maturity to know better. Or she may be someone from a place where that bikini is more clothes than she has ever worn before in her life! You can't take a person's manner of dress out of the context of their circumstances.
Some worry way to much about what other people think about our dress, about our manner of speaking, about whether someone is Calvinist or Arminian(sp? I always get it wrong), about whether we use the NIV or the KJV and about a host of other issues that matter not in the end. In the end only what we have done for Christ will stand.
So, if Bapmom chooses to wear dresses only because she believes she can best serve Christ that way, so be it! And if I choose to dress in pants and use the venacular of my daughter's friends in order to bring them to an understanding of that same Christ, so be it! Neither of us should be condemning the other because our methods of serving Christ are different. God's word will not come back void. Bapmom is not serving in the same environment that I am. I'm not serving in the same circumstance that she is. And you know what: she and I don't have an arguement with each other.
But there are some, who condemn her as being unreasonably legalistic (or a Pharisee as some prefer) and me as being immodest! All of these, no matter which side of the fence they land on are adding something to the scriptures which govern our lives. Some forget that we are to each "work out our salvation with fear and trembling". And I think that brings us back to the point of the OP that we need to have a deeper understanding of WHY we believe how we believe instead of simply doing things because that is the way they have always been done.
Old paths? Should I follow the path Cain followed? Or what about the path everyone but Noah followed? What about the path Ninevah was on? These were all "old paths". They were also the wrong path. We should follow the tried and true path but if some decide to skirt a boulder on the left and others on the right are either wrong for not climbing over it?
A careful reading of 1 Timothy will show that indeed a women preaching Christ in a bikini IS a problem, the verses in Phillipians notwithstanding.
I Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not
a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
9 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.
Women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel, "in like manner" which ties the verse back to verse 8 and Paul's instructions to the men. In verse 8, Paul says "I will therefore..." The "therefore" ties both verse 8 and 9 back to the idea that God "will have all men to be saved." God desires all men to be saved, and therefore men and women are to follow the instructions given by the Apostle. Paul would not rejoice in the fact that a woman was preaching Christ in a bikini anymore than he would rejoice in the devil possessed woman that followed him around, even if she was speaking the truth. It's not merely the correctness of the words that are spoken; the manner of our dress and living also has bearing on the preaching of the gospel, according to these verses in Timothy.
In regards to the importance of various doctrinal beliefs, it is true that whether one is a Calvinist or a Arminian does not matter much, because they are merely two sides of the same coin of false doctrine. The Calvinist ultimately has to look to his own works to prove to himself that he has been chosen by God to be saved before the creation, whereas the Arminian has to look to his own works to make sure he is not losing his salvation. Both systems have a Christian looking to his own works to determine his eternal salvation. An individual Calvinist or Arminian may not have enough discernment to see this, but the implications of a doctrine are not dependent on the understanding of the adherent. And the implications of these doctrines will have evil effects on some.
It is true that no one should be "condemening" another because their methods of serving Christ are merely "different". The real question is, are the methods biblical? If preaching Chirst in a bikini is immodest (and thus wrong), it should be called out as such. Likewise with any immodesty.
And sure, no one should blindly follow an old path. But we are commanded to seek the old paths. So if there is an old path in regards to dress, it would be wise to be very sure from the scriptures that the manner of dress is no longer required or was a mistake to begin with, before we abandon it to try to keep up with the fashion of this present evil world.
To sum this matter up: Doctrinal differences that might seem trivial to some are oftentimes much more important that is commonly realized. And modesty, like other standards presented in the bible, DOES have some absolute boundaries that can be substantiated .
