Marsha's Musings: Instructions to Men & Women

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (I Timothy 2:8-10 NKJV)

Many get hung up on these verses.  The instructions to the men are not difficult, but the instructions to the women seems to be a point of contention among various sects of Christianity.  

In my reading of the various commentaries on the subject, there were some well to do women in the church Timothy was a leader in.  The temptation was to dress in costly apparel, having the hair done up with gold and pearls.  Some must have even dressed a bit immodestly in their finery.  It was a big distraction in the church.

There are those who turn this into an issue of legalism, prescribing exactly what a woman can and can not wear and judging those who diviate from the prescibed dress code as less than spiritual.  This is sad.

The point here is that women are not to dress in a manner that would draw attention to themselves or to their bodies if they are to profess godliness.  A woman who professes godliness, but betrays it by the way she dresses and carries  herself does not bring glory to God but to herself. We have liberty in what we can wear, but we need to keep it modest. Outward dress and deportment is a window on inward character.  Bringing glory to God is the main point.  If our dress is destracting, does it bring glory to God?