"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." -1st Corinthians 10:31
"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;" -1st Timothy 2:9
"For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." -Proverb 6:26
"And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart." -Proverb 7:10
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." -Matthew 5:28
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." -Romans 8:6
"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." -Romans 13:13
"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." -1st Corinthians 5:11
Also read Proverbs 31:25-31.
I remind you of something in Genesis 39:9, that Joseph, enticed by a wicked woman, did not answer, "I'm afraid I might get caught." Instead he said, "I cannot sin against God." This matter of your life, your action, your appearance are either for God or against God; for righteousness or against righteousness; for good or for evil.
We come to the text: "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." "...whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." That little text is big enough for everything you want to say, big enough fro any message to Christians everywhere. "...whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Everything, everything to the glory of God.
What is modesty?
"Modesty is behaving according to a standard of what is proper or decorous or decent, pure, now especially not displaying one's body."
Modesty concerns behavior. Behavior concerns dress, speech and action.
I. KEEP YOUR LIFE ON THE POSITIVE SIDE
Show forth Christ. Your intention always should be to let others see Jesus in you.
There are some words that we must consider. The first is "rebellion."Rebellion against God, against God's rules and the rules of decency. Men rebel against these things, and turn away from them. Satan causes Christians to rebel.
Satan causes Christians to rebel. He'll cause some to rebel in the service. Some of the church members of our church--will rebel against what I am going to say. They'll say, "Well, I'm not sure that I agree." You may not agree, and you may be wrong, too. Satan causes young people to rebel against the rules and wishes of parents. They turn away from here.
The second word is "conforming." Conforming to present-day society. Now, the Apostle Paul said, "...be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..." "...be not conformed...but be ye transformed...."
The tragedy of this day is that many feel they must conform. Girls and women are afraid that others will laugh at them if they do not conform to the fashions of this day. Therefore, they go for the short skirts and for men's apparel because they are simply conforming. It's not a matter of just something nice and easy. It is not the matter of just saying, "Well, this is so much better than anything else." No, it's a matter of conforming. You are falling in line with what other people do, and what other people say, what other people wear. You conform to the things of this world.
My convictions are steadfast. I've never change them! I'm not making anything up today. I've had them the same all the way through. I'm against women wearing men's apparel. You understand that. If I'm not very gracious to you women when I meet you out somewhere and you are wearing pants, you'll understand why. It would be far better if you didn't see me at all. I have watched some women sit in cars until they were sure I was gone before they got out--at hospitals, and so forth, because they are ashamed. Why are they ashamed? I don't say much about it here, but they simply know what I stand for, and what we as a church stand for.
Now ladies, you know what is right and wrong, whether it be in the matter of man's apparel, which is contrary to the Word of God or, whether it be in the matter of abbreviated clothing that displays the body. You know. But your danger is that you want to conform to the ideas of this world.
Then men and boys are afraid others will laugh at them. I was sitting in a barber's chair the other day and the barber said to me: "I had a fine young man in here to get his hair cut. I never saw such a head of hair upon the boy. here is what the young man said: 'Sir, I want you to trim my hair just a little if you will, please.' Then he said, 'I'll be so glad when the style changes so that I can get a decent haircut again!"
The barber said, "I'll cut it right now, it you want me to."
"Oh," he said, "no! no! This is the style. I've got to wear it this way!"
I don't think that true. I can show you quite a few young men who are not wearing it that way. The barber said, "A fine lad, but he felt that he had to conform to this present world, that others might not laugh at him because of his stand."
Now, my friends, your clothes reveal what you are--a man or a mouse; a lady or a compromiser.
The third word is "indifference." Indifference or carelessness towards others and what they think. I'm sure we have some; just indifferent.
The Christian has to remember that he has to face his life. The judgment seat is coming. If you are a child of God, you have got to face your life. You had better think about that.
The forth word is, "pride." A desire to be noticed, a desire to be up-to-date. "...vanity of vanities; all is vanity," saith the Lord. There are so many like this.
Keep your life on the positive side. Let there be no question mark about your life, none whatsoever, so that people can see and know exactly what you are without explanation. They know what you are. If there be any doubt about what you are doing, then you say, "I'm not going to do it."
II. BUILD AN INFLUENCE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Don't be blind to the power of influence. Don't be stubborn about your way. You have an influence. Lady, you've got an influence! Mother, you have an influence! Young people, you have an influence! You may disregard all that and say, "So who cares? What's the difference? I don't care." You can't do that.
Build an influence for righteousness until people know you are living for God, that you are on God's side. No one has to explain it. You don't have to say a word. They know what you are. Don't be stubborn about your way.
Now, consider the matter of modesty in your influence. Which way do you direct people? Towards Heaven or toward Hell? No one lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. All people have an influence. Every man, woman and child had an influence. You have an influence of some kind, so you have to exercise care. Consider modesty and your influence. It is showing forth Christ? Do people see Jesus in you as you daily walk and talk among men? Consider this matter. Build an influence for righteousness.
Again, consider modesty and peace of mind. You say, "But Brother Wiza. I have no questions about this." Yes, you do have questions, and I'm just a little insignificant preacher. "I shouldn't wear clothes like this." That's the reason you are self-conscious. Build peace of heart and righteousness in your life. Consider modesty and peace of mind. To be carnally minded is death. To be fleshly minded is death. This is the Word of God. Have an untroubled mind about it. Live in such a way that you are untroubled.
Some of you dear women here you wouldn't wear pants to church, but you wear them outside. What's wrong? Do you see what I'm getting at?
You say, "Well, I don't know. I don't wear them on Sabbath. I wouldn't wear them to church." Why? Why not? It they are decent for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, they would be decent on Sabbath, too. You see, you confess that it's wrong when you have a troubled mind about it. Have peace of mind and heart about the way you dress, the way you act, the way you talk.
In Luke 8 is the story of the insane man. He was wild, and the Bible says he wore no clothing. Jesus met with him and gave healing to him and sanity to his mind. And the Bible says very plainly that he out on clothes, that he was clothed and in his right mind. Interesting statement, isn't it?
Clothed and in his right mind is the account given in Luke 8. Modesty and peace of mind.
Then again, consider modesty and soul winning. You waited for me to get to that, didn't you? "...Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died" (Romans 14:15). Modesty and soul winning! Your life must be right to be a soul winner. A Christian is a failure who does not try to win souls, and to win souls the appearance and actions must be right.
Not many souls are won, excuse me, by a smoking man or woman, and I'm not on that theme today. Not many. Not many souls are won dance floors. Have you ever heard of one? No. Yet, some Christians say, "There's nothing wrong in dancing." But try to win a soul on a dance floor. Try to win a soul when you compromise the matter of modesty and turn away from that which is right and honest in the sight of God.
I do not want someone to fall into Hell because of my life. I would rather be somewhat strange to the world outside if I could just make sure that I was not causing someone to got to the wrong direction. This should be true of all of you mothers, all you housewives, all you people in business offices. With your children, with young people around you, with all people around you, it should be true that you are living so none of them would be sent to Hell or caused to go to Hell because of stumbling over you.
You cannot help others and walk in the world. The direction of this world is down. When you follow the world, you are going down. Live so that you can take others with you into the presence of the eternal God.
III. EXALT THE CHRIST WHO DIED FOR YOU
The saved person desires to please Christ. Now, you can easily find out what it is. There's no question about that. You can know the thing that would please Him. We are citizens of another world, and we must exalt the Christ who saved us. We are followers of the Son of God, and we shouldn't want anything that might take away from His glory, that might cause someone to doubt our sincerity, our profession of faith and our position as a Christian in this world. We have got to avoid it all.
This is for young men as well as young ladies; this is for men and women--all people. You have to determine, "This is the life that I want to live." Exalt the Christ who died for you, avoiding everything that tends to exalt Satan.
First, discipline your life. Many temptations all around us, but we can overcome. Control this life. By the indwelling Spirit of God, do that which is right. By the Word of God, by the instruction of this Book, do that which God would have you do. Discipline your life. Don't expect someone else to tell you. I don't have to. It's not necessary for a pastor to do it. And I haven't done it up to now. I've said very, very little about the things I'm saying today, but you have known my position. Discipline your life!
Secondly, refuse to follow the world's fashion. Be decent. Be clean. Live a separated life. Don't be afraid to be different from the world. It will help you. If you get identified as being a "goodie goodie," that's not going to be bad. That's better then what some people might say about you. If somebody says, "Your just an old-fashioned mother," that's not too bad. As they say to our young people here, "Oh, your too straight-laced. You stand your ground and take it. I love folks who have something inside that will make them stand.
You are to be righteous in the sight of God and you must refuse to follow the world's fashions.
I dress a certain way, and I've done it all my life for certain reasons. First of all, it pleases me. Second, it doesn't cost much. Third, I'm safe in doing it. So i don't vary much. I just dress the same way all the time.
Refuse to follow the world's fashions, but say, "O God, let me live a separate life, a life that will show forth Christ."
Then, number three, sell out to God. Complete dedication. Everything for the glory of God.
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" --1st Peter 2:21
Life is not made up of just big things. It is made up of little things too. In fact, life is made up of a series of small things, of habits, of decisions, or actions, of words spoken from time to time. So you have got to say, "O God help me to so live that I'm walking after Christ and selling out to God; that God has full control in my life; that He is in full control of all that I have." Sell out to God.
Did you know that there's virtue to that? Every single day do you best in the thing that God has given you: in your talk, by the way you walk, by the way you dress, by the way you appear before others. There's something of consistency, something of a solid foundation that exemplifies Christ. Big things, little things--all things.
A young lady said to me, "Being a Christian has nothing to do with how I dress." But, my friend, it does have something to do with how you dress.
Now, you are a child of God by faith in Christ. You are saved by faith. You are saved by the grace of God. That is settled. But letting people on the outside know what you have in inside is important. They have got to see Christ in you day by day.
Being a Christian calls for a man's best. Everything he does should glorify God--how he walks, how he talks, how he dresses, how he appears to every man. The wearing of correct things, the doing of correct things, the exemplifying of Christ in the life of both young and old should be a definite thing. You should want to do your best.
Paul says, "If meat causes my brother to offend or stumble, I will not eat no meat. I will give up those things in my life that might hinder. I will be what God would have me be. I want my life to show forth Jesus Christ."
What is modesty? I gave the definition a moment ago. We have tried to enlarge somewhat upon this so we can see and understand what God wants for us. I'm not trying to make you into something strange according to the world and according to man. Not at all. I'm trying to make you what God wants you to be--a quite, dedicated, consecrated, separated Christian so that others can see and know what you are and understand it without explanation. So they will know you are not joining with the world's crowd. So they will know you are walking with God's crowd.
My friend, God sees and knows all of it. God understands these lives of ours, and he wants to help us be what he wants us to be.
Time is short. God says this is the time to live for Him. This is the time to say, "O God, I surrender my life to Thee." This is the time, young people, to say, "Once and for all, for the rest of my days, I care not what may happen or where I may go, Christ will have first place. All of my days, as long as I live, I'll be on the side of Jesus. I'll not change at vacation time, in school time, at home, or away. I'll be the same everywhere. I'll be a consistent child of God living for Christ, for the time is short."
We know not what a day may bring forth. You don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Do what God says tonight. I don't know what is going to happen in the morning. Do what God says right now. You are here right now. You are in this spot when you can respond and say, "O God, I give myself to Thee."
Sinner friend, will you say, "I come to Christ. I take Him as my Saviour"? Those who should come by letter or statement, and those who should come for rededication of life should come now. Give yourself to the Lord now. This is the time. God's time is now.
My friend, it doesn't.
David said, "...There is but a step between me and death." There's less than a step--just the beat of your heart and it's all over. I know that and you know that. Then I beseech you today to do what God says and to take your stand for Christ today. If God has spoken to your heart by this message, I want you to come to Christ.
Sinner friend, come to Christ. Christian friend, come to Christ.
What about tomorrow? Just a flash and it's all over.
"What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
Do what God says, and do it now. Amen.
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