Jump Start # 1680

1 Timothy 2:9-10 “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 is proper for women making a claim to godliness.”

Our verse today is found in a section which gives practical instructions for both men and women. The men were told to pray everywhere. One verse for men. Here, two verses for women. Don’t be thinking, men, that women need more help than we do, that’s why there are two for them and one for us. Don’t even go there.

These verses addressed to women describe both the inside and the outside, the clothing and the character of a person of God. Don’t think that men get a pass on this. Women have to be modest, but men don’t? Really? Modesty is more than a clothing issue, it’s an attitude and a spiritual issue. Understanding or the lack of understanding about modesty is a huge issue in our culture. Everywhere, from billboards, to magazine covers, to TV commercials, to ads in the Sunday paper, scantly clothed women are used to grab the eye. Immodesty fuels lust which creates improper thoughts. Hollywood awards programs feature women who like to show as much skin as they can get away with. It’s shocking. It’s shameful. It feeds this sex crazed times that we are in. I wish someone would shout from the crowd, “Put your clothes on!”

Consider some thoughts from this passage.

First, Paul’s concern was not wearing too little clothing, but showing off by wearing very expensive clothing. Gold, pearls and costly garments were the attire of the rich. Most of the first Christians were poor. Many were servants and slaves. They didn’t have dozens and dozens of outfits to chose from. But there were a few, here and there that were wealthy. Leading women of Thessalonica became Christians. Lydia appears to have been wealthy. Some of Caesar’s household became Christians. Paul’s words here were about flaunting and showing off. Dressing to impress. We don’t generally think of modesty in that way. This is how it is used here. His words are not about bikinis but peals, gold and costly garments. Showing off, most of us did that when we were kids. Many guys did that on their first dates. We wanted to be noticed, liked and impressed. We went for that “wow” factor. It seems that some of the wealthy women were doing that. That would created an atmosphere that “I’m better than you,” when in truth, we are all sinners needing Jesus.

Second, Paul wanted the attention to be drawn to the good works that they were supposed to be doing. Instead of parading around in fine clothes, roll up your sleeves, get your hands in the bucket and get busy helping someone. Your fancy clothes tends to stick your nose up in the air and that leads to you thinking that you are too good to do certain things. Not in the kingdom. Not among God’s people.

These words are similar to the Lord’s address on the mount. Let them see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. Good works is sprinkled throughout Paul’s writings. The Galatians were told, “while we have opportunity let us do good to all…” Three times in Titus the idea of engaging in good works is found. The hallmark of God’s people is not the talk that they talk, but the good that they do.

I have known some very wealthy Christians. Yet it was these very same Christians that I’ve seen down at the church house on a Saturday morning, pulling weeds, or even cleaning the toilets at the building. I’ve seen these folks cleaning the house of a young family that had sickness. I’ve seen them help pay the college expenses for a young Christian. These are the things that Paul wanted the wealthy to be known for. They used their talents and wealth to help others. They weren’t spending money on themselves. They were known, not for their wealth, but for being counted upon. They were doing good deeds.

Third, good deeds is natural for someone who is making the claim of godliness. Making the claim. That’s a great expression. If someone made the claim to be golfer, then there would be some things that you would expect. Right off the bat, you’d expect him to own a set of golf clubs. To be a golfer without a set of golf clubs doesn’t make sense. You’d expect that person to golf. The clubs that sits in the garage year round and are never used, doesn’t meet the claim that you are a golfer. We could say the same about a student. Someone who claimed to be a student, ought to be taking classes, going to those classes, owns textbooks, studies, writes papers and takes tests. That’s what students do. To claim to be a student, but one never goes to class, doesn’t fit the bill.

So, in the passage, Paul mentions the claim to godliness. There are certain things that ought to be expected and go with that claim. A godly person will worship God. Not just now and then, not as a CEO (Christmas and Easter Only), but regularly. That’s what godly people do. They do what God wants them to do. That’s what makes them godly.

Someone claiming to be godly is going to talk a certain way. The negative stuff, like gossip, cussing, abusive language, will not be there. But what will be noticed is kindness, thankfulness, thoughtfulness.

Someone who claims to be godly will dress modestly. That’s one of the points of the passage. Claiming to be a Christian, yet wearing very little clothing, or as in our passage, dressing to show off, do not go together. This includes special occasions, weddings and other events. The Christian doesn’t get a pass because they are in a wedding. It’s a special time, so I can be immodest. No. Our verse begins with the word “Likewise,” which connects it to the passage above where Paul wanted men to pray everywhere. Modesty isn’t just in the church building. It’s at work. It’s on vacation. It’s at weddings. It’s everywhere.

Someone who claims to be godly will be busy doing good works. They will help others. They will be encouragers. They will teach the Gospel where they can. They will let their lights shine for Jesus. That’s what we’d expect from godly people and that’s just what godly people would do.

Making a claim to godliness. Many folks do that. They let you know that they believe in Jesus, but ask them about the weekend, and they’ll talk about drinking parties, filthy movies that they watched and their language is peppered and salty with words that are offensive, obscene and indecent. These folks make the claim, but the claim doesn’t match the behavior. This is what Paul is driving at. You are claiming to be a Christian. Make sure your clothing and your actions live up to that claim. Walk the walk. Let your behavior, inside and out, speak for who you are.

I was teaching a group of our teens last evening about this very passage and this very subject, modesty. I asked them, “How do you know if something you are wearing is modest or not?” One said, “have your parents tell you.” I suggested putting a chair in front of a mirror. Sit down. What you see in the mirror is what others are seeing. The greatest thought came from a senior in high school. He said, “if it’s borderline, if it’s something that you’re not sure, why are you even considering wearing that?” Bravo! That’s it! Don’t get close to the line. Don’t wear something in which someone might want to come and evangelize you because they didn’t think you were a Christian. Certainly a Christian wouldn’t wear that.

Don’t just make that claim, live up to it. Live godly.

Roger