Mini Skirts & Muscle Shirts: What does Fashion have to do with Holiness?

Sunday Night Recap
March 19, 2006

Pictures Coming Soon!!!!

The fashion runways all across the world are teeming with skinny models showing off the latest looks for spring and summer 2006. Will you be the first to own the new look (most of which look hideous anyway)?

So, how does the idea of fashion or clothing in general play into living our lives holy before the Lord? Is it bad to be fashionable? Is it bad to have new clothes? Is it bad to have a closet full of shoes?

A Question: What is your most important piece of clothing (not favorite...most needed!) Many will say underwear, and I agree. Keep that in mind.

As has been discussed many times, the Bible has some clear direction about how we should dress: modestly (1 Timothy 2:9) and appropriately (guys wear guys clothes, girls wear girls clothes:Deuteronomy 22:5).

But there's more to it than that. You can dress modestly and appropriately and still be siful in your fashion sense. (I'm not talking about the sin of wearing stripes with polka dots, but that's pretty horrible).

Jesus told a parable that involved a wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14. The King invited all the important people of his time to the wedding, and they not only refused to come, but even killed his servants and messengers. The feast was already prepared, so he sent his servants into the street to invite anyone and everyone they saw. The banquet hall was filled, and the King came to look over the guests. There was one guest who made the worst mistake possible. He had attended a wedding without wearing wedding clothes. Not only was this guest kicked out of the feast, but he was bound, hand and foot, and tossed into outer darkness...HELL!

So, what does this parable have to do with fashion and holiness? The King is God, and the wedding is for his son, Jesus. As Christians, we are the bride of Christ, and we must be clothed in a certain way to be acceptable to God as this bride.

So, how must we be clothed?

Galatians 3:26-27-We must be clothed with Christ!
Psalm 132:9-We must be clothed with Righteousness...which only comes through Christ.

See, the problem with the one wedding guest wasn't with what he was wearing, it was with what he wasn't wearing...He wasn't wearing Christ.

So, here's the question again...what is your most important piece of clothing? It's got to be Christ.

"But still, Ryan, what does this have to do with Abercrombie, Tommy, and AE?"

Only this...if what we wear, or how we live our lives, relegates Christ to the position of underwear, then we are not living in a holy way.

If what we wear, or how we live does not allow people to see Christ first and foremost, then our fashion is detrimental to our witness and holiness.

What is your focus? Looking good or showing Christ (which, by the way, will make you look better than the world ever will!!!)

Let's show Christ this week...and for the rest of our lives!