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 befits women making a claim to godliness.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

I am sure you have heard of the saying, “Clothes maketh the man.” This means that what we wear counts for a lot. We make a statement to the world through our garments. For the Christian, it is important we display the right image to the world. Christians ought to dress godly. This means do not wear any clothing that is worldly in nature and provokes sinful thoughts in others.

For women that means wearing clothing that reveals intimate parts of your body is not wise. Also, clothing that is very tight should also be avoided. The godly woman should wear clothing that displays a godly character and spirit. Although 1 Timothy 2:9 is aimed at women, the same applies to men.

What men wear is also very important. One question men should consider regarding clothing is, will this honour the Lord? Today it is very easy to be dragged into the consumerism of the world. It seems like fashion companies release a new style or fashion range every few weeks. How can you as a Christian justify spending money on clothing you don’t need just to keep up with others? Jesus and his apostles never wore fancy styles. They wore very simple clothing, we ought to follow that standard. We should live within our means. Buying clothing we really can’t afford is not wise. Come to that, anything we buy we don’t need nor can’t afford is not being a good steward of God’s provision.

Consider these questions.

1. Do you dress like the world?
2. Do you wear modest clothing?
3. What does the way you dress say about you?
4. Are you displaying a godly personality with what you wear?