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Bootylicious And The Bible

Bootylicious And The Bible

Meet the third millennial woman. She can speak her mind, attend the best universities and work as a CEO, board member, chairman (or chairwoman), doctor, space aviator or intelligence agent (aka Jennifer Garner in Alias). She is bound by no one and makes her own future.

This attitude is reflected in what she chooses to wear. Low-cut tops, high-cut skirts, hipster jeans, bootylicious and plenty more. We do it because we’re free. And indeed we are.

As a youth pastor I regularly attend conferences, youth concerts and other Christian teen events where I find myself staring at girls with bare bellies, low buntlines, skirts that should be belts with incredibly flirtatious behavior to match. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” is what girls are told by media, friends and the like. Would Jesus Christ tell them the same thing?

The Bible says Christ set women free, so shouldn’t they be allowed to wear what fashion dictates? If guys have a lust problem it’s their problem, not mine. I am allowed to do anything – the Bible tells me so!

Here’s what the Bible really tells:

I am allowed to do anything …

Paul wrote in Romans, when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. That statement was inclusive of both men and women so we can safely say that yes, women are free. But before you go out and buy what Christina Aguilera wore last week you might want to read what Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians:

You may say, “I am allowed to do anything.” But I reply, “Not everything is good for you.” And even though I am allowed to do anything, I must not become a slave to anything.

Wearing revealing clothing gets attention. Whether it’s wolf-whistles from the building site or raised eyebrows from business suits – baring flesh will attract attention.

Attention makes you feel good. Attention makes you feel special. Getting attention is not bad. Being addicted to it is. You have probably never thought of receiving wolf whistles as a type of addiction, but it is just as powerful as any other.

When you are addicted to attention you rely on it to make you feel good instead of relying on God for security and significance. Instead of looking to God for love and acceptance, wearing immodest clothing can cause you to become a slave to lustful attention and attention based solely on your physical appearance.

“That’s ridiculous,” women may say, but I challenge you to take a closer look at your motivation behind the clothes you wear. Of course you want to look good, but you can look beautiful without flashing your stomach, breasts and legs to the world.

Honor God with your body …

Christ paid the price for us to be free from the power of sin, addiction and death. Honoring the sacrifice He made is a natural response all believers should have. Even people who don’t know Christ honor the lives of service men and woman each year who have given their lives for our freedom. How much more should we honor God’s sacrifice of eternal life?

Every part of your life can honor Jesus’ death – including your clothing. There is no honor in flaunting what you’ve got. There’s no honor in seduction and sex appeal. But there is honor in a girl with hip clothes, groovy hair and incredible accessories who walks with confidence and speaks words of life. Christians should dress differently than people in the world (and I’m not talking about “Jesus is the reason for the season” t-shirts, as cool and trendy as they are). It doesn’t matter whether friends, the latest Dolly magazine, or even your parents approve of your clothing choices; will it get God’s badge of honor? That thought should guide each shopping spree. Honor God with what you wear on your body. Wear clothing worthy of the price Jesus paid.

But now you are free from the power of sin … do those things that lead to holiness …

When I try on a new pair of jeans I don’t get down on my knees and ask God if these are the jeans to buy. I might get on my knees and pray I still have enough credit this month on Visa, but never whether the jeans are holy enough. Nor when I wake each morning do I jump out of bed and ask the Holy Ghost what he’d like me to wear that day (believing in faith that he won’t reply “pyjamas” or “the leather jacket bought in 1992” still very reminiscent of the 1980’s which remains in my wardrobe for posterity reasons only). And though with certain shirts, which I intend on wearing in church I will do the “praise the Lord” test (i.e. lift my hands as far up as I can and jump up and down frantically), most clothes are bought without really consulting God all that much. However the Bible tells us that to really display our freedom we need to do things that lead to holiness. Will your clothing lead to holy thoughts in the lives of others? Will your clothing let people know that you are holy as your Heavenly Father is Holy? What you wear should be holy not holey (I had to do it).

So women of the third millennium here’s the deal: become addicted to God’s love and attention, wear whatever will lead you to holiness and above all, wear what will bring honor to God. If it doesn’t match those 3 criteria, it doesn’t belong on the body of a child of God.

So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free.

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