The Bare Season!
"This summer, be fair, before you join the bare, This season, use a little reason." The veteran of many summers does not address the subject at hand with great hopes of turning the tide of indecent dress. Long before the writer accepted the responsibility of warning the worldly of indecent dress, his own parents had instilled in him the principles of discretion and modest apparel. For more than forty years he has seen a gradual, continual, lowering of moral standards and the public acceptance of nudity in general. It is no matter of coincidence that the instability of the home, the increase of infidelity, the rise of incidence of child abuse, homosexuality, fornication, prostitution, rape, and physical assault upon women, have all occurred during the period of changing attitudes concerning exposure of the human body. These are the bare facts of the matter!
AN UNCLAD BODY ALMOST ALWAYS INDICATES...
A neglected soul. Does the thought offend? Read on!
The preacher has felt the satirical bite of belittling remarks when reference is made to the first couple (Adam & Eve) being found naked, felt the shame and sought to clothe themselves (Genesis 3:7). He has often heard the sarcasm of both men and women when warned of inappropriate dress. He has seen the religious of his community gradually retreat from their objection to school dances, un-ladylike acrobatics, hardly-clad cheer leaders, vulgar school plays, and has noticed the creeping acceptance of profanity and vulgarity in the speech of public officials.
Even more tragic and difficult to explain, the preacher has had to watch some of his own people reduce their opposition, take up the practice, take off their clothes and slowly become as worldly minded as the don't - care society around about them! He has heard the degrading, snide remarks of those who would weaken the teacher's instruction to our youth on this subject and has then lived long enough to sadly see these same people ravaged by the evils of un-resisted sin.
A hallow laugh at the Bible example does not erase the truth (see Mark 5:15) nor alter the consequences of indiscreet dress. The fact remains that while the man was possessed of an unclean spirit, he was wild, uncontrolled, and naked! Later, in his right mind, he was fully clothed. The principle holds firm. The same is true today! Clothes do not make the man or woman! The manner in which a man or woman dresses does indicate his character! If not, pray tell why the Lord gave us instructions concerning the need for modest dress?
A BODY IN MODEST DRESS ALMOST ALWAYS INDICATES...
A well clothed soul (Revelation 6:11 & many others).
As the preacher looks back over the years, he is thankful for the godly mothers who taught their children to be careful how they dressed. We are grateful to those spiritually minded women, both young and old who recognized their own terrible power of example and then used it to strengthen the moral fiber of the church! We personally salute our mothers, sisters, and wives for their encouragement to live pure, chaste lives before our God. Women are a fearful, and often the determining, influence in the lives of all men of God.
We sadly regret the opposition over the years by members of the Lord's church who had already decided to go the way of all flesh (Galatians 5:16). But we rejoice in the virtue of godly men and women, both young and old, who never allowed anyone to doubt their intense desire to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12).
While medical experts warn of exposure of the skin to the sun, we ask that you be aware of the more damaging effects of exposing your body to the lustful stares of the ungodly. Only you are responsible for your own conduct. Before you thoughtlessly remove your clothing, consider the effect upon the soul. A bare body exposed to the sun usually exposes the soul to much more. The consequences of either are not good!
The Bible does not contain empty or useless instruction. God is able to adequately express Himself to you. Knowing this, surely He meant something when He said, "...that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety..." (1 Timothy 2:9).
From Our Archives, 1989
By: Carl Hecker