“Abstain from all appearance of evil”  (1 Thessalonians 5

 

This rule can be abused like other rules.  The rule regarding modest apparal is certainly another. The question in both of these is s simple one, who defines  modest apparel. To illustrate the (2nd) second point I will share a point made by another preacher. If you saw a woman wearing a nice dress with prints of flowers on it and gold colored buttons most would agree that it was modest apparel. However, an Amish women would consider her as dressing like a whore. Amish wear only black dresses with black buttons. Colors are considered worldy. So again, who defines modest apparel?

I remember reading a book years ago on this subject of modest apparel and I will never forget what I read in this one section. A preacher had been invited to preach a “revival” and would be staying at the home of the inviting pastor.  The pastor arrived with his family at the inviting pastor’s home.  The children pointed out to tgheir father, “Dad, look Pastor X’s kids are playing in short pants, don’t they know that’s a sin?.” To this their father retorted, “Not everbody believes the Bible like we do, they don”t undertsand it is a sin to dress like that.”  The irony in this is not everone believes that wearing shorts is a sin but everyone believes judging is a sin!!! The question remains, who defines modest? In the Old Testament it is defines as a person not wearing that which pertains to the opposite sex.

It could also be degfines as not wearing anything that is meant to cause members of the opposite sex to lust. Our Lord said that if a man looks upon a woman an dlusts after her he is guilty of adultery WITH her. As she is quilty of dressing in a way, hoping to cause a man or men to lust after her. Christ teaches that if men do lust after her, she is guilty as well.
Of course, there is clothing we all can agree on as being immodest. When it comes to clothing that we might disagree on as being immodest, I think it should come down to the dressers intent and motivation. I think most could agree on the timeliness of apparel, as well.
I remember years ago when I was a youth pastor, there were a couple young teen girl that would wear extremely short skirts and i think they knew what they were doing. I remember the pastor at the time drew me into a hall way and scorned me about their short skirts.  He told me, with his finger inmy face to take care of this. I remember getting back in his face and telling him to talk with their father as it was a job for him and not me. I could speak about this from a pulpit but not one on one or two on one. I am sorry to say, both girls ended up as you might expect.

Today I read a question on FB. The question was whether or not a man should compliment a female. I am sure this question is being asked due to the stories that are prevalent in the news today.  I think this would fall under the topic of avoiding the appearance of evil. It would also raise a furhet question already mentioned above, who defines an appearance of evil. This question could also be placed under the old, “Better safe than sorry” category.
As I dwelt upon this Fb question, I determined a few answers.
1. One should only compliment ones wife, daughters, mother, Grandmother, other family members, older women in the presence of one’s wife, one’s fiance.
2. In todays work place it cab become impossible not to spend time with members of the opposite sex. If this is true, here are some basic guidlines, inform you wife before hand, never touch except a very brief and firm handshake, keep business materials on the table, Possibly bring another co-worker, say grace and be seen. Do not pray with the member of the opposite sex. These are some brief ideas and i’m sure their are more.
3. Billy Graham and the men that worked for him all signes an agreement that they would never be alobe with a woman not their wives and this kept him free of cotroversy.
4. With all of the above being said, I must confess, that I, in the pass, did have lunch with (2) two members of the opposite sex often. I worked with both of these women. Both were married for many years and were both older than me by decades. Both their husbands knew about me and my wife knew about both of them, in fact one of them spent Christmas with my family for years. She knew and loved my children and were loved by my children. In fact I should speak in terms of present tense. This woman lives in Kentucky now and missed by me more than I can say. She also loves the Lord Jesus.
5. I know many persons would read number (4) four and would take a hard line and would never accept my frienship with these (2) two woman. This is were one would have to make a decision for themselves and base their friendship on a hard and fast rule or on an exception to the rules.
6. AS for a church pastor, it is safe not to spend time with women of his congregation, especially behind closed doors. Another person should always be present and this other person should be a woman if possible. In a perfect world this other person should be the pastor’s wife.  If it is impossible to have another person present and the meeting cannot be rescheduled, it must be recorded with the other person’s permission, if possible the meeting could be videotaped as well.
7. In the world we live in today, The rules above should be followed even if the meeting is between (2) two members of the same sex, Ie. (2) two men. What a world we live in.
8. What about (2) two young persons? What about (2) two college aged kids? My daughter has been dating a young man for (3) three years. They have known each other since kindergarten. CErtain ground rules will be something the (2) two young persons will need to decide along with both sets of parents. In our case, Everyone knows where the kids will be at all times, this includes both sets of parents. The kids are usually at either his parents home or our home. When they stsrted dating, I drew up a contract that both kids signed. When either set of parents go out of sign the kids will go with those parents or will spend most of their time with the parents remaining home.

I hope this helps as we are living in a world of mixed signals, not so-mixed signals, and the abuse of power and authority. Let us all be safe and wise in this world that lies in wickedness. I hope to write an article on the abuse of power and authority as this is a subject that causes me great anger. I cannot think about anything that causes me to seethe more. THe abuse of power and authority can be seen through out Scripture, and throughout the world down through the ages into contempory times.

This abuse can be seen in Scripture when a king sought to lay with another man wife as well as during the middle ages when a king retained his right to lie with a man’s new bride (Braveheart). This can be seen or heard of almost daily as women are coming forth and reporting celebrities and politicians that have abused their powers through out the years. This abuse of power was also very prevalent during the days of slavery. Whenever older men, including fathers, and relatives will sexually abuse young boys and young girls in the family.
When I am king for a day, all men and women that use their power to abuse those in subjection to them such as employees and young kids will be executed upon their convictions as well as all duly convicted rapists. The days of a (4) four year statute of limitations will be done away with forever. All statutes of limitations upon rape and or sexual abuse will end just like all statutes of limitation of murder.  I will see to it that all rape kits will be read within a very short period of time. As of now there are rape kits that have not been looked at for years and years and the statue of limitations have already elapsed.

Godspeed.