When discussing modesty, two commonly referenced passages are 1 Timothy 2:9–10 and 1 Peter 3:1–4. While both focus specifically on women’s attire, the underlying principles apply to both men and women. These texts have slightly different contexts—1 Timothy addresses behavior within the assembly, while 1 Peter is part of a broader discussion on household conduct. Still, both emphasize a deeper truth, modesty begins with the heart. They teach that our internal mindset should shape our external appearance, highlighting the importance of humility, self-control, and a focus on godliness over outward adornment.             At its core, modesty is about choosing not to draw attention to ourselves physically but instead allowing the beauty of our spiritual character to shine. We practice modesty by using sound judgment in how we dress and present ourselves. This involves considering both our intentions and the message our clothing might send—whether it reflects worldliness or godliness. In the context of 1 Timothy 2:9–10 and 1 Peter 3:1–4, the warning is against excessive adornment—wearing extravagant or costly clothing and jewelry to draw attention to oneself. But modesty is not only about avoiding too much, it’s also about wearing enough. Just as overdressing to impress can reveal pride, underdressing can expose a heart that seeks attention in other ways. Proverbs 7:10 gives a vivid example, “And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart” (NKJV). In both ancient times and today, those who dressed immodestly often did so with a clear …

                It would certainly seem simpler if the Bible gave us exact measurements—if it said, “from the knees to the shoulders must be covered.” There would be little room for debate. There’d be no questions about sleeve length, shorts length, or whether a V-neck is too low. But the truth is, Scripture doesn’t give us exact hemlines to meet. There is no verse that says, “Thou shalt not wear tank tops” or “Thy hemline must fall exactly two inches below the knee.” Instead, we are given guiding principles—principles rooted in godliness, humility, and purity.                 As stated previously, the Bible must be our standard—not the ever-changing standards of the world. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (NKJV). So, what does the Bible say specifically about modest dress—such as hemlines? While Scripture does not provide exact measurements, we do find helpful insight in Genesis 3:21, where it says, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” Historically, the tunic was a sleeved garment that typically extended to the knees for men and to the ankles for women. Culturally speaking, during the life of Christ, this style of dress was still the norm. Tunics remained the standard garment—typically sleeved and extending to just above the knees or longer.                 We also see God’s …

             When it comes to any moral issue, the Bible must be our ultimate source of truth. As Christians, we cannot rely on the world around us. God’s Word must be our standard. The world’s view of modesty stands in stark contrast to what Scripture teaches, and even among the brotherhood, opinions and beliefs can vary widely.               So, what does the Bible say about modesty? The very first garments mentioned in scripture were made by Adam and Eve. After they sinned, the Bible says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings” (Genesis 3:7, NKJV). However, what they created was not sufficient in God’s eyes. “Also, for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21, NKJV). While this account is found in the Old Testament—before the Law was given—and we now live under the New Testament, there are still important lessons we can draw from this moment. First, the fig leaves Adam and Eve used were not enough to properly cover their nakedness. These coverings were likely minimal—comparable to modern-day bikinis or speedos. In contrast, God made them tunics, a type of garment that provided fuller coverage, which shows that what God provided was both sufficient and pleasing in His eyes. His design was for covering, not revealing. We also see that Adam and Eve felt ashamed of the garments they made …

              Over the past several weeks, we have been looking at the subject of lying in our    articles. We have considered what lying is, why lying is a problem, and our situations do not justify lying. While we may understand that we should not lie, we still tend to find ourselves fighting the temptation to lie (or dealing with the aftermath from having told a lie). How then do we withstand the temptation to lie? To fight against telling a lie, we need to remember who our Father is. When we     considered why lying is a problem, we noted that Satan is the father of lies (cf. John 8:44, NKJV). To tell a lie is to act as his child. In contrast, God is truth. When we speak the truth, we are acting as God’s children. If we are Christians, we need to remember who our Father is and act like Him. Another way that might help us fight our temptations is to fill ourselves with truth so that we in turn will be more prone to speak truth. We are told to fill our minds with and to think on things that are “true” (Phil. 4:8). The Proverbs tell us to grab hold of truth and never let it go (Prov. 23:23). While these passages point very clearly to the truth of God’s word   (cf. Jn. 17:17), we do learn that what we fill ourselves with is what will come out. The more we fill ourselves with truth, the …

            For some living in Europe during WWII, it would have been illegal to hide one of Jewish descent. Still, some bravely withstood the Gestapo and would lie about housing Jews to save their own lives and the lives of those whom they were hiding. Was this justifiable? This is situational ethics in action. If we look at it from a human perspective, we can easily rationalize and justify the lie (after all, lives are being saved that otherwise would be unrighteously destroyed). Still, God’s word is true (Jn. 17:17, NKJV), and God’s word never justifies a lie based on one’s situation.             One example we find that shows our situation does not justify a lie is seen when Abram attempts to deceive Pharaoh about his relationship with Sarai. Abram feared that if Pharaoh found out that Sarai was his wife, Pharaoh would kill Abram (Gen. 12:12). Because of this fear and desire to save his own life, Abram attempted to deceive Pharaoh by saying Sarai was his sister. Pharaoh ultimately learns that Sarai is Abram’s wife, resulting in Abram and Sarai’s having to leave Egypt (Gen. 12:18-20). Abram did not learn his lesson in this situation, and later does the same thing with Abimelech, king of Gerar (Gen. 20:1ff). Several years later, the same lesson is repeated to Abraham’s son, Isaac (Gen. 26:1ff). In each scenario, Abraham and Isaac are taught a lesson about situational ethics from a pagan. No situation or fear thereof justifies a lie.             Perhaps …