Shamefastness

Articles

Rick Fleeman
12/05/00 - Modesty

I was very convinced about proper clothing by listening to a sermon about shamefastness. Obviously shamefastness could be defined as having a sense of shame, feeling shame, and even not doing things that make you feel shame. We read in the Bible

1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1 Tim 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Notice that modest clothing for women is tied to the same holy behavior as men lifting up their hands in prayer. This should be sobering to the Christian. Also Paul says women should use shamefastness when clothing themselves. They should have the proper sense of shame about their nakedness when they pick out their wardrobe.

It's obvious to any shamefast person, but when your nakedness is exposed you should feel shame. The Bible shows us this is so.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

So any shamefast person should be concerned over what they need to cover so as to not expose their nakedness. Let's get a few suggestions from the Bible.

TUNICS

In another article we showed that although Adam and his wife had aprons on, they were still naked. This is what God did to clothe them.

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

These coats are rendered tunics in other versions such as the New King James Version. Scholars agree that "at a minimum" these went from the shoulder to the knee. Others would suggest they went to the ankle and even had long sleeves. However, from what research I done, most would agree that they went only to the knee area. Why when someone already had an apron on (loin cover) would God make a garment that went from the shoulder to the knee? The obvious answer would be that you needed to cover some other stuff in that area before you actually were covering your nakedness.

BUTTOCKS

Is 20:4 So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

It should be obvious, but let the record show your buttocks needs to be covered to cover your nakedness.

BREASTS

The Bible does not specifically say to cover your breasts, but it does show that the breasts are the tools of a harlot. Any shamefast women would cover them.

Ezek 23:3 And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.

Ezek 23:8 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.

Hos 2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;

LOIN AREA

Ex 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

Is 20:2 At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

The word used for loin in this latter verse is used in the Bible to signify hips, groin area, lower back, mid section and such like. It's obvious one would need to cover all that section so that all of their nakedness would be covered.

THIGHS

It might surprise some that the Bible even says exposing your thighs is exposing your nakedness. This would explain why God made a tunic that went completely to the knee before he said Adam and Eve were no longer naked or were clothed.

Ex 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

Is 47:2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
Is 47:3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

SUMMARY

The tunic God picked from the beginning covered all the areas listed. Notice that the apron wasn't good enough for Adam, but not Eve. God made them both tunics. Men and women both need to wear garments that cover from their shoulders to the knee area (at least) to make sure their thigh and all other areas that constitute nakedness are covered.

Any time one is exposing these areas he is exposing his nakedness. This would include doing undergarment commercials, etc. Even the definitions of naked mention unclad, lightly clad, or in the under garment.

Remember it is also our duty to not become a stumbling block to another. If we wear improper clothing and cause another to fall to lust do to our nakedness, we have sinned.

Matt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.