Ask the Pastor: How Should Christians Dress? What About Modesty Versus Legalism?
Ask the Pastor is a regular column at Every Reason to Believe where pastor Reagan Marsh answers a variety of reader questions about ministry, Christianity, the church, and more…all from the perspective of the pulpit. You can find all of his articles here.
How Should Christians Dress? What About Modesty Versus Legalism?
How should Christians dress? I’m wrestling with modesty. My family aims for God-honoring dress. Is modesty akin to a fruit of the Spirit, or a work we strive for? Some at church want rules concerning clothes; I’m worried about legalism or Pharisaical attitudes.
Modesty is a moving target — should skirts be 1” or 1.5” above the knees? Scripture doesn’t specify—nor does it demand dresses, forbid pants, etc.
It does specify outward modesty as reflecting inward humility before God and others. Humility lacks highmindedness (Rom. 11:20), self-promoting forwardness (Jas. 4), and general haughtiness (Prov. 6:16-17).
“Ultimately, immodesty is idolatry, discarding the First Commandment: aiming at admiration, displaying self-glory, exalting me.”
Love seeks not its own (1 Cor. 13:5), but immodesty certainly does. Ultimately, immodesty is idolatry, discarding the First Commandment (Exo. 20:3): aiming at admiration, displaying self-glory, exalting me.
“The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” as “very precious in God’s sight” (1 Pet. 3:4) quickly becomes clear here. God’s eyes matter; any meaningful recognition and approval come from him; he looks on hearts, not outward appearances (1 Sam. 16:7).
1 Peter 3 addresses women, but men can also prove immodest (not merely in dress). The principle applies universally: every heart must be humbled before the Holy One.
How many layers I wear doesn’t matter if my heart still “seeks its own”: pursuing self, prizing praise. Immodesty occurs at school, home, church, work, markets—any place where any heart goes unhumbled before God is a place where immodesty reigns.
Immodesty forgets I am a creature of dust, bearing God’s image; he alone is resplendent in true beauty. Immodesty forgets my reason for existence is reflecting his worth (Is. 43:7; 1 Cor. 10:31).
“God’s eyes matter; any meaningful recognition and approval come from him; he looks on hearts, not outward appearances.”
He owed me no knowledge of himself; the Creator holds sole prerogative to give or withhold.
But choosing to reveal himself in creation (Ps. 19:1-6), Scripture (Ps. 19:7-14), and Jesus (Jn. 1:1-18), if God failed to declare his supremacy, sufficiency, and majesty as Lord, it would be incredible immodesty on his part. He’d fail to show where my instinct for beholding glory should lead—the Cross of Jesus.
Modesty clothes itself with humility befitting a creature who knows the Creator clothed his splendors in my flesh, entered my death, and redeemed sinners for himself.
“Modesty clothes itself with humility befitting a creature who knows the Creator clothed his splendors in my flesh, entered my death, and redeemed sinners for himself.”
Modesty awaits the day Christians see him as he is (1 Jn. 3:2), when our lowly bodies are transformed to be like his heavenly body (Phil. 3:21), when all applause (Ps. 65:1) explodes—not for one adorned in clothing or accessories that rot, but from those wearing the unfading loveliness of Christ’s righteousness.
So—is modesty a fruit of the Spirit? Cumulatively speaking, yes; like holiness, it’s the consequence of God’s indwelling Spirit. Can we regulate such fruit?
No more than we regulate God’s sovereignty (Ps. 115:3) or Christian growth (Heb. 6:1-3). What about basic standards?
“Focused on hemlines, hypocrisy threatens; focused on God’s holiness, faithfulness grows.”
Absolutely. Ought they be rigid? No. Think more toward guidelines (Col. 3:12): “Scripture does not specify particulars; our family/church dresses modestly, both sexes alike. We direct attention to the Saviour, not self.”
Help people treasure Jesus above admiration—whether lustful (vice) or legalistic (virtue police).
Developing a Christian conscience means walking in true freedom under Christ’s Lordship and Scripture’s authority, submitted to godly oversight by faithful elders, husbands, and fathers who lovingly lead and shepherd by teaching God’s character.
Focused on hemlines, hypocrisy threatens; focused on God’s holiness, faithfulness grows.
Reagan Marsh, MATS, MDiv (eq.) is founding pastor-teacher to Reformation Baptist Church of Dalton, GA. A certified biblical counselor, Reagan took MATS and MDiv study at NOBTS and SBTS, and is a ThM candidate at CBTS researching Hercules Collins’s pastoral theology under Tom Nettles. He has served in gospel ministry since 1998 and he writes and contributes to numerous Christian publications.
Image Credit: The Blue Feather (1917) by William J. Edmondson (American, 1868–1966). The Cleveland Museum of Art. 1917.400.
Thank you for reading this article about How Should Christians Dress?