2020-06-28 1 Timothy 2:9-10 BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES

BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES (I Tim 2:9-10) June 21, 2020 Read I Tim 2:9-10 – Only a fool would speak to women about clothing and beauty, right? So here I am! But not as advisor, but as messenger from Someone who knows about both. God made beauty and God made women. And God’s been interested in how both men and women dress since He gave them new clothing in the Garden of Eden. There is not a woman alive (or man either) who doesn’t want to be attractive. Paul’s saying, “God gave you the desire to be beautiful. The world will tell you wrong ways to do that. Here’s the right way.” And while the world puts limits on who’s beautiful and who not, God has no limits. Beauty is for all! This chapter is about public worship. Paul first addresses men, telling them how to express their manliness, and leadership, by public prayer for those who are lost. This is one way we Show them God’s heart. Given that, Paul’s advice to women might seem trivial – instruction on how to dress for public worship? But he’ll get deeper than that. He’s showing how to express femininity – how to show off personal beauty in a way that will show God’s beauty to our families and our world. This is also God’s heart. There’s an old story about an 18th century dinner in France where a pampered rascal was seated between a famous female author (Mme de Stael) and a countess renowned for her beauty (Mme Recamier). He announced, “Here I sit between wit and beauty.” The author responded, “Quite so, and without possessing either.” Well, God is anxious that we possess both “wit” – from the Word, and attractiveness – whether male or female. True beauty as He sees it. So, let’s examine the Attitude, Apparel and Actions of Beauty. I. The Attitude of Beauty – Modesty A lady asked her friend, “Did you see that hat Mary wore to church?” “No,” said the friend. “Well, did you see that dress Louise had on?” Again the friend answered, “No.” The lady then said, “Well, a lot of good it does you to go to church.” Well, I hope we don’t come for a fashion show, or to show off our outward beauty or compare with others. But we can dress well! 1 Woman should adorn themselves “with modesty and self-control.” These two terms refer to inner virtues – attitude, reminding us true beauty starts inside – in the heart! Prov 15:13: “A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” Cheerful = yatab = “glad or pleasing.” Pleasant to look at. Beautiful. Beauty starts inside. I Pet 3:4: “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” Attend to your heart as much as your make-up mirror. People will notice. Paul gives two words to describe an attitude of beauty – modesty and selfcontrol. “Modesty” comes from a root which means “without shame.” This is captured in the KJV which translates “women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness” – that is with an awareness that one could dress shamefully and wanting to avoid that. It means to dress in a manner that is not provocative or seductive – aimed at drawing attention to oneself. “Self-control” speaks of keeping things in their proper place – relating here to sensual appeal. God made us with sexual desire -- therefore, a good thing – to be cherished. But He’s also directed that it find expression within the confines of marriage. Otherwise, it becomes a fire burning out of control and causing severe damage. A great gift, expressed in the wrong way at the wrong time to the wrong people brings devastation. So self-control in public dress is essential to a Godly woman. What is honorable in the marriage bedroom arouses damaging passions elsewhere. Beauty in a woman of God expresses itself in outer dress which is modest and controlled – not intended to attract attention or arouse the interest of men at the wrong time and place. This is not to encourage dowdy dress or no make-up or a downgrading of natural beauty. That’s not the point. We should all strive to present ourselves attractively – without striving to be the center of attention. A woman is to examine motives. Is it her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to show her love and devotion to her husband if she is married? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worship of God? Or is her intent to flaunt her feminine charms? An attitude of modesty and self-control will lead to dress that excites neither her passions nor those of anyone else. She doesn’t downplay her natural beauty. That would be to draw attention to herself in a negative fashion. But neither does she flaunt it. Her beauty is the outward expression of an inward commitment to and contentment in her Lord. This is not the world’s way. I can’t open email without being bombarded by pixs of the recent provocative dress of this or that celebrity -- images of the highest slits and lowest cleavage at the latest award show or beach outing. 2 We’re called to be different, Beloved. The Kardashians are perhaps the apex of the world’s shameless fascination with outward beauty. They’ve made a fortune with no redeeming societal value outside of showing off their bodies. Theirs is a celebrity without visible talent, intelligence or devotion to a cause other than self. To our young ladies, I would urge, if they’re your idol, please rethink your priorities. Such shameless practices cannot end well. And any guys you attract that way – will be looking for the next hot thing in no time. God has given us bodies to enjoy. But we must not identify or value ourselves by our dress. An attitude of modesty shows respect for self and others in Christ. A godly woman would be ashamed if she distracted someone from worshiping God or contributed to someone’s lustful thought. She hates sin so much she would avoid anything that might tempt herself or anyone else. In 1555, John Calvin told his Geneva congregation: “We would no longer see lewdness in dress, or in gestures, or in speech, as the world currently provides too excessive a license. For when men and women dress in such a way as to seduce each other and to entice each other into adultery, are they not all the more engaged in prostitution?” That was 1555! He’d never make it today! So, ladies, and men too, we must ask why we dress the way we do? Is it to glorify God or glorify self? Proper dress starts on the inside. II. The Apparel of Beauty – Moderate So, if the attitude of beauty is modesty, what does the actual dress code look like? Pretty simple, right? Moderate. Stylish clothing is great, but if intended to seduce or draw undue attention, it’s over the line – easy to do in our society. That doesn’t mean Amish black or granny dresses! It doesn’t mean no makeup or jewelry. It doesn’t. Paul’s simple instruction leaves plenty of room for creativity. V. 9): “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.” “Adorn” means “create an attractive appearance thru decoration.” The word is κοσμεω, from which we get “cosmetic.” The word “respectable” has the same root. “Adorn yourself in adorning apparel.” It allows the enhancing of natural beauty through appropriate dress. John Stott says: “When a woman adorns herself, she seeks to enhance her beauty. There is no biblical warrant in these verses for women to neglect their appearance, conceal their beauty or become dowdy and frumpish. The question is how they should adorn themselves.” It is to be tasteful, but not provocative or seductive. It’s for God’s glory, not ours! 3 I once had a youth director whose hair and dress often looked like he’d just gotten out of bed. He told me he thought he was not a very attractive guy, so why worry about the externals. We discussed from Psalm 139 that God had made him exactly as he needed to be to complete his mission, and he owed God his best in everything, including grooming and dress. It was transforming to him. To dress carelessly is to imply we don’t care much for what He has created. We can be as distracting by underdressing as overdressing. But there is a negative. Paul says, “Not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.” So, no braids, fancy hair-dos, jewelry or anything other than from Kohl’s or Target? That’s not his point. James B. Hurley explains Paul’s cultural context: “Paul refers to the elaborate hair-styles fashionable among the wealthy, and worn by courtesans. The sculpture and literature of the period [show] that women often wore their hair in enormously elaborate arrangements with braids and curls interwoven, or piled high like towers and decorated with gems and/or gold and/or pearls, making a shimmering screen of their locks.” That’s the ostentation Paul’s against. Appearance for appearance sake. Some are naturally more elegant or flamboyant than others. But all should keep it simple and tasteful. Not seeking, “Look at me.” Admittedly cultural mores affect the way women dress, while still seeking God’s guidelines. What works in the Iran will not work here and vice versa. What worked in 1800 will not work in 2018 and vice versa. That’s why it’s hard to judge appropriateness by length of hemline, etc. But we can say with Paul, “Don’t be the one pushing the boundaries of propriety. Don’t be the one overtly appealing to the sensual nature of others. Be in the middle. There is plenty of room for creativity and beauty there.” Don’t seek to be the shortest, the lowest, the tightest, or the costliest. Cultivate modesty. God’s saying dress attractively, but without sexual suggestiveness, ostentation, showiness. Cultivate modesty and moderation in all things. Beth Moore is very blunt when she says, “I remember when a mom said to me, ‘I just wish these girls had some idea what they're putting these boys through.’ Being a woman with two daughters I said, ‘Are you out of your mind? Of course they know what they're putting them through. That's why they're doing it. It's power.’ When we are showing everything, we are agreeing with the world that we are only as good as we are sexually desirable. But we can be cute and modest at the same time. I've made my bed in hell. I know what it's like to think you can wield power if you can get them to look at you. But I also know the freedom and beauty and modesty of 4 Christ. When you reveal all your secret stuff you have given away your ministry, and you are saying, ‘I believe that's all I'm worth.’ Cover yourself up. Be darling women. Be good at what you've been called to do, but cover up the places that are not meant for anybody's eyes to your husband’s.” III. The Actions of Beauty – Morality TRUE beauty. Turns out it has little to do with what you wear. It’s what you do! There’s a concept! V. 10: what is “proper attire for women who profess godliness”? “Good works.” You want real beauty? Then realize it is not about looks, nor clothing. It is about what you do. It’s a Christlike lifestyle, driven by a new heart that gives a woman irresistible beauty. This could not be more counter to what the world teaches, but I guarantee you, it is true. Beauty is not as beauty looks; beauty is as beauty does. So, anyone can be beautiful. I Pet 3:4: “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” The outward beauty the world cherishes will soon sag and wrinkle. But a gentle spirit resulting in selfless good works toward others produces a beauty that will follow you, even after death. The best beauty secret ever is to spend less time looking in the mirror and more time looking at Christ. Rom 13:14: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Adorn yourself in Him. Your inner beauty will shine through. Eph 4:22-24: “put off your old (attention hog) self which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23) and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24) and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Details follow in that passage. Take off manipulation, lies, anger, coveting, stealing, gossip, bitterness, slander, fighting, and grudges; put on integrity, self-control, honesty, gracious and edifying speech, tenderness, forgiveness. That’ll give you beauty that dazzles, whatever your outward looks. God promises it. Question is, do we believe it? Will we live it? You, young girls, you have such a great chance to create a lifetime of beauty! Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia Intnl University in SC once drove an elderly friend, crippled by arthritis, on an errand. She asked, “Robertson, why does God let us get old and wrinkled and weak?” He answered, “I’m not sure, but I have an idea. I think God gives strength and beauty in youth that fades as we age to remind us that physical things are not permanent. It also urges us to strive for the permanent strength and beauty found in service for Christ and others.” So right! So why develop 5 permanent beauty even in your youth? Come dressed in good works and godliness and I promise, people will notice – more importantly, God will notice what is precious to Him. Conc – A middle-age couple was lounging on the couch one day – husband with his head in his wife’s lap. She removed his glasses and said, “You know, Sweetheart, without your glasses, you look like the same handsome young man I married.” He replied with a grin, “And, Honey, without my glasses, you still look pretty good, too!” Outward beauty fades, doesn’t it? We all know it. So Paul’s message is tend to it, but don’t overdo on it. Look away from the mirror; look to Christ. Develop the beauty that lasts forever. And one last word to our young ladies. Don’t neglect your looks and clothing within the bounds God has established. But concentrate on a heart that loves Jesus and others. The guys you attract merely by outward beauty will move on as soon as they find someone hotter. To get the right kind of guy, concentrate on the true beauty of the heart more than the outward beauty of the body. That’s the beauty the right guy is looking for. The only way to get the right kind of guy is to be the right kind of girl. Same applies to guys. Let’s pray. 6