1 Peter 3:3

Digging4Truth · #1 10-30-2007, 07:04 AM

I am quoting a series of scriptures for context but the thread is mostly about the bolded scripture.

I'll just start off with a simple question and we will see where it goes from there.

On 1 Peter 3:3... What do you think this refers to if not to practices such as the modern doing up of hair, putting on of the "nice suits", "cute clothes" & "cute shoes" etc?

I would dare say that the society that we live in has completely lost the concept of clothing as a covering and has embraced with open arms the concept of clothing as an adornment.

Now... one thing I ask of this thread. PLEASE do not go into all of the "well what would you want people to do... wear overalls and look all poor and sad"

I am not saying what anybody should do so please stay off of such posturing. I am just wanting to discuss what you might think that verse is talking about and how that might pertain to us today.

Quote:

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation [coupled] with fear.
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

Neck · #2 10-30-2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I am quoting a series of scriptures for context but the thread is mostly about the bolded scripture.

I'll just start off with a simple question and we will see where it goes from there.

On 1 Peter 3:3... What do you think this refers to if not to practices such as the modern doing up of hair, putting on of "cute clothes" & "cute shoes" etc?

I would dare say that the society that we live in has completely lost the concept of clothing as a covering and has embraced with open arms the concept of clothing as an adornment.

Now... one thing I ask of this thread. PLEASE do not go into all of the "well what would you want people to do... wear overalls and look all poor and sad"

I am not saying what anybody should do so please stay off of such posturing. I am just wanting to discuss what you might think that verse is talking about and how that might pertain to us today.

That is what you are saying,

Wear overalls and look all poor and sad"

And that is the depiction of the many...

If not what are you getting at?

Share with us a picture of your ideal of drssing the right way...

Digging4Truth · #3 10-30-2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neckstadt

That is what you are saying,

Wear overalls and look all poor and sad"

And that is the depiction of the many...

If not what are you getting at?

Share with us a picture of your ideal of drssing the right way...

*sigh*

No sir it isn"t. Also... I generally don't view or teach anything along these lines in the manner of clothes line rules. What I would busy myself with doing would be the teaching of concepts.

So... a good start in the general direction of the ideal concept that I would love to see would be a simple realization of our tendency to walk this line of adornment.

If we have found ourselves doing exactly what scripture warned us to stay away from then no level of closet reassignment is going to change that. What I would like to see is open discussion on a subject such as this one that might help us realize that we do make many decisions with the very criteria scripture warns against.

This might trigger someone to do a little thinking and from a little thinking comes a little prayer and from a little prayer comes a little change.

The change may not even be something that someone would be able to see on the outside but an inward change that causes someone to begin to change the focus of their clothing selection to lean more on how this covers me with modesty and less on how well this adorns my body.

I am not one who seeks changes in the sense of others beginning to do things the way I would like to see them. I am one who seeks changes that come from thoughtful & prayerful study. That translates to a change in the heart and the mind. That translates to an outward change that came from their own heart and from their own relationship with God.

But... none of that can be attained unless we can find ourselves able to discuss these issues without an immediate feeling that this brother must have an agenda to be asking this question.

Michael The Disciple · #4 10-30-2007, 07:51 AM

Been wearing flannel shirts and blue jeans 95% of my life. Plain, simple and functional.

mizpeh · #5 10-30-2007, 07:52 AM

D4T,

I agree with what you are saying about clothing being an outward expression of what is in our hearts, the attitudes of our hearts. There may be pride as in 'I'm better than you because I wear better, more expensive clothes than you' or a 'look at me'...'notice me'. It would seem the Bible points to women having these attitudes with the verse you highlighted but men do the same thing.

God want us to wear modest clothing. To be adorned with humility and quietness are spiritual adornments which are reflected in the way we dress.

The part that will bring contention is who is the judge of what is modest? Or who can say what is too expensive? I think it is between the saint and God. The Holy Spirit is able to convict and also to show approval.

nahkoe · #6 10-30-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

*sigh*

No sir it isn"t. Also... I generally don't view or teach anything along these lines in the manner of clothes line rules. What I would busy myself with doing would be the teaching of concepts.

So... a good start in the general direction of the ideal concept that I would love to see would be a simple realization of our tendency to walk this line of adornment.

If we have found ourselves doing exactly what scripture warned us to stay away from then no level of closet reassignment is going to change that. What I would like to see is open discussion on a subject such as this one that might help us realize that we do make many decisions with the very criteria scripture warns against.

This might trigger someone to do a little thinking and from a little thinking comes a little prayer and from a little prayer comes a little change.

The change may not even be something that someone would be able to see on the outside but an inward change that causes someone to begin to change the focus of their clothing selection to lean more on how this covers me with modesty and less on how well this adorns my body.

I am not one who seeks changes in the sense of others beginning to do things the way I would like to see them. I am one who seeks changes that come from thoughtful & prayerful study. That translates to a change in the heart and the mind. That translates to an outward change that came from their own heart and from their own relationship with God.

But... none of that can be attained unless we can find ourselves able to discuss these issues without an immediate feeling that this brother must have an agenda to be asking this question.

I agree with what you're seeing here. I'm puzzled by things like perms and fancy hair-dos and painful looking shoes. There's plenty of adornment going on in the churches I've been to.

One thing I've noticed kind of looking in from the outside is that those who have been taught all their lives how to live, tend to adorn more than those who are coming into this from outside the church. I think it's human nature to want to look nice/pretty/made up and I think that's where it's coming from. W/o these things being a personal conviction, something that this person has sought God's face over, it's just a list of "do this" and "don't do that". I don't think most who do this even recognize it, it's just how things have always been so it's done w/o any second thought. I also don't think any less of those who do this. It's just something I've noticed as almost a double standard...don't wear make up but it's ok to spend 2 hours teasing your hair and use an entire can of hairspray to keep it in all those fancy curls. It's really not about any list...it's about what's inside.

Digging4Truth · #7 10-30-2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizpeh

D4T,

I agree with what you are saying about clothing being an outward expression of what is in our hearts, the attitudes of our hearts. There may be pride as in 'I'm better than you because I wear better, more expensive clothes than you' or a 'look at me'...'notice me'. It would seem the Bible points to women having these attitudes with the verse you highlighted but men do the same thing.

God want us to wear modest clothing. To be adorned with humility and quietness are spiritual adornments which are reflected in the way we dress.

The part that will bring contention is who is the judge of what is modest? Or who can say what is too expensive? I think it is between the saint and God. The Holy Spirit is able to convict and also to show approval.

Agreed...

Which is why we should strive to study the word with an open and honest heart and pray that the Lord would lead us so that we would be more able to judge our own lives.

This is why I am not a fan of lists of rules. Lists of rules do not teach me to judge for myself. But gaining an understanding of the precepts of Holiness of spirit, attitude & dress (by the leading of the Spirit and the Word... there is no substitute) will give us the ability to judge for ourselves and we then can walk in the Spirit.

Digging4Truth · #8 10-30-2007, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nahkoe

I agree with what you're seeing here. I'm puzzled by things like perms and fancy hair-dos and painful looking shoes. There's plenty of adornment going on in the churches I've been to.

One thing I've noticed kind of looking in from the outside is that those who have been taught all their lives how to live, tend to adorn more than those who are coming into this from outside the church. I think it's human nature to want to look nice/pretty/made up and I think that's where it's coming from. W/o these things being a personal conviction, something that this person has sought God's face over, it's just a list of "do this" and "don't do that". I don't think most who do this even recognize it, it's just how things have always been so it's done w/o any second thought. I also don't think any less of those who do this. It's just something I've noticed as almost a double standard...don't wear make up but it's ok to spend 2 hours teasing your hair and use an entire can of hairspray to keep it in all those fancy curls. It's really not about any list...it's about what's inside.

Great post.

It is, sometimes, the teaching of rules rather than understanding that leads to so many inconsistencies.

For instance... the rules may be... our ladies wear skirts...

The end result is that no one has been taught an inward concept of Holiness so, while a skirt is being worn, it is skin tight and reveals as much as any pair of pants.

The issue here is that we have missed the point. The way we missed the point is by teaching a list of rules. Then the focus was on that list of rules and the beautiful and powerful concept of holiness and modesty were missed.

There is no substitute for a child of God learning and loving the very nature of their creator and savior.

Light · #9 10-30-2007, 09:20 AM

I Peter 3 is not about standards, in facts it is just the opposite.

I Peter 3 is about winning a husband that is lost. Peter is saying don't let your man made standards be the tool you use to win the husband. The tool to win the husband is a meek and quite spirit. This tool is not found in many that use dress as their thermometer of spirituality.

Digging4Truth · #10 10-30-2007, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Light

I Peter 3 is not about standards, in facts it is just the opposite.

I Peter 3 is about winning a husband that is lost. Peter is saying don't let your man made standards be the tool you use to win the husband. The tool to win the husband is a meek and quite spirit. This tool is not found in many that use dress as their thermometer of spirituality.

Which is why I quoted more than that scripture... for the context.

And.. I am glad you agree with what we have been posting here.

It isn't about standards... it is about a Spirit that is equal to the holiness, modesty and wisdom of our creator. It is about walking in His wise way and the powerful affect such a heart borne wisdom can have on others.