Wednesday, 12 June 2019

DRESSING TO GLORIFY GOD



waec.jpgPROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism) DIP, BA, (Theology) MA, PhD
DRESSING TO GLORIFY GOD
The eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves”, {Genesis 3:7}
INTRODUCTION:
      Scripturally, the primary objective in dressing is the covering of nakedness. Other objectives  as necessitated by climatic and environmental problems include, the giving of warmth to our bodies and the protecting of the skin from insect bites. Socially speaking, man also, should dress to look nice. However, for any mode of dressing to give GOD glory, it must take cognizance of divine principle and modesty.
      The immodest mode of dressing that has characterized the modern world is not a mark of civilization, as many are made to believe, but a manifestation of the sinful nature of man. Pointing to the fact of transvestism {dressing in the clothing of the opposite sex} it becomes biblically clear that most people living in  human society are detestable to GOD, {Deut. 22:5}. Furthermore, those who dress like prostitutes demonstrate crafty intent to destroy the unsuspecting souls, {Prov. 7:10ff}.
      From the foregoing, it becomes noticeable that transvestism and all forms of harlot-like dressing are sinful before GOD. These perversions indicate that many are yet under the bondage of sin, and so, candidates of hell .{The Big Girl reacts}
The Big Girl:
Do you mean transvestism is such a sin that can send someone to hell?
The Preacher:
Your problem is that you look at transvestism from a social point of view. What may be socially acceptable, may not be acceptable to GOD. Transvestism is an abomination before the LORD, {Deut: 22:5}. And anything abominable can send someone to hell.
The Big Girl:
But, hell isn’t much a problem. A preacher told me is just a grave and not as dreadful as you try to paint it.
The Preacher:
Mind what you hear and take in. The Bible tells us that both hell and grave {hades} will be cast into the lake of fire, {Rev.20:14}.
The Big Girl:
Then, what happens to those in the grave?
The Preacher:
I guess, you can imagine. If one is in a room, sleeping, {as the grave is the sleeping room for the dead} and eventually the room gets burnt, what do you think happens?
The Big Girl:
I suppose the room and the occuptants get burnt The Preacher:
You’re right
The Big Girl:
You’re just particularizing on issue of the wearing of trousers. Is transvestism a matter of just wearing of trousers?
The Preacher:
No, transvestism borders on the wearing of the clothing of the opposite sex, and not just on the wearing of trousers. A girl or woman who wears men’s
shirt or any masculine clothing or a boy or man who wears gown or any clothing of the female folks is guilty  of the same offence.
The Big Girl:
You also talked of dressing like a prostitute, what do you really mean?
The Preacher:
Going by what is written in the book of Proverb 7:10ff, one can correctly say that dressing like a prostitute covers all forms of dressing that can trigger off immorality. Both male and female folks can be guilty of this depravity. Are you affected?
The Big Girl:
Yes! But, I don’t know how to get out of it
The Preacher:
The issue of transvestism and that of dressing like a prostitute are not just outward phenomena but inward problems. The powers {evil spirits} that control such illicit ways of life dwell in the hearts of those who live therein. It is only when one allows JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR into one’s life that such powers are broken or driven out of one’s life.
The Big Girl:
What do I really do to get out of this problem?
The Preacher:
Biblically speaking, every sincere sinner who desires to get out of the problem of sin has four basic steps to take:
{1}HE/SHE MUST REPENT:
“Repent, therefore, and turn to God, that your sins may be wiped out...” {Acts 3:19}.
{2} HE/SHE MUST CONFESS:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” {1 Jn. 1:9}.
{3} HE/SHE MUST RENOUNCE:
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy”, {Prov. 28:13}
{4}HE/SHE MUST RECEIVE JESUS
“...to all who received HIM, to those who believed in HIS NAME, HE gave the right to become children of GOD” {Jn. 1:112}.
The Big Girl:
You have really helped me. But, one more thing. In your introductory statement, you made mention of dressing to glorify GOD. What particular fashion in dressing can really glorify GOD?
The Preacher:
When I said, “Dressing to glorify GOD”, I really had no particular type of fashion in mind. The main concern of any true child of GOD in dress-making borders on the objectives for which clothing was introduced. These I cited as
{I} dressing to cover one’s nakedness,
{ii} dressing to protect one’s skin from insect bite,
{iii} dressing to give one’s body warmth,
{iv} dressing to look nice.
With these basic clothing objectives in mind, one can always make one’s dresses to the glory of GOD.
The Big Girl {now a believer}
Thanks, for your immense help, I shall now take my turn in telling my friends that:
Transvestism and all forms of harlot-like dressing are detestable to GOD,{ Deu 22:5; Prov. 7:10ff}. Good bye!
This tract is God's message and property in your hands. Don't destroy it,  read and pass it on.
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