This is the message I was going to send a friend of mine on modesty. We had a discussion two nights ago about it, and she felt that she could wear whatever she wanted to wear on the beach. I know that the realization that bikinis were immodest did not come to me until the Holy Spirit took a hold of my heart, so I didn't want to press the issue, and decided against sending it. However, I didn't want the typing to go to waste, so I am going to publish it on here.
Blessings.
"how are you? I hope you got some rest--you looked dog tired!!
anyway, I don't usually do this, because I don't like to sound pushy, but I know you are open to discussions anytime. =) I also don't want you to think that I am being "preachy," but I feel a responsibility as your sister in Christ to say something.
Remember our conversation about modesty the other night? I looked up the verse that you were talking about "in whatever you do do it to the glory of God" because I'm about to teach a Bible study on modesty with some young girls. When I read it, I realized that right next to that, God places some restrictions on our freedom so that there is order and that
everyone benefits from the decisions the body of Christ makes daily.
1 Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
The main part I wanted to point out was
"Do not cause anyone to stumble."As a young woman, you are powerful. The way you dress, conduct yourself around others, it all has power in it. And I'm telling you, the intent of bikinis and cut out swimsuits were not designed to "get a tan." They were designed BY MEN. That's a key factor. Men know what arouses them. Many women took the bikini as a "liberation," when in fact they were being used as eye candy--I'm telling you, ask ANY male at the beach, ask any
lesbian--what are people looking at when you are in a bikini? Your body, and they are lusting after it. Meaning, we are causing our brothers to sin. We are causing our
sisters to sin, and we say, "we have freedom in Christ!" We don't have the freedom to make others stumble. Paul talks about this in Galatians 5. We are to act in love, and not indulge in the "sinful nature." If what you are doing causes your fellow brother to indulge in the sinful nature--don't do it! Because by your actions, you yourself are indulging in selfishness, which is apart of the sinful nature. If it causes even a stranger to sin, don't do it! It doesn't matter if you're wearing clothes, a bikini, drinking, dancing, or whatever it is. It's selfish of Christians to even pretend as though doing so is ok. And believe me, God will hold every single one of us accountable for our actions.
God has been convicting me of this, and I know He's not just convicting me for myself. God wants every single one of us in this group to stand up for righteousness, and especially as women, stand up for purity and modesty."
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