The Attire of Harlot - Can Godly Women Wear Lipstick, Jewelry, and Expensive Clothing?

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the All Things Fulfilled broadcast. We are grateful that you've tuned in with us. We encourage you to do so every Saturday evening from 6.30 until 7 p.m. Central Time, from 7.30 until 8 p.m. Eastern Time for the All Things Fulfilled broadcast. I'm William Bell. Shortly we'll be underway with a lesson for you. Before we do, I'd like to encourage you to visit our website at allthingsfulfilled.com. There are several videos, podcasts, and tons of articles for you to learn about the various things that we share with you and teach you from week to week. In addition, we encourage you to visit our YouTube channel, which is at allthingsfulfilled.com. Be sure and subscribe and also click the bell so that every time we upload a new video, you will receive a notification in your inbox, depending on the type of phone or iPad that you have, etc. In addition, we encourage you to check out our mobile app, which you can do so at the Google Play Store. All of those are just resources that we make available for you. Today, once again, we welcome you to the broadcast and we are going to speak on a different subject. We're going to talk about the attire of a harlot. In this message, what we're doing is addressing something that appeared online a couple of years ago. I'm sure the videos are still up. It had to do with the person making the statement that if a woman wore jewelry, earrings, lipstick, wigs, breast pads, anklets, and who paint their nails and toes, looked like a prostitute. Probably even said, or at least I think they did, that if they wore such things that they were a prostitute, or at least certainly aligned themselves with people who were prostitutes from that particular point of view. Is it true that that is the case? How would you feel if someone, if your mother came in or your wife or your daughter with some woman that you cared much about, if they were wearing earrings and lipstick and jewelry, etc., the basic attire that women wear, and someone said to them they look like a prostitute? We want to talk about that a little bit today just to see what the concerning it. The reason is because there are children who sit under this type of teaching and who get persuaded by it, as well as unsuspecting people who have listened to it. I've seen over the years where people have tried to control the dress of women as it relates to what I would consider modest dress because they have a more restrictive type of opinion about what women ought to wear. Because of that, some women get caught up with that. Let's go ahead and talk about it just a little bit. Largely, you've seen these things in, I would say, some Pentecostal type churches and others, apostolic churches, etc., where you see this. This is what happened in one of the scenarios like that. Let's talk about the attire of a harlot. We do have the scriptures that mentions the attire of a harlot, both in the book of Proverbs, and that is Proverbs chapter 7, where Solomon talks about the attire of a harlot. Now, we really don't need to say very much about it other than we've probably had the experience of seeing prostitutes along the streets or even on television, etc., and we see how they are dressed. Usually, they're thinly clad, their tops are too low, their bottoms are too high or too short, too tight, too revealing. Now, you have women who are actually wearing their lace undergarments as outer garments. Some wear things that are so sheer, there's nothing to be left to the imagination in terms of what they put on. Naturally, these things would be frowned upon, would not be acceptable, and we'll see that even the scriptures would have something to say about them. But usually, when a person dresses in that manner, you know, they have ulterior motives, it reflects on their character, etc., and I think that's what the scripture is referring to. So, in Proverbs chapter 7 and verse 10, it says, and there a woman met him. That is, there was a young man who was devoid of understanding, passing along the street near her corner, and he took the path to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night, and there a woman met him with the attire, or the clothing, of a harlot and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home, at times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner, and she caught him and kissed him, etc. You can read the rest of the text and see how it turned out. It wasn't good for the young man, and certainly wasn't a good reflection on the lady herself, especially when her husband had gone away and she was out doing such things. But nevertheless, that's the portrayal of a harlot in scripture, and again, I think we all have an idea of what that's like. However, when you tell people, particularly women, godly women, that because they wear lipstick, because they wear earrings, because they wear ankle bracelets, and other jewelry of gold and silver, etc., that they are dressed like a prostitute, that they look like prostitutes as a result of that, I think is taking things a bit too far. So let's kind of look at the scripture and see if that is in fact what the scriptures say to us. Now, the Bible does talk about dressing modestly when it talks about women's dress, and so we can look at 1 Timothy beginning at verse 9 and 10. But before we even talk about the women, let's talk about the men in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 8, because the teaching regarding the women sort of springboards from what the Bible says concerning the men. Now, in verse 8 of 1 Timothy 2, the scripture says, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Now, Paul has addressed the church and he has said to them in verse 1, However, he talks about the decorum and the state of heart and mind that men should have when they pray. He says, I would that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands. Now, we should not get caught up in the posture that he is talking about. In other words, it is not about lifting up your hands and saying you are going to pray. That is not the idea. The Bible tells us that in John 9 and verse 31, Now we know that God does not hear sinners, but if a man be a worshipper of God and does his will, him he hears. And so what the text is focused on is a godly man, a man who is willing to obey God, who chooses to obey God, a man who expresses, you know, the holiness in his life as he should, just as the Bible says, you be holy, even as I am holy, 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16. And so that is the manner of life that should characterize the man. And as a result of that, you know, whether he raises his hands or not, this is a righteous man and his prayers would be acceptable before God. And Paul is saying, therefore, that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands. If you recall the example from Leviticus chapter 10, in Leviticus chapter 10, where Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took censers and put fire in it and put incense on it and offered profane fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them. And they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, this is what the Lord spoke saying by those who come near to me, I must be regarded as holy and before all the people, I must be glorified. And so Aaron held his peace. Moses wanted to emphasize to him that it isn't just, you know, going through the motions, but it is about a person who is holy in their character, in their demeanor, in their behavior. And so James says the same thing in James chapter four and verse eight, when he says, draw near to God and he will draw near to you, cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded. So he was concerned about them having pure hearts. And when he said, cleanse your hands, I mean, that's just metaphorical statement, not so much to go into the washroom and wash your hands. That's not the idea, but have clean hands with respect to the manner of life. A clean heart is what that's saying. So it's kind of like a, um, a metaphor for having a clean heart. And that's the emphasis that he's placing on the men. Well, he says in manner also regarding the women that they too are to have that holiness of character and spirit. And so he says in like manner also that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel. Now, why does he focus on the apparel of the women? Because their attire has so much to do with their character and the statements that they are making about themselves. It's true of men as well. So we're not trying to circumvent that fact, but women, because they are a symbol of purity in the scriptures, we certainly should see this even more pronounced as it relates to them. And so he says in like manner also that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing. So what is he saying regarding the women? Modesty in women's attire is a reflection of the holiness in the heart of the character and behavior of the part of the women. This term is from cosmos and it's an adjective, but it means orderly. It means decorous. It means of good behavior. So the woman should adorn her heart, her inner spirit with an order, in an orderly fashion with proper decorum, with godliness, et cetera. The word apparel from caristole simply means a garment let down as in a dress, et cetera. Then he used the word propriety, which is shamefacedness from a hedos, downcast eyes, bashfulness toward men or God, awesomeness and reverence or awe and reverence. Just as the Bible says that the woman was to reverence her husband. And so from that perspective, she is to have respect. She is to be decent and respectable in her character and in her demeanor. And you will see when the Bible talks about the harlot, it talked about, she was loud and she was boisterous, et cetera. And of course you see, you know, women like this without any restraint whatsoever and they say, and they do anything and they don't care how they appear to anyone in public. This was not the way Paul was suggesting or admonishing women in the scriptures. Then he said, in moderation, that means with soundness of mind, with self-control. And so they are to have some restraint in the way that they present themselves in the way that they, first of all, dress their hearts. And then secondly, in the way that they dress themselves with their clothing. And so he says not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing. And the word costly clothing means expensive clothing. Now, is he saying that a woman should not braid her hair, that she should not wear gold, that she should not wear pearls, that she should not wear any jewelry or wear expensive clothing? I don't think that's what the apostle is saying. It's certainly not what I get from the text and what I believe that is possible to understand from the text. But that's why some preachers, and I've heard them say it, I've seen them do it, tell their congregations or tell the women in those congregations they can't wear any jewelry, they can't wear any expensive clothing, they have to dress very bland and look like they're walking around in burlap bags or something of that nature. Very just simple and plain in their dress. And of course, we're not trying to make any judgment on, you know, if a we are not to show respect to persons regarding the clothing that people wear when they come into an assembly. But, you know, some people do that. That's what they're all about. And they feel that they should dictate what people are going to wear as far as their clothing is concerned. Now, obviously, if a person comes in and they're dressed decently, no matter what, whether it's expensive clothing or inexpensive, you know, that's fine. We certainly are not advocating people to come in dressed up like harlots, etc., as we said before. But the Bible is giving some direction in terms of how women should dress. Now, he says, but which is proper for women professing godliness with good works. The word proper is from prepo. Maybe that's the word from which we get preppy. I'm not sure. But nevertheless, it means something that is fit, something that is suitable, something right, something becoming of the character of that person. And notice along with that word, he says, professing good works or professing godliness with good works. So in other words, the appearance of the woman is a statement that she's making about herself. It's an announcement that she's making. It is a profession that she's making and saying something about herself in the way that she dresses and in the way that she carries herself. So this is what Paul is saying. They are to profess godliness with good works. And that is a reflection of their inner being, of their inner character, of their spirit. But that is also reflected in her outer garments. Now, when we turn to 1 Peter 3, Peter says something very similar to the women. And he gives instructions by saying in verse one beginning, wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives. So notice the focus is on their conduct. It's on their character. It's on their behavior. It's on their demeanor. And so he's saying it's not so much all the words that you're saying or whether you should even say a word, depending on the situation, he says, but your character and the way you carry yourself, even without a word, is much more powerful and effective in helping to change behavior than it would be if you're, you know, clapping and clapping at a person all day long. So he says, when they observe your chaste conversation accompanied by fear, that's that respect that he talked about. Again, he says, do not let your adornment be merely outward. And I think that expresses the right sense. He says, don't let it simply be the outward clothing, arranging the hair, wearing gold and putting on a fine apparel. Some people think that, you know, when I put on the finest clothes and everything and toss my hair to and fro in this way, et cetera, and then I'm ready to go out and appear to one, especially in worship, et cetera. And he says, that's not only what it should consist of. He's not saying you should not appear, you know, decent in the assembly, but he says, rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. So that's the manner in which he says women should carry themselves. He says it should be with that incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves being submissive to their own husbands. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are, if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. So these are the prescriptions that the scriptures gave for women in dress. Now, can we draw from that, that he's saying, don't wear anything that's appealing. Don't wear any jewelry, don't wear earrings and lipstick and eyeshadow or whatever. Is he saying that and, you know, put on wigs. And, you know, even if you've had an operation, maybe for breast cancer or whatever that you can't wear, you know, pads or anything to make yourself look womanly. I don't think that's what he's saying, that he's forbidding any of that. And one of the reasons I don't believe that is because when we turn to Ezekiel and we look at how God dressed his own bride, it gives us an indication of what is acceptable. So let's take a look in Ezekiel chapter 16. Now this is where God marries Israel. Israel is his covenant bride. And in so doing, God also dressed her. He provided the dress for her. So in Ezekiel chapter 16 and verse six, he says, and when I passed by you, I saw you struggling in your own blood. I said to you in your blood live. Yes. I said to you in your blood live, I made you thrive like a plant in the field and you grew matured, became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. This is talking about Israel's lack of a covenant covering. All right. And therefore her sins, she was open and bare in her sins, just like Adam and Eve were naked after they sin. And so he says, when I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed, your time was the time of love. So I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes. I swore with an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you and you became mine says the Lord God. Then I washed you in water. Yes. I thoroughly washed off your blood and I anointed you with oil. So she has become his wife and now he's going to provide clothing for her. He says, I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin. I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk, very expensive materials, very nice materials, embroidered cloth. I adorned you with ornaments. I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. So she wore jewelry and I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver and your clothing was a fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry and fine flour, honey and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful and succeeded to royalty. Now, did she look like some bland person? No. God used the most expensive materials and craftsmanship to build the tabernacle. That was the clothing of his bride. And he says, your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty for it was perfect through my splendor, which I had bestowed on you says the Lord God. Now it was because she trusted in her beauty and because she left having a good heart that caused God to destroy her, that caused God to chastise her and to punish her. And so that's the point. And it goes right back to what we were saying in first Peter chapter three and in first Timothy chapter two, that the essence of her character and her appearance was to be a reflection of her heart. And that was the message that she was to present. That was the statement she was to be making. If we look again in the third chapter of the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah chapter three, we have similar language that could be talking either about the women of Israel or about again, the people of Israel as a whole and the tabernacle. But nevertheless, let's just take a look at it and look at the kind of dress that they wore and see again, if that looks like the attire of a harlot or if it was the common dress that they wore in terms of how they carry themselves. Now in verse 16, the Bible says more where the Lord says, because the daughters of Zion are haughty. See, he went straight to the spirit. He went straight to their mind, straight to their character. They're haughty. They're walking in pride, which is and they walk with outstretched necks, demonstrating their pride in wanton eyes, their lustful eyes and walking and mincing. That word mincing means to switch back and forth as they go, making a jingling with their feet. So they have the wrong attitude. They're making the wrong statement. And in that sense, yes, you could say where they're acting like prostitutes, but the point was, it was because of that heart that God was condemning them. So in verse 17, he says, therefore, the Lord will strike with the scab, the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will uncover their secret parts. He will remove their covering of righteousness. So if he's talking about the people of Israel as a whole, he's talking about taking away the tabernacle. In other words, bringing judgment upon them and destroying it. And then on the other hand, but notice he says in that day, the Lord will take away the finery. What were they wearing? Finery, the jingling anklets, the scarves and the crescents, the pendants, the bracelets and the veils, the headdresses, the leg ornaments and the headbands, the perfume boxes, the charms and the rings. This could all refer to the instance of the temple, et cetera, but he could also refer to the common things that Israel wore. And this is why this is stated this way, the nose jewels, the festival apparel and the mantles, the outer garments, the purses and the mirrors, the fine linen and the turbans and the robes. And so it will be instead of a sweet smell, there will be a stench instead of well-set hair, baldness, instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth and branding instead of beauty, your men shall fall by the sword and you're mighty in the war. So that's it. And he says her gates shall lament and mourn. And she shall, uh, she being desolate, she'll sit on the ground. Well, that sounds very much just like the destruction of the city. And, um, as a result, they're losing everything that God gave them in Ezekiel 16. Uh, you know, it's being taken away from them. That seems to be the idea of the prophecy. But if he's talking about the individuals, it's still showing you that they could wear those things as long as they weren't haughty of spirit, as long as they weren't, uh, rustled in their eyes, as long as they weren't, uh, using it with the wrong intent and making the wrong statement as a result of it. And that's the idea. The last text I'd like to look at in connection with this would be in Proverbs 31 and notice how the text addresses the woman here. It says, who can find a virtuous wife for her worth is far above rubies. And once again, I believe you can make a double reference to this as well, to apply both to Israel as a nation, as well as to, uh, individuals. But he talks about, um, this particular virtuous woman and, uh, says some, um, pretty, um, lofty things about her says that she is trustworthy. She is frugal. She is good. And she's supportive. And notice he didn't say she was a prostitute for the way she's going to be a tired here. It says she was called a virtuous wife. That's very good. That's not an evil thing. And so she is industrious. She works hard. She shops wisely. She takes care of her husband and her children. She is business savvy. She works late and has a side gig, very industrious. All her household notice is clothed in Scarlet. Now the commentator says she's called double. So that means it was cold and they had a double garment. So they were and, uh, then it says she makes tapestry for herself. This is very expensive and intricately detail clothing that she's wearing. She makes tapestry for herself. It's also expensive. And then it says, uh, Tyrion silk, a dress suitable for a queen, a notable garment for its design and weaving the best, most expensive purple notice. She makes tapestry for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple. These, uh, bring up connotations of the tabernacle. Of course, once again, her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. And, uh, so again, this could be the individual just again, describing the wife and the virtuous woman. And he says that she had clothing of rot gold. And so she makes these linen garments and sells them. She supplies sashes for the merchants, strength and honor are her clothing. Look at what her clothing was that inner spirit strength and honor are her clothing. And she will rejoice in the time to come. So that is what the Bible says about the dress of a woman. She has a good spirit. She projects a character holiness and her outer garments are a reflection of that. She doesn't dress in the attire of a harlot. And so she shouldn't be called one or say she looks like one just because she wears expensive clothing, fine jewelry, and, um, you know, dresses herself up with lipstick earrings, uh, and the light with that. That's the message. I'm William bell. I hope that you got something beneficial from it, share it with your friends and family. And until next week, we'll see you at the same time. Have a wonderful week.