HOW TO GET À NEW HUSBAND / Part 2 B e c a u s e o p h e r unusual devotion to Christ, an elderly Scotish saint was
finery and social standing. As a result, poorer women began to seek to emulate their grace and fineries; they were jealous. John Newton once wrote, “A Christian is to dress so that people will not remember what he had on, but rather the Christian gentleness and modesty of his spirit. So in verse 3 of I Peter three, we read, “Whose adorn ing (that is the adorning of the Chris tian wife), let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. Notice that the Scripture doesn’t issue a prohibition on the use of jewelry, or in plaiting the hair, or in pùtting on apparel. If it did, it would have to say, “Don’t put on any clothes, don’t wear jewelry, don’t style the hair.” The Apostle is pointing out that the real question is not what is put on, but rather where and on what we spend our time; fixing up the. out side, or applying the truths of God to our hearts. Have you ever asked, “What should I put on?” If we are concerned about our inward man, and the apparel, the robes of righteousness, the outside will be an easy matter. It was Dr. Vance Havner who said, “The modernism of some Christian women’s dress often nullifies the* fundamentalism of her Gospel message.” God does not put a premium, however, upon those who are careless, dowdy, a n d unconcerned about their appearance. “A person who wants to be all out for Christ, doesn’t need to look all in !” Too many people fall into that category. People should know we are Christians by the manner in which our lives testify to His sav ing power, not by what we do or do not wear. Apparel is outer clothing. Interest ingly enough we get our word “mas querade” from it. Some styles reveal that some fashions look more like a masquerade than anything else. Every Christian woman, and every Christian man for that matter, needs to keep in
dearly loved by every member of the church. When asked by a newcomer about her many friends, she replied, “It is because I seek to stay very thick with God! ” What about our own lives? Are we thick with God? Or does our communion and fellowship consist of a mere short prayer following breakfast or a brief bedtime remembrance? If we have loved ones who are unsaved, if for no other reason, we must realize we will never begin to reach them in such a manner. How can we tell others how to live for Christ, if we’re not doing it for ourselves? Verse two of I Peter 3 refers to un saved husbands, “While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” The word “behold” means “to narrowly inspect,” “to view intently,” “to bring into sharper focus.” While we may not be aware of it, men and women in the world, who know not Jesus Chnst as personal Saviour, are bringing our lives into, sharper focus to see if that which we speak and sing .about on Sunday is proved to be practical over “the wash tubs” on Mon day. Others are looking to see about our chaste -behaviour; our purity of life. The Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart. Yet David, in certain times of his life, did not exhibit this trait which the Spirit of God suggests the Christian should seek. Nathan came to the Psalmist and said, “Because of this deed (the deed of adultery and murder), thou hast given the enemy great occasion to blaspheme the name of God.” Do our actions give others reason to question the reality of conversion and salvation? The background of this particular verse is interesting since at this time many wealthy Jewish women had joined the church whose husbands were unsaved. They themselves had found Christ after marriage. They at tended the assemblies in all of their
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker