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| Ayella John Bosco |
DECENCY
When Man sinned,
he realized that he was naked, sewed some fig leaves and covered his nakedness.
God came around to have a happy time with him during the cold of the day, he
ran further to hide himself because the fig leaves he used were not enough to
cover him.
With his wife,
they pleaded guilty of nakedness and expected God to do something before they
could talk to Him. God with His Kind heart made a whole cloth out of animal
skin and gave to those of Adam and Eve. That was the first time man realized
the importance of being decent in all aspect. This story can be found in the
Book of Beginning chapter 3.
The word to
discuss here is decency, what is it? In a simple definition according to my
dictionary is the acceptable moral behaviour pertaining one ways of conduct in
a particular situation. This includes how one dresses, behaves. Let me address
this issue in the secular and Biblical contexts as below.
SECULAR UNDERSTANDING OF DECENCY
Right from
traditional ways of living, each group of people have certain set standards of
dressing code and must be accepted by all. Despite the fact that, traditionally
people used animal skins or bark of trees for clothing, they have different
shape in regards to sexes and no one was allowed to put on any clothing which
is of opposite sex, if found, such a person would be a folktale story and
belittled in the community or shamed.
Today, it is yet
another complexity because of the big generation gaps. Ladies putting on
miniskirts, or trousers/clothes which are too tight exposing her privacy but
still not embarrassed though not comfortable. Every time, one passes an eye,
what follows such a person is the name ‘nas ta sheeria’ translated as roadside
people, do not have respect, or are unwanted at home.
There are
different types of insults on you the individual including the family where you
are from. The question is, are our family members/elders to blame for such
acts? Certainly no!
In summary, indecent acts are not encouraged by any parent
of any child especially dressing code but because of the issue of modernization
and human right, many have gone astray.
BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF DECENCY
In the Old
Testament, Deuteronomy 22:5, instruction was given to the Israelites in a
miscellaneous laws that, ‘A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a
man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an
abomination to the Lord your God.’
The purpose of
this law could be probably to distinguish clearly between men and women. To
avoid tendency of admiring a fellow man or woman who could be differentiated
given the uniform dressing style, in case.
In the New
Testament, Paul and Peter talked about decency in worship.
In his response
to the Church in Corinth, Paul tried to put many wrongs right as an elder and a
servant of the Most High God. Many questions were answered by Paul including
decency in worship, in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.
Let me summarise
Paul responses as the Lord directed in to what men should do and women should
do when they are in Worship, Paul stated that;
Man
Ø Should not cover
his head because he is the image and glory of God.
Ø should keep his
hair short as recommended by nature
Ø should know that
he was created direct by God
Ø should
understand he has authority over woman
Ø is answerable to
Jesus Christ, woman is answerable to man, while
Woman
ü Should covered
her head while prophesying or praying
ü Are subject to
man’s authority
ü Women should not
have short or save off their hair because it is given as a glory to cover their
head
Peter as a bondservant
of God has additional words to what Paul said to women in 1 Peter 3:2-5 on how
to be decent even to be praised by their husbands, he said;
ü Women should be
submissive to their husband
ü Should always
strive for inner beauty rather than external beauty or adornment, arranging the
hair, wearing gold of high quality or costly and fine apparels
All these
instructions were given to make worship a conducive and better activity to
carry on. Briefly let me explain to you the important of being decent in the
house of God, it is important because of the followings
i. When one is indecent, he/she
dishonours God
ii. Grieves Christ
Tends to quench the Spirit
iv. Makes the church powerless for it mission
Christian should understand that they are;
i. The church of the Living God 1 Tim 2:15
ii. Temple of God 1 Cor 3:16
iii. Church of Christ Matt 18:20, 28:20
iv. Redeemed by His blood 1 Peter 1:18,19
v. His body 1 Cor 12:27
vi. Holy Ghost house 1 Cor 3:16
Today
Today as we talk, things are no longer in the way they are supposed,
when in church worshipping, people behave to whom it may concern forgetting
they are in the presence to worship His Highness King Jesus Christ who deserves
modesty and decency. Many at times Christian are misled by the beauty of this
world forgetting they are not of the world though in the world.
Many men enter church with caps on their heads, many women enter church
heads uncovered, women dress like men, men plait their hair like women,
sometimes the hair is too longer than the natural hair given by God. ALL these
and more take the mind of true worshippers away when in church.
EXAMPLE, when a man enters the church with very long hair, all eyes
and minds will be attending to him, when a lady enters the church with
expensive gold rings and necklace and may be with a tight trouser on the body
and the chest half way covered, what happens--- no proper worship and
attendance to the pastor, even the pastor’s sermon would change simply because
of indecent code (the behaviour which is not acceptable in that particular
situation)
Conclusion
In conclusion, if parents too do not tolerate indecency, who are you
to disobey your parents by doing it stealthily? Why do offend the Holy Spirit
who lives in you by disorganizing your profile of being called a child of God?
Is it a good name to be called ‘binia sheeria’ or ‘Toronto boys’?
What is good in owning the whole world in your hand but losing your
precious life in the Lord? What benefit is there, to attract the attention of
many eyes yet to be criticized only?
Is it bad to be free and move comfortably than moving while holding
your trousers and or you have forgotten your size?
Why don’t you allow your privacy for yourself instead of bringing it
to attract attentions in the church of God?
Worshiping God needs decency or being organised. That, ‘True worshipers worship God in truth and Spirit’ John 4:24. How can you worship God in
truth and Spirit if people attentions are directed towards you or when you feel
uncomfortable because of the situation next to you? Sincerely you will not get
anything till the end of the day
My opinion is that, if you are Christian, be a Christian who is
Christ-like (the one who follows the footstep of Jesus Christ always as Paul
said in Ephesian 5:1, be imitators of truth like him ) Not a Crush-tian who
crush Christ-like people you are not a chameleon to change your life!
I REMAIN A TRUTH-TELLER
Reach me at abunerry700.v@gmail.com or +211928150660
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