I Peter

Today I read through I Peter during my devotional time.  Something that has been at the forefront of my mind as you could tell from my Modesty post on April 1, 2011.  But something I really hold to my heart is the modesty of women, especially Christian woman.

How does this apply to I Peter?  Well in I Peter 3:3-4, Peter addresses those in the surrounding areas in Asia Minor mentioned in the first chapter, about submission to authority through persecution and such.  Specifically addressing women in 3:3-4, forgive the lack of context... which I just learned about the context of I Peter in my Advanced Hermeneutics class in Bible College today... but Peter states: "Let your beauty not be external - the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes - but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God's sight" (NET).

Again, forgive the lack of context, but something came to mind.  Gentlemen, we are naturally attracted to women.  She doesn't need to be formally dressed for us to turn our head.  She doesn't need the "braiding of hair" or "gold jewelry" or "fine clothes" for us to turn our heads.  God created us that way, to naturally be attracted to women.

So why does Peter address the woman have her "beauty... the inner person of the heart" and "of a gentle and tranquil spirit"?  Well context suggests that the husband of this specific woman was an unbeliever and this beauty of her actions and inner heart was to lead the unbelieving (potentially abusive) husband to the Lord.  While that is something that we don't really have to deal with much now as laws protect women from abuse, nevertheless that same rule applies.

I want to take a different approach.  A note of caution.  I am not trying to rip this verse out of context or even promoting such abuse to the Scripture.  I want to use this passage for all of us to think about something, such as modesty.  Can we apply this passage, forgiving the lack of context and removal of context and apply it to the lives of us today?

Women, as stated above, men will turn their heads to you out of natural desire and attraction to you.  You don't need to be outwardly dressed in "fine clothes, gold jewelry or braided hair".  It's the way we were created, was attraction to the opposite sex.

So my thoughts are this.  Be beautiful of inward spirit.  Let your life be so devoted to God that, He has to pull you out of His Word for you to see that this gentleman is the one for you.  I pray that he would be the same way, so into God's Word and seeking the Lord in everything.  Lasting beauty, as I Peter 3 says in of the "inner person", the inward heart and spirit.

Our culture is so outward focused that we forget the inward tugs of our heart that are so soft we often miss them.

I have such a passion for protecting women's purity.  That is our call as Biblical men, protecting their purity as well as our own.  Our example of Biblical manhood is that of Christ.  Studying the life of Christ and His perfect masculinity is really something.

Again, forgive my lack of context and simply think about this.  Your outward appearance will fail you as you get older.  Your inner heart and spirit, the beauty of it will NEVER fade!!!  Another passage of modesty of dress, concerning women is I Timothy 2:9: "Likewise the women are to dress in suitable apparel with MODESTY AND SELF-CONTROL" (NET).

Just some thoughts gentlemen as you seek a young lady and ladies as you adorn yourselves in public.  What are your motives? Outward appearance or glorifying God?

In no way am I condoning women who dress in "fine clothing, braided hair, or gold jewelry".  You look attractive and nice, but remember for a future relationship, the beauty of the inner heart is what really matters!!!