“AND WHEREWITHAL SHALL WE BE CLOTHED?”

At present there are also people who at times do not dress themselves at all (nudists) or at times dress themselves only half, and who do not shame themselves before God nor man. But this not being ashamed is nothing but a God-dishonoring shame-lessness. Adam and Eve wore no clothing until the Fall. Then the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. In a sense of guilt and shame they became aware of their disobedience toward God. The relationship with God was severed, and the mutual relationship between Adam and his wife was disturbed. They were ashamed before God, and ashamed before each other.

God Clothed Them

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin and clothed them, Gen. 3:21. God clothed fallen man to cover the shame of his nakedness. These coats of skin (hence of killed animals) fundamentally point to the righteousness of Christ with which the naked sinner can be covered before God in the judgment. The fig leaves deteriorated. With them man cannot stand before God. Something durable is necessary. Only with a Divine gift and work shall it be possible to be saved from the wrath to come.

After the fall, the Lord God gave man clothing. That clothing serves to protect us against rain and wind, cold and heat. At times the clothing has a special function. Just think of soldiers, nurses, doctors, office bearers, etc.

Clothing is indispensable now, and it is always attractive when people are well groomed. The Lord Jesus wore a coat without seam, woven from the top throughout, John 19. What a beautiful garment did the high priest wear, with special significance!

And yet our clothing points to our shame and reminds us of the Fall. I know that as a child or as an adult, we are glad when we have bought something new. We are pleased when we are complimented on it. Sometimes a boy’s face shines as much as the toes of his new shoes when he shows them to Grandma!

Vanity

How much concern there may be at times for a mother to see her children go to school or church neatly dressed. But, did the Lord ever show us that our clothing should remind us of our shame and guilt before God? Did the Holy Spirit ever convince us of our loathesomeness before God?

Then we take another attitude toward our clothes. Then we learn to write, “It is all vanity” above so many things of this temporal life. Then we see, “The world passes away and the lusts thereof.”

I think that a boy or girl who has learned to fear the Lord shall not so soon quarrel with father ‘or mother about a garment. I also think that then the style we wear shall not be determined so much by the world, but by God’s Word, and that should be the rule for everybody. However, man says, “I want to be free.”

In church circles there are often difficulties between parents and children about clothing and the like. The teenager often reproaches the parents about their old-fashioned ideas. They want to free themselves from parental authority, and they themselves want to decide upon a garment. Yes, yes, especially they themselves, must decide and they do not realize that they are in the power of fashion.

When the fashion of this world decrees “midi”, then everybody wears that. If she puts the signal on “mini”, then the crowd walks in mini’s. If fashion prescribes “maxi”, then they obey blindly and then the factories are also kept turning. I am glad that the changes in men’s fashions are less frequent.

However, it is still worse when, because of their-hair-do and clothing, at times we do not know whether we are dealing with a boy or a girl. Alas, there are also young people from our church circles who, contrary to God’s commandments, permit themselves to be carried along with this impudent worldly manner of life.

Distinction There is a distinction in clothing which has been determined by God. We read in Deuteronomy 22:5: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man; neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” He created them as man and woman, and the Lord wants this distinction to be shown in their clothing. This is the principal rule in wearing our clothes.

Naturally, circumstances may arise which demand a certain accommodation. I think, for instance, about a girl who milks the cows for her father, and thus there are other practical circumstances which must be considered. But then that adaptation is an exception. Then it is only for a short time, whereby even the distinction in the clothing is not fully removed, and that is not at all intended.

However, let everyone mark the Word of the Lord. Whosoever removes the distinction hears God testifying against him: “For all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”

Clothing

“Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” The Lord shall also care for His people in times of scarcity. He knows that they need all these things. Wherewith and how shall our boys and girls be clothed? Who shall here be able to indicate exactly what and what not? Is there then no rule? O certainly! When that clothing manifests plainly the spirit of this world, breathes the spirt of this time, then it is wrong. With respect to the clothing, let the rule be: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6).

Wherewith and how shall the adults be clothed?

Alas, at times a pastor experiences sad things. He unexpectedly rings the bell at the house of a member of the congregation where he has not been before. Then when the door is opened and he sees how they are dressed, he thinks, “O, I must be wrong; perhaps I rang the neighbor’s bell.”

What clothing then? What shall the rule be? God’s Word. Just think of Deuteronomy 22:5 and in Timothy 2:9,10 we read: “In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with braided hair, or gold or pearls, or costly array: but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

The Holy Spirit caused Peter to write (I Peter 3): “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, or of putting on apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.”

And what about the men? In I Timothy we read that men shall lift up holy hands, and that among other things, elders shall be sober and of good behavior. Let this be the principal rule for all men: modesty also in the clothing. That is not old-fashioned, but that is Biblical.

How discouraging it is when clothing and hair betray that fundamentally we are children of the world and that we are so well content here. Let us bear in mind that the Gospel is only comforting to those that sigh: “Lord, I am a stranger in the earth.” How often must a child of the Lord complain, “My soul cleaves unto the dust; quicken Thou me according to Thy Word.”

Garments of Salvation

By the garments of salvation do we not mean how we shall be clothed on the way to eternity? My soul, do you realize your case? How shall you appear righteous before God?

Ah, spiritually we are naked before God. Because of sin, man lies in his shame and loathsomeness in the open field. Alas, by nature, our blind soul’s eyes are closed for it. The Lord declares, “And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked (Revelation 3). O, would that our vain heart did consider that one day a winding sheet shall be put about us. Therefore Christ calls, “I counsel thee to buy of Me white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Revelation 3).

How blessed are those people that have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “They shall be before the throne of God, and shall serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them” (Revelation 7). This is so necessary! Our filthy garments must be washed of all unrighteousness in the blood of Christ.

Those that have truly been quickened by the Lord, and, as lost in themselves, have been brought to the blessed Savior, understand in their soul something of that miracle of which Isaiah writes: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord: my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.”

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