Mrs. N. was a gorgeous, worldly-minded woman with an attractive, shapely figure - which was dramatically accentuated by the provocative way she dressed. We became acquainted when she moved to town because of her husband’s job transfer. She was quite a likeable person with some excellent qualities - a friendly, dynamic individual. How interesting it was to observe that when it became time to apply for a job for herself in this new town, there was something different about her on the days she went for those important job interviews: As a well-qualified professional candidate for the positions she was seeking, it was obvious that she instinctively knew one thing: In order to be respected and taken seriously, she needed to dress far more modestly when appearing before prospective employers. So she did - and was offered every single position for which she applied, even in the currently scarce job market. There is something to be learned from this.

Yes, we may be weary of the topic of dress. It seems like a subject that should really be so obvious to commandmentkeepers so as not to need even to be addressed. Some develop discernment about it even as teenagers growing up in agnostic homes, without ever having to be told. But, apparently, not everyone sees this point very clearly. The practices of the world befog our eyes.

Inspiration responds:

“Fashion is deteriorating the intellect and eating out the spirituality of our people. Obedience to fashion is pervading our Seventh-day Adventist churches and is doing more than any other power to separate our people from God. . . .

“There is a terrible sin upon us as a people, that we have permitted our church members to dress in a manner inconsistent with their faith. We must arise at once and close the door against the allurements of fashion. Unless we do this, our churches will become demoralized.”1

“Israel have been asleep to the pride, and fashion, and conformity to the world, in the very midst of them.”2

“Many who profess to believe the Testimonies live in neglect of the light given. The dress reform is treated by some with great indifference and by others with contempt, because there is a cross attached to it. For this cross I thank God. It is just what we need to distinguish and separate God’s commandment-keeping people from the world. The dress reform answers to us as did the ribbon of blue to ancient Israel. The proud, and those who have no love for sacred truth, which will separate them from the world, will show it by their works.”3

Yes, dress reform is a test of character. It requires a death to self - death to pride, display, and cheap, sleazy ways of trying to get attention. It involves studying the Bible and the Testimonies to show oneself approved unto God in this area of life. It involves humility - allowing genuine beauty to radiate from within instead being only surface-deep.

The servant of the Lord responds: “I have been shown that our church rules are very deficient. All exhibitions of pride in dress, which is forbidden in the word of God, should be sufficient reason for church discipline. If there is a continuance, in face of warnings and appeals and entreaties, to still follow the perverse will, it may be regarded as proof that the heart is in no way assimilated to Christ. Self, and only self, is the object of adoration, and one such professed Christian will lead many away from God.”4

“God will have a people separate and distinct from the world. And as soon as any have a desire to imitate the fashions of the world, that they do not immediately subdue, just so soon God ceases to acknowledge them as His children. They are the children of the world and of darkness.”5

“Perhaps no question has ever come up among us which has caused such development of character as has the dress reform.”6

A malnourished peach tree deficient in copper develops droopy, yellow leaves at a time when it should be flourishing in peak season. When the leaves make such a disappointing show of foliage, the orchard grower knows to have the soil tested for mineral content. Yes, the underground roots feeding on the soil nutrients beneath the surface are hidden, but the yellowing leaves are on display for all to see. They, like a yellow caution flag, are an index to the actual state of the tree.

Likewise, whenever you need to attain some valuable information in a book, without having to lose time searching through the entire text, you go straight to the index. Then you can quickly find the necessary information. An index is a handy tool.

Inspiration tells us:

“Dress is an index of the mind and heart. That which is hung upon the outside is the sign of what is within.”7

Apparel that is not in harmony with the principles of Inspiration and is offensive to the sensibilities of God’s church reveals something about the spiritual state of a soul. It is like a yellow caution flag for those who care about souls. As the Spirit of Prophecy explains, the way one clothes oneself is an index to the heart.

Dear sisters, Matthew 5:27, 28 reveals a basic truth: Since the fall of the human race, men and women have been vulnerable to Satan’s attacks against the seventh commandment. If a woman is not properly dressed - if she exhibits her physical contours and naked parts - she places herself on the side of the enemy by tempting men to stumble mentally as they look at her. Therefore, the God-fearing woman has a solemn moral responsibility to shield herself and the mind of her brother from sinning. There is a general principle outlined in Isaiah 3:16-26 which reveals that there has always been a dress problem even among the professed people of God.

What if we as a church fail to take a stand on the issue of dress reform? Just read the Isaiah chapter 3 passage and pause carefully on verse 25 where it says that the men will die in the battle. In the spiritual sense, that means the battle for perfection of character will be lost. Honestly, if that is lost to us in this late time in history, so are our prospects for eternity. We need to realize that dress reform is a principle that we cannot abandon without suffering some grave spiritual consequences.

Men have issues for which they are primarily responsible, but this is one of those issues that deep down, women - regardless of what they may admit - know they need to keep in mind even more than men do. If a woman wears pants without modestly putting a dress over them, or if she wears a tight-fitting or low-cut blouse or skirt with provocative slits up the side, back, or front - thereby putting on display that which can entice the lower nature of any carnal man on the street, she may be thinking to use her physical attributes to gain public esteem (supposedly). But, in reality, she is actually doing the opposite - she is clearly demonstrating that she has a spiritual problem. It may not be as serious as Mary Magdalene’s for sure, but it’s nonetheless symptomatic of the same disease.

“The love of dress endangers the morals and makes woman the opposite of the Christian lady characterized by modesty and sobriety. Showy, extravagant dress too often encourages lust in the heart of the wearer and awakens base passions in the heart of the beholder. God sees that the ruin of the character is frequently preceded by the indulgence of pride and vanity in dress.”8

This is a real problem. If it were not so, it would not be brought out with such frankness in the Spirit of Prophecy. Let us be honest with ourselves: Is the culture in which we are living less profligate and sensual than in the days of Ellen G. White? Hardly. On the contrary, from what is brazenly displayed on billboards, magazine covers, Internet pop-ups, and so forth, it is clear that quite the opposite is true.

“Immorality abounds everywhere. Licentiousness is the special sin of this age. Never did vice lift its deformed head with such boldness as now. The people seem to be benumbed, and the lovers of virtue and true goodness are nearly discouraged by its boldness, strength, and prevalence. The iniquity which abounds is not merely confined to the unbeliever and the scoffer. Would that this were the case, but it is not. Many men and women who profess the religion of Christ are guilty.”9

A number of prominent clothing designers are perverse men whose aim is to degrade society by catering the lowest passions of human depravity. It seems that every year more flesh is exposed and garments are cut in such a way as to make sure that the physical contours are highlighted. God’s original plan to cover His children with garments of innocence is becoming more and more rare.

As with virtually all issues in Christian life, the extent of one’s guilt in perpetuating the problem is proportional to the light received. There is clear evidence from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy to substantiate this principle.

If the church genuinely cares about souls ensnared in the trap of worldly fashion, it has a moral duty to address openly the symptom that is revealing the underlying disease.

We are warned that rebellion against dress reform will be punished by God: “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel” (Zephaniah 1:7, 8, emphasis added).

Yes, to some extent. It is the ministers’ job to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

Yet understand also that it’s not an easy task for ministers to have to speak to people about this subject. If you ever have to be either publicly addressed or personally approached by them on this point, what should you do, according to Scripture? “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

If ministers and their wives neglect their duty on this point, then the church standards end up being dragged into the dust, for the people will seldom rise above their leaders.

Certainly not! If you think your brother or sister in a church entrusted with the full light of present truth is doing something - anything (whether it be about dress or something else) - that you definitely know to be detrimental to his or her soul, you have a solemn responsibility. The Lord declares: “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 3:18-21, emphasis added).

When the great Physician gives a diagnosis of a spiritual disease, He then calls upon all of His “nurses” on duty (ministers, leaders, workers, members) to action. No one is to shirk this responsibility. If we as believers do not speak up, we who claim to be awake, alert, and vigilant over the interests of the church will be as dumb dogs that don’t bark.

Are we supposed to run to the minister and tattle on someone for being naughty, expecting him or someone else to take care of every problem we see? No, it is the responsibility of each one of us to hold one another accountable if we genuinely care about each other’s soul. Yes, the apparel may have been worn publicly, but wouldn’t you prefer the Matthew 18:15 approach for yourself if someone considered you guilty of some wrongdoing - regardless of what it was? If you were the one in question, wouldn’t you prefer that one individual - whoever it may be - would quietly, privately, respectfully take you aside and speak to you personally about the problem to minimize your embarrassment?

Unfortunately, too often we choose the cheap, easy way - the gossip solution.

“Oh, it’s not gossip,” you might think. “I’m just sharing my concern with a friend” (other than the only one who can actually do something about it). Sorry, that is no solution! Rather it is a quick recipe for hard feelings, resentment, animosity, misunderstanding, and a general distrust. . . . Definitely not something that harmonizes with the prayer of Christ in John 17.

Good. That’s the first step. You are conservative and zealous to uphold God’s true standards of dress reform (or whatever the issue may be.) Wonderful. But are you reallyready to speak to the person about this - or are you just willing? There’s a big difference. The apostle tells us,

“If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1, emphasis supplied).

Suppose this dress reform subject (or whatever the issue may be) is not necessarily an area of life that is a source of strong temptation to you. With God’s help, you may have already come to the point in your experience where you feel that you enjoy sweet victory. Great. But have you no other struggles in life? Have you overcome in every aspect of Christian life? Are you 100% victorious and ready for translation? We are warned: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Remember the prophet’s prayer in Daniel chapter 9. Nowhere in the Bible is Daniel spoken of as anything but a pure, God-fearing man of great integrity, yet in his petition to the Most Holy, he classes himself with the sinful in Israel. He is not of an attitude to be looking down on his erring countrymen with self-righteous satisfaction.

Please realize that if you speak out against immodesty and provide only shallow reasoning and/or insufficient evidence for our doctrinal position on dress, you will come across as being horribly pharisaical. Justice and mercy combined is the key - neither should be neglected. Are you willing to die for the soul in peril as your Saviour was for you? Until you can honestly agree to this requirement, keep your mouth shut - not only to the poor soul, but to everyone else as well.

Be logical and sensitive; follow the golden rule. You are addressing a human being such as yourself - a flesh-and-blood person with emotions, temptations, struggles, and weaknesses. Keep in mind that if you fail to exercise the utmost meekness and tact, the blood of that soul could be on your hands either for being a crass stumbling block - or the other extreme, as Ezekiel 18 warns, for failing to speak altogether.

Go to Jesus. He can give you a new heart. Nothing is too hard for Him. He can give you new taste in clothing. Remember the simplicity of John the Baptist, the humble grace of Rachel, the submissive spirit of Sarah, the meekness of Abigail. May these and other Bible heroes - including the Man of Calvary - be our inspiration. Probationary time is too short to waste in vain pride.

Yes, issues such as dress reform are powerful tests of Christian character - for all of us. That is one reason why this principle has been given to the church of God preparing for translation to heaven. Now is no time to throw it out the window. It’s here to stay.