God's Word Relative to Christian Women

What does it means to be a Christian woman.
How does a woman of God conduct herself, how does she act, how does she dress?
Let us see what the Bible says and how we should respond to what it says.

First let us look at a text that gives the correct Christian perspective on equality:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus". Galatians 3:28

While some would like to make us think that women are in some way better than men and others would like to make us think that women are in some way less than a man we can see from this text that we "are all one in Christ Jesus". We are equal in the sight of God! As one Christian author once wrote:

"God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided "an help meet for him"--a helper corresponding to him--one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self; showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it." "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one.""

Christ says that true greatness is not in having dominion over another but in being a servant to others.
Mat 20:25-28
But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

So let us with humbleness of mind look at how we should represent Christ.

GOD has given us some very specific powerful instuction to help us represent HIM, please read HIS word prayerfully asking that HIS HOLY SPIRIT give you understanding from the throne of GOD?
What does the Bible say about dress---how should a Christian woman dress? Make-up---should a woman of God wear make-up? Is this subject mentioned in the Bible? How should a Christian woman behave?

GOD wants us to accept HIS gift of salvation. HE gave HIS only SON for our salvation. Nothing that we can do will ever earn heaven for us. We can only accept what JESUS did for us and then ask that HE change us into witnesses of what HE is like to the world. If you have not yet accepted this gift of salvation, Click Here to learn how to be saved. Without this salvation, that HE so freely gives to us, all else is of no effect.

Let’s start with dress. What does the Bible say about dress?
"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". Deut. 22:5
This text speaks of both sexes. Satan has had great success in the fashion world, he really makes this a difficult one to discern. Women's manner of dress is to be distinct from that of a man.
For example: Many people look at the idea of a man wearing a dress as something strange. We call them cross dressers but how many of us think nothing of wearing pants. "Oh," we may say, "these pants are cut to fit a woman." So if a man wears a skirt that is cut to fit him with less fullness in the hips is that okay? If he wore nylon stockings and high heels would you treat him any different? Now I am not trying to justify the conduct of a man that dresses in women’s clothes, but rather I am trying to explain how inconsistent we are in our thinking. God says here that what applies to a man... that women should not wear. The term pertaineth is much more general than the cut of the jeans or the side of the shirt that the buttons are on. Have you ever been in a store and seen someone that made you wonder if they were a man or a woman? Wouldn’t it be good if we all dressed in such a way that people knew what sex we were?

In Genesis we find the first lesson in the Bible on the subject of dress. Read this carefully and think of the differences between the terms used:
"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons". Genesis 3:7
"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them". Genesis 3:21
How much difference is there between aprons and coats? Aprons cover far less of the person don’t they.

What else does the Bible say about nakedness?
"And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)" Exodus 32:25
"Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea". John 21:7
"None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness. The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness". Leviticus 18:6-19
"And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity". Leviticus 20:17
Family nudity was specifically condemned by God here. We also have the story of Noah and his sons and nudity in the family in Genesis 9.
We should train up a child in the way they should go but what are they learning from our example?
"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness"! Habakkuk 2:15
"And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms". Ezekiel 23:29
"Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes". Haggai 1:6
"And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:" Exodus 28:42
Now note here that many of these quotes apply to both sexes not just women but note too that it is a serious thing to dress like a man and it is also a serious thing to reveal your nakedness.
In Haggai 1:6 above we see that the people were clothed but they were not warm. Tell me how many of us, in the dead of winter have worn clothes that were not warm, (perhaps a short skirt? With a thin pair of nylons... or a man with his coat open and shirt unbuttoned). Why? Because of fashion. How incredibly foolish we are. Most of the time men seem to wear clothes in winter that will keep them warm, but women seem more effected by the fashion temtation! One lady said it well, "We allow some total stranger, a fashion designer who is making money by changing the styles every year to dictate to us how we should look and we will freeze our tails off rather than be comfortable. We even have winter shorts made of some warm fabric like wool or corduroy in dark winter colors but most of our body is naked. Does that make any since? No it doesn’t. Can’t you see how it must make Satan laugh. We make ourselves look foolish and think we look so wonderful."

"I met a woman in church one day in the middle of winter. I was wearing a long dress with warm knee high boots and was perfectly warm. She was standing there to greet people as they came in the door. When she shook my hand she noticed how warm my hand was and as she stood there in her mini skirt shivering she asked me how I was able to stay so warm. I tried to tell her that the difference was that I had clothes on and that she did not, but I found it very hard to say it without hurting her feelings. I thought it strange that she couldn’t see for herself the difference."

Think about this:
Why does a hooker dress like she does?
Why does she wear the short skirts?
Why does she show so much of her chest?
Why does she show so much skin?
Do you think that she does it to attract men?
Of course she does. And it works or she wouldn’t do it.

Satan works to confuse us so that we somehow think we are different, for example, he will tempt a Christian woman to somehow expect a man to see virtue while she is dressed up in vise. If a man looks at a half naked body and gets ideas we blame him. We accuse him of having his mind in the gutter but maybe some Christian women are dressed as though their minds were already there. When the Bible speaks of nakedness it nearly always mentions the whoredom of the naked people. It seems that nakedness goes hand and hand with a departure from God. If a woman dress with no more clothes on than a hooker should we really be surprised if they are treated like one. If a person were to dress with a red nose, rainbow colored hair, whited face, with a big red smile painted on their face and wore big floppy shoes and a polka-dot jumpsuit would it be reasonable to assume that they were a clown? Of course it is, but we think that it shouldn’t matter how we dress. So...women are insulted if a guy makes a pass when she dress like she has something for sale. We blame the man.

After I shared some of my thoughts on this subject with a Bible Study group, a Christian lady wrote me afterward in this regard and she confided, "I want to let you in on a little secret. You see we have been thinking that only men that have their minds in the gutter were the ones that speak up about how we are dressed but I found out something very different about that. The real story is that the ones that have their minds in the gutter are actually the most silent. Why? Because they are enjoying the show. They are not about to tell us that we need longer dresses. The ones that speak up are true gentlemen who want us to dress so they can look at us without embarrassment. They have the courage to try to help us see our true condition. But too often rather than listen to them and learn we get mad and accuse them".
"There is a third group of men that ought not be lumped with the first group, though. They hate to see as much of us as they are but they are fearful of being falsely accused of having a dirty mind. They are very unhappy with seeing us expose ourselves like the second group. I know some of these men. They are good men but they have been hurt by false accusations".

What if a person that was dressed like a clown got angry with you because you laughed at them when they fell down or acted clumsy? You would think they were being inconsistent. We have a certian expectation from people that dress like a clown. We feel at liberty to laugh at them because the clothes they are wearing show that they are expecting to be funny. The same holds true of other forms of dress. If a person dresses in army clothes we think they are brave and love their country. If a person dresses in all white we think of a compassionate nurse who cares for sick people. The same goes for women of the street. They have their uniform and with that uniform comes some expectations about what they do. If we dress like one it should logically follow that we will give people a certain message about who we are.

So, again look at Genesis 3:21
What did GOD make for the couple to wear?
...Coats.
They had made aprons but GOD made coats.
HE covered them. That is HIS ideal.
GODdoesn’t want us embarrassed.
Notice that GOD also gave specific directions In Exodus 28 for what the priests should wear, as quoted above. They were male. The priests were to be dressed modestly too.

How about wearing makeup?
Does the Bible say anything about wearing make up?
Yes it does but to find the quotes one must understand what the terms used meant so as you read these quotes think about what is being said.
"And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window". 2 Kings 9:30
The only woman, specifically mentioned by name, in the Bible that painted her face was Jezebel. Who was she?
She was a wicked woman who tried to kill the Lords prophet. Would she be a good role model? I don’t think so. She was killed right after she painted her face. Another text that speaks of wearing make up is this one:
"And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life". Jeremiah 4:30
When I read the term "rentest" I think of the way the Egyptian women would paint their eyes.
"The King James Version renders "rentest thy face," as if the stain were a cut, or the enlarging done by violence. (3) From verb kachal, "to smear," "to paint." Ezekiel says to Oholah-Oholibah (Judah-Israel), "didst wash thyself, paint (kachal) thine eyes," as the adulteress prepares herself for her paramour (Ezek 23:40). The antimony, in an extremely fine powder (Arabic kuchl, from kachal), is placed in the eye by means of a very fine rod, bodkin, or probe, drawn between the edges of the eyelids. This distends the eye, and also increases its apparent size, the effect being increased by a line of stain drawn from the corner, and by a similar line prolonging the eyebrow". Philip Wendell Crannell

This text is speaking to Gods people that go astray.
What are we saying by painting our faces (yes, this goes for men too)?
Think about this: Could it be seen as an expression of dissatisfaction with what God made? We presume to tell Him what we should have looked like. We are saying that He made a mistake. When we put the foundation on to cover the beautiful freckles that He put on us we are saying, "God, you made me wrong! I wasn’t suppose to have these dots on my face."

If you gave your child a brand new toy would it make you happy to see them immediately begin reshaping the toy? Perhaps you give your child a doll house. They take one look at it and decide that it should be one story instead of two so they begin knocking out the offending floor. Or what if you gave them a new bike and they get out their pocket knife and start scraping the paint off. Would it hurt your feelings to see them do that? I think it would. It would show a lack of appreciation for what you gave them. But God gave us one body that can’t be replaced this side of heaven that we begin painting and punching full of holes. What are we telling our heavenly Father by our actions? Aren’t we saying that we don’t like what He has given us?
The Bible says:
"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord". Leviticus 19:28
"They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh". Leviticus 21:5

The same idea is behind the wearing of jewelry and elaborate hair styles.
To put these things on is to say that God somehow made a mistake with how we look. Some people today like to ask the question, "What would Jesus do?" That same question could be applied in relationship to how we dress. How did he dress? In one simple garment that was gambled away when he died on the cross. He died for us. He gave up all the glories of heaven to come down to this world to die for people that hated him. He lived a life of poverty and simplicity for us and we, His followers should be willing to do the same for Him.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". Matthew 6:19-21
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. John 13:16
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. John 15:20
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. Luke 6:40
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 1 Tim. 2:9-10
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of 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, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 1 Peter 3:3-5
We read in 1Timothy this:
"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Tim. 6:6.
That even includes being content with what we look like.

When we quit worrying about what we look like and quit spending so much time painting our faces we will find that we have time to do more for the Lord. When we spend our money for the good of others we will find great riches in the Kingdom of heaven.
We are to be crowned with glory when we receive our reward in heaven but until then we are asked to live like Christ.

"Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty". Isaiah 3:16-24

If you look up the meaning of these words you can find some very interesting things. Some that I have found is that the glasses mentioned are mirrors crisping pins are curling irons or curlers, the round tires are necklaces. But the most important thing to notice is that God isn’t condoning these things. He wants us to put away our pride. We are as the grass of the field that will vanish away. We have nothing in ourselves to be proud. Christ is our glory.

How much time is wasted in front of the mirror? How much time is wasted curling the hair? How much money is spent on the accessories that profit us nothing? Christ said,
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:31-46

How much money is wasted by "Christian" women on make up and clothes? Thousands. We spend so much on these things and then have nothing to put in the offering plate. The Bible says:
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Isaiah 1:16
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; Matthew 6:17
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:30-31
Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Psalm 138:6
The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. Proverbs 15:25
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. Proverbs 21:4
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 2 Tim. 3:2
Note that the term men is speaking of mankind (i.e. men and women).

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31:10-28