Category: Christian Life

In consequence of continual transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern the everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon man in every age as long as time should last. These commands were enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law.   Review & Herald, May 6, 1875

It is interesting to take notice of how some of these Statutes explain the Law. Here is an example:

The Ninth Commandment:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.   Exodus 20:16

The Statutes that clarify and explain the Law:

Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.   Exodus 23:1

If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.   Deuteronomy 19:16-19

God expects strict truthfulness and equity in the justice system. Here are three instances where this Law was deliberately broken:

The plot against Naboth–

And she (Jezebel) wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.   1 Kings 21:9, 10

The plot against Jesus–

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.   Matthew 26:59-61

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together.   Mark 14:55-59

The plot against Stephen–

Then they suborned men (induced them to perjury), which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.   Acts 6:11-14

It is quite clear how important it is for the truth to be told in the courtroom. Falsehood destroys justice. The Jews have another, slightly different perspective on this Statute as it is stated in Exodus 23:1: a transgressor shall not testify. Based on this understanding, a person with unconfessed and unforgiven sin in his own life cannot be a witness in a case involving someone else’s sin. This provides additional insight when we read certain Bible passages that involve legal decisions.

The Adulterous Woman–

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.   John 8:3-11

In the Jewish legal system, testimony in a case of capital offense was accepted only from someone who had personally witnessed the crime, and that witness was then given the responsibility of throwing the first stone to kill the criminal. (Deuteronomy 17:7) In the case described for us here, Jesus knew that these “witnesses” were sinners themselves. Whatever he wrote on the ground revealed to each of them (without revealing to anyone else) that they were legally disqualified from being witnesses. He referred to both Statutes (Exodus 23:1 and Deuteronomy 17:7) when He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Since another Statute required at least two witnesses in order to condemn a person (Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15) and all of these “witnesses” were disqualified, the woman was acquitted and heard those wonderful words, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

Joshua, the High Priest–

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.   Zechariah 3:1-5

In this scene, Satan is pictured as the accuser. Again the ancient Jewish legal system provides insight into this cosmic court case. There was no “prosecuting attorney” to argue the case. The prosecution consisted of the actual witnesses, and the judge(s) were the defense. In spite of the fact that Satan knows all the facts about our sins and could be a very accurate witness in our case, he is a sinner himself. This disqualifies him and he is rebuked by the Judge.

The Saints–

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.   Revelation 12:10, 11

In this passage, Satan is again described as the accuser. But not only is he disqualified as a witness because of his own sin, his case is dismissed for other reasons. We are told here that the brethren overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of the Lamb provides pardon for them. Like the woman who was accused in the story above, they have heard those wonderful words, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” That reassurance of pardon and the injunction that follows it have been their rule of life. Satan’s case is thrown out of the court because (1) he is attempting to bring suit against those who have already been pardoned by the blood of the Lamb, and because (2) their testimony, the record of their lives, shows that they have been living a life of purity for God rather than a life of evil.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.   Romans 8:1

The people of God have been in many respects very faulty. Satan has an accurate knowledge of the sins which he has tempted them to commit, and he presents these in the most exaggerated light, declaring: “Will God banish me and my angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Thy throne will not stand in righteousness and judgment. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against them.”

But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. He who has been most abused by their ingratitude, who knows their sin, and also their repentance, declares: “‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.’ I gave My life for these souls. They are graven upon the palms of My hands.”   Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 474

When God gave His people instructions for the Tabernacle and the various rites and ceremonies that would be done there, it was not just for the purpose of occupying their time and seeing how well they could follow complicated directions. Everything about the system was for the purpose of educating them regarding His Plan of Salvation. It was all a part of the Gospel acted out, a living parable.

We do not half understand the Lord’s plan in taking the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, and leading them through the wilderness into Canaan. As we gather up the divine rays shining from the gospel, we shall have a clearer insight into the Jewish economy, and a deeper appreciation of its important truths. Our exploration of truth is yet incomplete. We have gathered up only a few rays of light. Those who are not daily students of the Word will not solve the problems of the Jewish economy. They will not understand the truths taught by the Temple service. The work of God is hindered by a worldly understanding of His great plan. The future life will unfold the meaning of the laws that Christ, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, gave to His people.   Letter to P. T. Magan, July 27, 1903

God ordained that his chosen church should be educated in regard to the coming of the Redeemer. Ways were appointed whereby the infinite sacrifice to be made for the redemption of man might be gradually revealed. Impressive symbols were employed to unfold the plan of God. Those who desired to look into these things might understand them.

This system is not to be passed over in our study of the revelation of truth. From the time when the promise was made in Eden, Christ was shadowed forth in types and symbols. The light gradually increased, – becoming more and more distinct until the fullness of the time came. Then the great Antitype, the originator of all the Jewish economy, appeared in our world. In Christ, type met antitype. The gloomy shadows were lightened by the appearance of him who was the full signification of all the symbols.   The Youth’s Instructor, December 13, 1900

As time progressed, they received further education through the prophets and various events that could help them understand even more of God’s plans. By the time He sent His Son into the world, they had all the information they needed to comprehend the significance and meaning of that great event.

The opinion is widely held, that the sacrifices and offerings of the Hebrews possess no significance for Christians, and can be of no interest to them. This opinion is without foundation. It is true that the ceremonies of the Mosaic law are not now to be observed; but, when rightly understood, they are seen to be all aglow with sacred and important truths. These rites, appointed by Jehovah himself, were like so many beacons to light up the path of God’s ancient people, and to direct their minds to the great sacrifice to be offered for the sins of men. Viewed in the light of the cross, they contain most precious lessons for the people of God today.   Review and Herald, January 9, 1883

The significance of the Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended. Truths vast and profound are shadowed forth in its rites and symbols. The gospel is the key that unlocks its mysteries. Through a knowledge of the plan of redemption, its truths are opened to the understanding. Far more than we do, it is our privilege to understand these wonderful themes. We are to comprehend the deep things of God. Angels desire to look into the truths that are revealed to the people who with contrite hearts are searching the word of God, and praying for greater lengths and breadths and depths and heights of the knowledge which He alone can give.   Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 133

From our vantage point in history of looking back on what happened and having the stories and insights and instructions of the Apostles, the Gospel explained plainly, we can go back to the Old Testament and understand even better than they did what it all means. In this article, I want to focus on some of the offerings they were to bring and look at what they symbolized, and consider how the meanings of those rites can be applied in our lives as we are called to offer up spiritual sacrifices.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.   1 Peter 2:5

A basic concept to keep in mind is that whatever the offering was, it was in some way a substitute for the person and was a visible symbol of what the person wanted to express to God.

Burnt Offering – Leviticus 1

Dedication / Consecration

A person might voluntarily bring an animal as a burnt offering when they wanted to give a gift totally to God with nothing kept back. The entire animal was burned as a symbol of the person consecrating themselves totally to God. It was a “sweet savor” to Him because He appreciated the motive behind it.

Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.   Exodus 29:38-42

This continual burnt offering was a symbol of the continual consecration of the entire nation to God.

Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation to Jehovah, and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. God expressly directed that every offering presented for the service of the sanctuary should be “without blemish.” Exodus 12:5. The priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice, and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered. Only an offering “without blemish” could be a symbol of His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as “a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:19. The apostle Paul points to these sacrifices as an illustration of what the followers of Christ are to become. He says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1. We are to give ourselves to the service of God, and we should seek to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible. God will not be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer. Those who love Him with all the heart, will desire to give Him the best service of the life, and they will be constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote their ability to do His will.   Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 352, 353

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.   Romans 12:1, 2

Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.   Steps to Christ, p. 70

God is looking for those who will give themselves totally to Him every day with no reservations.

Firstfruits – Leviticus 2:12-16

Giving the First and Best

Bringing an offering of Firstfruits symbolized giving God the first and best before taking any for personal use. The person acknowledged God’s blessing and expressed their gratitude for what He had done.

And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.  Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Besides the tithe the Lord demands the first fruits of all our increase. These He has reserved in order that His work in the earth may be amply sustained. The Lord’s servants are not to be limited to a meager supply. His messengers should not be handicapped in their work of holding forth the word of life. As they teach the truth they should have means to invest for the advancement of the work, which must be done at the right time in order to have the best and most saving influence. Deeds of mercy must be done; the poor and suffering must be aided. Gifts and offerings should be appropriated for this purpose. Especially in new fields, where the standard of truth has never yet been uplifted, this work must be done. If all the professed people of God, both old and young, would do their duty, there would be no dearth in the treasury. If all would pay a faithful tithe and devote to the Lord the first fruits of their increase, there would be a full supply of funds for His work. But the law of God is not respected or obeyed, and this has brought a pressure of want.   Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, p. 384

Not until God ceases to bless His children will they cease to be under bonds to return to Him the portion that He claims. Not only should they render the Lord the portion that belongs to Him (tithe), but they should bring also to His treasury, as a gratitude offering, a liberal tribute. With joyful hearts they should dedicate to the Creator the first fruits of their bounties – their choicest possessions, their best and holiest service. Thus they will gain rich blessings. God Himself will make their souls like a watered garden whose waters fail not. And when the last great harvest is gathered in, the sheaves that they are enabled to bring to the Master will be the recompense of their unselfish use of the talents lent them.   Acts of the Apostles, p. 339

God is waiting for us to express our appreciation to Him for all the blessings He gives us. Notice that we are admonished to give our choicest, best, and holiest to Him beyond the tithe that already belongs to Him, not merely what is left over after we have used His resources for ourselves.

Peace Offering / Thank Offering – Leviticus 3

Friendship and Fellowship

Bringing a Peace Offering or Thank Offering to God seems to be almost the equivalent of extending a personal invitation to Him to have a meal together in friendship and fellowship, again for the purpose of expressing our appreciation for what He has done.

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.   Leviticus 3:1, 2

If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.   Leviticus 7:12-15

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.   Revelation 3:20

Let believers in the truth bring to God a faithful tithe. Let them bring Him peace offerings and thank offerings for the great love wherewith He hath loved them. Then there will be no dearth of means in His treasury.  Review and Herald, December 17, 1901

If the church of Christ will now use all her talents of means and of influence according to God’s order, the great work may be carried forward gloriously. We need men who are adapted to the work. Money is also needed to carry it forward. Let the church show that she is in earnest. A steady flow of means from each member will keep the treasury supplied with funds. “Bring ye,” says God, “all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.” If all the sin offerings and peace offerings and thank offerings are brought into the treasury, we shall see that souls will not be so dark and backslidden from God. They will show by their works that they have a lively interest in the success of the truth, and the advancement of the glory of God in the earth. That which costs little, we have no special interest in; but that in which we have invested our means, claims our interest and attention, and we will labor to make it a success.    Review and Herald, November 21, 1878

Here is a description of a very special Thanksgiving Day in Ellen White’s life, November 29, 1883.

Nearly the whole of Thanksgiving day, Nov. 29, was spent in church. Our morning meeting was one of special interest. In a cheerful testimony every one had a thank offering to present to God. In the forenoon we had a Bible reading on the subject of thanksgiving, and it was clearly shown from the Scriptures that it is our duty to glorify God by offering thanks and praise.   . . .

I could not let this opportunity to invite sinners to Jesus pass unimproved. I wanted all who had not previously done so to present themselves a thank offering to Him who has made so costly an offering for them. Oh, matchless love! Oh, precious, precious offering in our behalf, that we might have eternal life! In response to the invitation, about thirty came forward, including some who had backslidden from God, and quite a number who were seeking him for the first time. What a precious thank offering to Jesus was this!    Review and Herald, January 15, 1884

She wrote a subsequent article encouraging God’s people to make the upcoming Thanksgiving Day, in 1884, more meaningful by foregoing self-centered pleasure and giving God a thank offering by providing a blessing for His needy children or by investing in His work.

Now a season is coming when we shall have our principles tested. Let us begin to think what we can do for God’s needy ones. We can make them through ourselves the recipients of God’s blessings. Think what widow, what orphan, what poor family you can relieve, not in a way to make a great parade about the matter, but be as a channel through which the Lord’s substance shall flow as a blessing to his poor. As you look upon your own children, consider how many there are just as good and noble who have but little to cheer or make them glad. They may be orphans, with no home, no father, no mother, subject to temptations and influences calculated to lead them to ruin when these days of festivity occur. Who has a care for these homeless ones? Whose doors are open to them? Let the widow and the orphan be remembered.

But this does not embrace all your duty. Make an offering to your best Friend; acknowledge his bounties; show your gratitude for his favors; bring a thank offering to God. How many want a share in our College at Healdsburg, Cal.? How many want to present a thank offering to God through the College at Battle Creek? How many want to invest something in our school at South Lancaster? Brethren and sisters, eat a plain dinner on Thanksgiving day, and with the money you would spend in extras with which to indulge the appetite, make a thank offering to God. What will you do for our new school just dedicated at South Lancaster? This school is at present in the greatest need. Will you do something for it?    Review and Herald, November 18, 1884

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate (share, have in common) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.   Hebrews 13:15, 16

Sincere praise is a sacrifice that God appreciates. We need to recognize His gracious hand in our lives and give Him the praise He deserves for all the good that He does for us.

Trespass-offering – Leviticus 5

Reparation for Damage Done

A trespass offering was presented to God when a person had unintentionally done something that caused monetary damage. He was required to restore the principal plus 20% to the damaged party to make reparation for the damages and then bring a trespass offering to God.

If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.   Leviticus 5:15, 16

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.   Leviticus 6:1-5

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.   Numbers 5:5-8

Here are some interesting modern applications of that principle.

Let the members of every family begin to work over against their own houses. Let them humble themselves before God. It would be well to have a trespass-offering box in sight, and have all the household agree that whosoever speaks unkindly of another or utters angry words, shall drop into the trespass-offering box a certain sum of money. This would put them upon their guard against the wicked words which work injury, not only to their brethren, but to themselves. No man of himself can tame the unruly member, the tongue; but God will do the work for him who comes unto Him with contrite heart in faith and with humble supplication. By the help of God, bridle your tongues; talk less, and pray more.   Review and Herald, March 12, 1895

I was then carried back in your life, and you were shown to me when the truth found a response in your heart. The Spirit of God convicted you of the course you should pursue, and you had quite a struggle with self. You had been a sharp, scheming man. You had not done by others as you would wish them to do by you, but had taken advantage of them whenever you could. You had a close, stern battle to fight to subdue self and mortify pride; and it was only through the grace of God that this work could be accomplished. Instead of effecting a thorough reformation, you joined the truth to a patched-up character, which would not stand the test of temptation. You did not begin by seeking God with a broken and contrite heart, and making wrongs right. Had you done this, you would not have stumbled and fallen into the snare of the enemy. There was a mixture of selfishness in your motives, which you yourself did not clearly see. Arguments drawn from worldly interest, social position, and comparative respectability influenced you and decided you not to make earnest, thorough work before God and men. Reaching after the worldly standard marred the sincerity and purity of your Christian character; and you failed to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

Zacchaeus declared: “If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” You could at least have made efforts to correct your acts of injustice to your fellow men. You cannot make every case right, for some whom you have injured have gone into their graves, and the account stands registered against you. In these cases the best you can do is to bring a trespass offering to the altar of the Lord, and He will accept and pardon you. But where you can, you should make reparation to the wronged ones.   Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 338, 339

Some Principles

Here are some principles to keep in mind regarding what we offer to God.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.   Leviticus 22:17-25

And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.   2 Samuel 24:21-25

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.   Psalm 51:16, 17

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.   1 Samuel 15:22

Family worship should not be governed by circumstances. You are not to pray occasionally and, when you have a large day’s work to do, neglect it. In thus doing you lead your children to look upon prayer as of no special consequence. Prayer means very much to the children of God, and thank offerings should come up before God morning and evening. Says the psalmist, O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Fathers and mothers, however pressing your business, do not fail to gather your family around God’s altar. Ask for the guardianship of holy angels in your home. Remember that your dear ones are exposed to temptations.

In our efforts for the comfort and happiness of guests, let us not overlook our obligations to God. The hour of prayer should not be neglected for any consideration. Do not talk and amuse yourselves till all are too weary to enjoy the season of devotion. To do this is to present to God a lame offering. At an early hour of the evening, when we can pray unhurriedly and understandingly, we should present our supplications and raise our voices in happy, grateful praise.

Let all who visit Christians see that the hour of prayer is the most precious, the most sacred, and the happiest hour of the day. These seasons of devotion exert a refining, elevating influence upon all who participate in them. They bring a peace and rest grateful to the spirit.   Child Guidance, 520, 521

God required of His ancient people three yearly gatherings. “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee.” No less than one third of their income was devoted to sacred and religious purposes.

Whenever God’s people, in any period of the world, have cheerfully and willingly carried out His plan in systematic benevolence and in gifts and offerings, they have realized the standing promise that prosperity should attend all their labors just in proportion as they obeyed His requirements. When they acknowledged the claims of God and complied with His requirements, honoring Him with their substance, their barns were filled with plenty. But when they robbed God in tithes and in offerings they were made to realize that they were not only robbing Him but themselves, for He limited His blessings to them just in proportion as they limited their offerings to Him.    Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 395

Our Heavenly Father is generous in blessing us. Though we cannot benefit Him by giving anything back to Him – since He owns everything and has no needs – we can be a blessing to Him by our generous expressions of thankfulness and praise. See Psalm 103.

by a Brother in Christ

from the magazine “PATRIARCH” September/October, 1996

This anonymously published “Address to Christian Women” is included in this men’s magazine for obvious reasons. Men need to instruct their wives and daughters concerning modesty in dress and the effect their dress has upon men. Read it carefully and be honest with yourself. Is not 90% (at least) of what this brother writes right on target? If so, we Christian husbands and fathers have a big job to do in correcting the dress of our women. Most of us will find some things in what follows to quibble over. (I don’t enforce everything he suggests with my wife and girls-though I’ll think about it more carefully now!) Let’s listen to this appeal not in order to find points of disagreement or to practice self-justification. Let’s discuss these things with our wives and daughters. Let’s all ask the Lord to help us learn what honors him in the area of clothing. (This article may be freely distributed and reprinted.)

We hear a great deal about the sin of David, but seldom does anyone mention the sin of Bath-sheba. And it is true enough that David’s sin was very great, and Bath-sheba’s very small. David’s sin was deliberate and presumptuous, Bath-sheba’s only a sin of ignorance. David committed deliberate adultery and murder; Bath-sheba only carelessly and undesignedly exposed herself before David’s eyes. We have no doubt that David’s sin was great, and Bath-sheba’s small. Yet it remains a fact that Bath-sheba’s little sin was the cause of David’s great sin. Her little sin of ignorance, her little thoughtless and careless exposure of herself, was the spark that kindled a great devouring flame. “Behold how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!” On the one side, only a little carelessness-only a little thoughtless, unintentional exposure of herself before the eyes of David. But on the other side, adultery and guilt of conscience; murder and the loss of a husband, besides the death in battle of other innocent men; great occasion for the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme; the shame of an illegitimate pregnancy, and the death of the child; the uprising and the death of Absalom; the defiling of David’s wives in the sight of all Israel; the sword never departing from David’s house (2 Sam. 12:11-18). Again I say, “Behold how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!” None of this great evil would ever have taken place if Bath-sheba had only been careful to not display her body in the sight of a man. Observe: she neither designed nor foresaw any of this evil, yet she was the occasion of it all. She did not display herself purposely or wantonly: she only did it ignorantly and thoughtlessly. Yet the results of her little sin of ignorance were just the same as if it had been purposeful wantonness. Now the reason for my writing all of the above is this: there are many Christian women today who are guilty of the same carelessness as Bath-sheba was. Godly women, who would recoil with horror from the very thought of wantonly displaying their bodies, do nevertheless carelessly and thoughtlessly display themselves habitually, by the manner in which they dress. I do not write to accuse them of intentional wantonness. I believe they are as innocent of that as Bath-sheba was. But neither can I altogether excuse them from blame in the matter. The whole world is well aware that certain kinds of feminine dress are provocative and tempting to the eyes and heart of a man-and are Christian women alone altogether naive and ignorant? This can hardly be; and yet I do not write to blame you, but to instruct you-to provoke you to love and good works, to make you thoughtful where you have been thoughtless before, to make you careful for the spiritual welfare of the weakest of your brethren, where you were careless about it before, to make you wise where before you were simple.

Nakedness Before Others Is Wrong

The first thing which must be understood is that nakedness before the eyes of others is wrong. It is wrong in a man, and it is wrong in a woman. When Adam and Eve sinned, God made “coats of skins, and clothed them.” The sole reason for his clothing them was to cover their nakedness, as the Genesis account makes plain.   Observe, he clothed them with coats. They were already wearing aprons, which probably covered as much as, or more than, much of the clothing which is worn today, yet in spite of their aprons they were still naked in their own eyes and in God’s. And God did not clothe them with shorts, or swimming suits, or tank tops, or halter tops, or anything of the sort-nor with jackets, either, but with coats, long coats, or robes as the word might properly be translated. Observe further, he clothed them with coats. He did not clothe Eve with a coat, and Adam with a pair of shorts. He clothed them both with coats-whence we may assuredly gather that nakedness is just as wrong in a man as it is in a woman. But if it is equally wrong for a man to expose his nakedness as it is for a woman, it is not equally dangerous, for the passions of women are not so easily or thoroughly aroused by the sight of a man’s body-and many women affirm, that the sight does not arouse them at all. A man therefore may (though he ought not to) go three fourths naked, and not do much damage by it. But when a woman exposes herself only a little, she becomes a fiery dart to tempt the heart of every man who sees her. Like it or not, this is the plain fact. And because this is a fact, you are not at liberty to dress any way you please. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). But if you dress in such a way as to expose your body, and if you fear God and love your neighbor, your dare not use the temple of the Holy Spirit as an instrument of unrighteousness to allure the eyes and tempt the hearts and tantalize the passions of men.

Many men are wicked, and will lust after you in spite of anything you can do to prevent it. They have “eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin” (2 Pet. 2:14). Should you therefore help them to sin? Should you put further temptation in their way? Will God excuse you if you do? Other men, godly men, are not wicked, but only weak. David was not wicked. He was a man after God’s own heart. But in the presence of an unclothed woman, he was weak-and it would be a rare man who was not. Your brethren in Christ are not wicked, but they may be weak. And the devil does all he can do to weaken them further. They are forced to live in a world where they are continually bombarded with sights which are designed by the enemy of their souls to weaken their morals and destroy their purity of heart. And must Christian women help the devil to do his work? Must they make themselves a temptation to their brethren even in the Congregation of God? Oh, that you could understand the fierce and bitter conflict in the souls of your brethren, when you arouse their desires by the careless display of your feminine beauty. Oh, that you could hear their pleadings with God for help and deliverance from the power of those temptations. Oh, that you could see their tears of shame and repentance when the temptation has overcome them, and they have sinned with eyes and heart and mind. Never again would you plead for your right to dress as you please. The fact is, you have no such right. You have no right to destroy by your careless dress the brother for whom Christ died. You are bought with a price and are not your own. You are duty-bound to glorify God in your body, to clothe that body, not as you will, but as God wills. And a little real love for the souls of your brethren would remove forever from your heart the desire to dress as you please. “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached Thee fell upon Me.'” (Rom. 15:1-3). Christ was willing to deny himself all of the glories of heaven, and bear the reproaches of the ungodly for your sake, in order to save your soul, and will you plead for your right to please yourself in your dress? Can you not deny yourself a little comfort to save another man’s soul? Can you not bear a little reproach for being “old-fashioned” or “out of style,” in order to help your brother in his battle against sin?

Take a Man’s Word for It

You may think I’m making too much of too little. You may suppose the case is not so serious as I have represented it to be. But consider: you are a woman and cannot experience the passions of a man. You have your own passions, but they are not the same as a man’s. They are (generally speaking) not so strong as a man’s. Neither are they so easily excited or inflamed as a man’s. Nor are they excited in the same manner as a man’s. If you would understand the workings of a man’s passions towards a woman, you must take a man’s word for it. You cannot experience it yourself. And the plain fact is, a man’s passions are easily excited by the sight of a woman’s body, as was plainly the case with David and Bath-sheba, when he beheld her washing herself. Most men, it is true, will be better able to resist your allurement than David did Bath-sheba’s. They will not go so far as to seduce or rape you. But how do you know that they can resist the thought and desire of it? How do you know that they do not sin with their eyes and heart and imagination? There is great pleasure to a man in merely looking and lusting, even though he goes no further. You know very well that the Bible says, “… everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:28), and will you say that this is not a serious matter? It is serious, for it is sin and sin is serious. Sin blights and deforms and ruins and destroys and damns. And if you would know just how serious a matter this is, you need only read the very next verse, which says, “And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Here is probably the most solemn statement in the Bible concerning the seriousness of sin, and it is spoken with reference to the very sin which you may so lightly and thoughtlessly occasion by your careless dress. This is not a light matter, and you dare not treat it lightly. At this point you may say, “Amen: all true; but I do not need to hear it, for I dress modestly.” Are you quite sure of it? If you follow the fashions and practices of this age, you assuredly do not dress modestly, for modesty is ignored by many of them, and purposely thrown to the winds by many others. And it may be that you, being a woman, and not able to see yourself through a man’s eye, are unable to perceive that which may really be tempting and provocative in your own dress. God would have you to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). But if you unthinkingly dress as the rest of the world does, you are assuredly neither wise nor harmless. Not wise, for however ignorant and innocent you may be, you are following a system of fashion which is designed by wicked men and devils to break down and destroy the morals of men. Not harmless, for however little you may intend it, you make yourself a fiery dart in the hands of the wicked one to tempt every man who sees you. You will pardon my plain speaking, then, if I give you some specific instructions in order to make you wise. That being done, I have confidence that the godliness of your own heart will make you harmless. As said before, the obvious design of God in making clothing for Adam and Eve was to cover their nakedness, and any clothing which fails to do so cannot be right. Bare backs, bare midriffs, bare legs and thighs, are wrong-wrong in the sight of that God who clothed Adam and Eve with coats to cover their bare bodies. Shorts, halter tops, swimming suits, and anything and everything else which intentionally leave you partially nude, have no place in the dress of a woman professing godliness. Whatever the rest of the world may do, you are bond to do right. And whatever the rest of the church may do, you are bound to do right. And the things which I have just mentioned are so obvious and so flagrant a violation of the purpose of God in clothing you, that there ought not to be a moments question as to what is right. But (alas) the standards of the church are sunk so low in our day that there are actually Christians and preachers who will defend such things. They will actually defend what they call “mixed bathing”-that is, men and women freely mixing together in a state of almost nudity. Have they no shame? Have they no sense? I do not believe they will defend such things when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ. If they have no shame now, they will have some then. Meanwhile we need say no more about forms of dress which so obviously thwart the purpose of God. Let us turn our thoughts to some things which, while less flagrant, nevertheless violate the evident purpose of God. Let us turn our thoughts to some things which, while less flagrant, nevertheless violate the evident purpose of clothing.

Short Dresses

You need no one to tell you that these are wrong. The whole world knows that they are provocative to a man’s eyes. But women who profess godliness, women who ought to know better, will simply follow the current fashions of the world, whether long or short, without any reference to what is right. Others will quibble about how short is too short. Rather than making very sure their dresses are plenty long, they will make them as short as they dare, while still persuading themselves that they are long enough. You may stand at attention in front of your mirror, and persuade yourself that your too-short dress reveals nothing, but only let you sit down, only let you bend over, only let you get in or out of a car, and what a spectacle of nudity you present. And whether you design it or not, and whether you like it or not, those nude legs and thighs of yours are provocation to lust in the eyes of men. For the same reason you ought to have nothing to do with those skirts which are slit half-way up the sides. Who cannot see that the design of such a fashion is to expose your thighs to view? Or is it to enable you to walk? So much the worse if it is. If your skirt is so tight that you cannot walk without cutting the sides, by all means throw it away, and get something with a little more material. We shall have more to say about tight clothing further along. Do you ask how long your dresses ought to be? See that your legs are well covered below the knee, front and back, while you are bending over or sitting down, and you will be safe enough. But be careful here: it is not enough that your legs should be covered only from the vantage point of your own eyeballs. When you bend over or sit down, the front of your dress will naturally hang lower, so as to cover more of your legs, but the back will be drawn up so as to expose more of your legs. If you would be safe, your dresses should cover you well below the knee in all postures.

Low Necklines

Again, the whole world knows very well that these are a great temptation to the eyes of a man. And if you are a godly woman, no doubt you would never dream of purposely wearing a neckline too low. But you may be doing it nevertheless, through thoughtlessness or ignorance. It is not only low necklines which offend, but also large or loose ones. You may stand erect in front of your mirror wearing a large or loose neckline, and think it perfectly modest. But only bend over a little, so that the material of your blouse falls away from your body, and immediately the most provocative and tempting part of your anatomy is exposed to the view of any man who happens to be standing in front of you. The same is true, of course, when you dress with the top two or three buttons of your blouse unbuttoned. This looks provocative, even if nothing were actually exposed by it. It looks seductive. It looks to a man as though you must design to expose yourself and tantalize his passions. What else can he think? For what other purpose could you leave two of three buttons of your blouse unbuttoned? Do you say it is for comfort? Because you cannot bear a tight choking collar? I believe you could learn to bear it, as the men of the world do in order to display their stylish neckties. But waive that. It may be legitimate to leave your blouse open at the neck for comfort’s sake, and it may even be modest (depending upon the garment), provided you unbutton one button only. There can be no possible reason of excuse for leaving two or three buttons open. It will add nothing to your comfort. It is simply following a wicked fashion of a wicked world. Your collar will no more choke you with one button open than it will with three. One button open will always be a great plenty for comfort’s sake, and with some blouses it will be too much. If you can leave your top button open, yet not expose your breasts when you bend over and the material of your blouse falls away from your bosom, very well. This may depend upon the nature of the blouse, as well as the size of your bust. But if there is any danger of exposing yourself, you had better button all your buttons. You can scarcely be too careful here, for there is no part of a woman’s body so alluring to a man as her breasts, and when a man sees a woman with the top two or three buttons of her blouse open, he will probably conclude that it is her intention to tempt and tantalize men. Is this the impression you wish to give? If not, button your buttons, snap your snaps, and zip your zippers. And if you happen to bend over a little in front of a man, and he sees your breasts actually exposed because of your large, loose, low, or open necklines, unless he is a very rare man, he will be tantalized by the sight, whatever you may think or intend. Therefore you cannot do as the rest of the world does. Let your neckline be high enough and small enough to be in fact a neckline, and not a chest or shoulder line, and you will be safe. Note well: this means that if the neck hole of your garment is large enough to slip over your head, it is probably too large.

Sleeveless Blouses

Sleeveless blouses always reveal too much. Little as you may be able to understand it, you underarms, and the parts of your chest and of your back which immediately adjoin them, are very attractive to a man; and a sleeveless blouse cannot help but display these parts. You must also bear in mind that others will see you from all angles and in all positions, and the armholes of a sleeveless blouse will often allow a man to see inside the blouse, especially when your arms are uplifted or outstretched, thus displaying part of your chest, and probably some of your breast. The same is true of a short-sleeved blouse which has very large or loose sleeves. This may be perfectly modest as long as you keep your elbows at your sides, but as soon as you raise your arms you create an opening through which a man may see inside your blouse, and this is a great snare to his heart. Remember you are a woman, and cannot see yourself as a man sees you. I am a man, and know what it is to be tempted by such sights. And if only the weakest of your brethren might be tempted by your sleeveless or loose-sleeve blouses, ought you not to deny yourself a little comfort or fashion, and conceal your body a little better for his good?

Sheer Clothing

It ought to be unnecessary to say anything about clothing which is so light or so sheer that a man may see through it. The obvious and undeniable design of such clothing is to thwart the purpose of clothing, and expose your body rather than covering it. This you cannot help but realize. Everyone else knows it also, and when a man sees you thus attired, what can he think but that it is your intention to display your body to his sight? And yet so low are the standards in the church today that it is not uncommon to see Christian women wearing see-through clothing. If you have been guilty of this, your first business is to repent, to reject at once everything which is obviously and purposely sheer. You ought to be careful also not to wear any material which is so light or so thin that it may be seen through when you are in direct light, such as in front of a window. Finally, reject any material of a very coarse weave: wear clothing not netting.

Tight Clothing

Dress which explicitly reveals your form is as bad as that which reveals your nakedness. The whole world knows that such dress is provocative-notoriously and proverbially so-and when a man sees a woman dressed in tight clothing that reveals and displays every curve of her form, his passions will certainly be excited by the sight-perhaps not so quickly or so strongly as they would be by the sight of your naked form, but excited nonetheless. The world calls tight clothing “revealing”, which is exactly what it is, and as such it is an obvious violation of the purpose of God in clothing you. Every women who professes godliness, therefore, ought religiously to refuse every form of dress which reveals and displays her figure. Specifically, you must be cautious when wearing sweaters, sweat shirts, tee shirts, and anything made of knit, stretchy, or soft, clinging material. It may be revealing unless perhaps it is very loose. Woven material, with some stiffness and body to it, will conceal your form much better. This is of the utmost importance, especially for a woman who is large in the bust. There is no sight on earth which will surely attract a man’s eyes, and so quickly inflame his passions, as the sight of a woman’s breasts-whether they are actually exposed, or their form displayed by tight or clinging clothing. This is a fact which the world knows very well. Twenty-five years ago the world was singing a popular song about the pleasure of seeing a woman in a sweater and a tight skirt. The natures of man and woman have not changed in twenty-five years. When a man looks at you he should see your clothing, and not the shape and form of everything which is inside it. Sweaters, tee shirts, and knit blouses in their very nature cling to your body and reveal and display the shape and form of it. And you must take a man’s word for it that the shape and form of a woman’s body, even though it is covered with clothing, will draw his eyes, inflame his passions, or arouse his imagination, just about as quickly and surely as the sight of her actual skin. I do not say that it is impossible for a woman to wear a sweater or knit top which is not too revealing. What I do say is that the sweaters and knit tops which American women usually wear are almost always too tight. They might do better if they would wear their sweater several sizes larger than they usually do. A women who is very small in the bust may fairly easily wear sweaters which are loose enough to conceal her form, but the larger her breasts are, the more difficult this will become. A woman who is large in the bust had best avoid knit clothing altogether. She will have a hard enough time of it to conceal her form without wearing sweaters. I cannot emphasize this too much, or insist upon it too strongly. A woman-especially a woman who is large in the bust-must understand, must take a man’s word for it, that the sight of her bust may take away a man’s heart in a moment. If she wishes to wear a sweater for warmth, she can easily wear a loose cotton blouse over (not under) it, and be warmer yet. True this will not be stylish, but no matter about that. I am writing for godly women, who would rather please God than the world. Understand also that you will accomplish little by exchanging tight sweaters for tight blouses. A blouse of woven material in its very nature will conceal your form better than a sweater, but it may still be provocative enough if it is too tight. You ladies who are overweight often offend in this, by wearing the same clothes you would if you were twenty or thirty pounds lighter. And it is nothing but foolish pride which keeps you from wearing a larger size. Your blouse should never be stretched tight across your bosom, but should have slack enough in the fit that when a man looks at you he sees the blouse, and not the form of what is inside of it. For this reason you should also learn to avoid provocative positions and postures. By this I mean any position which makes your bust prominent, or stretches your clothing tight over it-such as standing with your hands on your hips and your elbows thrown back, or yawning and stretching with your back arched. You should likewise refuse dresses with what is called an empress waistline-which girds the garment around your body immediately below the bust, instead of at the waist. The unavoidable effect of this is to prominently display your bust. Again I tell you, I am a man, and know very well what it is to be tempted by such sights-and it may take only a moment’s involuntary sight to turn a man’s heart or imagination into the wrong channels.

Slacks

Here we have come to a bone of contention which divides churches, families, and friends. The background is this: historically in our culture, the men have worn pants, and the women dresses. This is an undisputed fact, which is embodied in the proverbial expression that a wife who runs the house “wears the pants in the family.” The feminist movement, which is more than a century old, has sought to put the pants on all the women, figuratively speaking. It has sought to “liberate” the woman from her God-anointed place of subjection to the man, and to give her “equal rights” to do whatever the man may do. The spirit of this movement has also put upon the woman’s body the man’s clothing-namely, slacks. And the church has followed the world in so doing. Many of the older and stricter men of God, less influenced by the world themselves, take a strong stand against women wearing pants. Slacks, they say, are men’s clothing, and (on the basis of Deut. 22:5) it is an abomination for a women to wear them. The younger set, most of whom have grown up with women wearing slacks, and who probably know nothing of the historical background of the question, can see no point in the stand which their elders take, and so regard it as narrow-minded and petty. “The slacks which women wear,” they say, “were made for women and are not men’s clothing.” On the one side it may be argued that God made neither slacks for Adam nor a dress for Eve, but coats for both of them. Yet Deut. 22:5 certainly assumes that the same clothing is not to be worn by both men women, and it is also certain that historically in our country the slacks have been the men’s clothing. It may be argued that the culture has changed, so that slacks are now acceptable clothing for women also. Yet when we consider the sinister forces which have wrought to change our culture, we may plead that the change is no way recognized by God, but is an abomination to him. I say no more than this, for it is outside the purpose of this article to settle this controversy. I do not ask here, is it wrong in the eyes of God for a woman to wear slacks? I ask, What effect are her slacks likely to have on the eyes of men? And first, by their very nature slacks are apt to reveal and display your form. Women contend for modest slacks, but who wears them? In the very nature of the case, it is difficult to make a pair of modest slacks (especially for a woman who has a full figure), and as a matter of fact, it is an extremely rare thing to see a woman in slacks which are not too tight. Why is this? Why may men wear slacks which fit loosely, while the slacks of women must cling to every inch of their legs and thighs and hips and buttocks and crotch? Truly because it is the god of this world who inspires these styles, and he knows his business only too well. He knows only too well that it is a snare to a man’s heart to have displayed before his eyes the form of a woman’s thighs and buttocks and crotch. Your crotch-your “private part’s”-you ought by all means to keep carefully concealed at all times, and there is nothing that will do it so well as a dress. A loose-fitting skirt or dress, provided it is not too short, is also the best possible clothing with which to conceal all of the tempting parts of the anatomy which reside between your waist and your knees. But some women suppose that because their slacks are not skin-tight, they are therefore modest. Well, now, suppose that your slacks are loose enough that they leave a little space between the material and your skin. Still they basically display the form of your legs and thighs and buttocks. This is the nature of the garment, and can hardly be avoided. And further, as soon as you bend over, or sit or squat, those “modest slacks” of yours will be stretched just as tightly, over parts of your form, as the skin-tight slacks which other women wear. So unless you are so thin that you have no form with which to attract a man, or so fat that your form will only disgust him (and you are no competent judge of this), you had best leave slacks alone. Though you may not be able to understand it (for the sight of a man will probably not affect you in the same way), it is the sight of the form which will arouse a man’s passions. What a man’s touch is to a woman, the sight of a woman is to a man. This is plain enough in the Bible account of David and Bath-sheba, and every honest man will tell you the same thing. You must believe it on the word of a man, though you may not be able to understand it. The sight of the form of your thighs and buttocks and crotch will tempt the heart of a man, and it is the nature of slacks to display the form of those parts. Some, who believe it is wrong for a woman to wear slacks, but who wish to accommodate their ladies for engagement in the more masculine type of activities, recommend the wearing of culottes, which are sort of a cross between a skirt and slacks. Our only question concerning them is, are they modest or immodest? They may be either, depending upon several things. If they are fashioned so as to look like a loose-fitting skirt, and are long enough, they may be as modest as a skirt. Unfortunately, many of them more nearly resemble slacks, or even shorts, than a skirt. If yours are long enough and loose enough to keep you well covered and concealed in all postures, they may be as acceptable as a modest skirt.

Enough of specific instructions. We must next answer some objections.

Objections

(1) “WHAT RIGHT HAS THIS FELLOW TO PRESCRIBE ALL OF THESE LEGALISTIC RULES FOR WOMEN?” I answer, if we lived without sin in the garden of Eden, you could dress just as you please, or not dress at all, and hurt no one by it. But in this world you cannot, and if you do you will only be helping to swell the tide of sin. I write for godly women, who want to do what is right, but who are not likely to know how to do right without some instruction from a man. I seek only to give you some instruction, which only a man can give, concerning the effects your dress will have an the men who see you. And I suppose that truly godly women will be happy to receive such instruction. It is usually the worldly, who are not willing to do right at any cost, who raise the cry of legalism.

(2) “THIS IS A SMALL MATTER, AND NOT WORTHY OF SO MUCH ADO.” We ought to be occupied with the weightier matters of the law, the matters of the heart, and not make such a fuss over little outward things. This may be an outward thing, but it is not a little one. Can you read Matthew 5:28-29 and yet contend that this is a little matter? But suppose it is a little matter: can you therefore lightly pass over it, or ignore it? Not so, for “he who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much” (Luke 16:10). The Lord does not rebuke the Jews for attending to the small matters, but only because they did so to the neglect of the weightier matters. “These [the weightier matters] are the things you should have done without neglecting the others [the small matters]” (Luke 11:42).

(3) “ANY MAN WHO VIEWS WOMEN SO MUST BE PERVERTED.” Yes: be it known unto you that men are perverted. All men. We are sinners. Our pristine purity is lost, and our hearts are natural and strongly inclined to sin, and especially the sin of lust. Sin easily besets us (Heb. 12:1). But understand, though all men are perverted from their original purity, and though the passions of all men (except those who are perverted in a worse way) are alike in this matter, I would not want to leave you with the impression that the practices of all men are alike, or with feelings of uneasiness in the presence of men. If you but dress right, and act right, and associate with the right kind of men, in the right kind of situations, there will be little occasion for you to be uneasy or uncomfortable. But there will great plenty of occasion for you to be careful, even in the presence of the best men. Why? Because though the godly “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24), and have renounced the unlawful indulgence of those desires, yet the desires themselves remain. It is in the godly that “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit” (v.17). Men may strive hard to mortify those passions, but it is a matter of plain historical fact, attested also by virtually universal experience, that the most sincere and diligent human endeavors to mortify those passions are usually not very successful. It was a man of God who was overcome by the allurement of Bath-sheba. To return to the original question: whether men are “perverted” or not is really beside the point. To what extent his desires are normal and right, or to what extent they are the result of his sinfulness, may be difficult to determine. But what difference does it make? You must deal with the facts as they are, not as you wish they were. The real fact is: many men are weak, and easily tempted by the sight of the feminine form. Suppose that some men are so strong, that you could not tempt them if you would-what then? The fact remains that many men are weak. With the strong you need not concern yourself, but you are bound by duty (as you ought to be moved by love) to “bear the weaknesses of the weak”-yes, even of the weakest-and not to put stumbling blocks in their way (Rom.15:1; 14:13).

(4) “IF A MAN LOOKS UPON ME TO LUST, THAT IS HIS SIN NOT MINE.” No-“you are no longer walking according to love. … It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles” (Rom. 14:15,21). David was made weak, David was made to stumble, by Bath-sheba’s careless exposure of herself; and your display of your feminine beauty will have the same effect upon your brethren. After reading this article, you can hardly plead that you do not know this, and “to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). If you were completely ignorant of the effects undress might have upon a man, you might dress as you please without sin, but not otherwise. Every man is fully responsible for his own sin, but you will certainly be held in some sense responsible for another man’s sin, if you provoke him to it. To Ezekiel God said, “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand” (Ezek. 33:8). The wicked is fully responsible for his own sin, and shall surely die for it. But the watchman is held accountable also, merely because he failed to do what he could have done to turn the other man from his sin. How much more will you be held accountable if you put stumbling blocks in another man’s way, and actually provoke him to sin?

(5) “IF I WERE TO FOLLOW ALL OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A WHOLE NEW WARDROBE, AND THAT I CANNOT AFFORD.” My sister, you cannot afford to sin. If you are a real Christian, you came to Christ resolving to forsake every sin, and do the whole will of God, at any cost. If you have a will to do right, you will find a way-or cry to God to provide one. You can afford to change the way you dress. You cannot afford to sin, or to provoke others to sin.

(6) “I AM NOT ATTRACTIVE OR SHAPELY. NO MAN IS LIKELY TO BE TEMPTED BY A SIGHT OF ME. THEREFORE I MAY DRESS AS I PLEASE.” In the first place, you are no proper judge of what is attractive to a man. It is of course true that a shapely and beautiful woman is more likely to be a temptation to a man than a plain woman, but it is also true that a woman who is not attractive to one man probably will be to another, and even the homeliest will be attractive to somebody. But just suppose that you are actually so ugly that no man would ever look twice at you. What about your example to other women? What about your example to babes in Christ, who have dressed improperly through all their ungodly life, and who may now be looking to you to teach them and lead them in the right way? Do you want them to look at you, and excuse their own improper dress on the basis of your example? Finally, some women are so naive, so ignorant of the nature of men, that they suppose that because no men are actually making advances or propositions to them, they must be no temptation to any man. Let them understand that a man derives great pleasure-sinful pleasure-from looking at women, from looking at any and every attractive woman. Why do you suppose that men spend millions of dollars every year for pornographic pictures? Let the pictures be left out of pornographic magazines, and see how many copies they would sell! What pleasure is it which men continually purchase at so great an expense? What pleasure can pictures afford them, except the pleasure of looking? It is looking at a woman’s body which inflames a man’s passions and regales his imagination, and there is great pleasure in that looking. Most men will freely indulge in that pleasure, with little or no restraint. They will feast their eyes upon the feminine form wherever they may find it, and this of course will include your form if you dress so as to expose and display it. Godly men will recognize that pleasure as sinful except when it is confined to their own wife, and they will fight hard to resist the temptation and conquer the sin. But because of the extreme strength and intensity of the male passions they find this to be a very hard fight. The spirit is willing but, in the face of strong temptations, the flesh is weak. To will is present with them, but sometimes how to perform they find not. In spite of all their determination and praying and striving, they may find their eye seemingly involuntarily drawn to the sight of a beautiful and shapely woman, and a moment’s involuntary sight may be enough to take the heart away. A man who has gained some mastery over this kind of temptation may easily resist the initial onslaught, but constant exposure to such allurement may weaken even the strongest. Therefore we are told to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22)-to flee from the very presence of such temptations. But whither shall we flee in this wicked world? Must we flee from the very congregation of God in order to keep our hearts pure? Shame! Shame! If we cannot find a safe asylum there!

To conclude: There is nothing at all wrong or evil about your physical beauty. It is the creation of God, and is, like all that God created, “very good.” It was designed by God for a specific purpose: the woman was made “for the man” (1 Cor. 11:9). The perfectly obvious design of your beauty is to ravish and satisfy the heart of a man-but a man, not of every man. If God has joined you to that one man, then by all means, give that beauty to him with all your heart, and say to him, “Hurry, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices” (Song of Solomon 8:14). Let him be, as God commands him, satisfied with your breasts at all times, and always ravished with your love (Prov. 5:19). Thus satisfied, he will be less susceptible to the beauty and charms of other women. Thus used, the beauty of your body will glorify the God who gave it to you, and serve the man for whom it was given. But if you put it on display, and prostitute it to the gaze of the whole world, you only glorify yourself and serve the devil.

Postscript

If you are as most women are, much of the material in this article may be new and strange to you. You may not be able to understand it, and may be reluctant to believe it. Some of the women who have read the manuscript can scarcely be persuaded to believe that the male passions are as I represented them, but the men to whom I have submitted it have fully endorsed it. One of them (a godly man and a preacher) said, “I wish I had about two million copies.” I beg you therefore to believe these things, though you may not he able to understand them. Secondly, I beg you to not be content with a single reading of this paper, but rather to study it thoroughly several times through, so that you may fully grasp and remember all that it says. Then, by all means, act upon what it teaches you. And finally, do everything in your power to teach these things to your sisters in Christ.

In so doing you will very much oblige,

Your Brother in Christ

Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you.   The Desire of Ages, p. 483

But there is another factor that enters the picture that can make all the difference in our destiny – our attitude.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:   Hebrews 10:26-28

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.   Proverbs 28:13

Notice the phrases in these verses “if we sin wilfully,” “He that despised Moses’ law,” “He that covereth his sins.” These are describing an attitude of carelessness or rebellion that is an impassable barrier to God’s mercy and forgiveness. If we want to sin, if we have no respect for God’s ways, if we intentionally try to hide what we have done or don’t admit it, He cannot forgive us, He cannot save us. The problem is not so much in the quantity of the evil involved in the act as it is in the quality of the motive and attitude that accompanies it. Even the most heinous of sins can be forgiven if there is an attitude of genuine repentance, a hunger for righteousness, and a willingness to forsake them. Nero, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Bloody Mary, etc. could all have been forgiven and saved if they had turned to God with an attitude of genuine repentance; but, the friendliest, nicest, most pious-appearing Christian will be unforgiven and lost if he sins willfully, despises God’s law, and tries to hide what he does.

When the thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus didn’t expect him to first enumerate everything he had done wrong and confess each item before he could be forgiven. The man obviously had a repentant spirit and Jesus gave him that wonderful assurance, “You will be with me in paradise.”

God is not searching for people who merely want to be saved. Everybody wants that; nobody wants to die or be destroyed. God reaches out to those who truly hunger for righteousness, those who know they have a sin problem and want help getting rid of it.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.   Matthew 5:6

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.   Psalm 51:17

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.   Mark 2:17

I would like to suggest that when you are facing the final moments before you enter eternity, God will not be so concerned about the list of what you have done wrong in your life, looking carefully to see if every one of the individual acts in your history – your sins – have been confessed.

All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men:   Matthew 12:31a

He will be more concerned about the sin you didn’t want to confess, that you have been cherishing; the addiction you know should have been given up but that you enjoyed and wanted to keep; the fault that has been brought to you attention but you held on to it; the sin that you thought didn’t matter very much; whatever it is that you did not want to forsake.

. . . but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. Matthew 12:31b

He will be looking for those things that are out of harmony with the great eternal principles of His Kingdom. He wants to bring those character flaws to your attention now so you will let Him cleanse them out of your system, out of your nature. The issue may be great or small or anywhere in between, but if you don’t let Him get it out of your life and clean up your character, He cannot forgive it. He wants to forgive anything and everything that you want to let go, but you need to cooperate with Him in that clean-up process. Then you can be free of fear about the future.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.   Psalm 139:23, 24

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.   1 Corinthians 11:31

The Lord is willing to show us our faults as fast as we are willing to put them away and overcome them.    Review and Herald, May 11, 1876

If you cannot give all for heaven, you cannot have it. Will you give up every idol? If there is one thing that you cannot give up, that is your idol. That will shut you out of Heaven.   Review and Herald, July 25, 1854

He who determines to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of an unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him. Selfishness and pride will make a stand against anything that would show them to be sinful. We can not, of ourselves, conquer the evil desires and habits that struggle for the mastery. We can not overcome the mighty foe who holds us in his thrall. God alone can give us the victory. He desires us to have the mastery over ourselves, our own will and ways. But He can not work in us without our consent and co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the faculties and powers given to man. Our energies are required to co-operate with God.  Signs of the Times, May 18, 1904

Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory.   The Ministry of Healing, p. 487

If you cooperate with Him in this process of purifying and cleansing your character now, you will have nothing to be afraid of then. Any fear that the saints feel in those final moments should not be over what they have done outwardly but concern over what they are inwardly. The question will not so much be, “What have I done?” but “What kind of person am I? Has all sin been purged out of my system? Is my character of the quality that God can trust for eternity?”

May God help us to see ourselves the way He sees us and let Him clean out the SIN now. Then the SINSwill disappear. Take out the tree with its roots, and the leaves will cease to be a problem.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:6-9

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.   Revelation 21:7