Articles
Lascivious Women in the Assemblies of God's People
LASCIVIOUS WOMEN IN THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD'S PEOPLE (Donald Townsley)
Churches of Christ from one end of this nation to the other are faced with a "clothes problem" among the females. Twenty years ago we would not have dreamed we would ever have such a problem in the assemblies of the saints. I have not been in a congregation in the last few years that does not have the problem. This is a problem that no longer can be ignored by preachers, elders and every Christian who has any decency left in his soul!
Many sisters and their daughters have thrown modesty and discreetness to the wind! "Shamefacedness" and "sobriety" are unknown qualities among them ( I Tim. 2:9; Titus 2:4 - 5) ! Their styles in clothing came out of the "flesh-pots" of the world. It is attire that is designed for the "harlots" (Prov. 7: 10) of this world, and are not for women professing godliness (I Tim. 2: 9 - 10). Many dresses that are worn in the assemblies of the saints are several inches above the knee exposing the leg as it begins to grow larger around. When a woman has on a dress this short she does not have to lean very far either to the right or to the left or bend forward just a little without making herself even more disgraceful than she already is. When she sits down there is not enough material to cover her nakedness, and to make bad matters worse many cross their legs !!!
Many mothers in the church seem to have taught their daughters next to nothing about manners and decency in the last fifteen years or so. Men in the church who are trying to be pure in mind and body ( II Cor. 7:1), are making every effort to "flee fornication" ( I Cor. 6:18; Matt. 5:28), and would not think of deliberately gazing upon lewd women for sensual pleasure ( II Tim. 2:22) now realize that the most sacred place on this earth (the assemblies of God's people for worship) has been invaded by the "lascivious woman" (Gal. 5: 19). Men now know if it is their job to serve the congregation the Lord's supper in these sacred moments of meditation and reflection on the Lord's death for man's sins ( I Cor. 11:29) that they will constantly have before them seductive and enticing lewd bodies of men's wives and daughters whom they would like to think highly of.
A man who is truly a Christian is happy with his own wife and feels that her body is his just as his body is hers ( I Cor. 7: 2 - 5). Her body is for his pleasure and satisfaction and nobody else. If he is any kind of man and Christian he is jealous over the chastity of his wife's body (Titus 2: 4 -5; II Cor. 11:2), and does not appreciate lascivious and wanton eyes gazing upon his most valuable and priceless possession ( I Cor. 7: 2; I Pet. 3:7). He not only wants to protect what is his, but brotherly love causes him to want to protect what belongs to his brother ( I Thess. 4: 4 - 6). Therefore, he has no desire to gaze upon the nakedness of his brother's wife because he believes strongly that she belongs to his brother and her body is for his pleasure (Heb. 13:4). Brotherly love (II Pet. 1:7) causes him to feel humiliated and hurt that he is forced to see what should have only been seen with the loving eyes of a faithful husband.
Paul said that brethren are to feel toward the younger sisters in the church as they do toward their sisters in their fleshly families ( I Tim. 5:2). Men must treat younger women in all purity (I Tim.5:2), therefore women must dress in a manner that will promote this purity in their relationship with the brethren.
Before you get too angry, I ask the question, "Have I told the truth about a bad situation in churches today?” If it is the truth, and I believe it is, some changes had better be made or some people are not going to heaven when they die (Gal. 5: 19 - 21). Sister, do you think God is going to hold you guiltless for such ungodly behavior in the assemblies of the saints? I think not !!
