CREEPING COMPROMISE: DRESS (BIBLE STUDY 3) TOPIC: Creeping Compromise: Dress An Issue of a Christians Heart.

. KEY TEXT: 2Cor 6:16, 17; 1 John 2:15, 16 HYMNS: SDAH 623, N41, N33 INTRODUCTION Have you ever heard the statement, If you cannot beat them, join them? If your response is Yes, then my next question is, What does it mean. I heard this statement for the first time in1996 when I was then a student in the Seminary at ASWA. This statement has to do with Compromise. Is it true that a Christian can reach a compromise with the Heathen? CHRISTIAN STANDARD The subject of Christian Standard according to Joe Crews, Is probably one of the most neglected doctrines in the modern church The world today is in an incredible state of flex and change. The traditional views and values have been altered and almost under the numbing influence of television and high mobile electronic media; minds have been manipulated, thought pattern set up, and decisions dictated These alteration and change have come about gradually. In a nut shell, Secularism is gradually eroding Christianity. Seventh-day Adventists want to be like others and gradually are selling our birth right. DEFINITIONS: CREEPING (verb): (1) Moving in a quiet careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention. (2) Gradually entering something and change it. COMPROPMISE: (1) A solution to a problem in which two things or situations are changed slightly so that they can exist together or (2) To do something which is against your principles and therefore seems dishonest or shameful (The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English). SNARES OF SATAN Self Deception Have you ever wondered how major changes seem to occur overnight in a church? There is no doubt that Satan is pulling the strings and directing the subtle forces designed to destroy us spiritually. Since the official organization of the Seventh-day Adventist church (about 150 years ago), Satan has tried to use the same trick employed against Adam and Eve (Gen 3:5); and the Israelites to exchanging Theocracy for Monarchy (1Sam 8:4 6) with the desire of becoming like other nations to make us deceive ourselves. Almost imperceptibly, our thinking has been affected by what we see and hear. Spiritual conviction has been softened and disappeared altogether.

The fine sensitivity to sin has been blunted by incessant exposure to the apparent innocent influences of our baited society.

SOME MISLEADING ISSUES Some Adventists have been led to believe that it is legalistic to make any kind of issue over standards and Life Style. But Satan knows how the mind operates under the power of suggestion and associations. With infinite patience he introduces pictures, words, ideas, amusements, and practices that cannot be condemned per se.

PERFECT EXAMPLES OF CREEPING COMPROMISE Perfect examples of ideas introduced into worship service today include: New style of worship and music, New approach to spiritual warfare (Prayer offensive Pentecostal /charismatic approach), Homo sexuality and lesbianism, New approach to Marriage and funeral services, and Mode of dressing. RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD CHURCH STANDARDS AND POLICIES In this study time we will limit ourselves to life-style: Dressing or Dress. DRESS Let us consider the following: When people look at you, what do they see? What attracts them? Is it your hair color, your hair style, your clothing? Or is it radiant glow on your face? Is it something on the outside or something from within? Our world puts great emphasis on a persons (especially women) outward beauty. Constantly we are invited to wear latest fashion, style our hair in the hottest new looks and display the most darling adornment. We are tempted to feel good about ourselves. ADVENTISTS AS REFORMERS As Seventh-day Adventists we have been called out from the world to be reformers. True religion which enters into every phase of life must have a molding influence in all our activities. Our habits of life must stem from principle not from the example of the world about us. Customs and fashions may change with the years, but principles of right conduct are always the same. (CM 176). Dress is an important factor in Christian character, hence the instruction for Christians to dress purposefully to protect the people of God from the corrupting influence of the world, as well as to promote physical and moral health. (4T, 634).

FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF ON DRESS While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, neat befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit.

FASHION: The World of fashion attempts to dictate what men and women should wear and how they should fix their hair and decorate their face. With each passing last season some change is brought in to make last seasons wardrobe outmoded. Furthermore, some of the styles flout biblical principles of modesty, simplicity and frugality. Christian discipleship requires total allegiance to Christ leaving no room for enslavement to the dictates of fashion. NAMES GIVEN TO SOME MODERN DRESS STYLES Modern dresses, especially for ladies have been nicknamed according to how they appear to onlookers. Here are few examples: WOMEN OR LADIES STYLES Accident Women dress with one arm or sleeve Matrick Yesu Women slit with long opening on its side which can be worn with the opening beside when entering worship place but turned back after service. X Ray Dress material that exposes the body. I am aware Dresses when worn leaves either the upper part of the navel or part of buttocks naked. Pillow case Old fashioned female underwear (panties) that covers the buttocks or the entire private parts, BOYS OR MENS DRESS STYLES Utto Pfiser Boys trousers that is pulled below the waist. Test tube or Tu na bu -Male Trousers with narrow legs or base. Zoom lion Trousers with large legs or openings at the base and sweeps as the wearer walks ELLEN.G.WHITE AND APPEARANCE Appearance is an important concern for Christians. E. G White penned hundreds of pages on this issue. In reference to dress Ellen White reminds the Christian that It is our privilege to honour our creator. He desires our Clothing to be not only neat and healthful, but appropriate and becoming (Edu 248). No one precise style is given as a uniform for the Christian, but rather that which is neat , attractive, clean, in good taste, durable simple modest and appropriate for ones age and work. (GC 419 431). Her concern is the avoidance of extremes. OUR DRESS AS SYMBOL The Bible calls us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, peculiar people (1Pet 2:9). Our appearance in every respect should be characterized by neatness, modesty and purity. What does our clothing symbolize? It symbolizes the condition of our heart. If pride, vanity or rebellion is our heart it will be revealed in immodest clothing. Dress is an index of the mind and heart. That which is hung upon the outside is the sign of what is within (MCP 1:289). Our dress is also symbolic of Gods Lordship in our lives. Just as the blue hemmed garment of the Israelites portrayed them as a commandment-keeping people, so our clothing may announce to the world that we are Gods obedient children (People of

Hope) following his standard and not the worlds. The world should recognize us as Gods people by the way we dress. WISE COUNSEL Our young ladies have a responsibility to help our brothers keep their heart pure. We should never wear anything that would be enticing to lead a brother to sin, even in his thoughts, we are at least held responsible (Matt 5:27, 28) We do not glorify God by exposing our body or even certain parts of it to the eyes of others. We live in a society where various degree of nudity is accepted. We should not forget that the sight of a womans body affects a man much differently than it does a female. Years ago God warned us about modern fashions. Satan is constantly devising some new styles of dress that shall prove an injury to physical and moral health, and he exults when he sees professed Christian eagerly accept the fashion that he has invented If our ladies and gentlemen dress according to the common fashion of our day we are not dressing modestly. Anything that puts accent on our form or leaves us partially naked has no place in the dress of a woman or man professing godliness. This includes low necklines, sleeveless blouses, sheer or tight clothing. We must do right even if the world does differently. CONCLUSION In a world where fashion tends to take precedence over Biblical counsel, God calls for a people who have purity of heart exemplified in a modest simple, appropriate style of dress. He knows that our clothing symbolizes our heart condition, hence His request for our hearts and our eyes (Pro 23:26). QUESTIONS 1. Because our senses have been desensitized by the age of nakedness in which we live, how do we determine what is not modest? 2. When the heart is converted everything that is out of harmony with the word of God will drop off. How true is this statement? REFERENCES 1. Crews, Joe. Creeping Compromise Baltimore: Amazing Facts,1977 2. Dederen, Raoul, ed. Handbook of Seventh day Adventist Theology. 12 vols. Hagerstown: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2002. 3. Procter, Paul Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, New Edition London: Pearson Educational Ltd. 2003, 370 & 433 4. Staci, Osterman. Dress: an Issue of My Heart. Adventist Affirm. Vol. 17, no. 3, Fall 2003, 21- 27 5. Seventh Day Adventist Church Manual 17th Edition (2005) 6. White, Ellen G. writings (in text). By PASTOR DASEBRE NSIAH- APPIAH, Offinso District CGC