FIRST OF ALL, GOD BRINGS US UP POINT-BY-POINT, AND TESTS US TO SEE HOW WE ACCEPT THE MESSAGES HE SENDS US:
“God leads his people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the lord. Said the angel: “God will bring his work closer and closer to test and prove every one of his people.” some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the true witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have the charge: “they are joined to their idols, let them alone,” and they pass on to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued, to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the true witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.” (1T 187.1)
SECOND OF ALL, WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT OUR MESSAGE
“…Is not a smooth message…” (3T 257.2-.3)
AND WE ARE TOLD:
“…If those who have been in the church for weeks and months have not learned the straightness of the way, and what it is to be Christians, and cannot hear all the straight truths of the word of God, it were better that they were cut off from Israel. It is too late in the day to feed with milk. If souls a month or two old in the truth, who are about to enter the time of trouble such as never was, cannot hear all the straight truth, or endure the strong meat of the straightness of the way, how will they stand in the day of battle? Truths that we have been years learning must be learned in a few months by those who now embrace the third angel's message…” (1MR 33.4)
THE BIBLE SAYS:
“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” (Ezekiel 3:17)
Q: Who does the pen of inspiration say the “watchmen” are today and what message are they to give?
A: “In a special sense SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS HAVE BEEN SET IN THE WORLD AS WATCHMEN…they have been given a work of the most solemn import--the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels' messages…” {9T 19.1}
Q: WHAT DOES THE 1ST ANGEL’S MESSAGE TEACH? WHAT ARE WE TO DECLARE TO THE PEOPLE WHEN WE TEACH IT?
A: “IT WAS TO SEPARATE THE CHURCH OF CHRIST FROM THE CORRUPTING INFLUENCE OF THE WORLD THAT THE FIRST ANGEL'S MESSAGE WAS GIVEN. But with the multitude, even of professed Christians, the ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward…” (4SP 231.1}
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TELL US RE: HOW WOMEN ARE TO DRESS & WHAT STYLE OF DRESS IS RELATED TO THE WORLD?
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel…” (1 Timothy 2:9)
Note: It says that women are to adorn themselves in “modest” apparel.
WHAT DOES “MODEST” MEAN?
“The Bible teaches modesty in dress. “in like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel.” 1 Timothy 2:9. This forbids display in dress, gaudy colors, profuse ornamentation. Any device designed to attract attention to the wearer or to excite admiration is excluded from the modest apparel which God's Word enjoins. {CG 423.2}
Self-denial in dress is a part of our Christian duty…” {CG 423.3}
WHAT ABOUT THE EXPOSURE OF THE LEG?
What does the Bible call it? Nakedness…
“…MAKE BARE THE LEG, UNCOVER THE THIGH, pass over the rivers.
THY NAKEDNESS SHALL BE UNCOVERED, yea, thy shame shall be seen…” (Isaiah 47:2-3)
“Satan invented the fashions which leave the limbs exposed…” (2T 532) (very top of page)
“FASHION RULES THE WORLD…” {CTBH 85.1}
Note: Satan invented the fashion that exposes the limbs (arms/legs) and we are told that fashion rules the world, and our 1st angel’s message is to call us out from the world. Then, under the 1st Angel’s message, we as God’s people are to warn our own people from dressing like the world. We are to warn them not to expose their thighs (many do this by wearing slits in their skirts), or their lower leg/calf, and even their ankle and feet, which the last 2 will be covered in another document
By the way, nowhere in any of our old SDA books from Sister White’s day do you see any woman having her calf or any part of her leg exposed. Not even their feet or ankles are exposed. This is all called nakedness.
Our message is that God’s women are to cover themselves and not allow any nakedness to appear, which includes the exposure of their lower legs. They should be covered. Leggings are to be worn underneath our skirts as well so that when we have to lift our legs, there won’t be any exposure.
Some will say, after reading this, it doesn’t matter how I dress, it matters what is in my heart. God knows my heart.
LET’S SEE WHAT JESUS TELLS US ABOUT THIS THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY:
“There are few who understand their own hearts. The vain, trifling lovers of fashion may claim to be followers of Christ, but their dress and conversation show what occupies the mind and engages the affections.
The outside appearance is an index to the heart…a modest, Godly woman will dress modestly…a refined, cultured mind will be revealed in the choice of simple and appropriate attire…” {CTBH 93.1}
“We cannot, if we would, conceal the fact that women have feet and limbs that were made for use. But in regard to the exposure, this is on the other side of the question. We have traveled extensively the past twenty-five years, and have been eye-witnesses to many indecent exposures of the limbs. But the most common exposure is seen upon the streets in light snow, or wet and mud. Both hands are required to elevate the dress, that it may clear the wet and filth. It is a common thing to see the dress raised one-half of a yard, exposing an almost unclad ankle to the sight of gentlemen, but no one seems to blush at this IMMODEST EXPOSURE. No one's sensitive modesty seems shocked for the reason that this is customary. It is fashion, and for this reason it is endured. No outcry of immodesty is heard, although it is so in the fullest sense. {HR, May 1, 1872 par. 18}
But does the popular style of woman's dress always hide her feet from the public gaze? See that LADY passing over the muddy street, HOLDING HER SKIRTS nearly twice as far from the ground as ours, EXPOSING, NOT ONLY HER FEET, BUT HER NEARLY-NAKED LIMBS. Similar exposures are frequent as she ascends and descends the stairs, as she is helped into, and out of carriages. THESE EXPOSURES ARE DISAGREEABLE, if not shameful; and A STYLE OF DRESS WHICH MAKES THEIR FREQUENT OCCURRENCE ALMOST CERTAIN, WE MUST REGARD AS A POOR SAFEGUARD OF MODESTY AND VIRTUE. But we did not design an exposure of this false modesty in relation to woman's feet, but simply a defense of the style of dress which we regard, in every way, truly modest. {HR, May 1, 1872 par. 19}
NOTE: I know many while reading this are cringing and thinking of how inconvenient this would be to them, but it is our message and we are to make sacrifices for Jesus. Heaven is cheap enough!!! Christ is worth it!!! And he says if we do not carry our cross and follow him, we cannot be his disciples. (Luke 14:26-27)
MY APPEAL TO OUR SISTERS WORLDWIDE:
Don’t you want to be one of his? It is because we have been exposed to so many things of the world that we think nothing wrong with exposing our legs, but heaven condemns it.
Let’s cleanse ourselves from worldly practices. If we don’t, we truly have not entered into the 1st angel’s message.
WE ARE COUNSELED:
“…Fashion is deteriorating the intellect and eating out the spirituality of our people. Obedience to fashion is pervading our Seventh-Day Adventist Churches and is doing more than any other power to separate our people from God. I have been shown that our church rules are very deficient. All exhibitions of pride in dress, which is forbidden in the word of God, should be sufficient reason for church discipline. If there is a continuance, in face of warnings and appeals and entreaties, to still follow the perverse will, it may be regarded as proof that the heart is in no way assimilated to Christ. Self, and only self, is the object of adoration, and one such professed Christian will lead many away from God. {4T 647.2}
There is a terrible sin upon us as a people, that we have permitted our church members to dress in a manner inconsistent with their faith. We must arise at once and close the door against the allurements of fashion. Unless we do this, our churches will become demoralized.” (4T 647.3)
I APPEAL to all my SDA Sisters, please reform in the area of dress at once. Do not listen to the lie of Satan that it does not matter what you wear or how you wear it or that as long as you wear a dress, it matters not whether or not your limbs are exposed. This is a lie of Satan that will take us straight to the gates of hell.
Are we ready to give up all for Jesus? Isn’t heaven worth it?
ONE OTHER IMPORTANT QUOTE:
“There is but one woman in a thousand who clothes her limbs as she should. Whatever may be the length of the dress, females should clothe their limbs as thoroughly as the males. This may be done by wearing lined pants gathered into a band and fastened about the ankle or made full and tapering at the bottom; and these should come down long enough to meet the shoe. The limbs and ankles thus clothed are protected against a current of air…” {2SM 478.3}
Note: In the summertime, wear thin, lightweight material, such as very thin cotton or linen.
Even in summer time, if we don’t cover our extremities underneath our dresses/skirts, we wind up with the following diseases: {HR, January 1, 1872 par. 2 and 3}
POWERFUL QUOTES TO PONDER:
“God calls upon us to stand upon the broad platform of temperance in…dressing…” (CG 409.4)
“Dressing all have a direct bearing upon our spiritual advancement.” {CD 57.2}
“OUR words, our actions, and our DRESS ARE DAILY LIVING PREACHERS, gathering with Christ or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter to be passed off with a jest…” {4T 641.3}
“…Perhaps no question has ever come up among us which has caused such development of character as has the dress reform.” {4T 636.3}
“…The subject of dress demands serious reflection and much prayer…” {4T 641.3}
“We judge of a person's character by the style of dress...a refined taste, a cultivated mind, will be revealed in the choice of simple and appropriate attire.” {CH 601.2}
“...Dress...reveal that which is most treasured by those who claim to be pilgrims and strangers on the earth...” (5T 188.4)
“…The outside appearance is an index to the heart…” (CTBH 93.1)
“No question has ever come up among us which has caused such development of character as has the dress reform.” {4T 636.3}
“...He who is converted from errors in eating, drinking, and DRESSING is being prepared to hear and to receive the truth into a good and willing heart...” (CH 221.4)
“…Evidence that the taste is really converted will be seen in the dress of all who walk the narrow path...Christians should not neglect to search the scriptures on these points. They need to understand that which the lord of heaven appreciates even in dressing of the body...even the style of the apparel will express the truth of the gospel. Their dress bears its testimony...” {6MR 160.4-161.1}
“There is need of putting more of the bible precept into the dress, as well as the inward adorning into the character.” {DG 158.2}
“We must represent the truth. A decided guard must be placed upon the human agents in regard to…dress...” {DG 158.1} (written in 1894)
“Our dress should be in strict accordance with the character of our holy faith...” {DG 158.2}
“In most cases, submission to the gospel requirements will demand a decided change in the dress…” {6T 96.1}
“Should not the people of God...seek even in their dress to glorify God...?” (HR, February 1, 1872 par. 4)
“...Most women do not think and act in reference to dress from reason and reflection. They accept, without questioning, that which society and fashion imposes upon them....” {HR, May 1, 1872 par. 2} (Acts 9:6)
