Pilgrim Christianity and the Pants Issue
October 5, 2023
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
866-295-4143,
fbns@wayoflife.org
Pants on women in modern Western society broke two fundamental biblical principles..
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

A pilgrim mindset is a fundamental aspect of the dress issue. The born again child of God says with Abraham, his father in the faith, “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through.” The child of God knows that he lives in a fallen world that is in rebellion against his heavenly Father, and he does not want to be conformed to its ways (Romans 12:2). He tests everything by God’s Word. He is not afraid of being different. A pilgrim mindset was what motivated me to cut my long hair after I was saved at age 23 and changed my entire thinking about dress.

Far from being a non-issue, clothing is a fundamental issue in church and society. Clothing has been a fundamental issue ever since man fell and his heart became polluted and God “made coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).

Clothing is a language. It’s called a social message, a fashion statement, “a prevailing mode of expression.” American fashion designer Rachel Zoe said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak” (goodreads.com). Vivienne Westwood, who created the rock punk look, said, “I think fashion is the strongest form of communication there is. ... It’s only interesting to me if it’s subversive: that’s the only reason I’m in fashion, to destroy the word ‘conformity’” (Jon Savage,
Time Travel: Pop, Media and Sexuality 1976-96, p. 119).

Pants on women in modern Western society broke two fundamental biblical principles:

First, it broke down the God-ordained distinction of the sexes. It was blatantly created as a unisex fashion to deny that “God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). Pants on women was nearly unknown in my grandparents’ generation. One of my favorite photos is of my godly maternal grandmother hoeing peas in a long dress. Pants on women were invented by feminist designer Coco Chanel in the 1940s during World War II when women were leaving the homes to work in factories, but it took a while to catch on and overcome the resistance of biblical influence. It was the 1960s when the great change came on the back of the rock & roll revolution. The pantsuit was created by homosexual fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in 1966 (“How Yves Saint Laurent Revolutionized Women’s Fashion,”
Business Insider, Aug. 8, 2011). Laurent has been called “the man who put women in trousers” (“Celebrating Yves Saint Laurent,” Daily Mail, June 2, 2008). The style was called “defiant,” “irreverent,” “daring,” and “androgynous” (Business Insider, Ibid.). It was all about “in your face” rebellion and unisexuality. Models popularized the fashion by appearing with “slicked back hair and masculine posture.” At first, respectable hotels and restaurants did not allow female guests to wear them. How far we have come! The pantsuit spoke of “an alignment with burgeoning feminist politics”; it declared, “If men can wear this, why can’t I?” (Ibid.) Feminist Linda Grant observes that the pantsuit “put women on an equal sartorial footing with men” and “is what fashion gave to feminism” (“Feminism Was Built on the Trouser Suit,” The Guardian, June 3, 2008). Pants on women was a major part of the unisex movement that has broken down the divinely-intended barriers between the sexes and has contributed to the current frenzy for transsexual rights.

Second, pants on women are sexually immodest, highlighting the woman’s figure in a sensual way, and the tighter the pants, the greater the sensuality or “hot” factor. Tight pants were created by Calvin Klein, a bisexual fashion designer. When his pants appeared in 1974, they sold 200,000 pairs
in the first week (“Calvin Klein: A Stylish Obsession,” Entrepreneur, Oct. 10, 2008). Tights worn as pants (leggings) were promoted by Gianni Versace, a homosexual fashion designer who was murdered in 1997.

To “preach the Word” is to apply the Bible to every issue in life, and we intend to do so as long as God enables.

As for older women, they are to set the spiritual and moral standard for the younger women, and the younger women are to train their daughters. The best time to learn to dress modestly is in childhood.



- Receive these reports by email
- www.wayoflife.org

______________________

Sharing Policy: Much of our material is available for free, such as the hundreds of articles at the Way of Life web site. Other items we sell to help fund our expensive literature and foreign church planting ministries. Way of Life's content falls into two categories: sharable and non-sharable. Things that we encourage you to share include the audio sermons, O Timothy magazine, FBIS articles, and the free eVideos and free eBooks. You are welcome to make copies of these at your own expense and share them with friends and family. You may also post parts of reports and/or entire reports to websites, blogs, etc as long as you give proper credit (citation). A link to the original report is very much appreciated as the reports are frequently updated and/or expanded. Things we do not want copied and distributed are "Store" items like the Fundamental Baptist Digital Library, print editions of our books, electronic editions of the books that we sell, the videos that we sell, etc. The items have taken years to produce at enormous expense in time and money, and we use the income from sales to help fund the ministry. We trust that your Christian honesty will preserve the integrity of this policy. "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Timothy 5:18). Questions? support@wayoflife.org

Goal:Distributed by Way of Life Literature Inc., the Fundamental Baptist Information Service is an e-mail posting for Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. Our primary goal with the FBIS is to provide material to assist preachers in the edification and protection of the churches.

Offering: Offerings are welcome if you care to make one. If you have been helped and/or blessed by our material offerings can be mailed or made online with with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Paypal. For information see: www.wayoflife.org/about/makeanoffering.html.



Bible College
Information
Way of Life Literature
Publisher of Bible Study Materials
Way of Life Literature
Publisher of Bible Study Materials
Way of Life Bible College