MUCH ADO ABOUT TROUSERS...

I think for once, we should take a scriptural look at the issue of Christians wearing trousers, comparing scriptures with scriptures, line upon lines and precept upon precepts.

My heart bleeds to see gross display of ignorance and sheer dogmatism to emotionally distorted scriptural teachings. This is because I know God is not an author of confusion.

However, many are too timid to challenge some of these teachings for fear of being labeled a rebel, a heretic or worse still, stigmatized and excommunicated.

But I will speak as one who has authority, not of man, neither from man and let those who claim to have godly wisdom discern. …For we speak wisdom among the matured.

Exegetically, clothes were not initially created for man and if man had needed clothes, the Almighty would have robed him majestically to spite Lucifer. Man was created and covered by the glory of God. unclothedness, which is the basis for wearing clothes, occurred due to sin. We all know the story of how man chose to disobey God and lost the very glory which covered him ab initio.

Subsequently, man tried to cover his unclothedness with aprons made from fig leaves [Gen 3:7] (wherever that skill came from) but God made a better covering (coats) with the skin of animal for man. You should have wondered where the skin also came from. Simple answer: God Himself sacrificed an animal by shedding its blood and covering mankind with the skin. The blood of the animal was to cover the sin (atonement) so that God could still relate to His beautiful creature, Man.

Fast forward, man became civilized (corrupted), because every imagination and creation of man was simply, continually evil. [Gen 6:5]

God decided to pick Abraham because of his faith and by incidence; his descendants became slaves in a foreign land (Egypt) where they initially flourished in acceptance. Then, God came down with his salvation package through Moses and blood was shed again to enact a covenant with them.

Because of the mixed multitudes among the nation of the redeemed Israel, God gave important statutes, laws and ordinances so that He could relate with His chosen people, Israel.

Spiritually, blood is important to God because man’s blood came from God and not from dust with which man was formed. This blood has life in it [Gen 9:4, Lev 17:11,14, John 6:53] and that's why God specifically instructed His people not to eat blood. If you are a student of the Bible, you will see severally that Jesus Christ always separated these two things: flesh and blood, because they are distinct.

God sees life whenever blood is presented. The first blood to be shed was to bring physical covering to man so that Adam could look at Eve and not be ashamed again because they were naked [Gen 3:7]. The second bloodshed was done when Cain murdered Abel. You wondered why God did not strike Cain dead even though Cain became dead to his parents. It's because Cain shed the blood of the sinless (righteous) Abel which was an unacceptable sacrifice and that’s the reason his blood had to cry out to God for vengeance. [Gen 4:10]

The blood of Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice needed for man to approach God without guilt or blemish and it was not yet time for this sacrifice so God was specific about presentation of blood before Him.

So important was this issue that any woman who is in her monthly flow is forbidden to come before God. Anyone with the issue of blood is also not allowed into His presence and whosoever sheds blood was to be killed immediately. Any woman who just had a baby was instructed to stay away till the bleeding (uncleanness) is over and required to still stay away many days after. [Lev 12:2-6]

Historically, the nation of Israel dressed in a unique way; they wore robe (gown or garments) but some men put on coats upon their garments to distinguish older, wise men from young men.

On a normal day, a man could pick up his wife’s robe from the wall and wear it. His wife could also come and pick her husband's garment for whatever reason to wear because there was no difference. They would dress and approach the congregation at the hour of sacrifice.

Anatomically, a woman's menstrual flow occurred without notice because they didn't keep a calendar of cycles in those days and the garment would be stained with her blood. This was irritating to God because it looked like a mockery sacrifice to Him. [Lev 15:31]

To prevent Him from striking dead the sacrifice and the one who brought it, God instructed that a man should keep his clothes to himself and the woman to keep hers also, so that no one brings blood of his wife into His presence. [Lev 25:35-28]

You can then understand why God gave detailed instructions on proper atonement, washings and cleansings after a woman's monthly period: because of blood. [Lev 25:2-13]

There were no jeans, trousers, suits, bikinis or fashion designs of this generation when God passed this law. If trouser-wearing is of eternal consequence after Jesus’ sacrifice, the Holy Spirit would have hinted in the epistles to the churches. However, the issue is not about trousers or wrappers or skirts but about blood sacrifice.

The Omniscient God made a lasting solution to the blood issue through Jesus’ blood which was presented before Him without blemish and placed by the mercy seat in heaven. From that moment, every one of us can approach God through the blood that keeps speaking better things on our behalf. No guilt, no condemnation. God sees us all accepted in the Beloved (Son), Jesus.

Paul said: eating meat was not a sin to him but he would rather abstain from eating meat to prevent a brother from falling. We all know our physical configurations and understand what is appropriate for us as dressing. How then should we dress because it is in “vogue” or because it looks “se*y”?

If you dress to impress or to seduce another person, you are not walking in the perfect law of Jesus (liberty). Then, we should be questioning your salvation. Are you really born of God? Jesus Christ categorically gave a new law of love. [Rom 14:13-23]

Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart… Mark 12:30

Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself… Mark 12:31

My understanding is that any one born of God should be led by the Spirit of God to eat right, dress right, do right and live right.

Truth is, how many people ask the Spirit of God about what he/she should wear or how he/she should dress every time? We are not at liberty to dress anyhow.

“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God” [1Peter2:16]

In essence, Deuteronomy 22:5 has been misinterpreted for a long time by many. It is not about wearing trousers. It is of serious consequence because many people still shed blood and make unacceptable sacrifices; not to God anymore but to satan in order to empower demons who are wounded in spiritual battles. They do these when they kill another man for rituals and commit abortions, etc. (A story for another day.)

So, how can we be trivializing such an important issue of blood sacrifice with mere trousers? I cannot even begin to talk about the origin of trousers or even debate about whether trousers are male dresses or female dresses because that would amount to nothing.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. [Philippians 4:8]

Good write up. I wonder why we often major on minors. I think it is because we tend to focus more on the physical than the Spiritual. For example, Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus about spiritual mysteries, while Nicodemus was all natural.

Walk in the Spirit and He will bear witness with your spirit about what is right and acceptable before the Father.

Besides, all we have( even clothes) should be used to express our worship. Therefore, i should check again if my appearance presents a worthy worship.

May I humbly disagree a bit with you sir,

The command in Deut.22:5 to observe the distinction between the sexes is a law against dressing in a manner which deliberately blurs the lines between the sexes NOT necessarily about blood sacrifice.

The command was necessary not only because cross-dressing was a feature of pagan, idolatrous worship in the ancient world around the Israelites, but also because of the terrible cultural price that is paid when it is pretended that there is no difference between men and women.

The application of this law in our modern day is against the rise in cross-dressing, transvestitism, androgynous behaviour, and “gender-bender” behaviours in our society that is bound to cause gender confusions and sexual pervasions.

@UCeeGod:

You did not disagree with me. Instead, I see you further buttressing the issue from a social point of view which is in agreement with my latter explanation on the right way to dress. God bless you.