Know Your Bible

VOL. 11 July 1, 2012 NO. 23

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“Stuyvesant HS Students Hold 'Slutty Wednesday' To Protest School’s Strict Dress Code Policy”

Let it be known right away that the heading on this article is not this writer’s idea. It appeared as the title of a story on the web site of The New York Post. Here are its first two paragraphs.

“Nearly 100 smarties at the city’s top-performing high school bared their bodies in “risque” outfits yesterday to denounce their school’s conservative dress code — which bans the exposure of shoulders, midriffs, lower backs, bras and undies.”

“Stuyvesant HS students held the so-called “Slutty Wednesday” protest after girls got fed up with being told throughout the year that their short skirtsand sleeveless tops made them more fit for a club dance floor than for a seat at the best public school in town.” (By Georgett Roberts And Yoav Gonen, 6/7/12 http://www.nypost.- com /p/news/local/manhattan/tramping_out_oNxP1r- fXo kh3 litpAagn1K)

We mourn for the brazenness of these young people and their bad example. Thankfully the article also contained some good news. Some girls refused to go along with this sinful display.

As much as we regret the words and conduct of these young women, the above excerpt speaks for itself. What can we learn from it?

1. These young, gifted women have no problem dressing in a manner which they themselves describe as “slutty.” Slut is defined, “a promiscuous woman; especially: prostitute” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slut). (Proverbs 7:10 speaks of a woman with “the attire of a harlot,” so we see that the Bible speaks of such clothing.) Slut was a word that, understandably, always carried a bad connotation. With the exception of the most wretched, women did not want to be called or even thought of as being slutty. The Bible is replete with bad examples from which God’s people are to learn (Lk. 17:32; Acts 7:51; 1 Cor. 10:1-12; 2 Pet. 2:4-9). We can also learn from the bad example of these young women. They are examples of those “whose glory is in their shame” (Phil. 3:19). The prophet Jeremiah wrote of the problem of such shamelessness in the long ago, "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah." (6:15)

2. There is word for such shamelessness in the Bible. Galatians 5:19-21 contains a list of sins which, unless one repents of them, will keep a personfrom going to heaven. Among them is the word lasciviousness. It is defined, "Unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence ...wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males andfemales, etc..." (Thayer).

In as much as the English word “lasciviousness” appears in our definition we note its definition here: “1. Wantonness; lustfulness; 2. Tending to excite lust” (Webster, p. 1023). Please note that the web link following the above quote includes the words, “tramping out.” This would seem to add the word “tramp” to “slutty,” which is an appropriate association. Further, the girls’ outfits are said to have been “risqué.” It is defined, “verging on impropriety or indecency” (Merriam-Webster). Slutty clothing, shamelessness, exciting lust, and verging on indecency – these things walk together brethren! Of what kind of clothing do we speak?

3. The article’s description of “slutty” clothing. We need only copy the words from this article to understand the kind of clothing Christians should not wear. It exposes the “shoulders, midriffs, lower backs, bras and undies.” It also puts “short skirts” into this category. Later in the article it mentioned “too much cleavage” and “skirts which are very tight.” Let us not think that much of the summer clothing common in our society or any common swimming suits are acceptable attire for God’s people.

Conclusion

The lesson we learn from the bad example of these young women is simple. It is slutty for one dress in such a way as to show off one’s body. Such is lascivious conduct and will cause one to be lost! The description of lascivious clothing is as clear as is the description of those who wear it. Don’t dress like a slut! Don’t “tramp out!”

---Steve Wallace

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NOT WITH YOUR SWORD NOR WITH YOUR BOW

The conquest of Canaan in the days of Joshua was a daunting task at best made possible only by the grace of God. After the death of Moses it was given to Joshua to lead the people into the promised land and receive the blessings of a covenant made to Abraham centuries before (Genesis 12). The son of Nun completed the task laid before him by the Lord and in his final days Joshua recounted the great victories of God’s people against the enemies of the land. Joshua 24 is the farewell address of this great leader of Israel. Throughout the speech, Joshua reminded the people time and again that God had delivered them by His hand and not their own.

God brought Abraham from the other side of the flood and to his children the Lord gave them children and land. “I sent Moses” the Lord tells the people and by the hand of the Lord the Egyptians were destroyed. The deliverance of Israel was also by the power of the Almighty. In the land of Canaan the peoples that were settled there were conquered by the power of God. In Joshua 24:21 Jehovah says, “And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant” (Joshua 24:12-13).

Joshua wanted the people to understand that all of their victories and all of the blessings they enjoyed came from once source: the Almighty Jehovah God. The land of Canaan was given to them fully prepared. The battles were won by the hand of God. There was no boasting on the part of the people to suggest they had brought about so great a victory. The only reason they possessed the land was because of the grace of God. Acknowledging that truth, Joshua appeals for the people to serve the Lord and Him only. We can do no less.

What is it that we have done that is without the grace of God? Paul reminded the Athenians, “For in Him we live and move and have our being … we are the offspring of God” (Acts 17:28-29). We live and move because of God not in spite of. God holds our breath in His hand (Job 12:9-10). Nations rise and fall because of the Lord (Daniel 5:23-31). Our salvation is by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:4-10). There was no solution to sin apart from the love of God (John 3:14-17). We can do nothing apart from our Creator.

The psalmist declares the Lord “does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalms 147:10-11). Joshua wanted the people to know that victory does not come by sword or bow but by the hand of the Lord. We must engage our hearts to accept the grace of God as His power working in our lives and not our own. The Lord alone is God and only by His grace, love, mercy and power are we able to gain the victory.

What is it that we can claim as our own? Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Can we boast of knowledge or power more than Jehovah? The swords and bows of man are dust compared to the majesty of our Creator (Isaiah 40). Yet in Christ God has given His grace to save us from sin. He did.

---Kent Heaton

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