I can assume this picture was made to be comical…but with what many in the “holiness/apostolic” movement teach, it really isn’t.
It’s even declared as a heaven and hell issue.
That’s scary. That is VERY scary.
Not because it’s true…it isn’t. It’s scary because men, in His Name, declare it as truth.
Teachings like that are abusive towards women. It’s emotionally abusive. It’s also spiritually abusive. It tells women that they can only be fully accepted by both the church, and by God, if they dress a certain way.
I’ll even go a step further and say that such teaching is abusive to men, also. It teaches them an improper way to look at a woman. It teaches them an erroneous way to look at God. A man under this teaching will influentially see a woman as holy – if she wears the proper outfit.
Again, I’m thankful to be free from the influence and massive pressure that declares “Apostolic Identity” over striving to be a simple and modest Christian. (A follower of Christ.) With that, I am going to lay my question out as plain as I can.
Is Holiness determined by skirt length?
Is Holiness for a woman determined by wearing a skirt?
If so, where did Jesus teach this? Where is it in the Gospels? Or our Bible?
It’s not in there. Teachings like this are not biblical, it is denominational tradition. It’s man’s tradition because it’s a teaching that originated from man. Nothing more. If it’s taught as truth, or even a heaven and hell issue, then realize it is a lie.
I’m sure many under the holiness/apostolic traditions will attempt to avoid the simple phrasing I used, but realize that no matter how they word it, that is the basics of what they teach.
Doctrines like this, and the passion put into declaring it as a universal truth for women – it’s crazy. It’s legalistic. It’s definitely NOT biblical.
Not to mention, it’s wrong.
How Long Is Your Skirt? (Er, How Holy Are You?) Pt. 2
Some great points here john..great article
Thank you.
Some who are on Facebook might be interested in reading the comments about this on an Apostolic Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/933773503307663/permalink/1482821295069545
At least 17 members from over there went to our Facebook Page sharing of this blog and posted there. See https://www.facebook.com/SpiritualAbuseOrg/posts/1357524444270828
Wearing a long skirt does not make you holy. Holiness starts on the inside and port out into our outward appearance. Having a clean heart changes the way you act. You want to talk better. Dress better. You’ll want to be a better person morally with modesty and sobriety. To declare a teaching wrong just because you disagree with it does not change the truth. Deuteronomy 22:5
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Ah, finally someone from the ‘Apostolic Pentecostal Friends And Ministers’ Facebook group brave enough to post directly on the blog. 🙂 It is true that wearing a skirt does not make one holy. As to the other, I could also say, “To declare a teaching true just because you agree with it does not change the truth.” Deuteronomy has nothing to do with women wearing pants. Neither sex wore pants when it was written, but both wore very similar robes. Churches and pastors should not be demanding people dress a certain way, especially not when they attach the person’s salvation to following their rules.
Jonathan Holley,
Thank you for posting here. I have a question… Are you arguing for modesty? Or, are you arguing for the belief that pastors should tell women what to wear, and by that, they should only wear skirts?
Holiness doesn’t start with a skirt. Anyone can wear a skirt. The Bible does say to be separated . And just a small side note.. is give a child a pen and paper and tell them to draw a man and a woman and they will make them look different. Also, not all apostolic church make their members wear skirts . I’m a witness to that. It should be more like “Come as you are”, and from what I’ve seen. A lot of the people who come in as they are and as God and the church accept them, they leave changed into anew person. Making a decision themselves to be different and to change for God. Holiness stars on the inside. With having a relationship with Him and praying and receiving the Holy Ghost. It changes you. Also, skirt length does matter. There are instructions in the Bible or a dress code. And backsliding in them does change you which I can testify to that too. I’ve messed up and tried to finback to pants out of rebellion. Not because I didn’t think it mattered. I did it to try and fit in with everyone so they didn’t look st me like I was weird and different. But that’s the thing. God said to come out and be separated. How is anyone supposed to know I’m Christian or holy if I don’t act like it? If I don’t dress like it(and I’m not talking about wearing a skirt, but dressing modest and coming up. Which is in the Bible). No wearing a skirt doesn’t make you Holy but acting in a loving, kind, and gentle manner like Jesus is Holy. That’s “Christ like” which is “holy”, which is following Gods commandments and word and Him because God is the word. To pray and fast and move Him and worship Him. Wearing a skirt doesn’t make me Holy but it does show my separation which is in the Bible. It showed my obedience to God that I want to freely follow Him. Dress code is import. When I stared trying to change up to what the word was wear I honestly felt more connected to the world than I was with God, because I stopped being separate. Holiness is following Him, and acting like it and showing it and proving it to Him.
Hope that helped you figure things out. I don’t know what you believe or if you were just trying to get something out of it, but you should jump to the conclusion that all apostolic church force their members to wear skirts, because they don’t. I know. jist because you meet one bad person or a group of bad people doesn’t mean everyone is like that. Just like I’ve meet some rude atheist and I’ve meet some of the nicest and kind hearted ones. I don’t believe they are all mean lol. I know because I’ve meet the good ones. Either way. I never bashed them or called them dumb or ignorant for not believe what I did. That is what’s wrong.
I know I put a lot of typos sorry. I did mean
“Covering up* not coming up”
“shouldn’t* jump to conclusions”
“Love Him* not move Him” lol.
Sorry, I just type faster than my brain!
Just one quick reply for the moment, Monica, and thank you for participating directly on the blog. You wrote, “Wearing a skirt doesn’t make me Holy but it does show my separation which is in the Bible.” Can you show how Jesus and the early church separated themselves via dress from the rest of the people? Also can you share a Bible passage which clearly states that believers are to be separate by how they dress?
You also wrote, “jist because you meet one bad person or a group of bad people doesn’t mean everyone is like that.” I am well aware of this. But I have operated the spiritual abuse website since 1997. I have encountered hundreds and hundreds of people during that times whose pastors dictated to them what they could and could not wear. I have heard story after story from all across the USA, Canada, and overseas, of how women were wrongly treated due to the standards teachings. So this isn’t an issue due to one, two, three or even a few dozen churches/ministers. It is a much larger problem than that. I am sure John will have some things to say.
Monica,
I was a licensed preacher in the UPCI for several years. I traveled, I evangelized, and I got to know a lot of pastors in the organization. I will agree with you when you say that “not all apostolic churches make their members wear skirts,” But, I still stand by the fact that the vast majority do teach/believe it as being “truth.” Here’s why…
When an individual wants to become a licensed preacher in the UPCI, they have to sign a document which basically says they have to teach and believe in that doctrine. If they don’t sign the document, then they won’t receive the license.
Personally, I have known some ministers who signed the document, then decided to not push the “standards” issue. I also know about what kind of pressure, and abuse, they’ve received from others above them within the organization. That in itself is horrible…
Then, there is also the fact that they did sign, thus agreeing, to teach that doctrine. If you don’t agree to teach it, you will not be able to receive a license and preach in the UPCI.
This is one reason why I gave up my license. I couldn’t lie. I could not tell them that I would teach their doctrines, and then turn around and teach something else. I know some who do that.
The organizational teaching is that women have to wear skirts. They say it’s the “truth,” and in reality, it isn’t.
Places in the Bible does stress to dress modestly. But it doesn’t give a man, nor a pastor, the power to determine what is modest for you. Actually, I believe that goes for both men and women.
About modesty and holiness… It is pretty obvious that many have used those issues to take advantage of people. They, define them as something they aren’t.
Because of blog post, I’ve asked a lot of people to give me one scripture that says a woman have to wear a dress. One scripture that teaches the wearing of a dress as being holy. One scripture that defines modesty for a women is the wearing of a dress.
Instead of receiving scripture that teach us this, I received a lot of hate, mockery, and side stepping of the question. Why did I get that? Because the teaching is not Biblical. A lot of people are enslaved to this teaching…which is a lie. I was there. Thankfully, the power of the Holy Spirit will empower you to leave that mess of doctrine…it wasn’t easy, but it was the right road to travel.
Thank you very much for your kind, and respectful post. I hope I have shown you the same respect you have shown me. Blessings.
John
The Bible does let us know that “breeches” were made for men (see Exodus, Leviticus, and Ezekiel) because men were the priests. Therefore, this establishes who should wear pants ( or breeches). The purpose of breeches to hide, not expose, the man’s private area. Modesty expected by a Holy God. When Adam and Eve sinned, they made aprons of fig leaves. Aprons do not cover the body, so God killed some animals and made coats of the skins. The very word coat indicates to cover. So the issue is to cover the body. Not smother or degrade by poor shabby choices. But to cover in modesty whether man or woman. Women should wear dresses that cover and men should wear pants that cover. Neither men nor women should wear clothes that draw too much attention to the body, not because it is shameful but because it is sacred and meant to be share with that person which you become “one” with. And that means a man and a woman and no other combination. Take a look at Isaiah chapter 47 to see how God feels about a woman who exposes her leg and thigh. Holiness and modesty are liberating, and the devil would have us to believe that it is restrictive and unfair. Solomon, King David’s son, in the Bible declared that all of lifes “stuff” is vanity. We all die and some sooner that others. What matters most is prayerfully considering and preparing for life after death. To that end I invite all to read and obey Acts 2:38. Please think, study, and pray.
You said, “The Bible does let us know that “breeches” were made for men (see Exodus, Leviticus, and Ezekiel) because men were the priests.”
That logic, well, isnt logical. Breeches were part of priests attire. Just because the priests were male doesnt mean their garments were for any Male. Only priests could wear priestly garments. Nowhere in scripture do you read of any other man wearing anything pertaining to a priest.