APOSTLE EDWARD SSEWANYANA: CHRISTIAN DRESSING: PART 2

Apostle Paul gave us an outstanding example of adaptability to culture in preaching the gospel. When he wrote to the church at Corinth he knew that a culture existed where women would wear a veil in public. The prostitutes in Corinth used to move with uncovered heads and this would differentiate them from the virtuous women. In giving his seemingly controversial instruction to the Church at Corinth he instructed them to wear veils in public worship and as the prophesied or preached. "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head…but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered” (1 Corinthians 11:5-6). However, Apostle Paul knew that this localized command would be misinterpreted by other churches that would read this letter so he clarified that other churches do not have this custom. “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such CUSTOM, neither the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). Apostle Paul knew that groups would arise such as the nuns and would try to enforce this principle on women who did not have this type of custom in their countries or cities. That is why he made it very clear that other churches do not have such a custom; neither did the church of Antioch of which Apostle Paul was a member.

In certain cultures certain type of dressing may be unacceptable whereas in others it is acceptable. That is why it is important not to judge the dressing of people from another nation because they were raised in another way. Among the Scottish it is alright for the men to wear skirts and among the Indian women it is alright for the women to wear trousers. In other parts of the world like upcountry in Uganda, it would be an offense for a woman to wear trousers. One time as we were ministering in Rwanda, our taxi was stopped and one of our fellow Ugandan sisters was called out by the Police. I got to know that she was called out because she had braided hair and since it was not acceptable among the Rwandese women they immediately knew that she was a foreigner. Among the Kenyans I was told that if you are not wearing a tie then you are not a "man of God". Most times when preaching upcountry we tell the sisters to wear skirts or cover their trousers with a wrapper (lessu) so as not to offend the natives. In all circumstances the salvation of a person should be viewed as a priority rather than trying to maintain your "freedom", "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE MORE. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME” (1 Corinthians 9:19-22). However one warning stands in trying to dress in accordance with the cultures, do not dress indecently simply because the culture of that place allows it to be so.

“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” (Deuteronomy 22:5). This is a command specifically outlined in the Old Testament concerning the dressing of all God's people. This is not specifically forbidden in the New Testament so it may only serve as a general guideline and not as a law. This could be a possible reference to homosexuality since homosexual partners frequently distinguish the "male" and "female" partners by their dressing. Some believers simply copy the dressing of homosexuals and assume that it is just another innocent fashion statement. I have personally seen male homosexuals dressing like women and female homosexuals dressing as men. God sees homosexuality as a sin so as a Christian you should avoid landing into it by inviting homosexuals around you through your dressing. “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13). The Bible warns against men becoming effeminate which means having unsuitable feminine qualities. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators… nor EFFEMINATE, nor abusers of themselves with mankind…shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Sometimes when we have gone for mission trips to preach the gospel and most especially in rural areas, we are sensitive about the way our Christian sisters dress as they go out to minister. In the rural upcountry areas of Uganda and Kenya we always instruct the sisters to wear a wrapper (lessu) over their trousers if they really insist on wearing them. This is done because in the rural setting the people are not accustomed to women dressing like men in trousers and hence this would lead them to reject the gospel. Apostle Paul said that, "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). God would surely hold a sister accountable if a person in the village refused to give their lives to Christ and went to hell simply because they saw a female missioner dressed in trousers. In such situations you have to sacrifice your freedom for the sake of the gospel.

Most times Christians wear different clothing and accessories without even finding out the source. The custom of men wearing earrings originated in the days of the American slave trade where the ears of the slaves were pierced as a sign of ownership by their master. In the Old Testament times the law stated that if a servant was to become a property of his master forever then the master would pierce one of his ears. Surprisingly earrings were worn by both sexes in the times of the Exodus (Ex 32:2) and it is only of recent that they have been regarded as a preserve of women. In such a situation it may not be a sin for a man to wear an earring but it would be better to do without them as a way of not stumbling others.

Wearing of trousers in the "balance" fashion where they hang midway the bottoms is a tradition started in the prisons. When the American gangsters were put away into the prison the prison authorities would remove their belts from them in order for them not to use them to commit suicide. The trousers they wore in the prison had elastic instead of a belt and hence the trousers would hang low. These gangsters and singers would then maintain the prison tradition outside bars by wearing their trousers in "balance".