Women Wearing Pants
Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17
Nothing is more controversial than on the matter of dress code imposed upon Christians, especially among the conservative Christian circles. This is not to undermine the high standards of separation adopted by godly Christians for the glory of God and for their own safety on the matter of modesty. However, there are also found among those who dress properly covering from head to toe in outward adorning but inwardly their motives and attitudes are rotten to the core. They are the modern day Pharisees majoring on outward appearance instead of emphasizing on inward piety.
In the Scriptures, it is clear that a woman should dress and behave like a woman and a man should likewise wear man’s clothes and behave like a man. It is clearly commanded in the Scriptures that “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). Are you going to jump into conclusion that pants are for men and dresses are for women? So what do men wear in the bible?
In Ruth 3:9, we have Ruth requesting Boaz to “spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid: for thou art a near kinsman.” In 1 Samuel 15:27, King Saul laid hold upon the skirt of Samuel’s mantle and rent it. Also in 1 Samuel 24:4, it was recorded that “David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.” Moreover, the Lord said that he spread his skirt over backslidden Israel to cover her nakedness (Ezekiel 16:8). It is clear that the men in the Bible wore skirt. I have not come across anyone in the right mind would conclude that since men in the Bible wore skirts so women should wear pants! So is it true that only men wear skirts in the Bible? In Lamentation 1:9, we have, “Her filthiness is in her skirts.” indicating that skirts are also worn by women. So men and women in the Bible also wore skirts. So how do you interpret and apply Deuteronomy 22:5? Obviously, the skirts worn by men and women are distinguishable so that a man will look like a man and a woman will look like a woman.
So do you still think that pants are for men only? I am not advocating that women should stop wearing dresses and start putting on pants. I am aware and I can understand that there are women in pants bossing around in the work place and at home. That does not mean that a woman who only wears dresses is going to be God fearing and definitely a submissive wife. What I am trying to put across is the Pharisaical attitude of some that have placed burdens upon others to be borne when there is none to begin with. Who says that the standard western dress code of man wearing pants and women wearing dresses is the ultimate mark of spirituality? What about people of other cultures where western dress code is not their normal standard attire?
Actually the issue at hand for a woman is one of modesty and submission to their own husband under the directive will of God. Reading 1 Peter 3:1-6 with no personal prejudice, you will find this to be true. There are times when it would be more modest for a woman to wear pants than to wear skirts especially when she has to perform certain jobs where it would be extremely difficult and awkward for a woman to carry out wearing skirts. So don’t accuse God for not providing for your needs when you refuse to take up the only job available to work in a supermarket whereby you are required to wear pants when you prefer to starve to death holding on to your silly convictions that pants are only for men.
Then some would protest again that women should stay at home to look after children and not work in the world and they won’t have problem with wearing pants. This is pious talk indeed. Until you have to choose between starvation and bringing home the bacon, all ridiculous standards adopted to please certain super sanctified saints can be easily kept for show that you yourself are also outwardly spiritual in form but not necessarily in substance.
Ideally, men should wear pants and women should wear dresses, which make a woman look lovely and pretty. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect and ideal world. Like one preacher said, an ungodly woman can always wear a dress covering from neck to toe but her dress would be so tight and thin to reveal her body and that even a mosquito can fly through without busting its wings. We can’t regulate human nature. Fallen men’s propensity is to sin against God. For single mothers out there struggling to raise up children on your own, don’t be bullied by such insensible demands into conformity by unreasonable people and loose your joy and liberty in Christ.