Showing Skin

[His_disciple3]

Do you think it is okay for a Christian woman to wear a bikini that doesn't show "too" much?

My question is do they make a BIKINI that doesn't show too much!!!!

1 Timothy 2:9-10
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
KJV

John Hagee said the other day that him and his wife went to Florida one time and saw some direct descendants of Adam and Eve, for they were naked and not ashamed!!!

 

[cowboysfan1970]

There are people that do dress immodestly by showing too much but there are also those that go too far into modesty. Too much modesty is just as bad as not enough because when you look at it that's almost always based in pride.

 

[SoaringOnHisWings]

Do you think it is okay for a Christian woman to wear a bikini that doesn't show "too" much?

Modesty is a heart issue. Can you honestly stand before God in a bikini and say "I did my best to dress modestly so I have no part in tempting others to look at me sexually" ?

Arguments about what the exact definition of modesty is can become legalistic. What matters is: Are you submitting your life to Christ in all aspects of your life, even in your clothing?

...and how "excited" do you think that women get when they see a lot of skin from half-dressed, well built men? Then men should also wear a shirt?

Yes. Men are just as responsible to be modest as women. If a man knows that by taking his shirt off he will probably tempt women to stumble in their thoughts, then yes he should put a shirt on.

 

[John S]

SOHW - Good Luck getting men to put shirts on, on the beach.

 

[SoaringOnHisWings]

SOHW - Good Luck getting men to put shirts on, on the beach.

I'm not trying to. It's the Holy Spirits job to convict, not me. Also, I don't hold nonChristians to Christian standards. However, once we are in Christ, we *should* be looking to please Him, regardless of what is culturally popular around us.

 

[ToddMyers]

In general, men are more wired for visual stimulation whereas women are more wired for emotional stimulation. We should try not to do something that causes another to sin.

This is true. Males are visually stimulated so just keep that in mind when deciding what to wear. Some guys have a hard time (including me) so dress nice but not too revealing, but thats my opinion.

 

[new_wine]

The problem is women and men can dress from head to toe and still be sexually arousing.

It is not the clothes or the lack, it is the person who is being turned on's heart.

And if you wear revealing clothes or sexy ones just to elicit that response then again, its not the clothes at fault, its the person putting them on.

Scripture goes into excruciating detail of how objects do not cause sin, people cave into it.

 

[Cate135]

As others have stated, it is a personal conviction. I personally believe that wearing a bikini at the beach is immodest and unacceptable for myself. Usually at the beach I wear a one piece with "bermuda length" boarding shorts. No skin between four fingers below my collar bone and four fingers above my knee is showing. Then if I'm not in the water I usually have a tank or t-shirt on over my bathing suit. This is my own personal conviction, your conviction might be different.

Sort of like when you look at a painting, your eyes are drawn to the main part of the painting, that is what happens when you wear clothing that reveals a lot of your skin. It can have nothing to do with being sexually attracted to a person and the person looking might not even be having any sexual thoughts, but when they are dressed showing a lot of cleavage, it makes the main focus of their body their breasts.

As for the men wearing shirts: It's hard for me not to look when I see a hot guy at the beach with no shirt on. Or even when they are just walking down the street. I have to make an effort not to look. That same hot guy is still easy on the eyes when he is covered up, but my eyes are not drawn to him when he has a shirt on. My own [guy] friends can cause this problem for me when they don't wear shirts. I don't have these sort of thoughts about them when they are wearing normal clothes, but at the beach with no shirt on it is much harder to not think about them that way.

 

[Cassidy]

Men can still think lustful thoughts when a women is wearing jeans or a skirt...so it really doesn't matter what a woman wears. If a guy is turned on by a women regardless of what she wears then it's HIS PROBLEM.

I think a women can wear as much or as little as a man wears. Why should women be different. If a man sees women as objects then they have more problems than mere lust!

 

[Nurbz]

It depends on the intent if they want it to be sexual or not. However, it's not up to those who wear swimwear, but it is how men react to it that's important. Temptation will always be there, but we cannot enforce a dress code just because we're shamed by our natural instincts. (which is the philosophy behind muslim women's clothing)

In general, men are more wired for visual stimulation whereas women are more wired for emotional stimulation. We should try not to do something that causes another to sin.

While there are obvious differences in how the sexes process things in relationships, both men and women are made to be excited by a physicly attractive person. Finding another visually appealing is the trigger for any relationship. Women do their fair share of drooling

 

[ToddMyers]

As others have stated, it is a personal conviction. I personally believe that wearing a bikini at the beach is immodest and unacceptable for myself. Usually at the beach I wear a one piece with "bermuda length" boarding shorts. No skin between four fingers below my collar bone and four fingers above my knee is showing. Then if I'm not in the water I usually have a tank or t-shirt on over my bathing suit. This is my own personal conviction, your conviction might be different.

Sort of like when you look at a painting, your eyes are drawn to the main part of the painting, that is what happens when you wear clothing that reveals a lot of your skin. It can have nothing to do with being sexually attracted to a person and the person looking might not even be having any sexual thoughts, but when they are dressed showing a lot of cleavage, it makes the main focus of their body their breasts.

As for the men wearing shirts: It's hard for me not to look when I see a hot guy at the beach with no shirt on. Or even when they are just walking down the street. I have to make an effort not to look. That same hot guy is still easy on the eyes when he is covered up, but my eyes are not drawn to him when he has a shirt on. My own [guy] friends can cause this problem for me when they don't wear shirts. I don't have these sort of thoughts about them when they are wearing normal clothes, but at the beach with no shirt on it is much harder to not think about them that way.

You are very wise.

 

[Just4Jesus]

Do you think it is okay for a Christian woman to wear a bikini that doesn't show "too" much?

If a woman wears something that could cause a man to stumble as in "lusting" after her, we as christians shouldn't do it. It's just being respectful. Same goes for a man not causing a woman to stumble.

 

[Jerushabelle]

I'm not trying to. It's the Holy Spirits job to convict, not me. Also, I don't hold nonChristians to Christian standards. However, once we are in Christ, we *should* be looking to please Him, regardless of what is culturally popular around us.

Thank you!

 

[WannaWitness]

I found a Website not too long back which shows a wide variety of swimwear for those who enjoy some good fun in the sun as much as the next person, but are concerned about modesty. And they aren't ugly like some that I've seen, and have such lovely colors and patterns that can be becoming in themselves.

Simply Modest Swimwear

Here are some pictures from the old version of this Website for some examples:

Home - Simply Modest

http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/testimonials.htm

 

[CoconutPrincess]

Clothing is meant to covering up, not bringing attention to areas of our body we want others to see.

Men are visual and exposing certain areas of our body can cause our Christian brothers to sin in their heart.

Certain parts of our bodies are meant for our husband only And that makes it special doesn't it? Because it is a part of the body reseved only for him.

 

[Katarinea]

I think this is something that everyone, men and women alike, need to consider carefully what they wear. Is it the responsibility of the person being tempted to look away from their temptation? Yes, but the very nature of temptation makes it hard. One would not place a full, open bottle of alcohol in front of a recovering alcoholic, so why is it that we would place an almost-naked person in front of someone who struggles with lust?

Admittedly, this issue is close to my heart. My boyfriend struggles with lusting after women, and every time he walks through the mall, every time he goes to the beach, every time he goes to Walmart. . .he is assaulted with images of scantily-clad, beautiful women. I, too, struggle with this, and I can attest to just how hard it is to look away from women clad so. It would be infinitely easier if I could go somewhere and not see females modeling more skin than cloth!

However, in the end, it is a personal issue, and I must say that were it not for Christ's requests of me to be modest, then I would gladly flaunt my body. I'm not ashamed of my femininity, and I believe that is what many women take issue with, moreso than being asked to stop tempting men. I enjoy the idea that a man is looking at me in a desiring way because of my feminine assets, and at times I wrestle with wanting to wear revealing clothes. But then I think about how it might cause others to stumble, and I rue the thought.

 

[ashout]

my understanding is this, if you put temptation in front of someone and say "it's HIS problem" , then one day you will be tempted with something and instead of it being taken away from you, it's going to remain in front of you and, hey guess what? now it's YOUR problem!

 

[Everlasting33]

Based on Scripture (to be modest), women shouldn't wear bikinis.

The one thing I admire about Islam is their consistency in applying modesty ideals in all situations.

Many Christian women may wear one thing at church and a skimpy bikini at the beach. Very inconsistent, don't you think?

 

[NDNgirl4ever]

I see nothing wrong with wearing a bikini. In fact, I believe that women should be allowed to go topless when swimming just as men are.

 

[cowboysfan1970]

Admittedly, this issue is close to my heart. My boyfriend struggles with lusting after women, and every time he walks through the mall, every time he goes to the beach, every time he goes to Walmart. . .he is assaulted with images of scantily-clad, beautiful women. I, too, struggle with this, and I can attest to just how hard it is to look away from women clad so. It would be infinitely easier if I could go somewhere and not see females modeling more skin than cloth!

Lust is something different than what you've described. Lust isn't desire or arousal. Lust is someone's intent. If a man sees a woman that he is attracted to and then starts thinking things like "I bet if I did this, this, or this, I could hook up with her," he's crossed the line into lust even if he never acts on those thoughts. Lust is wanting to be with someone just to hook up, have your fun, and then dumping them. Or even thinking about doing that. Lust has no commitment or regard for the other person. Simple attraction or desire isn't lust.