The Truth About Modesty - Thigh Part

There are four challenges from a sister and the purple parts are my or other brethren's responses. 

• Challenge #1: Coat in Hebrew is "thoneth" which is garment. It should be in long length, not just only until knee. As for tunics, the length is until knee. If you apply this to Gen 3:21, do you think the knee length coat can keep warm in freezing climate in ancient time? 

Genesis 3:21 King James Version (KJV)21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

You are right, so the dressing standard should be at least covering ourselves from shoulders to the knees (the whole thighs). Also consider the verses of Isai 47:2-3 showing us exposing thighs is nakedness.

Isaiah 47:2-3 King James Version (KJV)2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

• Challenge #2: Exodus 28:40-42 that's the rules from God to priest. We are now living in Christ era, should abide the new covenant. In New testament, there is no scripture text shows the rules or modesty is covering your body until knee. I only know to dress decently and not to stumble other people from lust. (1 Cor 8:9; Matt 5:28; 1 Ti 2:9-10)

You are right again saying that the rules are for priests! Today, we are God's priests!

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

God wants saints to be considerate to one another (Heb. 10:24). Christian or non-Christian males get distracted when our "thighs" shining for them. We cannot control other people's minds, but we can and must dress properly and so we do not contribute to and stimulate others' lust. (Roger Campbell)

雖然現在沒有人在舊約的律法之下，我們還是從舊約中能夠學習很多。保羅告訴我們: 『從前所寫的聖經都是爲教訓我們寫的，叫我們因聖經所生的忍耐和安慰可以得著盼望』( 羅馬書15:4)。(袁世界）

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

• Challenge #3: The nakedness is referring to full nudity which one does not wear anything. The body is exposing his or her skin by every inch. If you say by showing thigh is nakedness, then I want to ask you, by showing your face and hands, is it equally naked? Should you cover up your face and wear long sleeves blouse and long dress until ankle?

Nakedness in the Bible is different from the world's view. We can have clothing on and still be naked in the Biblical sense. Nakedness is used to mean "thinly clad" (lightly dressing) in Job 22:6, James 2:15-16, for examples.

Job 22:6  For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.Jas 2:15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, Jas 2:16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

Therefore, we don't give clothes to brethren only when they don't wear anything, isn't it?

• Challenge #4: Another practical question, when a woman is about to labor. The gynecologist is a male Dr. He is going to help this woman to deliver the baby with some other nurses. You won't be able to know whether the nurses are female or male, the only gynecologist is probably to choose female. If one or two male is there to help, are you saying the woman is showing her nakedness and sin? Whosoever patients undergo for surgery and have to uncover the thighs are stumbling others to sin? Do not tell me this is another special circumstance, there is no double standard by twisting the word definition.

This is an interesting case.

Ask ourselves, "are we causing unnecessary attention by dressing little, and how God Father would look at our dress? Will He be pleased with my choice?"

Delivering babies certainly needs to expose our lower body to the medical staff, in nowadays so, and the same with the saints in the first century. 

If it is a concern, I think different methods can be applied in giving birth. As I know, some women choose to deliver babies at home with an appointed female assistant. To me, it is not a concern because the process is under a medical and close environment and my motive certainly does nothing with showing my body in public for personal comfort or ordinary fashion, etc.

God does forbid people do drink (Eph. 5:17-18, 1 Tim. 3:3, etc.), but Timothy was taught to drink a little wine for his stomach's sake and his often infirmitives. This is an example of special situation on drinking as we study. 

Please check the video I sent you since it can help us think more in His views. I know in nowadays church only very few people care and dare to say this dressing rule. However, this rule is not hard to keep as long as we know God is glad to help us do His will. 

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Hope I can be some help/encouragement in your Christian life. Thank you for studying this with me. 

*The recommended video is made by Bro. Don Blackwell: https://youtu.be/aTFcHBxHFWA