The Bible speaks of a decline in modest dressing of those living in the last days.

Philippians 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame.

The question is often asked, why should a Christian dress modestly if we are living in modern times? Why should both men and women be covered up?

Man Was Created in God’s Image

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

What is God’s image? How is He covered?

Psalm 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest [thyself] with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

God is covered with majesty and honour and LIGHT as a garment.  If God is covered and made man in his image, how did He then create man in the beginning? Would not man also have been made with a covering of LIGHT at the beginning of his creation?

This sinless pair wore no artificial garments. They were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear. While they lived in obedience to God, this circle of light enshrouded them. Signs of the Times, Jan. 9, 1897. {BLJ 227.5} 

In other words, the sinless pair were covered from their neck, to their feet in a garment of light. You could not see their limbs.

Genesis 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

They were naked in the sense that they wore no artificial garments – they were covered in majesty and honour – a covering of light. Man was covered like the angels are. We know this because the angels are also covered with the same garment.

The Angels

Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou has put all things in subjection under his feet.

Psalm 8:5 For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

John 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

Matthew 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

After sin what happened?

Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

They clothed themselves in fig leaves which was not sufficient coverage. Fig leaves as a covering were the first miniskirts and shorts the world wears today. While they were yet standing in their fig leaves however, God presented the story of redemption to them.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

He told them about Jesus. There and then in their fig leaves they repented. After their change of heart, God then covered them as the fig leaves were insufficient.

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

God had to make coats of skin for them as their fig leaf loin coverings were not enough. To even reveal their legs was nakedness.

Isaiah 47:2 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.

David’s men where ashamed when their garments were cut off up to their thighs;

1 Chronicles 19:3 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

In heaven, the covering of light will be restored to the redeemed;

Revelation 3:4 And they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Revelation 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them;

In the bible, uncovering or nakedness is also a symbol of sin. We are warned in Revelation to keep watch lest we be found naked in the spiritual sense.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Our Nakedness Is Our Shame

Christians are to dress modestly regardless of which period in history they live in. If God is the same today and forever and does not change, then should the degree of covering change also?

1 Timothy 2:9 I will that therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.