Re-ignition

RE-IGNITING THE DEBATE ON CHRISTIAN WOMEN AND TROUSERS....

Many people are HORRIFIED and DISGUSTED at these images. They were released a few days ago. To some, it is simply grotesque.

This is EXACTLY how the whole world felt in 1919 (less than 100 years ago) when the first woman to wear a pair of trousers in Puerto Rico appeared in public! She was a rebel in the society. And she was arrested and nearly jailed for the ‘crime’.

This is because traditionally, all over the world, trousers were accepted as men's garment. Even in the United Kingdom, trousers were not common until during the Second World War. During that period, women were CONSTRAINED, due to severe shortages, to wear the clothes of their husbands that had gone to war to their work-place.

Officially, the USA, another leading light in the Western Civilisation, resisted the advance of women in trousers for a long period. It was not until 1969 that Charlotte Reid became the first woman to wear trousers in the U.S. Congress. It was only in 1989 that a female senator wore trousers in a US state senate. Reportedly, Hillary Clinton was the first woman to wear trousers in an official US First Lady portrait. A bit surprising, isn’t it?

The point of all these is this: even in the Western Civilisation that we copy closely, women wearing trousers are a relatively NEW PHENOMENON (just a few decades old).

This is pitted against God’s clear disapproval of cross-dressing between the sexes. This principle is CRYSTAL CLEAR in Deuteronomy 22:5, where the Bible uses the strong word ‘ABOMINATION’ to describe how God views cross-dressing. Whereas the application of this verse of Scriptures may be a bit confusing in our days, but the PRINCIPLE behind it is pretty clear – God wants a clear distinction between the sexes. For He created them MALE and FEMALE. And He had His reason for doing so.

For reasons that are, perhaps, not totally clear to mankind, this is one ordinance of God that Satan hates most passionately. Satan wants that distinction to be eroded; he wants a man to be like a woman, and a woman to be like a man. It was the first thing we see him do in the Garden of Eden. And till today, he uses all available means and power to vigorously pursue this agenda – both in the world, and in the church. This is the Social Engineering that we are witnessing today.

As Christians, we are all caught up in this struggle. In our days, a lot of arguments have been raised on the appropriateness of Christian women wearing trousers, particularly under ANY circumstances. I do not intend to challenge those arguments. It is pointless because we are all at different points on this journey of faith.

Rather, what I hope to achieve is just to urge us all to be WARY. To know that there is a power in this world that is controlling the world for its own goal. This power is Satan, and his goal is to frustrate God’s purpose on the earth – until he (Satan) rules openly over the world through the antichrist. Everything that Satan inspires in this world (the Bible calls him the ‘god of this world’) is geared to the achievement of that ultimate goal. We live in days when he is at the height of his power, when he is about to achieve his long-held ambition.

This is why believers need to be careful. We cannot, and dare not, become FOLLOWERS of the trends and fashion of this world. It is a slippery slope. This world is NOT our home. We are STRANGERS here. This world HATES our God and His Kingdom passionately. And our God STRONGLY warned us to steer clear of the world and its ways (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17). ‘Using this world, but not abusing it’ is the way 1 Corinthians 7:31 puts it. For all that align with the world will DEFINITELY perish with the world.

So, should a Christian lady wear trousers, or not? For me, for now, this is a debate that it is pointless to get involved in. I am more concerned with getting believers to genuinely know Jesus Christ. For when they truly know Him, and choose to obey Him from their hearts, THEY WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO and WHAT NOT TO DO. This is why we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.

All I have set out to do is to remind us that the world is enticing. And it is seductive. The world tantalises us to cosy up to its warm embrace. Sadly, this is where Jesus will return SUDDENLY to find many believers ensconced. Please do not be one of them. Please be wary. Please THINK DEEPLY about your role and your place in this world that is passing away. Be slow to jump on the bandwagon of worldly trends and fashion. As a Christian, please draw your boundaries – and stick to them.

Finally, as for those who are saying the new fashion trend revealed in this photograph will never catch on - will never reach Africa; I say this: “Just wait and see. You probably do not know Satan. Just wait and see”.

Thanks for reading, God bless you.