Does the Bible Say it's a Sin for a Woman to Wear Pants? Part Two

by E.L.

A reader, Jennifer Hughes Willoughby, submitted the following questions after my last post. I feel it necessary to respond.

Here is her post...

Here is my response...

Some Sottish men wear kilts (skirts). No one questions their masculinity. I suppose it would depend upon the intent of the wearer. It's no different than a female minister preaching in a feminine business suit (skirt, jacket). If the wearer is trying to be unnatural then, yes, there is an issue.

Otherwise I would say, yes, in 50 years it would be appropriate, just as it is currently. To say otherwise is to assume that clothing determines one's standing with God, that obeying Acts 2:38 is not enough, and that one must remain chained to cultural standards of the past.

You asked "Who is defining appropriate?"

The answer is "Culture."

Why do you only go back as far as the mid-1900's?
Why don't American men wear white-powdered wigs?
Why don't American women wear hoop dresses?
For that matter, if standards are unchangeable, why don't Apostolics wear robes and sandals?

At some point culture changed.

Oneness Pentecostals (Apostolics) are frozen in time, bound to the cultural standards that existed when the movement was born. It's as if the New Testament were written in the 1950s. As if Paul wore a suit and tie and Mary and Martha wore jean skirts and blouses.

The scriptures surrounding Deuteronomy 22:5 do not mention abomination but does that really matter? There is no mention of pants/skirts/dresses in verse 5.

Also, we selectively ignore other abominations.

Here's one from Leviticus 11:10.

"And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you."

If we are to follow Old Testament law regarding abominations we should also do the following.

Exodus 31:15. "For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death."
Exodus 21:17. "Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death."
Leviticus 24:16. "Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death."

No one advocates that we should obey these passages.

Why do you only lift Deuteronomy 22:5 out of the Mosaic Law? This selective enforcement speaks to a need to prop up an indefensible narrative which has only existed for a few decades.

Take care.

Read part one here.

This writing is the copyright of E.L. and is reprinted on this site by permission. View all of his available articles here.

Page added July 3, 2015

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