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The Law against what is now referred to as ‘cross-dressing’ comes in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
In my opinion the Law is aimed at transvestites and not what would be called normal dress habits for women in a given culture.
Clothing changes with culture and time. What men wear today was not worn in Biblical times.The argument that pants have somehow been designed and appointed by God as exclusive for wearing by men suffers from having no biblical support whatsoever. Try using the argument ‘if pants were good enough for the Apostle Paul, they’re good enough for me’.
Pants are not standard dress for men the world over. It depends where you live.In Scotland the traditional dress is the kilt. It is worn by both sexes. If a Scotsman becomes a Christian do we stop him wearing a kilt?
Clothing changes with each generation. What is unacceptable to one generation becomes normal for the next.When my generation dies out, pants will become perfectly acceptable for women to wear, because the next generation will see them as women’s clothing.No generation is comfortable with change, but for Christians to use Deuteronomy 22:5 to prevent women wearing pants demonstrates a sad lack of understanding.
I believe the Law is for those men who dress as women and wear makeup, and women who cut and style their hair as men and wear men’s clothes, because they are not happy with their God-given gender and wish to change their appearance. People who do this are called transvestites; which literally means cross-dressers. It is this practice which is abominable to God, not the changing fashions of everyday clothing.
Christians are not under the Law of Moses.The restriction on Christians is that of dressing ‘modestly’ - to wear clothing that does not bring disrepute on the name of Christ and does not cause offence in the church.
If a woman belongs to a church of ‘older generation’ members who would look askance at the wearing of pants because they see them as ‘men’s clothing’, then it is better not to wear them in the church. It doesn’t make the older generation right, but it will keep the peace. The principle is this:
1 Corinthians 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
I hope this helps.
Glenn Smith
