Athenos, makers of feta cheese and other authentic Greek foods, has this great ad out right now that gives us some perspective on modesty of dress. Yia Yia (grandmother) is asked what she thinks of three girls in bathing suits and guy sitting by the pool. She says, “This looks like…the pornography.”
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Yep, straight out of Yia Yia’s mouth to our ears, what is considered acceptable swimwear by most women today–including many Christian women–would have been considered pornography just a few decades ago. What makes women think that it is acceptable to bare their bodies in public by wearing bathing suits that contain less material than their undergarments?
Why is this important? Because Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV). Clearly, sin isn’t just a physical act that we do, it is also our thoughts. And every time a woman wears a bikini so that parts of her body are exposed in public that shouldn’t be, she is causing someone to sin, whether or not that is her intention.
Maybe it’s just me, but I think in order to fulfill the command of Christ to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), we need to go back to more modest clothing as the norm so that we do not cause one another to sin through lustful thoughts and we do not objectify women based on their gift of sexuality.
Updated February 3, 2015. Inserted new link for video.
Updated July 7, 2012.
Speaking 4 Life 
The culture has made them think it’s acceptable; but more importantly, why do they feel that the only thing of value they have to attract a man is of a sexual nature? And more importantly why aren’t their fathers teaching them what turns boys on and what guys are thinking when they look at those exposed body parts? And why aren’t their mothers allowing or even encouraging their girls to put themselves in danger? Yes, indulging in permissive sexual activity eventually takes a toll on a young woman’s heart and soul and self-image. In order to go along, mothers and fathers have abandoned their roles to be a guide and protector – not a friend.
It’s funny you should ask this because today’s devotion from Ron Hutchcraft addresses that very issue. Ron’s answer is that “today in Christian circles, we’re accepting of so much more stuff – stuff that we wouldn’t have touched like say ten years ago. Our sociology often decides more than our theology decides. Our culture decides more than our Christianity.” Ron believes that when a face is put on sin, we think it is loving to not tell that person that he is sinning.
Ron continues, “But it isn’t really love to lower the standards of God to make some temporary situation more comfortable. Those standards are not there to destroy people; they are the path to personal happiness.” And that’s the key, God doesn’t give us rules to live by because He wants to hurt us, He gives rules to us so that we may live life to its fullest because He has sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have eternal life and we also have freedom from our sins in this life.
Click here to read Ron’s devotion.