"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
-Romans 12:2
Hello beautiful people! I'm going to get right into this. This may not be the most encouraging and uplifting blog but we also have to face the facts and the truth.
So a few weeks ago I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across this image of a girl in super tattered pants and a tattered shirt that read "God is Dope". The clothes looked as though they were intentionally torn up for a fashion statement. I was immediately puzzled at the look because it was a little sensual but then I then decided to click on the Instagram page because I thought, "Oh! Christian clothing!" (I'm not going into a lot of detail of the picture because it is irrelevant to the rest of the pictures I saw.) To my surprise, I was proven wrong. The clothing was promoted in a sensual and seductive way. Women were in bras or crop tops. The video montages filmed had background music containing explicit lyrics/lyrical content. There were celebrities advertising for the attire, create songs that promote drugs, lust, self-gratification, degrade women, etc. One female musician in particular has a song talking about satisfying her dude on the weekends while a plethora of women get him throughout the week. She was wearing a crop top that said "woman of God". They even built a house to use as an AirBnb for people to rent out. I decided to take a look at that as well. I was amazed at the sexually graphic images painted on the walls of half naked women along with images of drugs and alcohol use, all in the name of God. There were even little Buddha statues in the bathroom!
I began to think, this is not trying to promote God, is it? I looked up their website and found their "About Us" and read their mission: "to bring awareness to God in our own way... through fashion, entertainment, and influence. We are aiming to bridge the gap between God and the youth."
After exiting out of the website I was disturbed. I thought, "How can someone say they are promoting God, yet feel like it's okay to have these types of images."
What I have noticed is that there are many Christians is that try to make God look cool for everyone. We try to bring Him down to our level and make Him relatable. We try to make ourselves feel comfortable in how we are living and say that God is okay with it. We dummy down His standards to bring more people into the faith, but in reality, it we are spreading a false gospel. Just because times have changed, does not mean that God's standard has changed. I get the argument that it is a way to promote God and get His name out there, however, you can still promote God with fashion and not go against His word while doing so. In their mission statement they said they are bringing awareness to God "in their own way..." Not in God's way, but in a way they believe they should do it. Don't dismiss that as a simple mission statement. Really see what they are saying. When we aren't doing it God's way, we are operating in the flesh. If it's not in God's way but their own way, who is their influence? God or the world?
1 John 4:1 says "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. "
We must be careful with what we say is from or of God. Just because someone uses the word God does not mean they are talking about the God of the bible. Someone left a comment under one of their videos that read: "Your products are really nice. Awesome stuff. My question is God is Dope is a great catch phrase. But just to clarify things there are many God’s, which God are you and your clothing line referring to? Thank you." I couldn't agree more. Though I liked the clothing and some of the styles, it definitely confused me. It made me realize, just because someone mentions God, doesn't mean they are talking about the one true God.
PLEASE NOTE: Many people believe in God/a higher power or creator, but not everyone believes in Jesus. Just because they are talking about God, does not mean the know or believe in Jesus. Please let's not forget that Jesus Himself said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). People don't really want to change their ways. They just want someone to affirm them, make them feel good, so they can continue living in a way that pleases themselves. By making God "popular" in the way this company is doing, we are forced to neglect the characteristics about Him that call us to repentance in order to make us feel more comfortable in our sin. We forget that we will be judged by Him one day. Not just those who are doing it, but even approving of sinful actions people engage in.
"Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."
Romans 1:32
Yes, we want to show people to Christ and what Christianity is about, however, we need to be mindful in the way we are doing it. What are we allowing? Will this ruin our witness?
So, if this is what it means for God to be dope, I don't believe God is dope. God is not our homie. He is, however, a friend who is there to encourage us and point us in the right direction. God is not a fashion statement. He does however, give people the ability to create fashion and spread the gospel through fashion. Let's not lose the holiness, reverence, and awe of God because we want to bring Him down to our sinful level. We have to be so careful and cautious about what we promote and allow while attaching God to it. Please let this challenges you all to not look at everything at face value. Not everything that seems great or even promotes God is actually of God. Look at the fruit and compare it to the word of God. The devil will always disguise himself as an angel of light. In these last days, please do not be fool or swayed by his ways.
Before you go, please read the verse at the bottom. Meditate on it, and allow the Holy Spirit to change and mend your heart.
Talk to y'all later! Bye!!!!
Romans 1:25-32
"They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."