Why I Sell Lingerie and Other Sexy Things as a Christian Shop Owner

As a Christian and business woman, my goal is to please God in all areas of my life.  That being said, I’ve always been girly, feminine and drawn to clothing that may be perceived as sexy to some in Christian circles.  So it begs the question, what does the bible say about sex appeal?

Our Outward Appearance is of little significance

In the bible says, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."

This makes it clear that our outward appearance is of far less significance to our Creator when compared to our internal substance. In other words, when it comes to our focus, God wants us to primarily invest in the health of our spirit and souls.

Investing in the health of our spirit, has little to do with our sex appeal, rather it means accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  When we make Jesus Lord of our lives, our spirit man is made perfect. – Hebrews 10:14

Along with our spirit, God cares about our soul which is our intellect, character, feelings, and thoughts.  In 3 John 1:2, the bible says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

Beauty is a gift from God

Now that we’ve established that our main focus should be on inner beauty, let’s explore biblical principles around clothing choices that display womanly curves. Will wearing “sexy” clothes limit us from being prosperous in our souls?

As someone who sells clothes that people may feel are sexy, some overtly so, like lingerie, I have pondered this question for years before I ever opened my e-commerce store: Crownedwithgraceboutique.com.

In my seeking, I’ve come to the conclusion that a woman’s beauty is a gift given to us by God Himself. This gift should be used to draw people to Him, just like any other gift that He so graciously gives.

In some Christian circles, we are taught to hide, shun and suppress our beauty, including our womanly curves.  I don’t believe in doing that because there is a reason that God created us this way. For instance, in the book of Esther, God used her beauty and bravery to save the Jewish people from genocide. What about in the book of Ruth? Ruth was widowed at an early age but was wisely advised by her in-law, Naomi to “Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.” -Ruth 3:3. Naomi wanted Ruth to meet her next husband and blessing and wisely told her to invest in her outward appearance.

These examples demonstrate that in displaying all of who we are, we can reach a wider audience of people for Christ.  By showing that we have freedom in Christ to be all that He has made us, we show others that life in Christ can be a dynamic multifaceted one that celebrates our diverse personalities.

Is there such a thing as being “too sexy?”

Your beauty for His glory is a core company value at Crowned with Grace Boutique. With that being said, we should use Holy Spirit directed wisdom and good ol’ fashioned common sense in our fashion choices.  

Are we to walk outside naked or barely dressed simply because God made us this way? Absolutely not, wisdom tells us that certain body parts are private, and the Bible teaches on sexual integrity within marriage.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. – Hebrews 13:4

There is a time and place for everything. It would be inappropriate to wear our  Romance Me Lace Teddy to a meeting at work, but it would be appropriate and even encouraged to wear it to bed with your husband. Having a fulfilling sex life within a marriage brings glory to God.

Rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. – Proverbs 5:18-19

Similarly, wearing one of our  bathing suits to the mall wouldn’t make sense either. But for a beach vacay, why not? Some Christian women are super mindful of the way their clothing choices effect people around them. They are careful not to wear things that may cause men to lust after them. They see this as doing their part to help our brothers in Christ not sin. My thoughts on this are complex. On one hand, I think it’s honorable and scriptural to support fellow believers. We are called to lift each other up in our various weaknesses.

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14

But on the other hand, if my dress that 1) isn’t showing a private part, 2) appropriate for the context in which it is worn, 3) and isn’t unnecessarily bringing attention to a private part, then I believe I have done my part in not causing one to sin. Merely having curves, soft skin, nice legs etc. is not a sin and there is no scriptural backing that as women we need to hide these things. The onus should be on the individual who is sexually triggered by an appropriate clothing choice.  Scapegoating women for the sin of a man is affront to spiritual discipline and sexual integrity.

What is our hope in?

Ultimately as Christians we are blessed with an eternal view of all things. We are in this world, but we are not of it. John 15-19

While clothes and beauty items are fun to play around with, they obviously cannot save us. Only Jesus can. If you are looking to clothing and accessories to make you feel better about yourself, you will eventually be disappointed when you learn they do not have the power to fulfill you. Some of us can become addicted to shopping and attaining new clothes and things to fill voids, feel pretty, or to measure up to what society says is “in”. These motivations do not come from God. Instead, we should always rely on God for fulfillment.  

The balance is this: It’s perfectly okay to enjoy dressing up, getting your nails done, curling your hair etc.  It even may lead to the call God has on your life. Let’s just not dress our bodies better than we dress our spirits and souls, which God has said are more precious in His sight.