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Can boys wear shorts?

 Submitted: 7/19/2015
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Question: We have teenage boys and recently one of them has asked, with all sincerity and with a right spirit, if it would be acceptable, in the eyes of God, if he wore the contemporary basketball type shorts at home and in public. I asked him to, please, allow me to pray about it, and as a result, I feel strongly that I should rely on your trustworthy counsel once again. To be clear, long ago, I chose not to wear shorts, but only because it is a custom in the UPCI. In my two decades of being Apostolic I personally have not heard a sound biblical reason for some not wearing long, loose fitting shorts. Back then it was what I called Bermuda shorts. Those were dressy and just as long as today's basketball type shorts. I say this because so many modest Apostolic ladies (i.e. even our own General Presbyters wives, Pastors wives, precious women of God, etc) wear skirts and dresses of the same length as those basketball type shorts. Accordingly, I have always looked at it as a UPCI custom, and not as Bible doctrine upon which ones salvation hangs so to speak. Now that you have gained insight into my, perhaps goofy, way of reasoning would you please be kind enough to help me get this right before I answer my son. As always thank you, so very much, for taking the time to help folks like me become the kind of disciples the Lord intends for us to be.
Answer: Issues such as this need to be settled by looking for an underlying principle. In the book of Genesis, we learn that the original purpose of clothing was to cover nakedness. Exodus 28:42 and Isaiah 47:2-3 indicate that exposing the tithe is equal to exposing ones nakedness. Since the knee cap is attached to the thigh bone, we have concluded that as long as the knees are covered, nakedness is covered. Of course, there are other issues to consider such as tightness and transparency, but I think this answers your question. Our policy, based on the principle of keeping our nakedness covered, is that men and women seeking to be holy should not expose their knees or any parts above them.


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