What is Dressing Like the World?

Seeing as how the world dresses in several hundred thousand different ways, depending on culture, that phrase becomes meaningless.

In America, some of the most "worldly" individuals exist in secular academia, media, finance, and real estate. As I see it, they all dress similarly, wearing suit and tie in the latest style.

As the church imitates this "professional" look we are indeed "dressing like the world."

But, Jesus dressed with a robe, with flowing undergarments, secured by a belt of some type, and almost exclusively wore sandals. That is the way our Lord dressed, but I would not advocate copying His style. That would be just plain weird in our culture.

So, perhaps we should just say something along the lines of:

Men should be identified as men, women should be identified as women, and we should all dress modestly so as to not entice a brother or sister to sin of the eyes. If that means, in certain occasions, we don suit and tie, so be it. If that means that we wear Dockers and polo shirts, that is also fine. If that means that we are in summer wear, as long as it is reasonably modest, that too is fine. And for mission work, all bets are off -- discover the local culture and fit in as best as you can.

 

Interestingly enough, when I take interviews I wear a gold crucifix ring my wife gave me on my right index finger. It has sparked comments from female interviewers. I then disclose that I am a Christian & they know then that my behavior will be on the up & up. Wonder how that plays when trying to get sales positions? LOL

 

Allow me to digress for a moment..

Have you spent much time in secular academia? :laugh: Academics (even in Christian circles) are notorious for dressing however they want. A tenured professor is probably more likely to show up with white athletic shoes with dirty slacks and a wrinkled shirt than in a suit. Non-tenured profs tend not to be so blatant, but I have rarely seen professors (other than in religion or business) wearing full suits. Ties aren't even that common.

Administrators tend to be more "professional" in attire, but that's not even guaranteed. The provost at my university often wears khakis and a casual sweater (in colder weather) or a polo (in warmer weather). He has also been known to wear jeans in the office from time to time. Even here our business profs don't wear ties in the classroom...ever. A psychology professor regularly shows up in shorts and a polo shirt.


But I agree with your general point! :thumbsup:

 

And I agree, that these days, all bets are off.

I've known seminary doctors who have worn shorts and an old t-shirt under their formal robes for convocation.

I'll not even go to what some college grads wear under their robes... :laugh:

The big issue here is culture, as I said above. What makes one culture better than another, or one era in a particular culture the mandate from which all else is judged.

Culture and dress don't show the heart, as Jesus so aptly pointed out in His parable about the Pharisee and the Sinner.

 

Hey....look at the bright side....you dont have to factor in the cost of a Expensive wardrobe. Old Navy has everything you will ever need. Ergun C. got his hoody there!!!

 

I don't know about the tattoos, piercings and the such and the only rock band logo i'd wear is Creedance Clearwater Revival. :laugh:

... but you ought to read the biography of hudson Taylor in China. He made a decision to dress and wear his hair as the Chinese teachers did. That meant that he would shave the front and wear it long. He also wore the robes. Other missionaries noticed that as he spoke people gave him a more respectful hearing.

Most people have no problem with what he did. But we somehow can't make the jump to dressing like the people we are trying to reach when we are here in America. In most places, it's about business casual at the high end and jeans and polo at the lower end. At least it is here in southwest florida.

 

Dressing like the world.:laugh:

 

That is WEIRD...I was JUST going to post that exact same pic!

*Twilight Zone music playing*

 

Well, you know what they say about great minds! Now as soon as I find mine............

 

As evidenced by the photo, dressing like the world is uncomfortable, inappropriate in many situations, and quite possibly dangerous.

I highly advise one dress less like the world, perhaps more like a province.

 

I don't know...dressing like the world seems to cover up pretty much everything. Dressing like the world is the most modest dress out there

 

Best response I've read so far, but I just got started...

 

Worldly Dress: Any type of attire that does not meet with your approval.

 

I remember BR Lakin used to say that most preaching about separation was preaching about stuff the preacher didn't do. It's the same way with clothing. If I wear it, it can't be worldly.

 

Probably two-thirds of the people in our church have visible tattoos, some quite extensive (including some of our elders and pastors), and more than half have some sort of piercing besides earing's. Some have various colored hair or dreads, many come to church in shorts and a T, which may or may not have writing on it. Many have facial hair, some long hair. Jeans and a button up are standard fare, and most of our pastors wear that.

Oh, and there are over 2500 coming in on any given Sunday...

Oh again, yes, we are preaching the gospel and exercise church discipline.

Culture is culture and style is style. I'll take the gospel and not worry about dress as long as it covers what it needs to cover.

 

Can't disagree with that.

Oh, wait a minute... someone will!:laugh: