Standards of Dress

Wear what you want as long as it is clean and within respectable bounds. I haven't worn a suit to a church service in a long, long time.

 

Dress is a cultural issue. Especially, if you are talking about a suit and tie and that women must wear dresses.

The biblical standard is decency.

Bro Tony

 

Loose enough to know you are a lady/gentleman and tight enough to know you are a woman/man.

 

1 Peter 3:3,4, "Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."

 

I don't see the need to dress in suit and tie or a dress specificly. If our hearts are really right with God, we will dress appropriately. I wear pants most of the time because of a twisted knee, but they are always loose and covered by a jacket or long shirt. Christian women must never try to be sexy or seductive in any situation. The world is watching us so we need to try to be Christ like at all times.

 

I believe that we should look and wear our best when we go the Lord's house. I understand that some people don't have a lot of nice clothes. Me and my husband are two of those people, but we have never faltered in our dress standards. I have not worn pants (at home or outside the home) since I have been saved and my husband has always worn a suit to church (even before he was a pastor).

Your clothes are an identifying label to others. I want people to know that I respect God and his house. My clothes are one way to send that message.

 

We can't point to any particular Scripture reference that would say that men should wear a suit and tie and women a dress. We can discuss modesty though. There have been many occasions in my church where men/women have come to church dressed immodestly. Tight or revealing clothes on either is wrong.

With that said, it is my preference that men wear ties and ladies wear dresses, but that is only my preference.

As a principle, I think that we should go to the Lord's House dressed in our best. As an ambassador for Christ, we should always look good and especially in His house. We wouldn't go to the Presidents house for dinner dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. We would dress in our best. We might even go out and buy a new outfit. It really shows our priorities when we don't care how we look when we go to church, but we will dress up for work, dinner out with our wife, etc.

 

Pastor J, great point. In fact my husband said the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago in a sermon he was preaching on standards.

 

What If a person would rather take the $300 or so he might spend on a new suit and give it to missions instead? I think God would get more glory from that then from the new suit. New clothing, simply for the sake of new clothing, should be way down our list of priorities.

It's true that it's a human expectation that a visitor to the White House should "dress to the nines", or that our company may dictate a dress code- but that's all they are: human expectations. All that the Bible mandates is modesty.

People may care what we wear in a particular situation; but since when does God? John the Baptist was shunned for his attire even by the standards of that time. He was also magnificently used of God. Jesus Himself presumably wore a simple robe & sandals. I've long maintained that if Jesus Himself were to walk into many Baptist churches today, dressed in the manner in which he was while on earth, that He would be shown the door. What has changed? It is Human society's view of what is reverential to God that has changed. Jesus' robe & sandals weren't offensive to God. At the burning bush, God told Moses to remove his footware- here's a Biblical example of being barefoot before God as being more reverential to Him.

I think all indications in the Bible are that (other than adhering to clear standards of modesty) God simply doesn't care what we wear. He is not a respecter of persons- it is we who view certain types & styles of clothing as somehow being more pleasing to Him.

 

Its good to see the that most agree the issue is decency. Of course your cultural setting dictates how you understand decency. When I was working in a downtown community center I wore jeans and a t-shirt, or polo shirt on Sundays. Now I am working in a more suburban church and where slacks and a button-down shirt. My friend who goes to church in south Florida will wear shorts and a t-shirt on Sundays.

Standards of dress are as subjective as it gets in a church. Since our society, as a whole, is shifted towards a more casual appearance while at work and at play so too should we allow our congregants to shift...so long as decency is maintained. I've never really understood why suits and dresses have to be understood as dressing someone's best (an observation not a criticism.) I can wear a pair of wool Brooks Brothers slacks, a Berini custom shirt, Alden shoes, a good watch and still be dressed "better" than someone in a suit. Its a subjective issue.

Good convo, thanks for keeping it light. Also excellent observations that when many people in the Bible confronted God they removed an article of clothing to be more holy and presentable.

 

I always used this rule. I never show up in church in something I would not want my grandma to see me in.

I have a very wonderful grandma

 

I'd probably be the one to show up to dinner at the White House in Jeans because I'd be coming straight from class. Gimme a break...it'd be my nice jeans. LOL
I wear jeans to church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. I've wanted to wear them on Sunday mornings...especially when I don't feel well but I get up and go to church anyway. I will wear dress pants on Sunday mornings, but they are girls pants. I buy them in the girls section, and they are dressy. (my newest pair is a pair nice grey slacks) Last sunday I wore a knee length skirt, a red jacket, and low heels. I want to be in something comfortable. I'm not worshiping if I'm worried about my wool skirt itching (sorry..had to go off on a tangent about wool)

Modesty for me is the thing. Do I look nice but still modest. There is this shirt I have that I really like..the neck line is a bit lower than I'm comfortable with. So, the college kid grabs a scarf and ties it around herself (under the shirt) No one knows that it isnt supposed to be that way. It's modest, I'm comfortable, and I look nice.
Just a thought

 

As I stated earlier, I agree that the only thing that Scripture mandates is modesty. However, whatever we wear, we ought to look nice.

I also don't agree with the casual approach to church. A number of years ago I saw a statistic that showed productivity decreased as a dress code at work went more casual. At the same time, neatness in one's work area also decreased because of the "casual" approach. We have far too many "casual" christians today. Christians who won't serve the Lord. Christians who don't spend any time with God. There are the 1 minute Bible devotionals. Though I cannot tie casual dress to this casual approach to being a christian, I do believe that Christianity has gone too far to this way of thinking.

 

The attire should hold up to the respect one has for the situation. We're going to The Lord of lords, King of kings House, so how do you perceive the mode of dress in consideration of the manner we should be attired?

What do your neighbors think by your attire on Sunday? "He's going fishing?" "Ballgame?" "He's going to church again!"

 

Since when does a suit or dress mean going to church? It could just as easily mean going to work.

 

I by no means think that one needs to dress in a suit to go to church. I usually only wear a nice shirt, dress pants and tie to church (and I'm considered well dressed there).

However, a Christian's faith is expressed by action (deed) as well as by word. All those set aside for specific ministries on behalf of the church are called to live exemplary lives. Our behavior is a witness to our faith and contributes to the health of the church (Matthew 22:37-39, 1 Peter 5:1-11 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

A simple standard of dress should not be perceived legalistically but as a loving means by which those who represent the church can be open to helping themselves and those they care about. The ultimate standard of moral conduct is a whole-hearted obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There are two aspects to a general Christian standard of conduct. One aspect of this commitment involves caring for the physical body that God has given to us (1 Corinthians 6:19,20).
The second aspect involves the responsibility we have to care for others (Mark 12:28-34).
A church members appearance reflects the church’s image to the public. It covers both of these aspects.

All church members should be made aware upon acceptance to the membership that they are expected to be clean and concerned with good personal hygiene. Moderation and good taste in dress and grooming are expected.

In the same way we encourage believers to refrain from unwholesome language we should encourage proper modest and clean dress.

Rob

 

On Sunday?