What is Dressing Like the World?

That would have been news to the apostles. I'm sure they now feel badly, having missed out on the opportunity to wear a uniform to church. Perhaps we will be able to set them straight in Eternity.

 

Bible text to show where people, average people wore different clothes after they were saved?

It's a western cultural thing that you have bought into. You are placing cultural standards equivalent with God's word.

Don't impose your culture onto the Biblical text.

As long as people are modest, they can wear anything.. It might bother you, but it doesn't bother God... and frankly, I don't care if I bother people who judge me..

God will be my judge, and will judge me from His book.. not some western culture standard...

BTW.. I wear a tie when I preach.

 

We are living in 2011 in the United States, at least I am.

I will bow out now, I know when I have been whipped.

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

Would not the Pastor be the upper management of the Church (under God of course)???? and why would a suit be for a lawyer...why does he not wear Khakis & a Polo shirt???? Personally I don't see the Pastor as a general man...is he not called by God and given authority by God and the Church to the divine position of Pastor????

 

Nah, I have to put my hat on whenever I leave the house. I spent over six years in the USAF and if you did not put your hat on as soon as you stepped outside a bunch of people would yell where's your cover?

The scriptures only require modesty - anything else is just man's opinion.

I have seen too many churches and pastors use the all things became new verse as an excuse to judge people based on outward appearance. If someone constantly dresses immodestly before salvation, God will deal with the person in the right way and at the right time. Any need changes may happen immediately or happen over time. He may use another member of the Church or deal with the person at home reading the Bible alone before going to bed.

 

Using this logic, why doesn't the pastor wear a tux then? Why "dress down" by only wearing a suit and tie...afterall if we can wear a tuxedo for the most special of occasions, aren't Sunday's special in your church?

Do you see where man's legalism can lead to? You will be judged yourself based on how you judge others extra-biblically.

 

A tux is used for the groom and very high society gatherings....using the princibles laid out in 1 Tim. we see that for men a tux would be way over the top, yet a suit and tie is very appropriate for the man of God.

1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

A woman once came to my husband and told him that he should not wear a suit & tie and she would not call him Pastor, she said he could not be her friend and her Pastor. The bottom line was she was trying to bring the Pastoral position down to her level and did not want to obey "thus saith the Lord" in essence she was bringing God down to her level. She left the Church...not because we were legalistic...but because she was...she had an unbiblical view of God, His Holiness and that we his people are to be holy because he is holy....she was rebellious, unholy and legalistic in her veiw of God. Why did it matter to her if the Pastor wore a suit or not...are not Pastor's to honor and glorify God and not the whims of man who try to bring God down to the level of man. Yes they are and they are God called men and in a sense in their position they are not only to be an example but, a representative of Christ in the pulpit, not the good ole friend up their making us all feel good about ourselves. They are to preach the authority of God's Word....therefore they are to dress appropriately.

So why would it be wrong for a Pastor to wear a suit and tie? This is not legalism this is could common sense and for a Pastor to dress casual would not give forth the authority of the office that God has called him to. And of course that is the reason....Pastors are no longer respected as God called men because you are wanting them to take on the whims of the worldly believers and the worldly community....be like the world to win them...no that is legalism and you have bought into it....as Joshua once said, "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord (not man and his ideas)." We are to do things God's way and many of you on here are doing exactly what you are accusing those who are holding up godly standards of holiness, just to make God's Church more worldly, you are allowing the culture to influence the Church (God's people) instead of the Church influencing the culture (community).

 

So who determines if it is way over the top? From the legalism camp I always here that you should wear the very best when standing before God in His presence (not sure why...they just say this). What makes a suit and tie more appropriate than a tuxedo?

I'm not saying a pastor shouldn't wear a suit and tie if he so chooses, but this should not be the view pressed upon believers, particularly pastors as being "different from the world" based on how they dress. THAT view is worldly.

 

Suits and ties are worldly dress. They were designed by man and are required by man for certain occupations, which spills over into the private life of Christians who follow the worldly rules of what is acceptable on particular occasions and particular circumstances.

God has never required any certain mode of dress other than one that is modest.

 

Not to mention I was just looking at a photo from the '30's of a Fair in Cleveland that drew millions. EVERY man was wearing a suit, tie and hat (just watch some old Three Stooges re-runs). I somehow doubt they were all believers or pastors. This was their casual dress...so...what did they wear to church to "separate from the world"?

 

How is this view worldly? Appropriate dress is a princple of scripture....God knew we would wear clothes of our society, however we are to wear them in appropriate situations and they are always to be modest (which means well arranged, balanced [not worldly or over the top expensive] also not costly or fadish.). That would be a descriptions of worldly.

 

This is just too funny! What did John the Baptist wear? I guess the Jews would have been more receptive to his message had he dressed nicer. :laugh:


What about the young men that wear tuxedos to their proms? Are they proclaiming "I'm the groom" or "I'm wealthy".


And lawyers? If that industry is not worldly, I don't know what is! I would not be bragging that I dressed like a lawyer.
(No offense to the attorneys on the BB. We wouldn't need lawyers if we weren't so sinful.)

 

Agreed, however what we wear to church should not be the basis for glorifying God. If this were the case the religious leaders of Jesus' day would have glorified Him the most.

Pure subjective opinion, besides who receives the glory in "I am to be listened to"?

Anything derived from man and not God is worldly (set your self apart from the world based on how you dress)

What you stated is cultural, not worldly. What did Jesus wear in the synagogues? Appropriate dress in Scripture is dealing with modesty, btw.

 

If you are an attorney you should wear a suit to church?

Would judges be required to sing in the choir? :laugh:

 

I agree, however, Pastor do not model themselves after Lawyers (I did not bring this up I only used it as an example of the seriousness of their position).

 

Yes, appropriate dress is modesty in body and spirit. Modesty has the idea of being well arranged or balance or appropriately dressed. A woman professing Godliness will dress what is in her heart...she will dress to cover herself, so should the man. (not worldly, over the top or sensual) In Gen. 3 God clothed both Adam & Eve with coats (a covering, God covered there nakedness). But we also see that the Priests wore priestly garments....that were designed by God....so when it comes to the man of God in the pulpit to dress casual would not be appropriate IMO. Also to dress flashy or to give an appearance of being better than others or to wear costly array would not be appropriate. The man of God needs to be humble in spirit as well as outwardly. The culture now is dictating to the church to be casual...which gives the air of being to casual for God. That is going on in many churches today who are attacking the idea of holiness. Holiness of heart will manifest itself outward, casualness of heart will manifest itself outward, rebellion of heart will mainfest itself outwardly. The two cannot be separated. Remember God sees the heart, BUT, man sees the outward appearance. What do people see when they see you (generic)????

 

You would probably be very uncomfortable in my church. Our pastor preaches in jeans and casual collared shirt on Sunday mornings.

I have never heard a better preacher with a more biblical message than him. His messages are verse by verse from the bible and a suit would make no difference in the way the Holy Spirit works through him.