Culture Clash: Dress Down vs Dress Up

It is amazing how some work to associate standards they do not like with pharisees. Never mind pharisees were lost and going to hell. Humble and regular folks can put some effort into how they present themselves to God during worship. It doesn't change who they are one iota.

 

Tell me Jim, why would anyone want to go out an' rescue Baptists? :smilewinkgrin:

Gosh, if everybody dresses 'down' how will we ever know who needs savin'?

Rob

 

Actually, they can't at the public course where I am a member. No muscle shirts, no short shorts, no metal-spikes on the shoes. But still allowed a lot of flexibility.

 

In my youth I was Catholic. After I was saved and finally left the Church of Rome, I was surprised that Protestants "dressed up" to go to Church.

Many Catholics begin and/or end each day in church (at least when I was a boy in Boston).

It was common to see police, nurses and soldiers in uniform, people in work clothes, business men in suits.

It carried over to Sunday, people dressed casually in their attire of the weekend and nothing special, at least when I was a boy (pre-Vatican II, Latin mass) and yes in the beginning after I was saved, I thought it a bit pretentious of "Protestants" to "dress up" for church, like they had something to prove to God.

So, IMO, it is a cultural thing. But God looks upon the heart.

HankD

 

I dress up for Sunday. It's a part of my upbringing more than anything. It's hard to overcome early childhood programming. But, I've learned not to worry about how others dress at church unless there is a modesty problem. Too many are sitting in church paying attention to what others are doing or not doing (majoring on the minors) and missing out on meeting with God.

 

Amen.

HankD

 

As I said before I came up in a time when folks wore their best if it was bib-overhauls or a suite or anywhere in between. As this has been going on my wife brought up to me a preacher in the 60's who didn't care for the style of dress of the young folks. He would say these young folks would grow up and lower the style of dress and actions and statesmanship of their children and so on because for the most part the parents are what most of us start with and want to come down a little from there.

The point he would keep pointing out is that at places of the day where one was to dress up, like church or an office dress would drop but for deal like a wedding or formal parties dress would go up. He would point out the pants that were new( not wore out pants) but had the knees ripped open and T shirts would be wore to church but not to their other deals like a wedding for the most part.

I have never been a member or was pastor of a church that over about 50% wore a coat and tie but most didn't dress any better to go anywhere else. My parents wouldn't think of going to church with out dressing up and my grandparents dress even better than my parents when going to church. A Lot has to do with one's age and how they were taught and how much they care for what is already going on. If I went to a church and was feed well and was used to the glory of God there and grew well and they had a deal that all men had to wear brown shoes, I would wear brown shoes or find another church that covered all the bases as well as that one, I would not start a fight over brown shoes(I hate brown shoes).