dressing up for church

So the litmus of pharasaical churches is how well they dress? That's a crock! A church that is pharasaical is so regardless of how well or poorly the congregation dresses. Likewise, a church that is truly bible based is so regardless of how well or poorly the congregation dresses.

Neither is he impressed if you dress down. There is an increasing number of churchgoers who purposefully dress down for the same purpose that they think people dress up.

Likewise, I think many people dress down to impress others as much as they do it for the Lord.

Bottom line is, it matters not, either way. One should dress as one's conscience and cultural norms dictate. That will vary from person to person. A person who dresses up should not look down upon a person who dresses down. Likewise, a person who dresses down should not look down on the person who dresses up.

 

Notice that statement. The subconscious implication is that Christians aren't sinners. That's an attitude that needs to be shed. Both the non-churched, and the churched are sinners equally.

As for non-churched looking at the churched, There are just as many non-churched people who are well dressed as there are churched. There are just as many non-churched people who are of limited wardrobe as there are churched. I think that whole line of thinking is nothing more than promotion of a stereotype, of both churched and non-churched.

 

I invited a friend to church a few months back, and she wouldn't go because she didn't have anything "nice" to wear. I felt bad about it, but explained that nobody would care. However, I have noticed that the majority of women in my church, and the last one I belonged to, dress VERY well. I don't think most of then ever wear anything twice! Talk about pressure....

 

I think that's what Terry was referring to - not that pharisaical churches dress well, but that they would put their nose down to those who don't.

 

This has got to be a matter of preference and attitude. I think the assembly of God's people should be a special time, not like a day at the beach. However, there must be balance. When church becomes a fashion show that is simply sin. Once again, a Bible balance is key here.

Clothing must never be a reason for different treatment of those who come to church - see James 2v1-4.

 

Do I have to wear a tie? If so, why?

 

No, you did not understand what I was saying. It is not that churches where people dress well are pharasaical. I am talking about churches that would almost make it a dress code violation not to wear a suit; where it would be preached that we are not giving God our best by not dressing up.

Obviously, there are many men in my church that wear suits. This is great. There are also those who wear blue jeans and tee-shirts. This is also great. The difference is that one group is not viewed as "more spiritual" or "better" because of their dress.

 

Seems like a good thing - before Joseph went into the earthly king, he shaved, bathed, put on good clothes instead of going in "grubby" from the dungeon.

Parallel? I go before President Bush or King Jesus and I get dressed up. No command, just common sense example. </font>[/QUOTE]I think it is commendable when people put on good clothes to come to church. Why stink like you came out of the barn? What may be good to one may not be to another. Everyone should be welcome in what they feel most comfortable wearing.

I have often said in churches that we don't care whether you have long hair, short hair or no hair. We are just glad you are hear. The first time I have said that it gets people's attention. It always gets the attention of those who are preserved in formaldehyde. Those who are reaching others are more concerned with the souls of men and women and not so much their dress.

When was the last time you saw a person who complained about dress offer to take someone to get some new clothes?

 

Does clothes make the man(or woman),
or is it what`s in his(or her)heart.

To judge people by what they wear seems wrong.

it`s just my opinion

May God Bless.

 

I know I have already stated how I dress and why, but it is evidenced what people think of going to church by how they dress for it. They dress for what they see as the occasion.

The comment made by tinytim is relevent to the mindest towards the entire scope of things. He said it was like people trying to maintain an attitude of the "American dream" from the 40's and 50's. That was the time right after WWII and entering into the bloodiest war Americans have ever fought in Korea. Seems people just had more respect in those days, not "legalism".

Legalism has absolutely NOTHING to do with dressing right unless you believe your good works, get that now, your GOOD works will get you to Heaven.

We are "ambassadors of Christ". Jesus wore what was appropiate in His day in the humanity of Christ.

The reason so many today don't have a single suit is the mindest they've adopted, and guess where all that started? The days of the "flower children" known as the 60's. And the mindest that continued in a downfall of society and the church, the 70's.

Anybody remember what the "ones in the know", the "experienced" bunch, called the well dressed business man in his three piece suit in those days?

 

When I go to my Father, He doesn't care what I wear. And He wouldn't want me to alienate someone who hasn't got something to dress up in.

 

I haven't took the time to read all of the responses yet but I do think the church is not just another place but it is a special place. We all dress up when we go to church and that meand a suit on the guys including my 9 year old and a dress or skirt on the ladies. I feel like the church is to be respected and when I was growing up we were never allowed to go inside a church or even a funeral home unless we were dressed up(which meant dresses or skirts for the women) Boy have times changed and yet I feel like God is not pleased with alot of the changes.

 

When I go to my Father, He doesn't care what I wear. And He wouldn't want me to alienate someone who hasn't got something to dress up in. </font>[/QUOTE]I hope you're not judging the intention of my heart, but just in case you are, I invite you to the Atlanta City Baptist Rescue Mission Tuesday February 3, 2004 to help me bring people to Jesus, those who are simply begging for something to wear, a place to sleep, and something to eat.

7:00 p.m. EST. Take I-75 South to I-20 West to the first exit. This is Spring Street. Turn right at the stop sign and proceed to the next red light turn left onto Peters Street. Proceed westerly to 316 Peters Street, ACBRM.

See ya there! All invited! (Just lock your car! Don't walk alone! Prepare your heart, dress accordingly.)

http://www.kings-highway.net/mission.htm

I'll be the white dude in the suit in tie, slightly balding, strawberry blonde, overweight and compassion in my heart, it would be next to impossible to miss me.

 

OTOH, Jesus says that what we do to the least of our brethren, we do also to him. When I am invited to a friend's house for dinner, I don't put on my holy jeans that stink like manure. I put in a nice pair of pants and a sweater. Do disrespect my friends in my manner of dress is to disrespect Jesus. Why would I not equally show such respect when attending worship?

 

When I was growing up, although we were actually relatively well-off by standards of the area, we were very poor by today's standards. We did not have running water or an indoor bathroom. I took baths in a metal tub. I had very few clothes. My grandmother washed what I had in a wringer washing machine. No, I'm not over 50.
The point of all that is I don't quite buy the idea that I am surrounded by poor people who are afraid to come to church because I will sneer at them for their clothing.

My husband does not wear a suit and tie to church, and I have a couple of outfits several years old that I wear over and over.
Our kids usually wear tennis shoes to church.
I'll admit fairly nice tennis shoes.

We just try to be clean and appropriate. As my family did in my youth when we did not have running water. My parents and grandparents NEVER let me go to church dirty.
But on the other hand, then and now, we don't inspect the cleanliness of those around us. Then and now I attend church with people from a range of incomes.

Then and now, people dressed less nicely need to guard against covetousness and against making all kinds of assumptions about the people that may be more nicely dressed.

Yes, God sees me as I am 24/7. But would I go to church dressed as I am right now? NO!! I'm getting ready to clean house. But would I stare at or turn away anyone from church dressed like I am right now? NO!!

Karen

 

Thank you,Karen, my view exactly.

I always wear a suit and tie, why even the "pharisee" at our church doesn't on Wed. night, even railed and mocked me for doing so.

 

And those that dress up need to quit making assumption about those of us that don't. If I had a dollar for every time someone made a comment about the way I dress, then I would be much richer than I am now. I've heard all the put-downs there are. Yet, I never show up dirty, smelling like last weeks garbage. I just dress the same every day. Dressing up would be like wearing a costume to me. Asking me to change for that couple of hours a week is like asking me to be fake.

And here you have added to what the bible text actually says. The Bible says he shaved, yet you add a full bath in there. I can shave without bathing. You add good clothes where the bible simply says different clothes. It's possible that they were the same type as what he was wearing - only clean.

 

Why is that Pharisee at your church? If he treats people that way then someone needs to have the guts to deal with him.

A friend of mine had a man like that in a church he was pastoring. Every person who visited did not return. The pastor noticed that when he preached Jesus the man's face distorted. Finally he led the leaders to approach that man. The man refused to heed the exhortation and eventually he was asked to leave publically. When he did leave the church began to grow.

Discipline is not an option. It is part of church growth and maturity. Even a secular teacher would not tolerate that kind of behavior in a classroom. How much more important in a church.