People Who Dress Down for Church

Well yeah, but if I had I'd have been late. I wonder which is worse: late or rumpled?



Hey Paul, if my day had gone so that I could have made Wednesday service as well as choir practice, I STILL wouldn't have had the time or inclination to change. Why would I?

God put His temple (you know, my body?) into this place of service. I have a husband, 4 kids, a few extra kids that come in and out regularly, 4 parents that are getting up in years (mine and his) and a host of friends. I worship with my friends, they ARE my family in Christ. I can't see any reason to dress any differently in front of them inside the church building than I do out of it.

 

Then you should also care that I'm offended by such legalistic tripe.

 

What legalistic tripe? I said one should wear their best and if that was jeans that's ok, if they come straight from work in grease filled clothing they are coming to worship the Lord that is fine, the prisoners I preach for at the state prison all where white jump suits and that is fine too. It is just we Honor God by wearing the best He has provided especially since He has provided the best for us.

 

I didn't read the entire thread, but is there a Scriptural passage that warrants such a position? 2nd, is it practice in the early church? 3rd, I love wearing jeans to church now!!! (I used to pastor a church wearing a suit and tie )

 

hey, I attend Church in my Coca Cola uniform from time to time. Just haven't had time to make services after running the route on many a Wednesday night if I go home first and change. The only person that it seems to offend is the Pepsi guy across the aisle who's in his uniform for the same reason I'm in mine. :tonofbricks:

 

Legalistic let see:
The church I grew up in for many years during the 70's the pastor would not allow women to wear pants to church. I disagreed with that. Eventually with many folks talking to him he decided it was better to have them in service than not coming because they had to wear a dress.

This same pastor would tell the women when they came with a short hair cut how are you doing sir as he shook their hand, again I disagree.

Another church I attended the pastor believed women should not even own a pair of pants but should wear a dress all the time even to work. His wife worked at a grocery store in the butcher shop at one point and she wore her dress. Disagree with that.
This man also believe that believer shouldn't mix bath (swim) that the girls and boys should never be a swimming pool at the same time. I agree disagree.

That is legalistic. Us talking about folks wearing jeans or not dressing down or not is not legalistic in comparrison. If God demanded a the sacrifice to be without spot and blemish he demanded the best for a scrifice and I believe that I should wear the best Clothes I have to go to worship, and I don't concern myself with what others wear. I really wonder why someone would want to come to church dressed in short pants but again that is their business.

That was not your question though you said who cares if Paul (not the apostle) was offended and I gave you an scriptural answer to that.

 

Other than God demanding an unspotted and unblemished of the firstlings of the flock for a sacrifice no scripture that I know of about wearing our best that is my preference and how I feel. Many of the early church folks only had one or two pieces of clothing in fact it seems as if the Lord only had one tunic that was gambled over. I wear jeans on Wednesday night to the prison where I preach to the prisoner and they wear their white jump suits we still worship and praise God in this setting.

 

Actually none of your examples are legalistic, unless it was stated that salvation depended upon it.

 

We are not talking about eating food offered to idols...we are talking about wearing certain clothes. If that offends someone it is on them, not me. If someone wants to hold on to an extra-biblical mandate and they are offended if I don't share such a mandate, it's on them, not me. It's offensive to me to have to conform to man's rules and not God's.

 

Genesis 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering

Nehemiah 10:36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God

Numbers 18: 29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.

Abel not under the Law gave God of the firstlings of the flock of the fat (best, increase) thereof, He worshipped with his best and firstlings.
Nehemiah said bring of the firstlings and in Numbers Moses said bring of All the Best, so if they worshipped and brought their best why should we not learn from them in giving our best and wearing our best. That of course is my view others can have theirs and do as they feel God will honor, God Honored Abels giving of the First and of the Fat so I go to worship God in the best He has supplied me.

 

See bolded...

Why is it that so many people nowadays dress down for church? I don't think it's a good trend. You lose a lot of the dignity and formality of church services when you dress like a slob. Sometimes I walk into my Sunday School class and see people wearing jeans on a Sunday morning. I think that's sad. Those people don't think enough of church to dress nice. They should at least wear nice slacks and a dress shirt, but they don't. It really bothers me. Maybe you all can shed some light on this.

I always wear a suit every Sunday morning. I'm in the choir so after Sunday School I go to the robing room, hang up my jacket and put on my robe. When I attend Sunday evening services, which is rare, I will usually wear the same thing from Sunday morning. For Wednesday services, I normally wear the same thing I wore to work, which is business casual. I don't often come on Wednesday nights, but on occasion I do. For choir rehearsal on Thursdays, I also wear what I wore during the day and I never miss choir without a very good reason.

There are also some pastors who dress down, for example, Rick Warren. Pastors should look nice for church, not like a tourist in a Hawaiian shirt. My pastor is well-dressed on Sundays. His suits always fit well, he has well-chosen ties and he often wears French cuffs.

 

I never dress up for normal church. To me, its just unthinkable. Unimaginable.

But I dont deliberatly dress down for church, either

When I come to church I just dress casually.

Always jeans, and some type of casual shirt

I almost always wear sandals, except in the winter.

 

What does this have to do with anything

...and this

...and this?

You honestly think these passages support wearing your "best" to church?!? This is legalism (and legalism does not always have to do with salvation for those who chime in with that argument...get a dictionary)

 

I don't dress like the world in a suit and tie, not even a sportcoat and tie. The world and worldly people like worldly businessmen, worldly politicians and lawyers, and worldly bankers wear ties. Why would I want to look like the world? So that's not for me.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

:thumbs:

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

Paul's was not speaking of meat but of weaker believers verse stronger believers. The freedoms we all enjoy in Christ. Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. . (20) For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. (21) It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

For the sake of dressing destroy not the work of God, all things are pure indeed, whatever we wear, whatever we eat, whatever we do, but it is evil for us to do them with offence, it is evil if we do anything whereby we stummble our brother in Christ or if they are offended or made weak.

Paul continued the theme of our edifying one another in Romans 15: 1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me

We that are strong bear the infirmities of the weak, we are to please our neighbor for his edification, our example is Christ. He pleased not Himself our reproaches fell on Him and He suffered for us. Paul made it clear we are to build up not tear down, we are to teach thetruth to the younger in love by our example and for their being built up. Paul wasn't talking about eating he was talking about anything we do. That is what Caring Chrisitians do they build up they don't tear down. They don't do what they want at the expense of the weaker believer.

 

Paul also taught us to teach and admonish one another. If a weaker brother is holding to a manmade standard not supported by Scripture, as the "stronger" brother we should be pulling the weaker aside in grace and showing them where they are in error, not conforming to error. Whatever is not done of faith is sin, and for me to wear a suit and tie knowing there is no such mandate and to simply show others the fallacy of "wearing my best" to please Christ (which is only pleasing man and not Christ), it is not being done in faith making such an action a sin.

 

Sounds like Paul was saying that those who still place themselves under extraBiblical rules are the weaker brethren. Hmmm, what does that say about those who think we must "dress up" for church in order to please God? Why else would one think this unless he thought it was pleasing to God? Paul was focused on the weak conscience of the individual, not on if it pleased God. If it were important to Him, He would have said so.

Here's one for the "bring your best to God" crowd. Under the Old Law, they were to bring their best to the temple. Now that we are the physical temple of the Holy Spirit, do you apply this same standard to everything you eat, drink & wear at ALL times, or just when you "go to" church?