Dressed to be blessed

There is no law or commandment to believers to dress up for worship, neither is it right to "look down" on those who cannot afford to make themselves presentable before God. But there is an important principle involved.

There is a Scriptural precedent regarding priests. Believers are King-Priests before God (Rev. 1:6). Priests under the Aaronic priesthood were required to make themselves presentable before entering into God's presence, so it is only appropriate that believers, under the New Covenant and with an even higher standing, do the same as a show of reverence to the Lord:

"And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle and WASH THEM with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron HOLY GARMENTS, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me [serve me = worship] in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with COATS: and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office..." (Exodus 40:12-15).

It is a misapplication of Scripture to talk about God not looking on the outward appearance but on the heart. That has to do with a person's heart condition before God. However, if you are a believer, it is time to start looking at yourself as a Royal Priest , and then asking yourself "How should I appear before the Lord God Almighty?" Does royalty get "dressed up" when appearing in public or going to worship?

Yesterday at 06:13 PM Doctrine1st said this in Post #1

If God only cares what's on the inside and Christians understand this, why is it you *will* be looked down upon by Christians if your not appropiately dressed.

Click to expand...

I don't know that it's fair to make a blanket statement about what Christians will do any more than it is to make a blanket statement about non-believers.  What I can tell you is that many Christians have the knack of creating rules about what is acceptable and what is not that are not necessarily biblical.  Christians, like any other people, suffer from being judgmental at times.  In my church, regardless of the time of year, we normally wear very casual clothes.  Most of the guys wear shorts and Hawaiian shirts or some other short sleeve shirt, including the Pastor.  I know, without a doubt, that many other Christians would look down on our casual style of dress but, at the risk of sounding uncaring (which I'm not), my primary reason for being there is not to dress according to what they say is acceptable.  I'm there to worship my Lord and they should be too.  If I wore something that someone else took offense to I would cease wearing it to church so as not to stumble them.  We are not there to judge the clothes others are wearing.  Obviously there is a line a person should not cross.  We should not wear stuff that is supportive of non-Christian morality.  There was a woman who wore tight pants and they were too revealing, to the point of being able to see the type of underwear she wore so the Pastor's wife asked her not to wear them to church anymore because it was very distracting to many of the guys there.  We have quite a few guys that live at the ministry in a live in discipleship program.  It just wasn't very considerate to wear something that is stumbling to others.  She did not look tacky.  She just wasn't being considerate to the fact that she was stumbling to others.

God bless

I kinda have a pet peeve about this issue. I attended a very large church in a very well to do community. But sometimes I feel like I am attending a picnic instead of a worship service before the Lord of the Universe.

I don't understand it, I think the best clothes you have should be worn on Sunday as you present yourself to the Lord. I don't think you should be wearing evening wear (unless you are at a formal wedding of course) but on Sunday mornings proper dress should be worn and that doesn't include jeans, shorts, floppies, tank tops or swimwear coverups. Sheesh!!

I think we take casual day from the business world to the religious world at little too far.

Personally, I feel that on Sundays if I am going to see my eternal bridgegroom and that I need to dress like I am going on a date with Him. I don't wanna look like I just got back from softball on my first date.

LadyLove - I'm not arguing with you because I totally see where you are coming from, but I want to make 2 comments.

#1 - Your nice clothes are nice because our society says they are nice.  This doesn't mean God thinks they are nice.  I don't think wearing "nice" clothes, jeans, or nothing is going to matter to God when you meet Him.  BUT-- What DOES matter is that you are wearing those clothes to honor God and He DOES see what is in your heart.  He knows your motivation for what you are wearing.

#2 - I assume we have this problem at our church because of things concering legalism that our pastor throws in sometimes.  I don't think the older people of our congregation like people wearing jeans to church.  I do think it is a problem of legalism, though.  Never does God tell us that we need to wear dresses or men wear suits and ties to church.  If this concept were true we should be dressing up all the time because God is always with us and we should honor Him in everything we do. 

So...I don't think that anyone should disaprove of a person for dressing "casually" to go to church (unless it is inappropriate like in the previous post...then someone should talk with them privately so they understand why that is disrespectful).  Nor should a "casual" person look down on someone for dressing up.  It shouldn't even be an issue.  Be glad that the person wearing jeans sitting next to you is there and hearing the word of God.  Embrace and encourage that person.  They are there for the same reason as you are.

I do not always dress up for church, and in fact my church is pretty casual, and I like it that way. I will still occasionally wear a skirt, but for the most part, I will wear a nice pair of pants, and a nice top. I do not like it when people come to church in super short mini skirts, and tank tops, I dont feel that is appropriate

Now, I don't wear a three-piece suit to church, but a collared shirt and khaki dress pants is usually my style. There's the key: MY style. I don't believe that God cares how we dress in church. Maybe we should look at how we live the rest of the week.

If anyone is REALLY set on dressing up for church to honor God, that is fine. But shouldn't we also be 'dressing up' every day to honor God. Our lives should be worship, not just 8:00-9:30 every Sunday morning.

Well, that's my little tidbit. Dress up, it is respectable, but don't get your tie wrapped around your neck.

I never get "dressed up" for church. Of course, that doesn't mean that I show up unwashed and looking like I just crawled our from under a rock. lol Dress has always been casual at my church, since what is in a person's heart (and not their closet) is what is really important. Of course, some people dress up and others don't, but no one makes a big deal of it either way. I prefer just to wear clean, neat, and modest clothing. I'm already beautiful enough for God without packing on added adornment that might make someone else feel lacking or might distract someone when they should be busy worshipping. I will agree that we are supposed to be well put together, but I think that sometimes folks take it a little too far to the point of being disrespectful to others, or just blatant immodesty.  

Christian Dress and Adornment
Chapter 7
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN DRESS

http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/books/christian_dress/5.html

I hate to get all dressed up. I mean HATE it. But when it comes to my Lord Jesus I feel that I can make the sacrifice to get my butt out of bed on Sunday morning and get all gussied up. Its the same as any other sacrifice that I make.
I think the main reason this tradition is still around though is because if we all came to church with unbrushed teeth and bits of garbage in our hair, who on earth would want to join us? I think we witness to people not only through our words but from the way we look and the way we live. --I don't think too many people today could come across the same as John the baptist either if thats what your thinking.-- Don't get me wrong, a t-shirt and jeans is fine, but show up wearing a camel skin loin cloth and eating locust and honey and see what happens.

At the church that I attend, Sunday morning clothing runs the spectrum. Personally, I like to dress up a little.. dark slacks, white shirt, colorful floral tie. (For Prescott, AZ, that is pretty dressed up. LOL )

As others have said, there is no "requirement" to dress a certain way, but I feel, that for myself, I want to dress a little differently than I normally do during the week. Sunday morning service is very special for me, and I like to "dress for the occasion".

I don't do it, to impress others. I don't do it, to out if a misguided sense that "I have to". I do it because I feel comfortable. I want my outward appearance (both physical and behavioral) to match what I'm feeling inside. Sunday evenings are a bit more informal for everyone... so wearing jeans, casual shoes, and a color button-down shirt are fine. (for me)

Personally I've had some of my best worship experiences while on retreats, while wearing camping-type clothing.

That said, I think the idea behind "Sunday-best" is that you honor the occasion by dressing in a more dignified manner.

"If God only cares what's on the inside..."

Who ever said that God ONLY cared about the inside?

I was pointed back to the children of Israel anciently, and was shown that God had given specific directions in regard to the material and style of dress to be worn by those who ministered before Him. The God of heaven, whose arm moves the world, who sustains us and gives us life and health, has given us evidence that He may be honored or dishonored by the apparel of those who officiate before Him. He gave special directions to Moses in regard to everything connected with His service. He gave instruction even in regard to the arrangement of their houses and specified the dress which those should wear who were to minister in His service. They were to maintain order in everything and especially to preserve cleanliness.

Read the directions that were given to Moses to be made known to the children of Israel as God was about to come down upon the mount to speak in their hearing His holy law. What did He command Moses to have the people do? To be ready against the third day; for on the third day, said He, the Lord will come down upon the mount in the sight of all the people. They were to set bounds about the mount. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes." That great and mighty God who created the beautiful Eden and everything lovely in it is a God of order, and He wants order and cleanliness with His people. That mighty God directed Moses to tell the people to wash their clothes lest there should be impurity in their clothing and about their persons as they came up before the Lord. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and they washed their clothes, according to the command of God.

And to show how careful they were to be in regard to cleanliness, Moses was to put a laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, "and put water there, to wash withal." And Moses and Aaron, and Aaron's sons that ministered before the Lord, were to wash their hands and their feet thereat when they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they went in before the Lord.

This was the commandment of the great and mighty God. There was to be nothing slack and untidy about those who appeared before Him when they came into His holy presence. And why was this? What was the object of all this carefulness? Was it merely to recommend the people to God? Was it merely to gain His approbation? The reason that was given me was this, that a right impression might be made upon the people. If those who ministered in sacred office should fail to manifest care, and reverence for God, in their apparel and their deportment, the people would lose their awe and their reverence for God and His sacred service. If the priests showed great reverence for God by being very careful and very particular as they came into His presence, it gave the people an exalted idea of God and His requirements. It showed them that God was holy, that His work was sacred, and that everything in connection with His work must be holy; that it must be free from everything like impurity and uncleanness; and that all defilement must be put away from those who approach nigh to God.

All the services I attend have no dress code as such. That said, I like to dress nicely to honor my God and my King.