by David Reagan
In an age when shorts, sweatpants, and bare midriff (sometimes all at the same time) are considered acceptable attire for most churches, I stand out like a wooly mammoth. In this day of extreme casual, more and more men are throwing away their ties when they go to church.
Like some newly awakened Rip Van Winkle, I still wear mine. I thought I would tell you why.
Nothing in the nature of a necktie either compels us to wear it or condemns it—though some have tried to connect it to an evil beginning. Those who use it practice the tradition of giving honor to our Lord by dressing up a bit when they go to meet with His people to worship Him. So I ask: Is this practice encouraged or discouraged in scripture?
In the parable told by Christ in Matthew 22:11-12, the king expected each of his guests to come with the proper “wedding garment.” Not to do so was to show disrespect for the king and for the occasion. In like manner, our forefathers felt it important to come to church with clothing that showed proper respect to the Lord and to the occasion. In different times and places, that proper respect was shown in different ways. But it was shown. Even the Saturday night bath was established for the purpose of being physically clean and properly trim on the Lord’s Day.
Today we swerve boldly in the other direction. We energetically oppose dressing especially for church. Many even consider it hypocritical to do so. We should come as we are and avoid any pretense. But do the dress patterns of today prove that we have a greater sincerity and are more genuine than our predecessors? I think not.
The slouchy dress that we see in worship services directly corresponds to our flippant attitude toward meeting with our Maker and Saviour. We have lost our respect for the spiritual dimension of God meeting with His people. Now, we want to dress like we would at a backyard barbecue. God is everywhere. Why approach His house with any more formality than we would enter the neighborhood grocery store?
The Key Word For Today Is Comfort!
“Why shouldn’t I feel comfortable? After all, my comfort is the main thing. I’m not going to go out of my way for anyone–even God.” We exult in our come-as-you-are philosophy. Our services have become user-friendly for everyone except God. More and more, He seems to be left out in the cold. O how we love ourselves unto death!
The Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes may be a tradition that is quickly fading away. But it was a good tradition and one whose parting is just another sign of the times–the last times. Where is our sense of awe in the presence of God? He says He dwells in the midst of us when we meet with Him (Matthew 18:20). The church is the people, not the building. When the people of the church meet, they become the “house of God” (1Timothy 3:15); they become His dwelling place. What a special privilege to enter into this presence!
Psalm 96:8-9 “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.”
The Least We Can Do
When I meet with the congregation of the Lord, I count it not a burden, but an honor to give extra pains in preparation, in physical cleanliness, and in dressing up. I count it a privilege to wear my Sunday best. Any discomfort I may feel from a tie about my neck, from a coat about my body, or from clothes too good for playing kickball is offset by the solemnity and wonder of the occasion.
It is seldom that we in America get to suffer anything for the Saviour who suffered so much for us. The least I can do (and I mean the least) is to honor Him by dressing more formally when I come to His church than I do for other events. Certainly, I can suffer a necktie for Him.
Original article can be found at http://www.emmanuelbaptistva.com/why-i-still-wear-a-tie-to-church/
Very well said an so true ptl
One problem is that in this post you have taken the Matthew 22 passage out of context. That parable is speaking to believers and showing us that we are to be ready for the coming of the Bride-groom (Jesus). It is not talking about our physical dress. I urge you to be careful and make sure you use passages of the Bible in context, not just to fit what you want to say.
Thank you for pointing this out. The Bible has it’s own meaning, we don’t have to add our own to it.
I think he understood that about Matthew 22 it was the principal he was drawing out of the scripture. Whenever we come before the Lord on any occasion we should present ourselves in a reverent and respectable way. If anyone used the scripture out of context to say what they wanted it to say you just did.
Exactly right. The context in Matthew 22 is salvation, not our physical appearance. That being said, it is important to show reverence and respect in the way we dress when going to the house of God. Even when the point we are making is correct, we should never twist the Scriptures to prove it.
Although he might have taken the passage out of context, the message he was trying to get across was still true.. We dress up for weddings or funerals out of respect for those who are getting married or those who have died, but we refuse to dress up out of respect for the only person in the universe that truly deserves our respect? His point is valid..
Matt, THANK YOU. Thought I’d have to say it, but BAM…so nice to see someone else “gets it”.
If a person dresses in clean modest clothing then what’s the beef? and if they do not, then continue to leave them alone.
As all of us IFB’ers know the meanest offenses happen with in our groups when we all only attend 3 times a week, Sunday morning, Sunday night & Wed night.
Ironic is it not?
Low life sinners that you lead to Christ will still never be accepted in your Baptist church groups even if you got them to put two ties on!
There are many stiff necks that need to get fixed before we pulpit whip the general common people in the pew to wear a tie.
The rapture is about to happen and the old cliques want a neck tie.
Preach repentance, Hell is coming and that Christ forgives and will redeem those who are ashamed of their sin and want a pardon. Sanctification is a natural process. But offences from the Leadership and the prevailing groups in the church will undo Gods work.
Preach and teach that, and God will let His Holy Spirit dwell in your congregations.
AMEN, AMEN, and AMEN! GLORY HALLELUJAH, CAN I GET A WITNESS!!!
I pastor a Baptist Church I am the only one who wares a tie to church. I do it because of the way I was raised for respect for the calling. I have people who ware jeans and pull over shirts. It’s not what’s on the out side it’s the condition of the heart to JESUS. It’s a come as you are. They come clean in the best they have. These are as close to GOD as a man in a 3 piece suit.The HOLY SPIRIT dwells in the heart not the cloths they ware.
You are sooo right. In 1st or 2nd Samuel he said it all… Men look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. What you wear does not make you Holy…. Its what you God sees in your heart. Iv seen people that “look” Holy but have a black heart and judge people that don’t look the way they think should. The Bible is very clear when it says “JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED…”
Well said. This is exactly the reason I want my Sunday dress to be different. For all He’s done for me, I want to honor him with my best. Thanks!
Honor Him with your servitude, obedience and praise and worship. Most of all, have a relationship with him. This is SOOO not about what one physically wears.
Since Christians claim that God is everywhere, shouldn’t Christians dress to the nines every day, everywhere they go, no matter what they do? I mean, if you want to honor your deity with your best you should wear your best every day. Heels and hose for women (nothing sleeveless or showing the neck, shoes must not show toes), tuxes for guys. Works for me!
Yeah, we really need a sarcasm font here.
I agree, I grew up very traditionally and still like those traditions I liked the more kind, proper society before the invasion of the slobs. But we need to remember God sees us at all times, in our finest, in our slovenliness and in our nothingness, and in our sin, but He still loves us. He cares nothing for our suits and ties, our knee length dresses….He sees the heart. He longs for our true worship of praise in who He is and not what we become when we put on our finery and our sorry to say, our pious faces.
I’m not much in the business of corecting others or being confrontational, but i have to disagree with this article. I am an independent baptist myself. i wear a tie to church most sundays mainly because that is the “unwritten dress code”. i do not condemn the author of this article or his heart or those who also hold to this opinion. But may i submit a few things:
1. The NT if anything condemns dressing up. I Tim. 2:9-10 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professiong godliness) with good works.” Here women are instructed to focus on good works, and not on extravagent dress. In the servce we are to focus on our Lord and the preaching of the Word and not on ourselves. It’s about Him, not us! 1 Peter 3:3-4 gives some similiar instruction.
2. Dressing up can lead to segregation. James 2:1-6 gives the senario of a well dressed man getting preferential treatment, while a poor man with “vile raiment” is segreagated to the back of the cogregation. While attending Christian college, I often went street witnessing. Along with giving the gospel. I would simply invite them to our church. It took me back on how many said that they felt like they would not fit in because they did not have anything nice to wear. While trying to assure them that that was not the case, I could not help but think that they were right. I shutter to think of the amount of people who are looking for the truth pull into our church parking lots only to look around see the people and drive off before ever hearing the gospel.
3. Misuse of Scripture to support a possiotion. The Matt. 22 passage is a parable with meaning and symbolism. It was also about a wedding not a church meeting. I also heard a pastor preach a message about When Peter was fishing and saw Jesus calling to him from the shore, and how Peter first put on his coat before he swam to Jesus. This pasor used that passage as a case text for coming to Jesus looking our best. BE CAREFUL PEOPLE ON HOW YOU USE SCRIPTURE!!!
4. Shouldn’t we look our best for Jesus? ! Sam. 16:7 simply says that God does not look on the outward appearance but the heart. Lets not forget too that when God created Adam and Eve they were naked. So i don’t think God originally cared that much about clothing. Just saying
5. Shouldn’t we be seperate from the world? I am all for BIBLICAL seperation. What happens when the Bible does not specifically deal with an “issue”? What’s right or wrong? One might say well Rom. 12:1-2, be seperate from the world and worldly things. ok, what’s worldly??? If the Bible doesn’t say than who? You? Your pastor? Well we just want to draw the line as far away from sin as possible, right? Convictions and standards are great things to have, but lets not spiritualize them or push them on others. I encourage everyone to read Rom. 14 very carefully. Good Christians will differ on different things, and IT’S OK.
6. Be careful about evangelism through seperation. Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” notice that pople glorify God when they see your GOOD WORKS and not your “standards”. people can care less about your standards. They want to know that you’re real, and that your God is real
the important thing is to get people to come to Church and to hear the word of God
Well-said, David! I always tell my kids that they should dress for church as they would if they were going to have dinner at the White House with the President! After all the Lord is even more important than the President!!
While I appreciate where the writer is coming from and what he is (likely) trying to say, I must say, I’ve never seen a parable and direct teaching of Jesus’ such as this (Matt. 22) more twisted, maligned and misunderstood. To the author, @Matt is correct when he says, “I urge you to be careful and make sure you use passages of the Bible in context, not just to fit what you want to say.” This is what drives people FROM the house of God rather than TO it. Jesus is no respecter of persons. Come to Him as you are, not as others say you should be.
The matter at hand is one of principle. If I were going to meet a queen or a president I would probably try to wear my best in honor of the office. I would think no less to do so in the presence of God almighty. However we must be careful on the other hand of becoming too prideful in our attire and having the wrong motives for dressing up. The key is to present your self according to the protocol and wear your best even if that is overalls and tennis shoes and that is all you have. It is true that God looks on the heart and Jesus rebuked the pharisees for having the outside clean and the inside undone and full of dead man’s bones. However, he did go on to say that in taking care of the weightier matter of the inside not to leave the outside undone. No one should do one with out the other. Mature christians should not be compared to babies in the Lord. As a tree matures the fruit grows on the outside to represent what’s the condition on the inside. Even the Farakhan Muslim representatives wear a suit and tie to represent their movement to the world. Hypocrites can dress up too. Just sayin!
thank you david i have read a lot of the comments against your article and can only say we live in a sad day
the dumbing down of america is here. most so called Christians don’t know what it means to give their whole heart and lives to Christ. they live their self-centered lives in bitterness and with hostile hearts. I should not have read so many
I now feel unclean and must hurry back to my stream of cleansing
God Bless you brother for exposing so many dark hearts I believe I will stay away from this sight
ken
I have had lengthy discussions with friends and acquaintances regarding this topic. Like the author, I believe that the trouble we take over something shows how important it is to us, and even the small effort to wear a tie when going to church shows that it is important to me and to others. But the people I speak with don’t agree at all; they point out that the Scriptures nowhere demand that we wear a tie (or a coat & tie) to church. They point out that just because our forefathers did it does not make it right; those same forefathers also believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that bleeding people was good for them. If the Bible doesn’t command it or forbid it, it is up to each Christian’s conscience before God.
The author is reading minds to say that people not wearing ties have a flippant attitude toward God. This sounds like the kind of judgment based on externals that Jesus condemned.
They say “Why shouldn’t I be comfortable?” — but does discomfort commend us to God? Should we descend to whipping ourselves to get God’s favor? When then, go out of the way to be uncomfortable as though it brings us into favor with God?
Does a sense of awe in God’s presence lead us to wearing a tie? If I’m not wearing a tie, can I not get a sense of the awe of His presence?
You count it an honor to take pains to dress up (as do I), but I cannot point to Scripture for such a practice, and my friends dismiss merely how I feel about it: “It’s OK for you, but why should we live by YOUR standards, if they are not in the Bible?”
I was hoping to find some answers for them here, but all I find is an appeal to US traditions and the author’s feelings.
In closing, please refer to the opening sentences; I am in full agreement with the author, and I do believe in dressing up for church.
This is a cultural issue; not a Biblical issue. In fact 1 Samuel 16:7 talks about how man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Our forefathers wore suits and ties when they went to baseball games and when they played golf as well. Was that to show respect? Of course not; it was the cultural norm. The dress a person wears does not necessarily reflect his/her “flippant” or “non-flippant” attitude towards God; how ridiculous. Again, God looks at the heart. For some people, their Sunday best is a nice pair of jeans. Similarly, it completely depends what part of the country you live in, as well as living in the city or the country. You can certainly come out here to Utah and live where I live and watch all the Mormons in the “Sunday best” white shirts, suits, and ties. Their hearts are in the wrong place, as is anyone’s whose focus is on the clothing. In fact, I’d challenge the writer that the more dressed up you are, the easier it is for you to look down and judge others that aren’t dressed as nice as you. Again, God looks at the heart.
While I would not claim that dressing up for church is bad, I don’t believe that you can make the claim that it is needful or even something to be desired from Scripture.
The author says, “Why approach His house with any more formality than we would enter the neighborhood grocery store?” I would be interested to know where the author gets an understanding of there being a “house of God” in the New Testament. In fact, every single mention of the church is specifically in relation to a group of people meeting together. There were no church buildings in the first 200+ years of the church. The “house of God” simply did not exist. Beyond this, there’s every bit of indication that people did not dress up for church at all in the early church. Churches were made up of slaves and freemen. The slaves simply didn’t have extra clothes to put on to “go to meetin’.” I can’t imagine that the church members would have specific dress-up clothes to go to meetings where they would be killed if people knew what they were doing. (I would challenge to read more about the early church. A good place to stay would be Christianity Through the Centuries” by Cairns. But, really any history of the early church would do. Churches as we would understand them today did not become commonplace until Christianity was made into a legal religion until Constantine in the 3rd/4th century.
Thus, here’s where the argument breaks down. If there is no indication in the early church of a compulsory dressing up for church, where did this come from? Certainly, to trace it to one specific cause would be simplistic. I would argue that there were several contributing factors to the “Sunday-go-to-meeting” style. First, a high church understanding taken from the Catholic/Anglican church contributed to the idea of dressing up for church. Taking cues from the Old Testament temple commands, the Catholics/Anglicans viewed Sunday as specific times to perform rites in order to please God. Within this ritualistic mindset, they believed the services to be “holy” (again something not found in any New Testament epistle or in the book of Acts). Thus, “holy” services were not to be taken lightly. Second, a prosperity not found in much of common Europe allowed American Christians the ability to afford a second set of clothes. These clothes were always saved for special occasions – times when people should look special. Church, naturally, was one of those occasions as people often traveled long distances every Sunday, met with others on Sunday, etc…
So, the early church did not dress up. But, early-American Christians, because of their prosperity and the influence of a “high-church” mentality, dressed up to attend church. Does this mean that it is wrong to dress up? Of course not, but let’s recognize that those are secular reasons not biblical reasons. What does that mean for us today? Before I say anything else, let me say that I dress up on Sunday (not just a tie, but a suit and tie). However, I do not think this is necessary. I also do not think that if I stopped dressing up the Lord would be displeased because I was supposedly taking worship “flippantly.” Why do I dress up then? Because doing so allows me to have better ministry in the city where I am ministering at (I’m a pastor by the way). Where I’m at, people still expect to dress up to go to church (although this is changing). In order to more effectively reach those in my community, I have chosen to wear a suit and tie.
What about those who don’t dress up? Are they disrespecting God? I’m sure some could be. There are some who could be dressing down just because they can and they don’t want to go along with the “establishment” (a rebellious reason). But, I also believe that there are many that genuinely want to better reach the people where they live. Because of the more casual mentality of the culture, they realize that many people don’t own a suit. When that person comes to church genuinely seeking God, they may be hindered by the awkwardness of not having dressed up to an event everyone else is dressed up to. (Have you ever attended an event in which everyone was either [a] way more dressy than you or [b] way more casual than you? It’s super awkward and you’re aware of it the whole time) Thus, there are some churches in the which the pastors encourage their congregations to have be more casual in order to better reach the community. The visitors are not distracted and embarrassed by the failure to follow protocol and can, hopefully, listen to the gospel without hinderance.
In conclusion, if the Bible doesn’t mandate dressing up for church (and in fact gives every indication that the early church didn’t), and if the “Sunday-meeting-clothes” are a relatively modern invention (250-300 years), and if your dressing up would cause a hinderance to reaching the lost, I would say it’s not at all wrong to dress down. In fact, you may be a better soul-winner because of it. This is up for every person to decide. Please don’t judge those who dress down. Instead, seek to become “all things to all men, that [you] might by all means save some…” 1 Corinthians 9:22.
I really hope the author doesn’t take this as an attack. But, I would like to here any comments he may have regarding the matter.
David – You said most of what I was going to say. I would just add that we often take the “modesty” portions of Scripture out of context too. While I don’t think anyone should be dressing provocatively in public, the modesty that is spoken of in the New Testament is one of a financial modesty, not the Victorian concept of modesty. In other words, it seems the principle about dressing when meeting together is to not make a big show. For the small group I go to, I’d be causing a show if showed up in a suit and it would seem like I was trying to be “better” than the others there (many of them are laborers and while they dress neatly, they never wear ties or suits). It is definitely a cultural thing and while dressing up doesn’t automatically make us hypocrites, it can hinder our relationship with other believers and others outside the church. This was actually a difficult realization to come to a number of years back, because I would wear a suit everyday if a could (and could afford that much dry cleaning).
That was very well said and seemingly in a very good spirit. Glad I had the price leg to read it.
Really liked what David Luttrull had to say.
“for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” The heart can be masked by ties as well as by flip flops. To each his own.
Yes, man looketh on the outward appearance! That’s the whole point, not the excuse.
What happened to “Be not conformed to this world” ?
American “christianity” is the climax of the Laodicean lukewarmness so despised by the Lord.
What you wear, in ANY setting, reflects as much on YOU as it does on the person with whom you’re meeting with!
I can’t believe that you seriously equate wearing a tie to not being conformed to the world. Lost business men running casinos wear ties as well. It is a personal decision not Scripture yet you are willing to run people into the ground because they don’t see it like you do. You can keep your “authoritative opinions”. Jesus left His glory suit at home and came down to man, where he was, and dressed like them, talked like them and became like them in order to meet them and help them. He ate with the sinners, sided with the guilty woman caught in adultery. He became like us to reach us. He laid aside His glory to reach out to us. Maybe we should follow His example and lay down our glorious ties in order to reach the common man. In my opinion which you are free to take it or leave it.
Can I say to those who bring up the cultural issue, yes coat and ties can be said to be cultural, the principle is 100% Biblical. We should use our best for church, for we are going to worship the creator of the Universe. Should He be treated with any less respect than a president? How would you dress when meeting a president? Also think of the sacrifices in the Old Testament, they had to give the best they had.
I always thought this particular argument was the most comical of all of them. If I truly took what you were saying to heart, the absolute best that I still own is my wedding dress. My wedding dress was over $1000 and covered in silk and lace. According to your argument I should be wearing my wedding dress every time I attend church because it is my best. Realize this entire article is nothing more than man’s opinion and legalistic judgement.
I like your comment
Who defines “best?” 21st century American culture is, by no means, monolithic. And, in the OT, God defined what was acceptable and what was not for sacrifice. That being said, are you equating the purpose of OT sacrifices with what people of today wear to church? If so, the works soteriology implied in that is disturbing, and possibly heretical.
I don’t understand why what I would or wouldn’t wear when meeting with POTUS has anything to do with how I approach my King. My King, unlike POTUS, is not bound by arbitrary social protocol as determined by fluid and fallible social constructs.
One final thought (not necessarily directed at the above commenter), while growing up, “dressing up” for church was often defended with appeal to “all things *being* done decently and in order.” I grew up in Florida, and, for the life of me, could never figure out how wearing a coat and tie in 95 degree weather was decent and in order.
I have been asked that exact question before. “Wouldn’t you wear a coat and tie when meeting the President?” My response was, “It depends on whether or not I was his son and he was my father.” If he was my father, it wouldn’t really matter what I was wearing.
Does everybody who ever meets the President dress in a tie? You know that’s not true.
And besides, who cares what anyone wears to meet the president / queen or whoever else. That has absolutely nothing to do with going to church.
“…the princicple is 100% Biblical. We should use our best for church…”
Chapter and verse, please.
Judge not according to appearance…..pretty clear. Traditions of men corrupt the Spirit of God. Not once can we find a passage where Peter was told to dress like Paul or that they were gettin’ their Sunday best on….considering the sabbath was From Friday to Saturday, Sunday is the first day of the week. Jesus said we’d know HIS by their FRUITS, NOT SUITS…..Doesn’t matter what you’re wearing if your soul is stained with sin. That’s the problem with traditions of men an standards set by men. They aren’t based on scripture, but fears, control….lack of faith. You worry about what they have on instead of the pain that is in their hearts….does that quench the Spirit? Repent an be baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins an you will receive the Spirit of the Living, loving, God that looks upon the heart of a man, not the attire or stature. Amen
This is a very shallow interpretation of a very deep principle and teaching of Jesus Christ. I was brought up in legalism and man-mad ‘standards’. I am so glad my father encouraged me to know the Bible for myself. It is so sad to see Pastors on here proclaiming the validity of the position of the author. So sad that you do not understand the meaning of the parable in Matthew 22 and yet you tend a flock of your own. I would encourage you to seek the deeper meaning Jesus intended by using this parable to teach us about the Gospel.
So I can’t worship God if I’m in the shower? After all, in the shower I’m wearing no clothes at all. What if I’m out shoveling after a storm and want to praise God for the beauty I see around me? Because I’m wearing snow gear and not heels and hose I can’t do that? Or should I not shovel snow at all because that would mean I can’t wear heels and hose? If you want to dress up for church I’m cool with that. Just don’t say it’s about going to the “House of God” and worship and all that. Church is the people, not the building. Praise and worship shouldn’t be set aside only for 10:30 and 6:00 on Sundays and 6:30 on Wednesday.
Is there a verse in the bible about women having to wear nylons and men having to wear neckties? Didn’t think so. Quit worshiping your extra-biblical standards. Not everyone has fancy clothes that meet your standards.
Okay you “live and let live folks….. IF God were SO UNconcerned with our dress or outward appearence, WHY exactly did HE tell Moses to tell the people…..Ex. 19:10-17? Moreover, God even wanted a CLEAN camp Deut. 23:12-14. God sure did seem concerned with clean clothes and bodies (the meaning of sanctify or so Barnes wrote: Sanctify them – The injunction involves bodily purification and undoubtedly also spiritual preparation. Compare Heb_10:22. The washing of the clothes was an outward symbol well understood in all nations.) So what I have to add as a 31 year old IFB Pastor is as long as Clothes do not become a form of legalism it is proper and right to “dress” properly for the Services in the Lord’s house. We are admonished not to treat people differently due to their social status or clothing (James 2:3) but we ought to ensure that in the end we all are “clothed” spiritually with: The Righteousness of Christ (Salvation) and the Armour of God. Great Article!
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
God certainly IS concerned with our outward appearance; there are several NT passages encouraging His people to dress modestly, and how we dress certainly falls under the “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”.
However, nothing says that we must wear a (coat and) I to His house.
God wanted a clean camp to avoid contamination. Basically, clean up and don’t poop around others so that you don’t have diseases. Besides, we aren’t Jews (although grafted into the promises and Abraham is our father in the faith CHRISTIANS AREN’T JEWS), and we aren’t under any of the ceremonial laws. The moment you say, “Well, we aren’t under the ceremonial/purification laws because we’re Christians, but we SHOULD be in principle because God never changes,” then we negate everything Paul/apostles ever said about Judaizers). If you want to wear a tie, do it. If other men don’t want to, don’t. (Paul dealt with this: if you want to consider one day a holy day, fine. If not, fine. Just make sure it’s out of faith and don’t impose it on others).
Preach Jesus and the actual articles of the faith as seen in the gospels. The Holy Spirit can change hearts through that.
1. Nothing said in the previous post even remotely applies to whether or not one dress up for church.
2. Like many issues in the fun world of Independent Baptist teaching, the one of dressing up for church is one where Scripture is taken out of context and twisted around to make some nonsensical point about man made standards.
3. The historical notion of “Sunday go-to Meeting” clothes actually came from a time in the short lived history of the United States, in which most people only had one good set of clothing, which was to be worn for church, weddings, funerals, parties, etc.
The funny thing about wearing a tie to church is that it’s so overwhelmingly based on how one is brought up in the church. If this subject comes up in an Independent Baptist church, lots of people will jump in on the “you must wear a tie” bandwagon. But they’ve been taught this their entire lives in church. If the subject comes up in another Protestant denomination, people will be like ‘what are you talking about?” Yet, those who are for wearing the tie seem to take some superior position, even while they’re saying that they’re not, that they’re more spiritual – i.e. they honor the Lord more than those who don’t wear a tie.
We should all be able to agree that we should dress appropriately/modestly for any activity/occasion – including church.
But we should also be careful not to use God or the Bible to justify our preferences.
Creighton, the problem with quoting the Law from Deuteronomy is that you either take it ALL or you do not take any of it. It’s so very convenient for so-called and self-proclaimed theologians to take selective verses they hold dear from the Law because it ‘suits’ their purposes. The law also stated in Deut 22:11, “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.” I could take the time to quote many more passages of the law that we do not adhere to today, but that would be to easy. If Jesus wanted the Law, he would have accepted the Pharisees. they followed the Law to the letter. This is something I hope everyone subscribing to legalism embraces: The Jews were SO caught up in their Laws and regulations and additional man-made standards that were added to the Law at that time, they didn’t even see Jesus for who He was. They were blinded by their own pride. So it is today with many who believe they are saved, but Jesus will say, “depart from me, for I never knew you.” Anyone can give money, some more than others. Anyone can dress nicely, and some more than others. Anyone can be talented, some more than others. But NO ONE can give Him what he wants like YOU can. Each of us has something God desires above all and that is a relationship with Him. There is no monetary value that can equal it. There is no suit or tie that can outshine it. There is no talent that can outperform it. I learned long ago that those who are prideful of their legalistic ways are the ones that staunchly defend it – even though they may realize their ways are nothing more than pride and elitism.
One problem is that in this post you have taken the Matthew 22 passage out of context. That parable is speaking to believers and showing us that we are to be ready for the coming of the Bride-groom (Jesus). It is not talking about our physical dress. I urge you to be careful and make sure you use passages of the Bible in context, not just to fit what you want to say.
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Why not give the Lord your best! He has given His best to us!
Why don’t you wear a tuxedo then? If you are serious about your dedication to the Lord being seen through the clothes that you wear to a church service than your church service would require formal wear not just a neck tie. So either you are just following a tradition of men or you are not fully committed to the Lord.
The book of James specifically forbids judging others based upon what they are wearing.
How do you know if someone wearing jeans or sweatpants, if that isn’t their best? What if you have a Tuxedo hanging in the closet, should you be wearing that instead? Also, what determines our best? Price? I know many kids that have sneakers that cost more than their “dress shoes”. Same can be said for jeans vs. dress pants! Do we determine our best based on material? So, cotton blend is better than cotton denim? Do you not see how we impede man’s judgement to even determine what is “best” and to God everything we offer is just filthy rags to begin with? Do you think you are earning some bonus points with God because you are wearing a tie, suit or dress? This conversation is ridiculous!
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
I do not labor in the vineyard in the hope that God would accept me, God knows me and all my ways and has died on the cross for me, given his life for me, and has saved me; that is why I labor. But in laboring in His vineyard I realize it is His and I want to please Him in all that I do.
This article is not talking about justifying yourself to God, it is talking about pleasing the Lord and not yourselves; Seeking his desire. The Bible prophesies in 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears…”
When you are debating these matters you need to look to your motivation. Is your motivation to please Him, or is it to please or justify your own actions.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
Again, Pastor Carney’s statement is irrelevant to the point. It’s also incorrect. We should surrender everything we have to God, because we love Him. Pastor Carney’s statement comes across as one of those parental guilt trip statements meant to make us feel bad if we’re not doing what he suggests.
If we’re supposed to dress our best, why not dress in a tuxedo to church? Why should women not wear wedding dresses every Sunday? After all, wedding attire is the best our culture has to offer in clothing. I am also sure the proper “wedding garment” parable was totally about what clothes we wear to church anyway. Have we sold God short and not given our best by not dressing in wedding apparel to church? Why would we give our bride and grooms our best and not God Himself? Surely we can give God better clothing than than the Mormons do!
Or maybe our best isn’t good enough for the One who is clothed in light and power Ps 93:1; Ps 104:2 . Or maybe God is looking for something else beyond a tie? Being clothed in humility for one? – 1 Peter 5:5-6
I am thankful to be clothed by God in what really matters:
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:11
what about Men wearing Women”s clothes and vice versa ?
While I have no problem with people wearing a tie to church, I think that the rationale is a bit off here. First of all, the Matthew 22 passage cited here has nothing to do with what you wear to church. Secondly, the church building is just that- a building. It doesn’t have the same function or purpose as the Temple or Tabernacle did, so any OT reference to Jewish requirements for coming into God’s presence at *any* of His dwelling-places is a non-issue. If you believe that giving your best to God is by putting on your “Sunday finest”, then that is fine. That is your conviction- your way of showing God you reverence Him. That is, after all, an issue we can agree on, I think: God deserves glory and reverence. He may be glorified and reverenced, though, in ways besides our cultural dress code, and those other ways are far more important.
The whole issue reminds me of the issue of music – especially people not wanting to sing songs with a range that might become a tad uncomfortable for the not-particularly-good singer. God forbid that a “sacrifice of praise” should actually involve something that resembles sacrifice!
Sooo if we are supposed to wear our best for God why aren’t you wearing a tuxedo every Sunday? This is just silly.
Steve, that is what I am saying too. To wear your best, man has to set that standard. We see who well that worked for the Pharisees. Is a tuxedo better than a suit? If so, what makes it better? The material? Price? I know women how have swimsuits that cost more than anything they own, would that be their best?
I agree with the author. I also agree with those that say it is a cultural item. Our society, here in America, for special occations still wear coats and ties for men and mostly the women wear a very nice dress or skirt and jacket outfit. Look at any of the bridal magazines and that is still the cultural majority. Our very good friends are missionaries to the Philipines and he hasn’t worn a tie to preach in service in the 5 or so years they have lived there. He wears their traditional shirt (the name of it is escaping me) that the Philipino men wear for their special occations. The whole point is to give your best to the Master whatever it may be. I believe that if you are capable of wearing your best to gather together for the Lord you should. If you are only capable of wearing sweatpants and an old tshirt, than you have given God your very best.
I completely agree with this post. How can we want to worship a God who walks on gold as if he is supposed grateful we are there as we truly are. As if he can’t see the true nature of our hearts and minds if we come into his presence in the best that we have. I think an extremely humbling thing for you to do is to wear your best and realize it is nothing compared to the glory and majesty of God. It isn’t Pharisaical to put forth an effort, to put away with your comfort zone and attempt to do something at your best for God. let’s not forget the widow’s two mites, that’s someone bringing their best to the Savior. And the story of the alabaster box. I think it is always carnal to criticize someone for putting forth an effort to bless the Lord. There for to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin. If you don’t have traditional church attire wear your best. You can’t work at McDonald’s in jeans and a t-shirt.
You do realize that your best is as filthy rags right? The widow that brought the 2 mites didn’t bring her best, she brought everything she had. We can’t bring God our “best” until man defines what “best” is, which obviously has no place in spiritual affairs. As I said earlier, my absolute best is my several thousand dollar wedding dress, would you suggest that I wear that each Sunday? Is our best based on price, or quality of material? Please let me know so I get it right by man’s standards. See, I have some jeans that cost more than my dresses, so I just need clarification on what is “best” so that God will love me more. Please note the heavy sarcasm. Your argument is ridiculous.
This article reeks with the judgmental legalism that accompanies those who insist on the tradition of dressing in expensive attire for church meetings. There IS another side to the scriptural argument that has nothing to do with flippancy. We are cautioned more than once in the New Testmanent not to focus on costly apparel or array because there is a spiritual danger in that. The danger is thinking less of those who do not dress up or spend as much on their clothing, which is exactly what this author does. Sad. Sign of the Laodicean age maybe?
It’s a sign of Phariseeism.
Agreed!
“The church is the people, not the building”
If this is the case, why do we dress nicely when we go to the church building but not when we meet other believers throughout the week?
A friend of mine posted a link to this article on their Facebook – so I decided to check it out. It seems like the writer is writing more for people inside the “club” who agree with his perspective.
I appreciated David Luttrell’s comments. Our family has lived in several different states (Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan) and you would be hard pressed to find people who “dress up” to go to a funeral or meet the president. Their public attire is usually comfortable clothes. Sales people rarely wear ties and most professionals I know where polos to work. Maybe because so many of them work in the automotive/manufacturing industries.
The church we attend now is a “come as you are” church. While some may see that as a lack of respect, our church tends to attract lots of unchurched people. For them, attending church is similar to attending a public event like they would for school performances, sporting events, etc. You can not tell by looking at people’s attire much about their socio-economic status or their occupation. Most people are focused on the message and the experience than focusing on other people’s attire.
In our case, I would say dressing casually is being more concerned about making others comfortable about attending church.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.