Why I Still Wear A Tie To Church

 6  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

 7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

So if I don’t have a suit and I don’t, I have to say WOW tomorrow is Sunday! I have to go buy a suit! That is going for a SHOW. To show people your new clothes or dress. I went to a Church one time in a suit FINALLY and preacher said now that is how you are supposed to go to Church. I quit that Church. Didn’t go to another one for 8 years. I used to go to Church to worship the Lord and King. Now we go to Church Just to be seen. Who drives a Cadallic or lives in a big brick home. All of the wagon tracks round the Church are gone!

I get some of the sentiments here, about how the writers dress for him reflects his feelings towards God and meeting together with other Christians. I feel that’s great for him… But I just don’t think we can extend this to something to put on others.

I’m glad he did clarify that we are the church, not the building. But he still seems to be confining it to one meeting on Sunday. I believe we are the church wherever we are, whenever that is.

Dressing up may be an authentic expression for some and not for others. For me, giving away my clothes to people who need them expresses for me more of my heart and love for Jesus than what I wear on Sunday. But I wouldn’t say whether someone who does dress up for a meeting doesn’t have that same heart or not. All in all, I think worrying about clothes – whether fancy or otherwise – is the wrong approach.

I wish the author had stuck to just explaining why he does it as an expression of worship – which is lovely and good – and not extended it to imply judgment on the attitude and heart of others who do not continue this Sunday, man-made tradition.

There is something that you overlooked: image. If people see you on a Sunday morning wearing a tie and carrying a Bible, they assume you are going to church. They know you take Sundays seriously. It does my heart good when I see suits, nice dresses, and Bibles on my way to church.

I used to be a member of a church that had no dress code. Some came in suits, but some didn’t bother dressing up at all. Kids who goofed off during the sermon were always dressed in unclean t-shirts and greasy hair. They hated being dragged to church and it showed.

Did the early New Testament believers dress up when they gathered in each others homes? There was definitely no command in Scripture to do this and no record of it either. However, God, through Paul and the other apostles did write about judging based on outward appearance, wanting to be seen by others, following after traditions of men rather than God. As another commenter pointed out, we are told to be clothed in all humility, and we aren’t to be focused on the outward appearance (braiding of hair, putting on costly clothing) but instead (as women in particular) cultivating a meek and quiet spirit. (1 Peter) With God it’s always about the heart and not outward appearance. James and 1 Corinthians both deal with making gatherings that should be all about God into something that is man centered where the rich flaunt their wealth and people stand in judgement of others based on status.

We don’t meet in a temple anymore. The Old Testament laws regarding the temple/tabernacle don’t apply. We don’t have to cleanse ourselves ceremonial before coming before God because Christ has already done that for us on the cross. The whole point of those laws was to show how Holy and set apart God is from us. Is He any less Holy today? Of course, not. However, the issue was never about the outward appearance. Christ came died on the cross to remove what separated us from God. It wasn’t wrong clothing choices, but the sin inside of our wicked hearts. We now can come boldly before the throne of grace anytime, just as we are. We are His child and God’s Spirit indwells us. Instead of going to a temple, we ARE God’s temple. So, is this really a question about once a week when we gather with other Believers? If you use the logic about meeting with God, we are technically always in His presence and should be in a continual state of worship. If it were about the clothes, than we would need to be dressed up 24/7. This is a heart issue.

Yes, dress does matter because it reflects what’s going on inside our hearts. Everything we do is a reflection of what we believe. Being modest and appropriate to the occasion are a reflection on what we think about God, ourselves, and those around us. Are we trying to draw attention to ourselves in a sexual or flashy way? Do we want people to think better of us based on what we are wearing? Are we too lazy to take care of our clothes or bodies? The whole point of being modest is to not draw undue attention to one’s person. When we go to church, we are meeting with other Believers to hear God’s Word, remember together what Christ has done for us, and to encourage each other in the Lord. We are there to corporately do what we should be doing all week long individually. I’m not seeing the correlation of dressing up as a necessary part of doing this.

There are a lot of other factors involved, too when it comes to what someone wears to church. How were you raised and what were you taught is acceptable or unacceptable attire for different occasions? Where are you at financially? Where are you at in your spiritual maturity? What was your morning/week like? What are your responsibilities at church? (When I’m working in the nursery I wear pants because it’s more modest and practical for chasing after little toddlers.) Would it not be much better to come as you are with a heart open and ready to hear God’s Word and a desire to be a blessing to other Believers? If the author feels he is giving a sacrifice to God by dressing up a bit, than that is great. But, does that mean we should be condescending to those who don’t as being nonspiritual or flippant because they choose to give different forms of sacrifice to the Lord on Sunday?

The key is not men’s standards, but the Bible’s standards of appearance regarding wearing those things which are modest, appropriate, and which serve their gender role. One may find a tie appropriate. Others may not. One may find a day to be holy. Others may not. Let each be convinced in their own mind. Is that more of what Paul would say?

Have we not all seen far better dressed individuals without a tie than with one? This “tie is spiritual” and “I attend three services” mentality in which they attempt to showcase their opinion as Biblical dogma is exactly the reason that people disregard pastors when they talk of other more important Biblical issues of modesty, holiness, music, separation, attitude, and the most important Biblical pursuit of doctrinal purity. Today, I see fundamentalists as becoming more and more isolated and for all the wrong reasons. Many of them act like tyrants regarding their “three services per week”, their ties, and their tithes, but none have firm Biblical footing. On the other hand, many of these same men are chasing after the Gospel Coalition, John Piper, Tim Keller, N.T. Wright, and many others whose official catechisms, creeds, and confessionals teach baptismal salvation. Let’s get the beam out first and then worry about the splinters.

IMO all of this depends on your view of God. Many people have a causal view of God. God is their Father and Christ is a brother and a friend. Others (like myself) have a higher view of God. He is holy, perfect and we live in awe of his purity. That doesn’t mean those who have a casual view of God do not see the higher view but it’s not their primary view of Him. Those that have a higher view of God take it upon themselves to show honor and respect outwardly as well as inwardly, but since man cannot see the heart we are called, plastic, Pharisaical and legalist. Those that have a higher view of God look at those with a causal view as being disrespectful and rebellious. Historically, a higher view of God took precedence but in the last 40 years the causal view has been gaining popularity due to the shift in culture brought on by the millennial generation.

Fundamental flaw – we don’t go to church to meet God. That’s not what church is for. God does not live in a tabernacle and His interactions with us are not tied to a church building. We go to church to build the Body, to worship with Believers rather than by ourselves. We go to church for edification and discipleship. We do NOT come to church to meet God as though our meeting with him is more direct at our church than in our home. If you want to wear a tie that’s fine, but don’t every use the reasoning that it’s because you’re “meeting with God.” All the sales people, banker, funeral etc. comparisons are all therefore voided.

Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. They dropped their nets and followed. Jesus didnt say go shower shave and take off those filthy fishing clothes. Should we also be free from sin before coming to meet God? We come as we are and we love God with all of our heart soul and strength. If we do that then our actions(inner) will speak louder than words or an outward appearance. White coffins are clean but dead inside.

Had this guy just stuck to the difference it makes in his own life when dressing up, it would have been fine. But with arguments as poor as these, it’s no wonder that the IFB movement is losing the hearts & minds of young people. We seem bent on proving that our extra-biblical standards are superior by impugning the intentions of those who have a different set of standards. We lose credibility with statements like “The slouchy dress that we see in worship services directly corresponds to our flippant attitude toward meeting with our Maker and Saviour.” The author cannot prove the “direct correspondence,” yet he asserts it nonetheless. It boggles my mind that we can look down our nose at others & make assessments of the spiritual condition based on outward appearance… I feel bad for this author. It’s as if he’s never read James 2, etc.

On another note, since he believes that “when the people of the church meet, they become the “house of God” (1 Timothy 3:15); they become His dwelling place,” I wonder if he wears a tie to every occasion for which they meet. Does he dress up when the church has an outdoor barbecue that ends with worship? Does he expect teens to dress up for youth group activities that end with worship but start with kickball? The implications of his arguments are quite silly.

I agree with you 100%. You’re point that we don’t suffer enough for God anyway rang true to me!
If I were somehow able to meet Princess Kate and Prince Will I would buy, beg, or borrow the finest, classiest outfit for the occation. Why less when I come before the Prince of Princes? The KING OF KINGS? People who think that the way they dress does not reflect the heart (excuse me for being blunt) are blind. We are the “Tabernacle of the Holy Spirit” not the tablernacle of Lady Gaga or ourselves. God deserves the best we can be, inside and OUT.
And I don’t think that people who wear shorts to church are not saved: but it gives you an idea of where their hearts are at.
Anyway, I LOVED your post!

Good piece. God clothed Adam and Eve, he told the people when was to meet with them at the foot of the Mount not to come unless then washed their clothes and bathed. God is going to cloth everyone in heaven so what you put on in front of Him is important. Read all the Bible and it will surprise a lot of people what God expects. Your article is exactly right.

Another way to get your card punched!

Just wondering, how should one dress when having an audience with the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Australia or the Queen of Great Britain. Oh the honor and privilege that is ours when we come into the presence of the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Just saying . . . .

It doesn’t matter the religion. It doesn’t matter whether or not one believes God is in the building or the hearts of the people in the building.It doesn’t matter what paraphrase, bible verse, testiment, or gospel you want to quote. People have gotten lazy with thier attire over the last century or more. We have so few occasions to “dress up” any more. What, maybe 3 – 4 times a year if we have a wedding or party to go to. I was braught up to always dress up for church. Out of respect toward the church, my elders, and for myself. I may not wear a dress everytime or something super fancy but I leave my jeans and sweatshirts at home for 1 hr and look my best in the pressents of my Lords church. Ask yourself this question…… How would you want to dress if you were going to actually meet Jesus or God for an interview? Would you wear your pajama bottoms and old ratty sweatshirt? Would you wear your torn and holey jeans and your language explict concert tee shirt? There is a time and a place for everything….. including our wardrobe we wear.

Again, people keep saying that we are coming before God in church as if it’s the only place we stand before Him. Or saying “The House of God.” Where do we find that terminology or imagery in Scripture, specifically the New Testament Church. We are ALWAYS in His presence, and our bodies are His house now. There is nothing special about the building we meet in. We are the church. We should always be standing in awe of His glory and holiness, not on Sundays only when we gather in a building for a set period of time. The issue is not what we wear on Sunday, but our hearts and actions through out the entire week. Our dress should always fit the occasion of what we are doing and bring glory to God regardless of the day. Depending on the church you go to, the type of attire that is most appropriate and God honoring will vary greatly. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy dressing up and looking nice. But, sometimes, in the context of our church setting, my dressing up can be more of a distraction to others and draws attention to myself rather than bringing the glory and focus to God where it should be. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be neat and clean just out of a simple pattern of treating God’s temple (our bodies) with the respect and honor it deserves, but making people feel guilty for not dressing according to a standard that we deem as holy or right seems to be missing the mark.

Study the origin of the tie.
It Is definitely unbiblical.

This coming Sunday morning I will drive around and see many men dressed up in suits and ties in their cars who will attend outright theologically liberal churches who believe in none of the fundamentals of the faith. I too, having been raised in 21st century America, have a difficult time seeing men come to church in shorts and flip-flops. But I have also found that some of these men are far more faithful and far more devoted to Christ and the Bible than some of the suit and tie crowd.

“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).” It is my belief that this following quote is based totally on opinion, not on scripture. For one, my mind instantly thinks back to the Moses of the Bible, and how he was quite literally closer to the physical presence of God than just about anyone else. The Bible never mentions Moses dressing up nice before going to the top of Mount Sinai, or before talking to a burning bush. If you are going to correlate the whole awe of God=dressing up nice out of awe (which sounds a lot like trying to impress Him to me) I would also have to ask if Jesus, while He was on earth, required his Disciples to dress nice when they were around him, out of respect or out of ‘awe’.
Quite honestly, and I say this with all of the love I can muster, this is the most ridiculous article I have ever read from a Believer. Maybe it’s because I don’t own a suit or tie (I’ve only ever wore one once), maybe it’s because I’m going to a very large secular university and I see Christians struggling with pornography, substance abuse, their faith, and a whole other slew of actually important issues. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve seen Christians go to my very small, student based church, and break down and cry, not because they’re embarrassed that they’re not well dressed enough, but because they have been touched by the presence of a Living God who doesn’t care about the outward appearance. Maybe, instead of wearing nice clothes, we should focus more on having our hearts in the right place for worship and for sharing the Gospel. Granted, this all comes from the fact that I am around so many people that do not have the fulfillment that wearing nice clothes–er, excuse me, a relationship with Christ–brings. Maybe it’s the fact that I see Christians who seem to be more concerned about what they wear to church than sharing the Gospel (and I definitely count myself in this category, in that I often let things other than the Holy Spirit take precedence in my own life).
I’m going to end this long post with a story. While working on a film crew up north, some crew members and I went to the park to play volleyball before the evening service of the very Independent Baptist Church we were attending. We left straight from the park and I didn’t bring a change of clothes, I had totally forgot. So I went to church in my sweaty Lebron James basketball shorts and T-Shirt. It was very intimidating. Now, I want to make clear one thing. No one made me feel uncomfortable or ‘judged’. I never felt like people were staring at me. Everyone was very nice and shook my hand (I actually wondered a few times if they thought it was my first time to visit church by how everyone greeted me). But it was intimidating. It was a large church of hundreds of people and I was the only one wearing shorts. I felt like I hadn’t gotten the memo, that I was the odd one out. And even though the congregation was non-judgmental, I remember thinking how even more intimidating it would be if it HAD been my first time to church. No one would have told me that I had to dress up. It was a sobering thought.
In closing, what is considered ‘nice’ or ‘formal’ attire is something that differs across cultures and time periods. The suit and tie has really only been popular for the past 400 years (at the very most) and we obviously don’t wear wigs, or our nice kaminos, or best traditional Ethiopian garb when we go to church because we live in the US in 2013. Not to mention the fact that many people don’t have or can’t afford nice clothes (or some, if they did have them, they’d only use them once a week at church, like me). “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” -Philippians 2:3-4

Perhaps another take on this debate or discussion. Lets look at the ministry of Jesus. Jesus and his disciples were not made of money nor did they come from money. They were very modest in their attire. Not priestly robes of any sort. In fact, no scripture really describes what He and his disciples wore in depth at all. But we understand through history and theologians that they were very modest. Their standard of dress would not have measured up our standard of “Suit” wearing in this day in age. This is our Lord we are examining. Jesus and his disciples looked like ” Common man ” so that they could reach ” Common Man “. Was it a mental note on their behalf to be conscience of their attire? I honestly can’t say for sure. But what they were preaching and teaching was WAY more important then what they were wearing. I remember reading that Jesus, out of all the things he would get upset about, was not about his disciples dress. But it was about how long they could pray, or the lack of faith they would exhibit.

He concerned himself with the care of their souls. He was not concerned about how they dressed. If they wore the best on Sundays or Fridays or even Tuesdays. He was making sure that the spiritual man was fed. He knew, that to get to the Carnal man. It had to be through the avenue of reaching their soul.

Scripture tells me that whatever my hands find to do. Do with all my might. As well as whatever I do, do as unto the Lord. Will I wear a suit? Sure. Are their Sundays and days of ministry that I MAKE sure I don’t? Absolutely!

Wearing a suit doesn’t make you more “Holy” or more preferred to God. Some folks don’t have money to get a suit. Or the ones the have are outdated and they feel embarrassed to wear them. Do they not please God? Perhaps what they are doing is their best. If you take time to help work on the spiritual man, the outside appearance will take care of itself. Do we need to live modestly and not parade around looking like a bunch of heathens? Of course.

But to assume, that people who don’t wear suits have apathy or lack of respect for the Lord Jesus. I believe speaks more about that person saying those words. Then the people he/she is trying to accuse….

Just sayin’