Should Church attire be criticized?

[decipher]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

 

[Cameron143]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

What would you wear to meet a king or president? And why?

 

[decipher]

Public schools were notorious for a similar situation. Students from well to do parents could easily be distinguished from ghetto kids. It got so bad that school uniforms or school colors were instituted so that there would be no distinction.

 

[Eli1]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

I have a lot to say about this, since the Churches that i have been visiting for my whole life sort of require an unspoken dress code and that's all the people need to turn it into a Gucci and Versace show.
But, as you've said it here, trying to be a normal conservative attire, is what the Church priests say too, but due to different cultures and countries, people sometimes go overboard and think it's a place to promote their latest styles.
Personally i wear a suit and tie when i'm at work, but when i go to the church i don't wear a suit and tie. That would be too much. I dress like i didn't roll from bed or i'm not the best man in the wedding either with a $2000 tuxedo.

So, like you said, try to be as normal and conservative as possible and for the people who don't have the money to wear nice clothes, there's nothing wrong either because it's not a 5 star restaurant. It's a Church.

 

[decipher]

What would you wear to meet a king or president? And why?

The Father and the Son are nothing like an earthly king or president. A true Christian if filled with the Holy Spirit which allows the Father and Son to reside in the Christian. I've already met them (Father and Son) because they reside in me and all true Christians. The purpose of Sunday service is to encourage, educate, sing praises, worship, and to love and care for each other. Clothing has nothing to do with these. What it does is make those who care about clothing feel good and look good. It is a human perspective, not a spiritual one.

 

[decipher]

I have a lot to say about this, since the Churches that i have been visiting for my whole life sort of require an unspoken dress code and that's all the people need to turn it into a Gucci and Versace show.
But, as you've said it here, trying to be a normal conservative attire, is what the Church priests say too, but due to different cultures and countries, people sometimes go overboard and think it's a place to promote their latest styles.
Personally i wear a suit and tie when i'm at work, but when i go to the church i don't wear a suit and tie. That would be too much. I dress like i didn't roll from bed or i'm not the best man in the wedding either with a $2000 tuxedo.

So, like you said, try to be as normal and conservative as possible and for the people who don't have the money to wear nice clothes, there's nothing wrong either because it's not a 5 star restaurant. It's a Church.

I agree that everyone has a choice and a preference, I personally hate wearing a suit. Isn't there a verse somewhere that says, "Come as you are"? Maybe I should go as I am in order to encourage those that have not, or can not.

 

[Cameron143]

The Father and the Son are nothing like an earthly king or president. A true Christian if filled with the Holy Spirit which allows the Father and Son to reside in the Christian. I've already met them (Father and Son) because they reside in me and all true Christians. The purpose of Sunday service is to encourage, educate, sing praises, worship, and to love and care for each other. Clothing has nothing to do with these. What it does is make those who care about clothing feel good and look good. It is a human perspective, not a spiritual one.

I don't disagree with what you have shared, but you didn't answer my question.

For some, dress is a spiritual matter. While no one should hold someone to their standard, some have freedoms that others don't share. What if someone cannot in faith wear less than a suit and tie? Should he not wear one? Or should the brother who believes jeans and a t-shirt are sufficient be required to wear more?

I worship at a church in a vacation destination. The dress is varied. Some wear shorts and a shirt, others wear dresses and suits. But in areas where there is liberty, you will always find diversity in the church.

 

[SomeDisciple]

The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect".

Yeah, their parents probably told them that, and they never realized that it was complete nonsense. Like a lot of western traditions; it's completely based on lies.

 

[Karlon]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

for your 1st ?, you'd have to ask them. no, God doesn't care. i don't dress up because often, after, we go out for fun or out to lunch. i do dress casually & respectably, but never a suit & tie. once in a while i wear a stage shirt & everyone looks!

 

[Bruce_Leiter]

In my last church in South Dakota (cowboy country), a month or so after my wife and I arrived there, I looked around the small, country-church congregation. I saw how the men were dressed, informally, to say the least. Suddenly, I felt very uncomfortable in my suit and tie.

When the leadership and I met for the monthly meeting, I asked if I could shed my tie and suitcoat because of my discomfort. They said, "We don't care whether you wear a tie and suitcoat or not."

The following Sunday, I preached on 1 Samuel 16:7, when God told Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel, whom he thought was Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, as follows, "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart'" (ESV).

Then, I used my attire as the message's example of more-casual clothes, which the people quickly adjusted to.

God only cares about what's in your heart (genuine repentance and faith), not what you're wearing, when you worship him.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service?

No. It does not discourage anyone. It sets an example. The next time they will dress appropriately. If you can dress appropriately for your job, then you can do it for church services.

Does God even care how a person is dressed?

Of course He does. See His instructions to OT priests. And if you are an NT priest, then that is your example.

 

[Nicolas]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

It depends on what you believe is more important to God, your heart or your clothes? Of course, that doesn't mean you'll show up in church looking like a junkie or dressing like a prost!... but I don't think God cares so much about that kind of thing. I think that most of the dress rules that the churches use, came from 1 Timothy 2 and 3.

 

[Lifted_by_the_word]

What would you wear to meet a king or president? And why?

Even a homeless person can have their Sunday best.Same thing goes for your living area.It should be kept clean.

 

[Cameron143]

Even a homeless person can have their Sunday best.Same thing goes for your living area.It should be kept clean.

I'm not a stickler about things God has given liberty concerning, but personally this is my approach. We are ambassadors of Christ, and this can be reflected in many ways.

 

[Nehemiah6]

It depends on what you believe is more important to God, your heart or your clothes?

How about both? Just because the heart condition is spiritually important does not mean that nothing else is important.

 

[Nicolas]

How about both? Just because the heart condition is spiritually important does not mean that nothing else is important.

Well, since clothes are not a requirement to be save can't be more important for God than your heart. The Pope and Cardinals wear like kings and for what?

 

[Nehemiah6]

Well, since clothes are not a requirement to be save can't be more important for God than your heart. The Pope and Cardinals wear like kings and for what?

Does God want you to be walking around naked? Leave the pope and cardinals out of this. We are talking about ordinary Christians with an extraordinary position in God's eyes -- kings and priests before God.

 

[Tall_Timbers]

Does dressing in your Sunday best discourage those that don't have a Sunday best, or the homeless, or someone who is not appropriately dressed at the time of service? Does God even care how a person is dressed? The answer I hear most often is "We do it out of respect". It seems to me that just showing up shows respect and honor. I'm talking about normal conservative attire, not crazy, revealing ones.

For a number of years all I wore was Carhartt bib overalls. I had the pair I wore daily, and the cleaner one I'd wear to church. Wore them for years until I got my first cell phone, then switched to other clothing because the rivets on the bib overalls could damage the phone if I had it in a pocket.

One day a lady came up to me and told me she felt comfortable coming to that particular church because of the way I dressed and because that seemed to be okay with folks.

 

[Nicolas]

Does God want you to be walking around naked? Leave the pope and cardinals out of this. We are talking about ordinary Christians with an extraordinary position in God's eyes -- kings and priests before God.

Well, the thief next to Jesus during the crucifixion was naked or almost naked and was the first to be saved by the grace of God, simply because his heart was better than his clothes. You are the one who suggests walking naked. I just said that your heart is more important to God than your clothes. You can wear Armani, Zegna, Anderson & Sheppard or any other clothing every single Sunday in church and if your heart is not full of love and eager to do God's will, all that clothing is for nothing.

You have taken a fragment of my initial comment, leaving aside the rest, only to argue and impose your point of view. It seems like a political campaign by the Democrats.

 

[Cameron143]

Well, the thief next to Jesus during the crucifixion was naked or almost naked and was the first to be saved by the grace of God, simply because his heart was better than his clothes. You are the one who suggests walking naked. I just said that your heart is more important to God than your clothes. You can wear Armani, Zegna, Anderson & Sheppard or any other clothing every single Sunday in church and if your heart is not full of love and eager to do God's will, all that clothing is for nothing.

You have taken a fragment of my initial comment, leaving aside the rest, only to argue and impose your point of view. It seems like a political campaign by the Democrats.

Hasn't everyone ever saved been saved by grace?