Dressing Up For Services?
Many Christians teach the necessity of “dressing up” for church services as if it is part of the law of Christ. I do not agree. The only New Testament passage that really deals with this subject (at least directly) is James 2:2. There God is criticizing Christians because they were showing prejudice against other Christians who came into the assembly in “vile raiment” (poor people). Unless situation ethics (it is okay to do wrong if you can’t afford to do right) is true, this verse proves conclusively “dressing up” for services is not required; it is clearly not a sin to attend in “filthy old (NIV), dirty (NASB), shabby (ESV) clothes.” That should settle this issue; as long as a person is dressed modestly (I Tim 2:9-10), he is okay. Not okay according with some Christians, but okay with God.
On this question, I think many (for some reason) have lost sight of the fact that we decide what is right and wrong by the Bible (I John 3:4) and not by what we like, or what we think is best (Prov 14:12)? J.C. Ryle said it well – “It mattes nothing who says a thing, and declares it to be religious truth; it matters nothing whether we like or dislike a doctrine. Is it in the Bible? That is the only question.” The New Testament does not require us to dress up for services; as we pointed out – James 2:1ff actually shows it is not sin to attend the assembly in “vile raiment”
Please consider some related thoughts …
Some argue that since we dress up for weddings, we should do the same for church. It is true the bride wants the groom to dress up for their wedding, but bartenders also want women to dress in a provocative way – does that prove women ought to dress provocatively in our worship services? Of course not. No NT passage tells us to dress better for the worship assembly than at other places. Have I overlooked a passage?
By “dressing nice” does one mean “more expensive” or “sharp”? There is a difference you know. And how far should we go? Should men have to rent a tuxedo to come to services? Some say we ought to do the best we can do in our dress. Well, a tux is the best I can do. I rented a Tux for my wedding. I could buy a Tux and wear it to every church service, but I don’t believe we have to “dress the best we can for church” (in the sense many use that phrase) – so I don’t wear a Tux to church.
Should ladies have to go to the beauty parlor every Saturday? Wouldn’t the “best” for a lady be her bridal dress? That’s the way she dressed for her wedding (see above referenced argument). It was reported that one congregation thought it was better to have the songs projected on the screen and anybody still using physical songbooks was not doing it “as good as they could.” Should we bind their songbook preference, since they think that is the very best we can do?
The teaching under review is we ought to dress “nice” whenever worshipping God. But sometimes I worship God (pray or sing hymns) in the shower – should I put on a tie on to shower? Of course, we should show respect for God at all times, not just in church services. I know you agree.
And how do we know God doesn’t like overalls better than a suit? If so, “dressing up” would mean taking off the suit and putting on overalls. We don’t know what God likes best because He doesn’t tell us. That being the case, we shouldn’t bind what we don’t know.
Some say a Christian should dress for services the best he can afford. I’ve never met a person who actually believes this because (as I said) most Christian men could afford to buy a Tux and wear it every Sunday. Besides doesn’t this theory directly contradict I Tim 2:9-10’s instruction to dress modest in the sense of not dressing too expensively?
We do realize what was considered “dressing up” in New Testament times was probably wearing robes and sandals, don’t we? Does that mean we must wear dressy robes and sandals to church today?
Remember we are worshipping God not man (I Chron 29:1) – so we should do what pleases God not man. So to dress fancy to please man misses the goal. Parallel: just because instrumental music pleases man, does not mean we should have instrumental music in our worship – for the same reason?
Keep in mind that whenever we try to bind man made rules, we dilute the God made rules. I dress nice for services myself, but it grieves me when people skip services (Heb 10:25) because they don’t have any “church worthy” clothing, or they don’t have time to dress up. That would seem to be a case where they “transgress the commandment of God by your tradition” (Matt 15:3).
As you know Heb 7:12 teaches we are not under the old law, and specifically the Levitical priesthood law, but if that did apply today (as some wrongly teach when it comes to church clothing), wouldn’t it imply the preacher should wear those same robes the priests did, but the rest of the congregation should dress normally? That argument is probably why the “pastor” at the Baptist church I grew up in put on a robe just for assembly worship, but not at any other time.
A reason we might want to dress nice in church is because of the people who have a problem with us not doing it (I Cor 10:32-33), not because of God. There is no evidence He cares under our covenant. As far as we know He just wants us to be modest (I Tim 2:9-10). If we were dressing to please God, how would we know what style of clothing He desires? The New Testament is silent on that point.
Some ask: “Wouldn’t you dress up if you were going to meet the President?” First, we should recognize a human argument (meaning not a Bible verse) when we see it. Having said that, I think I almost got to meet the second President Bush once because of the many times I have given blood. If that had happened, I wasn’t planning to dress in a suit. But if I were to meet the President at a State dinner, I would dress in a Tuxedo like everybody else there. See the inconsistency in the argument under review?
Would the same human reasoning that says one should dress up for church imply one should dress up to get baptized? If not, why not? And wouldn’t the same human reasoning that says one should dress up very nice and/or expensive for church services imply the Catholic Church is right for building very nice and/or expensive church buildings? Are they showing more respect for God by doing so? If the Old Testament Levite priest tells us how to dress today, does the Old Testament temple tell us how to build our church buildings? Does doing our “best” with church buildings mean more expensive/nicer? Some in denominational churches think so; I had someone tell me just that.
Since many old timers (and very much respected by me) think a clean-shaven face shows the most respect for God, would that mean men have to shave to come to church? And if someone else (a Mennonite) thinks a bearded face shows the most respect for God, would that mean men should grow a beard to come to church?
Probably the most important thing an overweight Christian could do to improve his/her appearance for church worship would be to lose weight (I Tim 4:8a), but I never hear anybody talking about losing weight to show respect for God at church services. Wonder why?
Dressing up for services is just like washing your hands before you eat: I was taught by my mother to always do that (and I practice what she preached), but it is not something we should bind upon others religiously; as a matter of fact, it is a sin to bind such – Matt 15:2ff. Doesn’t James 2:2 teach dressing up for church services is just as non-binding as what Jesus said about the washing of hands in Matthew 15?
Sometimes I wear a Red Cross t-shirt to a local preacher’s study. Some might think – “too casual for the house of God.” They are thinking a button up shirt is more appropriate. However, God never tells us He likes a shirt with buttons better than He likes a shirt without buttons. But He does tell us He wants Christians to give blood (among many other charitable deeds – Gal 6:10). So I conclude God likes my blood t-shirt better than a shirt with buttons, because I hope the shirt I wear encourages the other preachers who attend to give blood. So in my way of thinking, I am showing more respect for God with how I dress than those who assume God likes buttons better.
Parody of Mark 7:1-8: Then came together unto him the preachers, and certain of the olders, which came from Birmingham. And when they saw some of his disciples attend church in overalls, that is to say, not in a suit, they found fault. For the preachers, and many Christians, except they wear a sport coat and tie, attend not, holding the tradition of the olders. And when they come to the church, except they are dressed up, they attend not. And many other things there be, which they have received to wear, as the jacket, and tie clip, cuff link, and scarf around the neck. Then the preachers and olders asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the olders, but attend church with unpretentious clothes? 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. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the wearing of suits and ties around the neck: and many other such like things ye do.
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