OUR DRESS IN WORSHIP

Garden City church of Christ, Garden City, Michigan

Even though worship is not a “dress parade,” many times we become sloppy, and revealing in the way we dress for worship. Our clothes do contribute to the emphasis we place on worship to God. This does not mean we have to wear fine and expensive clothes. But the way we dress should be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion.

God tells us in I Timothy 2:9-10, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” Modest clothing is the way women who are “professing godliness” dress. Certainly a woman or man whose clothing is not modest is not professing godliness by the way they dress.

A woman who wears clothing that exposes herself to men is contributing to their sin of lust. Our Lord says in Matthew 5:28, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” She becomes guilty of contributing to his sin of adultery, so she also becomes guilty. In our actions as well as the clothing we wear, I Thessalonians 5:22 says “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Some think they have to follow the style and fashion of the world, regardless of how short and revealing or inappropriate clothing gets. But we are told in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Why? Because this world is going to be lost, and if we conform ourselves to this world we will also be lost with it. A Christian is “...to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

When we worship we are actually in the presence of the Lord. He deserves only our very best. We are told in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Our dress should show a moderate opinion of our own value. Our dress should be pure, proper, chaste, and decent. It should not call attention to ourselves because it is showy, sloppy or lewd. Let’s honor the Lord with the way we dress.