Do you dress up for church?

[Recovering IFB]

[quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa] What's with all the quotes, already? Can we shorten all this up a bit?

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Here here!!

 

[Castor Muscular]

[quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa][quote author=Pappa] What's with all the quotes, already? Can we shorten all this up a bit?

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Here here!!
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(wags tail)  Woof!  What do you want?

 

[North]

For those who attend church services while dressing up out of:
1. reverence to God
2. to show Him respect
3. to honor Him

It would help my understanding if you could provide some biblical proof that He specifically acknowledges your act of dressing up for Him and reacts the way you are intending Him to in seeing you dressing up.

New Testament proofs would be appreciated.

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

 

[Castor Muscular]

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

What a concept!!

 

[Castor Muscular]

But, on the other hand, I rarely notice what others are wearing in church. 

It's not for you to notice.  It's out of reverence for God.  God notices.  In fact, this conversation took place just the other day:

God:  "Hey, Moses.  Check it out.  Look at that suit Castor is wearing.  Helllooooo.... the 80's called and want their suit back.  I get NO reverence from that.  None at all."

Moses:  "Bwahahahaha, yeah.  But look down there.  TB is looking spiffy today."

God:  "Look behind him.  His shirt tail is hanging out under his suit jacket.  Apparently he didn't notice that.  That's going to cost him points."

Moses:  "Oh, yeah, I see that.  That's too bad.  I had $20 on him getting to the Easter reverence semi-finals.  Wait... OH MY YOU!!!  Did you see ALAYMAN over there?  He's wearing a TUX!  A TUX!!  The reverence is blinding!  Blinding, I tell you!"

God:  "Yeah, it's going to be hard to beat that this Sunday.  He's going to the finals.  I know it.  But then I know everything." 

Moses:  "Well, I can't handle the blinding light anymore.  I'm going to go ask Elijah to teach me how to do a double-knot tie again.  I can't seem to get that quite right."

God:  "Good luck, I'm depending on you.  You know what really counts."

ya know castor... i agree with lnf...  that was way over the top and even uncalled for.... her post was made in good faith not attempting to mock anyone or even suggest she thought dressing up or dressing down would impress God either way....

It wasn't directed at Inf.  I just used the quote as a springboard.  IIRC, she didn't even say it was about reverence for God, so how could it be directed at her?

 

[ALAYMAN]

For those who attend church services while dressing up out of:
1. reverence to God
2. to show Him respect
3. to honor Him

It would help my understanding if you could provide some biblical proof that He specifically acknowledges your act of dressing up for Him and reacts the way you are intending Him to in seeing you dressing up.

New Testament proofs would be appreciated.

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

Fresh blood, ahhhhhhh.




I'd be glad to answer your questions, but I'd like to ask a couple first. 

1) Do you think that anybody who has argued for the reverence, honor, or respect perspective has done so believing that they are pleasing God apart from the person and work of Christ?

2) When you do any act of obedience do you believe it pleases God, and if so, what is the basis of how that act pleases Him?

3) If you say that your obedience does please Him (whatever your rationale is) what is the difference between your act and those who believe that their reverential acts please God?

 

[prophet]

My Native Culture dresses up to worship.  Most Idolatrous cultures do, as well.  Catholicism has the Nicolaitenes in regalia. 
We dress up for weddings.  We dress up the dead.  We dress up for partys.  We dress up for Christmas, Halloween, Etc. 
  Opinion alert:  I think that people who don't like to dress up anymore are wounded spirits.  They seem like they are in a (shallow) depression.
Anishinabe

What's your native culture?

I almost agree with you on the wounded spirits thing, except I wouldn't say it was about dressing up.  I think it's about dressing in dull clothes and colors vs. bright clothes and colors.  You can dress casually and still reflect a depressed mood or a bright, optimistic mood.

Chickasaw/Cherokee Native American. 
  Celebration
    Feast
    Party
    Resurrection
    Family Gathering
    Pow Wow

  If you don't feel like celebrating at these events, and dressing up festively, than you are depressed, or have a 'community' not a culture.
And that saddens me.
   

Anishinabe

 

[BALAAM]

FWIW  What may be acceptable dress in one culture is not acceptable in another and vice-versa.  I absolutely detest seeing men in flip flops. I live in the midwest and there is something about white folks and men especially about seeing their feet that I don't like. When I go to Hawaii, that is almost all men wear anywhere you go and it doesn't bother you. I have noticed that while all the fbch people are adamant about wearing shirts and ties on Sunday, when they go to Thailand or the Phillipines they discard them pretty quickly.  Usually, women who come from fundamental church backgrounds are extremely hesitant about wearing a swim suit to the beach. If you go to Hawaii it will quickly fade and along with it the self-consciousness. There are white people, black people, hispanic people, asian people, fat peope, skinny people, young people, old people, you name it.

I kind of would draw the line on extremely overweight people wearing spandex or thong bathing suits though!

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

What a concept!!

And it's something no one here has argued isn't true...
Do you guys read the actual posts or just argue against what you wish others had said?

 

[Castor Muscular]

It wasn't directed at Inf.  I just used the quote as a springboard.  IIRC, she didn't even say it was about reverence for God, so how could it be directed at her?

ok... but i;m curious.... did someone in your church or someone you know criticize what you wear to church?..... seriously.... you can tell us...... it;s ok........ ... it;s just that we don;t this kind of heated debate here in this kind of topic very often..... nor one that goes on for this long...  there has to be a reason you brought this up and then remained this adamant about it.....

over the years i have been questioned and forced to defend myself over many issues before..... but never for why i wear a dress for church..... i still can;t figure it all out..... but then...nobody at my church ever questioned or criticized me for it either..... maybe if they did i might have brought this sam question up myself with the opposite tack..... who knows...... :-\

Nobody has ever said anything about what I wear.  That really wasn't the point of this thread, anyway, as I've said several times. 

 

[North]

[quote author=ALAYMAN
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Fresh blood, ahhhhhhh.




I'd be glad to answer your questions, but I'd like to ask a couple first. 

1) Do you think that anybody who has argued for the reverence, honor, or respect perspective has done so believing that they are pleasing God apart from the person and work of Christ?

2) When you do any act of obedience do you believe it pleases God, and if so, what is the basis of how that act pleases Him?

3) If you say that your obedience does please Him (whatever your rationale is) what is the difference between your act and those who believe that their reverential acts please God?
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Look, I am not going to get into an endless debate. I sincerely want to know. Maybe there's someone else on the forum that can answer my questions without conditions. Seeing the 3 reasons for dressing up have become the dominant motives of this thread, it deserves attention.

 

[ALAYMAN]

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

What a concept!!

And it's something no one here has argued isn't true...
Do you guys read the actual posts or just argue against what you wish others had said?

Do you really have to ask?

Look at North's response.  I asked him those three questions because it forces him to read what has been written rather than lazily coming into the thread and just blindly accepting the strawmen that Castor and others have continually erected.  If he answered those questions it would be incredibly destructive to the implications he is trying to pin to my arguments, but they'd rather just go on tilting at windmills and putting words in our mouths, otherwise their charges would float to the bottom of the sea like a lead balloon.

 

[North]

From what I understand, our favor with God comes solely through Christ and His finished work.

What a concept!!

And it's something no one here has argued isn't true...
Do you guys read the actual posts or just argue against what you wish others had said?

I am assuming you are speaking to CM. My post is not arguing for anything nor wishing anything. It asks a question and ends with why I am asking it. Your response wasn't very kind either way.

 

[North]

Alayman. What is your problem?
You are handling this in an extremely unkind manner. No, I will not answer your questions. Not because of the rhetorical reasons you used but because it doesn't profit. Debates are unprofitable. I saw where you were trying to take it and I didn't want to go that direction for your sake and mine.

I don't know who Castor is and unfortunately, your unchristian anger towards him is being directed to me because you assume I agree with him on some point of his, (which I have no clue of by the way).

And I hope you are not talking about me "tilting at windmills and putting words in our mouths". If so, you have some serious issues you need to lay at the cross my friend. I mentioned no such things and if you reread my post it is out of sincerity.

I joined this forum for the possible good Christian fellowship and conversation and its not looking so promising.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Alayman. What is your problem?
You are handling this in an extremely unkind manner. No, I will not answer your questions. Not because of the rhetorical reasons you used but because it doesn't profit. Debates are unprofitable. I saw where you were trying to take it and I didn't want to go that direction for your sake and mine.

I don't know who Castor is and unfortunately, your unchristian anger towards him is being directed to me because you assume I agree with him on some point of his, (which I have no clue of by the way).

And I hope you are not talking about me "tilting at windmills and putting words in our mouths". If so, you have some serious issues you need to lay at the cross my friend. I mentioned no such things and if you reread my post it is out of sincerity.

I joined this forum for the possible good Christian fellowship and conversation and its not looking so promising.

This ain't the tea room sister.  It's called the fighting forums for a reason.  I welcome discussion, but you don't get to set the terms for the conversation.  Those questions were designed to get you to reveal your understanding of the work of Christ and our part in sanctification.  If you don't want to have a theological conversation about why and how people obey the Scriptures then you've come to the wrong place.  If you answer the questions we have a basis for breaking through possible misunderstandings.  If you think that people who act on their convictions are doing so apart from the finished work of Christ I need to know what the basis you do any work of obedience for Christ.  Are you not trusting in the finished work of Christ when you go to church?  Are you trying to garner favor with God by reading your Bible?

 

[North]

but when you come in as a newcomer and start right off the bat making these kinds of demands.... it looks to us like you think the force and brilliance of your arrival knocked the previous 2 years of this forum into oblivion.... and we have all awoken to a new world today.....

seriously.... no offense.... just read the thread..... 29 pages.... it;s all in there..... [/font][/size][/color]

No offense taken.

Demands? I made none. 

"The force and brilliance of your arrival..." I'm not following your logic here, but I respect your perspective nonetheless.

Thanks for your kind input.

 

[Castor Muscular]

but when you come in as a newcomer and start right off the bat making these kinds of demands.... it looks to us like you think the force and brilliance of your arrival knocked the previous 2 years of this forum into oblivion.... and we have all awoken to a new world today.....

seriously.... no offense.... just read the thread..... 29 pages.... it;s all in there..... [/font][/size][/color]

No offense taken.

Demands? I made none. 

"The force and brilliance of your arrival..." I'm not following your logic here, but I respect your perspective nonetheless.

Thanks for your kind input.

All the arguments are in there, but not all of the answers. 

Nobody ever answered my question as to why they would dress up for "church" out of reverence for God, but not dress up for prayer, reading the Bible, etc., out of reverence for God.  The answer, as far as I'm concerned, is that the "reverence for God" reason is totally irrational. 

 

[PappaBear]

I joined this forum for the possible good Christian fellowship and conversation and its not looking so promising.

Welcome, Yankee!  Now, before you go lighting fires like Sherman waltzing through Atlanta, perhaps you should think this through a little, partner.  It's like this, see.  We "fellowship" by treating EACH OTHER with respect.  This ain't no Bali Hi, and we are not natives waiting to bow at your feet and sacrifice ourselves to your volcanic temper.  Re-examine the tone and tenor of your FIRST POST on this long thread.  It would help our understanding of what you want to know if you would compose your posts in a less condescending manner and if you would provide proof from this thread that anyone has indicated that they dress up to earn favor with God.  Honoring Him, and earning favor are not the same thing.  Methinks you are trying a little rhetorical unkindness of your own.

If it is Biblical reference you want, there are a plenty of them already on the thread.  It just takes a little time to sift through the pages, but you will find them.  I am kind of partial, but you might give a gander over at the top of page 15.

But before you do that, consider our Christian Bible that encourages us to please Him in our soldierly conduct (1Tim 5:00), in our labours in the body (2Cor 5:9), in the preaching of the gospel (1Tim 2:4), and to present ourselves as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to Him (Rom 12:1).  Is it your contention that we can do none of these things, but are to be antinomian in our character because we are now accepted in the beloved?

Now, run along and read a little before I start thinking of you as a Yankee prisoner and I start acting like Gen'l Stonewall Jackson on a busy battlefield.  And, welcome to the forum.  *Hat tip </)

 

[Castor Muscular]

I joined this forum for the possible good Christian fellowship and conversation and its not looking so promising.

Welcome, Yankee!  Now, before you go lighting fires like Sherman waltzing through Atlanta, perhaps you should think this through a little, partner.  It's like this, see.  We "fellowship" by treating EACH OTHER with respect.  This ain't no Bali Hi, and we are not natives waiting to bow at your feet and sacrifice ourselves to your volcanic temper.  Re-examine the tone and tenor of your FIRST POST on this long thread. 

Wow.  He obviously offended you by suggesting we get our righteousness from Christ alone. 

(Fixed woe to intended wow.)

 

[PappaBear]

Woe.  He obviously offended you by suggesting we get our righteousness from Christ alone.

No, he was more obviously offensive by going off on ALAYMAN.  Still working on that reading comprehension thing, are you?