Do you dress up for church?

[rsc2a]

Actually, I could care less whether the person smells like a sewer, a florist shop, is in board shorts, or a tux. You won't see me restricting them (although I would lovingly instruct/inform them about normative expectations and self-seeking attention if/once I felt that they were in a mature enough position to understand the significance).

Maybe you should just worship God yourself and leave others to do their own thing, not subjecting them to your whims of cultural hygiene.

I've been around some people who absolutely reek, and in corporate settings no less, and everyone was fine with it. It was acceptable at the time with that particular group of people. -rsc2a


[quote author=ALAYMAN]

And worship is more than something that only happens in a church building. *shudder*

It's nothing that has been said, but the idea that we go to church to "meet God" has definitely been implicitly displayed.

Notice that word in red above?  It demonstrates the absurdity and intellectual dishonesty of your own words.[/quote]


im·plic·it
adjective
1. implied, rather than expressly stated

 

[PappaBear]

I believe God only favors those who wear 3-piece suits with cuff-links,  and that the only ting that matters is our finely arrayed garments.  When we come together it ought to be a pagent to show off our duds, and Jesus should take a back stage.  That's what I've said from the beginning, if you've paid any attention at all.

AL, I am sooooo disappointed!  You failed to mention the broad lapels on the suits!  How can it be possibly acceptable if the suit jacket, which must always be worn, not slung sloppily on some pew or chair, does not have nice broad-boardered lapels? And, oh man, you also forget the phylacteries.  The PHYLACTERIES, man!?!  How could you forget wrapping the phylacteries, so we can wear our Bible-god on our sleeves?

Quick!  Edit your post before someone turns you in to the IFBx Denominational Secretary and your church deacons get wind of it!! 

 

[Castor Muscular]

Most of the time your bitterness causes me to stand back a step.  In this thread, however, you have revealed that your cause began as a just cause.  Your observations are not wrong, your take is not skewed.  And I like the 'sound' of your assembling. 
  I have planted churches for 17 years.  The last one meets in a manner very similiar to the one you described. I don't 'oversee' it, I laid hands on the man who I believed God told me too, and I call him once in a while, to chat.  They meet for prayer, study a passage, sing a fav. song, and go.  They spend a lot of time with each other in their daily lives, and the guide (pastor), always knows of their needs.  All are equal, friends, lovers of God.  They are in God's hand  and I rejoice for them.
  We got our traditions from the Great Whore, for the most part, and she adopted them from the pagans which she enslaved.  Would to God we would see this, but, alas...there must be a falling away and then comes the man of sin.

Anishinabe

I'm happy you understand where I'm coming from. 

For many, many years I've felt that current traditional church going was just wrong, and it always felt wrong when I attended.  I had some ideas why, and the difference between the NT gatherings and today's were pretty obvious.  But the book SC recommended really nailed it for me.  It confirmed many of the things I suspected, and taught me a few new facts about where everything went wrong. 

I'm really glad I posted the questions about the origins of the current church tradition (the sermon and pastor-centered hymn sandwich) and about the Lord's Supper.  (These were posts a while ago.)  I finally got the answers I was looking for, and that gave me a plan, especially for the latter.  Getting pointed to that book (Pagan Christianity) was surely God's providence, worked through this forum and SC.

We have a Christian gathering for dinner and Bible study every Monday night.  I haven't attended in a long time due to health reasons, but I'm feeling well enough to attend again, if not regularly.  I plan to ask them to modify the dinner with just two minor changes:  Break bread at the beginning, and share a cup of wine at the end.  This is the way the Lord's Supper started (love feasts), and I'd like to start enjoying the Lord's Supper that way with my brothers and sisters.  IMO, it should be a time of joy, not a time of judgement, authoritarianism, and solemnity, the way the Olympic Synchronized Eating/Drinking of the cracker/thimble ritual goes these days. 

 

[subllibrm]

... Ya reckon that's why Obama is pushing his war on coal, because of the respect they have for the LORD?

I hope you didn't hurt yourself when you landed after that leap. 

 

[subllibrm]

And if the "come as you are folks" are correct in their claim that God only cares about the heart, not what you have on, then why would it be inappropriate to assemble in dirty stinky unkempt clothes?

The same reason you "wear you best for the Lord " types don't wear tuxedos to church?  :-\

 

[PappaBear]

For many, many years I've felt that current traditional church going was just wrong, and it always felt wrong when I attended.  I had some ideas why, and the difference between the NT gatherings and today's were pretty obvious.  But the book SC recommended really nailed it for me.  It confirmed many of the things I suspected, and taught me a few new facts about where everything went wrong. 

Do you still worship Christmas (mass of Christ)?  Are you still bowing to the Baal Tree every 25th of December?  If so, and SC's book has that kind of affect on you, then you should look up the origins of Christmas and our traditions in just about any encyclopedia.  Don't bother thanking me, just send me a little gift or something around December as a memorial to all that money I am saving you where you always got all those gift wrapped packages before. 

 

[subllibrm]

Doesn't it strike you as uber-ironic to show respect to humans that you don't afford to the Creator?

It does strike me as ironic that you are making such a hollow accusation.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Do you still worship Christmas (mass of Christ)?  Are you still bowing to the Baal Tree every 25th of December?  If so, and SC's book has that kind of affect on you, then you should look up the origins of Christmas and our traditions in just about any encyclopedia.  Don't bother thanking me, just send me a little gift or something around December as a memorial to all that money I am saving you where you always got all those gift wrapped packages before.

Worship Christmas?  I don't get that.

Personally, I hate the whole Christmas season.  Every year, I just do my best to survive it. 

How about you?

 

[PappaBear]

If the Creator was human and capable of being offended by my smell, then yes, it would be ironic.  But my Creator doesn't give a crap about what I wear or how I smell, and he doesn't live in a building called a church, where I have to dress differently than I would anywhere else.  Your Creator may be different.  I have no idea.  But it sounds like it.  Yours obviously needs to be revered with good clothes, but doesn't need the reverence of good clothes when you worship alone.  Only when you're at a church building where other people can see you.

In fact, your Creator does care about how you speak and the language you use.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Furthermore, there is also a Biblical basis to believe your Creator does have a concern about what you wear.

Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

And ...

Matt 22:
10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These may be allegorical passages referring to heavenly truths, but they have a basis in practical, earthly meanings.  Joshua, the High Priest, should not be clothed in filthy garments when appearing before the Angel of the LORD, and even though we may scour the highways and hedges to furnish the feast with "common men" as guests, there should still be a respectful use made of the wedding garment.  Not that God is concerned with the appearance, but because how a person dresses is a reflection of their attitude.  I would not think it appropriate to go to an appointment with President Obama in bib overalls, but would dress more appropriately for the occasion out of respect for him and his office.  It may be that the President would NOT care, but I am more concerned about what my attitude portrays.  Why should anyone treat the LORD of glory differently?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.
They dress up to impress people?
Please. We have a 90 year old gentleman in our church who dines at Wendy's every weekday for lunch...and always wears a suit, tie and hat (what he wears to church). Why? It's the way he has always 'done it'.

And, if someone can show me, in the canon of scripture, a prescribed order of worship, I'd be interested....

 

[Castor Muscular]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.

Judgemental?  Dress up for God, by all means.  I'm sure he's impressed. 

 

[christundivided]

If the Creator was human and capable of being offended by my smell, then yes, it would be ironic.  But my Creator doesn't give a crap about what I wear or how I smell, and he doesn't live in a building called a church, where I have to dress differently than I would anywhere else.  Your Creator may be different.  I have no idea.  But it sounds like it.  Yours obviously needs to be revered with good clothes, but doesn't need the reverence of good clothes when you worship alone.  Only when you're at a church building where other people can see you.

In fact, your Creator does care about how you speak and the language you use.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Furthermore, there is also a Biblical basis to believe your Creator does have a concern about what you wear.

Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

And ...

Matt 22:
10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These may be allegorical passages referring to heavenly truths, but they have a basis in practical, earthly meanings.  Joshua, the High Priest, should not be clothed in filthy garments when appearing before the Angel of the LORD, and even though we may scour the highways and hedges to furnish the feast with "common men" as guests, there should still be a respectful use made of the wedding garment.  Not that God is concerned with the appearance, but because how a person dresses is a reflection of their attitude.  I would not think it appropriate to go to an appointment with President Obama in bib overalls, but would dress more appropriately for the occasion out of respect for him and his office.  It may be that the President would NOT care, but I am more concerned about what my attitude portrays.  Why should anyone treat the LORD of glory differently?

That's is one of the stupidest things I think I've ever read.

Joshua the High Priest would have been clothed in filthy garments before the Lord had he been wearing bleached white robes so bright you thought you were looking at the sun. Unless the Lord cloth you with His righteousness.... all your garments are filthy rags to Him.

I bet you're one of them numbnuts "James" spoke about in

Jas 2:3  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Jas 2:4  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

We stand open and NAKED before our Lord.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

You go ahead and keep dressing like Bill Clinton and pretending Monica isn't waiting for you in the back room.

 

[christundivided]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.
They dress up to impress people?
Please. We have a 90 year old gentleman in our church who dines at Wendy's every weekday for lunch...and always wears a suit, tie and hat (what he wears to church). Why? It's the way he has always 'done it'.

And, if someone can show me, in the canon of scripture, a prescribed order of worship, I'd be interested....

Is this your preferred mode of operation? Would you rather have a 90 year old man wearing a suit or a 90 year old man wearing a hospital gown?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.

Judgemental?  Dress up for God, by all means.  I'm sure he's impressed.

I rest my case.
Thank you!

 

[christundivided]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.

Judgemental?  Dress up for God, by all means.  I'm sure he's impressed.

You make an observation and the Pharisees will always take it as "judging" someone. I like to wear nice clothes myself but they certainly not the measure of man.

 

[subllibrm]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.
They dress up to impress people?
Please. We have a 90 year old gentleman in our church who dines at Wendy's every weekday for lunch...and always wears a suit, tie and hat (what he wears to church). Why? It's the way he has always 'done it'.

And, if someone can show me, in the canon of scripture, a prescribed order of worship, I'd be interested....

I don't care what you wear. Said it several times. How is that judgmental?

And it is the dresser-uppers that keep equating attire with reverence. In a recent post rsc2a defined "implicit" for us. Is it not their implicit message that not dressing up is somehow not reverent?

OOPS, gave citation incorrectly.

 

[subllibrm]

You go ahead and keep dressing like Bill Clinton and pretending Monica isn't waiting for you in the back room.

That was uncalled for and worthy of rebuke. Shame on you! 

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Again, I say the casual crowd is judging the Sunday best crowd...who are usually accused of being judgemental.
They dress up to impress people?
Please. We have a 90 year old gentleman in our church who dines at Wendy's every weekday for lunch...and always wears a suit, tie and hat (what he wears to church). Why? It's the way he has always 'done it'.

And, if someone can show me, in the canon of scripture, a prescribed order of worship, I'd be interested....

I don't care what you wear. Said it several times. How is that judgmental?

And it is the dresser-uppers that keep equating attire with reverence. In a recent post Aman defined "implicit" for us. Is it not their implicit message that not dressing up is somehow not reverent?

I don't purport to speak for the dress up crowd, I'm not necessarily one of them.
But, they didn't start this thread.
And I don't believe they (as a group) claim any moral superiority over the casual crowd.
I don't care what you wear, what Alayman or castor wears.
OR what order of service/worship they use in church.
It doesn't make them greater saints or sinners.

Would you agree that the same can't be said of everyone here?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

You go ahead and keep dressing like Bill Clinton and pretending Monica isn't waiting for you in the back room.

That was uncalled for and worthy of rebuke. Shame on you! 

The ignore feature can be your friend...til someone quotes them...

 

[christundivided]

You go ahead and keep dressing like Bill Clinton and pretending Monica isn't waiting for you in the back room.

That was uncalled for and worthy of rebuke. Shame on you! 

Poor baby. Grow up. I was being sarcastic and using a real life example. I wasn't saying "Monica" was literally waiting in the back room. Shame on you.