Hi RobertW...

I agree with your post. I believe that there is definitely a problem with modesty within the Church -- but it is not confined to Church buildings or meeting places. This modesty should follow us everywhere -- school, work, stores, restaurants, etc...

I have always wondered why so many people hold to this "Sunday best" tradition. The early church indeed did [u]not[/u] "dress up" in order to attend meetings.

I sometimes attend a Calvary Chapel in the nearby city of Corpus Christi, Texas. There seems to be a deemphasis on "dressing up" to Church. They take those words "come as you are" quite literally. :) The first time that I attended, I "dressed up" for the meeting. Once there, I noticed that few people wore suits and fancy dresses. Rather, the congregation (for the most part) looked like they had just arrived from work or school. In fact, there were even some people that wore some nice chinos (shorts). The congregation did not seem to purposely "dress down" -- they just didn't seem to purposely "dress up" either.

I don't find anything wrong with denim. Non-tight denim seems to be quite modest and comfortable. After meeting Christ, I was amazed at how offended some people are by such clothing. I usually try not to notice the clothing worn by others while fellowshipping with the Church.

Someone gave me some advice shortly after meeting the Lord: "[i]Be yourself in Christ[/i]." If you believe that Christ is pleased with you (including with the way that you dress), then you shouldn't worry about offending others.

:-)

_________________
Christopher

I agree with you Ginnyrose, I don't know if anyone here would disagree. What is modest dress? Not being sexually provocative? Is that a good deffinition?

How do we dress differently from the world? Meaning types of clothes, not what the letters say on my clothes, that's obvious that you shouldn't ware something with profanity.

I once had a man tell me this: Hot, cold, lukewarm. Hot is good, cold is bad, lukewarm is sickining. If a women dresses correct(hot) she will ware a dress. If she dressed wrong (cold) she will ware a short skirt or shorts. What is lukewarm then? He said "pants". Now I don't agree at all that waring pants makes you lukewarm.. but some define dress that way.

How should a Christian dress? Like they did in Bible times?

_________________
Josh Parsley

I do agree with the whole modesty thing and a lot of what's been said but I also think that it could all end up being very legalistic. I know Christian women who have been quite damaged because they have felt that certain laws and expectations have been placed on them either consciouisly or subconsciously within the church as to how they should look/dress etc. I would even go as far as saying that it has been a contributing factor to some people actually leaving a church because they have felt so condemed and judged by their appearance. Now I am not saying that a lot of it was not perhaps a problem of insecurity within themselves and to some extent a misconception of how others view them to a greater or lesser extent but I think we need to be careful before we start laying down any laws about what is right or wrong in terms of appearance.

I Timothy 2 tells us one should dress modestly. And what does that look like? I remember hearing David Wilkerson say (likely before some of you were born) that one should stand in front of a mirror and ask the LORD to reveal to him/her how they should dress!

I do find it interesting that most, if not all cultures, have a code of what it means to dress up. And they will do it with no complaint (except from the males, perhaps). However, let the church suggest something, you are called names....

Still, 1 Timothy tells us to be modest, which has the idea of quiet, not extreme, not expensive.......surely it says somewhere that men should not look like they are ready to go out and pull a calf when they come to church??!

ginnyrose

_________________
Sandra Miller

Ginnyrose,

As a young man in a horrendous society, I agree with your posts and I have always looked favorably towards dressing respectably. I also agree with Roberts post about how many people dress to impress and it becomes a 'churchy thing' for people to do.

I am not for overdressing and drawing attention to yourself. I am also not for ornamenting with gold. But I do believe we are not to look like slobs (which the world is veering towards) and should be neat, clean, plain and modesty. Not out of legalistic rules, but because we treat our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

A very old fashioned young man in a world of relativism,
-Eli

_________________
Eli Brayley

Here's a picture of me heading out to worship on my 20th birthday! (Nov. 5, 2005)

[url=http://www.geocities.com/ebsermons/Eli20th.jpg]Picture[/url]

_________________
Eli Brayley

Eli_Barnabas, your the man!

_________________
Josh Parsley

_________________
Ron Bailey

Hi gennyrose,

_________________
Robert Wurtz II

Hi Eli...

Happy Birtday!

:-)

_________________
Christopher