OK…so I am on a rant today…it’s been a while and I am fired up…this one will be fun!
I recently heard of a church in the area taking a stab at NewSpring DURING a worship service, saying that we allow people to dress any way they wish and that suits and dresses are not required, even frowned upon in our church. This comment was made to criticize us…but lets unpack it for a second. :-)
First of all—we do not look down on those who choose to wear a suit or a dress…unless it is a man in a dress, then we will say something! We simply ask people to wear what is comfortable and modest.
What I am wondering is where in the world did the modern day church ever get the idea that somehow dressing up in a suit OR wearing a dress equals godliness…and those who would wear jeans and a T-shirt, or even (GASP) flip flops just are not as godly. Can we all say “insecurity” boys and girls?
Now I’m not a theologian or a scholar…but it seems to me that someone who would look down their nose at someone else for not dressing properly—when no dress code is mentioned in the Bible—is PRIDE and ARROGANCE...you know, the things that got satan kicked out of heaven!
I know, I know…some wing nut is firing off an e-mail right now, telling me about how the Bible says for us to give God our best! Uh…yeah…somehow I just don’t think that the Lord meant suits and ties and dresses—especially since none of those things existed when the Scripture that says to give God our best was penned!
Do you REALLY think that, just because someone wears a suit, tie or dress that they actually love Jesus more? Are you really that stupid? Are you really that superficial? SERIOUSLY…I worked in/attended churches where people “dressed up” in an effort to “give God their best” every Sunday…AND…
- I saw a man, who wore a suit every Sunday, get caught having an affair with several different women, all of whom wore the latest fashion.
- I saw a deacon, who had a NICE suit, get caught having sex with a staff members wife. (And she wore a dress to church every week as well!)
- I saw a man, who wore a suit every week, have an affair on his wife and LEAVE her like a coward!
- I saw a lady, who wore a dress every Sunday, gossip and lie and try to DESTROY lives through “prayer requests!”
- I saw people who, dressed up every weekend, but were at the parties the night before and were so drunk they could not walk! (Can you imagine their faces the first time they saw me at church—it was a sight to see!!!)
I could literally go on and on…people—it DOES NOT FLIPPIN’ matter what is worn to church…as long as you are there!!! I Samuel 16:7 says that God is looking at the heart…and I honestly believe there are some very well dressed people in churches all over America who are on their way to hell because they are so caught up in looking good and playing the part that they have never trusted Christ with their salvation!!!
Oh yeah…by the way…that whole “giving your best” thing—I know people who wear suits every week but are not…
- Giving their best in their time to Jesus!
- Giving their best in their marriage.
- Giving their best in their money!
- Giving their best in the way they raise their children.
- Giving their best in the way they take care of their bodies!
BUT…this doesn’t flippin’ matter to some superficial Christians…as long as you wear a suit and look good—you get a pass on actually having to know Christ like Paul said we should know Him in Philippians 3:10-11. (I wonder what Paul wore? Never really mentions it in Scripture…MUST not be important—EXCEPT for the command In I Timothy 2:9 for women to dress modestly!!! AND…if you will look at I Timothy 2:8-10 ONCE again you will discover that dress is secondary to true worship!)
It’s time that
people that go to church STOPPED this crap! Dressing up does not make you godly…for many it simply means they are good looking hypocrites!!! The REAL question is how is your heart…are you and I doing what Jesus outlined in Matthew 22:36-40? THAT matters!!! (Once again please note they asked Jesus about what was most important…and He never mentioned a dress code!)
I am pumped because at NewSpring Church I see people coming every week—many who can not afford a suit (and would be judged at others churches) and they are being accepted by our community and CHANGED by Jesus!!! THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!!
We are not anti-suit—we are anti-stupidity…anti-superficial…anti-Pharisee…you know…all the things that people say you MUST dress up to love Jesus stand for!!!
By the way…I do own ONE suit…and I do weddings and funeral in it—but ONLY if it is requested!!! :-)
Jesus changed me from the inside out…and that change is real and doesn’t have to be dressed and proclaimed in some sort of fashion statement. I praise God for our church—for an environment that does not CARE how you are dressed as long as you are here. We understand that there are WAY more important matters each and every week than picking a tie that matches and finding those darn earrings.
Just so we know where Jesus stands on this—He made it VERY clear in Matthew 23:25-28! He was very clear that those most obsessed with outward appearances often had something inward to hide! Isn’t it funny how things never really change…2,000 years later and the Pharisees still exist!