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Dress Code For Worship?
Our society has undergone a transformation in apparel in recent decades. Some elements of clothing are always in flux: hemlines, necklines, lapel and tie width, colors, etc. And it should go without saying -- though we occasionally need to say it -- that our clothing choices as Christians should not highlight sensuality no matter the venue. But the transformation to which I refer is from formality to pervasive casualness.
Have you attended a wedding lately or a funeral? You might have been shocked to see attendees dressed no differently than if they were at the mall or a picnic. Some might remember a day when flying was an adventure and passengers dressed up. No more; people fly in everything from pajamas and slippers to lingerie. Such casualness is, I believe, more than a trend; it is a cultural transformation. It is what we have become. It is likely permanent.
So what bearing does this have upon our worship? Clearly, the transformation to casual has infiltrated style choices in worship. Some questions for us to think about: 1) Does God’s word impose a dress code of formality upon worshipers? 2) Is there a graduated dress code -- formal for Sunday morning, semi-formal for Sunday evening, casual for Wednesday Bible study? 3) Is there a special dress code for preachers? 4) Should those who serve publicly be held to a higher standard? 5) What can we conclude about a person’s heart by what he wears?
First, an explicit dress code is absent in scripture. There are no analogous standards such as: How would you dress if you were meeting the president? The apostles were physically in the presence of Jesus daily for three years and never did the Lord emphasize their dress. The Levitical high priest’s vestments have no bearing upon a Christian’s dress, for his “outfit” was a matter of divine command, his position was unique and his “equipment” represented things that had no connection with formality (the bells protected his life; the gems represented the 12 tribes; the Urim and Thummim divined God’s will, etc.).
There is no indication that Jesus, our great High Priest, traveled with changes of clothing or dressed differently when entering the temple or a synagogue. Dressing in our “Sunday best” seems to be a matter of culture and religious habit. Brethren worshiping in other cultures that downplay formal dress still serve the Lord in humility and reverence in more casual clothing.
Someone may say, “I believe God expects a Christian to dress in the best he has when worshiping.” Perhaps, but what passage teaches this? And would the application not extend to all gatherings for worship, including Sunday/Wednesday nights and singings in our homes, etc.? Why the premium on Sunday morning worship? You may conclude that I am advocating no standards in dress and would excuse rank sloppiness in worship, but such is not the case. I am only saying that we should not manufacture false standards to support our preferences or over-emphasize something that God places less stress on.
Actually, I believe social consideration is a strong motive in regulating our dress in worship. How we are perceived by the world, and the impact we may have on fellow worshipers, are crucial matters. Note Paul’s exhortation: “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (I Cor. 10:32-33). Paul said this about an occasion where eating meat sacrificed to an idol, though not sinful in itself, may have led someone to draw a wrong conclusion (10:28-29). We must accommodate the weak and misguided.
I have worshiped in Mexico where I felt overdressed in a coat and tie and perhaps insulting to other brethren less formally attired. Should I not choose to dress in less than “my best” in order to accommodate those who have less? Social convention has a strong bearing on our choices and is not to be ignored. “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (I Cor. 9:22).
Perhaps the overriding factor in this discussion is the attitude of the worshiper. If our attitude about worship is casual, and this is manifested in our dress, lack of concentration, lack of preparation, etc., then such casualness is an affront to God. Casual dress in worship will not be solved by imposing dress codes. It will be solved in the heart of each worshiper as he is guided by the greatness of God and love for his fellow man. Without this, he can worship in an Italian suit and ostrich-skin shoes and his prayers will not pass the ceiling.
