Do Christians Stand out in the way they dress?

[only after Gods heart]

In the past months I've been battling with the thought that Christians and the church have went astray from the modest dressing the early church practiced. I feel like we have comformed to the world in this espect. There is a great lack of humility in the way we dress, men and women. We seem not to stand out like other religions in this instense like Jews and muslims even though we are called to in the OT and NT. The way we dress is suppose to reflect our beliefs and our longings for christ. Do you see God in the way we dress??? I would like to know everyone's(believers and non believers) thoughts on this. [Please no arguing. I just want this to help me grow stronger in my faith and bring this topic to light for others]

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

In the past months I've been battling with the thought that Christians and the church have went astray from the modest dressing the early church practiced. I feel like we have comformed to the world in this espect. There is a great lack of humility in the way we dress, men and women. We seem not to stand out like other religions in this instense like Jews and muslims even though we are called to in the OT and NT. The way we dress is suppose to reflect our beliefs and our longings for christ. Do you see God in the way we dress??? I would like to know everyone's(believers and non believers) thoughts on this. [Please no arguing. I just want this to help me grow stronger in my faith and bring this topic to light for others]

Hi, I think you should start by telling us what you think a proper dress code is.
You must have some thoughts on the subject.

 

[only after Gods heart]

Hi, I think you should start by telling us what you think a proper dress code is.
You must have some thoughts on the subject.

Well this all started from a discussion I had with a relative about if it was ok or not for women to go out topless. I think it is unpleasant to God and I started to think that this is only a topic because of how we dress today. Back in the day it would have definitely been unacceptable but every decade we reveal more and more. I understand its a cultural fashion fad but the church is not suppose to be of the world. I dont really have a set idea of how I believe we should dress but im definitely leaning towards knee length dresses & no clevelage for women and for men the one thing that sticks out to me that's not so modest that I find myself doing is wearing shirts so tight to show off my muscles. But im not saying im wrong or right I just want to see how others feel about it. I think I dress like the world. without knowing me theres no hint of my faith unlike orthodox Jews and Muslims who are more grounded in that area.

 

[Lewis]

View attachment 7427

 

[Corn Pop]

Im clean shaven and wear shoes. The Apostles had beards and wore sandles to church.

 

[dianegcook]

Where do you live, lol.
I haven't seen anyone in church topless!
I think one should clean the inside of the cup, before outside of the cup.
I don't see anything wrong with women and men wearing blue jeans.

Come as you are, come....

 

[reba]

I remember in the 50s you could spot most Pentecostal women a mile a way... clothes outdated by a decade... NO and i mean NO lipstick... Earrings would send ya to hell over nite ... Hair pulled back into a bun at the neck. dont cut that hair... sneak in a trim but dont cut..

 

[JohnDB]

Dressing modestly means that we do look like everyone else. It means not standing out for covering too much skin when everyone else is showing skin and vice versa.

Wearing a full three piece suit to a beach Bible study is anything but modest.
Wearing a tank top and shorts to a Nazarene gathering is also not modest either.

So exactly what is your point?

 

[reba]

If the outward appearance makes one a Christian then some thing is wrong...

 

[Blake]

Modesty is something that's spiritual and can't be exactly defined in the mundane.

By that I mean a Christian has to inquire within. What are my motives for wearing this? Is it to entice? Am I looking to draw attention to myself? How much stock am I putting into being seen by the opposite sex and admired (for married folks)?

Modesty can also be marked by buying silver and golden accessories while your family is hungry. Ouch.

 

[Obadiah]

What example did Jesus give us? Seems to me he pretty much dressed like everyone else of his time period and so did His disciples. I can't recall anything in scripture of Jesus giving a dress code to anyone or of Him talking about His own style being significantly different than anyone else at the time. I recall talk of the pharisees dressing differently in order for others to see they were "different" (which is kind of the same thing you're asking about here), but Jesus never had much good to say about them or how they dressed. Sure I don't think a woman where I live should go to church topless, because that's not the custom in churches where I live. If she does this, I can't think of one single legitimate reason other than to be showing off and creating controversy. But if I lived in one of those areas where you see missionaries working with native people where women traditionally go topless, I wouldn't dream of telling them to cover up or they couldn't come into church. It would never even cross my mind.

Dressing modestly means that we do look like everyone else. It means not standing out for covering too much skin when everyone else is showing skin and vice versa.

Wearing a full three piece suit to a beach Bible study is anything but modest.
Wearing a tank top and shorts to a Nazarene gathering is also not modest either.

So exactly what is your point?

Precisely right in my opinion.

 

[Obadiah]

Im clean shaven and wear shoes. The Apostles had beards and wore sandles to church.

Yes, and I remember in the early 70's during the "Jesus Movement" a lot of bearded, sandaled hippies found Christ and started going to church. They looked something like the first Christians would have looked, and many church leaders tossed them out the door for it. The people who did that will have to answer to God for it one day.

 

[only after Gods heart]

What example did Jesus give us? Seems to me he pretty much dressed like everyone else of his time period and so did His disciples. I can't recall anything in scripture of Jesus giving a dress code to anyone or of Him talking about His own style being significantly different than anyone else at the time. I recall talk of the pharisees dressing differently in order for others to see they were "different" (which is kind of the same thing you're asking about here), but Jesus never had much good to say about them or how they dressed. Sure I don't think a woman where I live should go to church topless, because that's not the custom in churches where I live. If she does this, I can't think of one single legitimate reason other than to be showing off and creating controversy. But if I lived in one of those areas where you see missionaries working with native people where women traditionally go topless, I wouldn't dream of telling them to cover up or they couldn't come into church. It would never even cross my mind.
Precisely right in my opinion.

This is a professed Christian actress. I dont believe this to be modest but alot of Christians today dress like this and believes it gives God glory. I believe it gives the body Glory and disentangle represent christ but represents sex. what do you think? and im not trying to point her out just using her as an example

 

[Corn Pop]

Yes, and I remember in the early 70's during the "Jesus Movement" a lot of bearded, sandaled hippies found Christ and started going to church. They looked something like the first Christians would have looked, and many church leaders tossed them out the door for it. The people who did that will have to answer to God for it one day.

People need learn not to mock the roman sandle. Even John said he was not worthy of the sandle. Its a sacred item of clothing. Lol.

 

[Blake]

Yes, and I remember in the early 70's during the "Jesus Movement" a lot of bearded, sandaled hippies found Christ and started going to church. They looked something like the first Christians would have looked, and many church leaders tossed them out the door for it. The people who did that will have to answer to God for it one day.

Next up is the generation of young teens and adults coming to the churches with ink all over their skin, stretched ears and black tee shirts. I hope history won't be repeated in this case.

 

[Obadiah]

This is a professed Christian actress. I dont believe this to be modest but alot of Christians today dress like this and believes it gives God glory. I believe it gives the body Glory and disentangle represent christ but represents sex. what do you think? and im not trying to point her out just using her as an example

I've been a Christian for a long time, most of my life, and I've seen all kinds of things. This is not something I would "battle" over as you put it. Would you be so worried about whether or not it was right to wear a suit and tie or to wear jeans and a T shirt when you go out to eat in a restaurant? Or would yo just simply wear the kind of clothes other people wear to the kind of restaurant you are planning to go to? There's no more need to worry about these things for us as Christians. Read the book of Galatians. We are told we don't have to worry about this. We can just do what's normal for everyone else in the same situation as long as it's not something sinful.

As for the woman in the pictures you posted, I don't know where that was taken or what everyone else was wearing, but I agree it's not what I would call "modest" for most situations. But I'm not going to judge her or question her faith based on one or two pictures that I know nothing about.

But really, it doesn't sound like you are questioning this at all. It sounds to me like you already have your mind made up as to what's appropriate for you, and if that's what God has led you to, you should go with it. Just be careful not to judge others based on your own personal preference like some people do.

 

[only after Gods heart]

I dont know why alot of yall think im talking about how people come to church dressed. Im talking about how we dress period. This post is really reffering to girls wearing booty shorts, yoga pants/ leggings, sexualized clothing. Christians shouldn't dress like prostitutes. It doesn't reflect god. it reflects sex

 

[Obadiah]

Next up is the generation of young teens and adults coming to the churches with ink all over their skin, stretched ears and black tee shirts. I hope history won't be repeated in this case.

LOL! Well, not my style, that's for sure. But to be honest with what's happening with young people leaving churches in droves these days, I'd welcome them in, stretched ears and all. Hey, maybe those stretched ears are better to hear with???

 

[Obadiah]

I dont know why alot of yall think im talking about how people come to church dressed. Im talking about how we dress period. This post is really reffering to girls wearing booty shorts, yoga pants/ leggings, sexualized clothing. Christians shouldn't dress like prostitutes. It doesn't reflect god. it reflects sex

I guess that even leaves this as more of an impossibly open ended question then. Would you say we should all wear long pants and long sleeved shirts to go to the beach in the summer? It' all about what's appropriate for the situation. And it's also about the person who has the improper sexual thoughts when they view this to deal with his/her own spiritual weakness and not put the blame on everyone else.

In my job I see a young woman completely naked on a regular basis. Does that make either me or her a sinner? (I'm male, by the way.)

 

[Corn Pop]

I think the last time i went to a church i wore a pair of jeans and a hoodie. Would God be offended if i prayed or talked to him in the shower?. Or would he just be accepting i am open with him will talk to him anywhere anytime wearing anything and have nothing to hide?