Dress Codes

[Beetow]

In the beginning; there were no dress codes and the people thought nothing of it.

• Gen 2:25 . .The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Then came the forbidden fruit incident wherein the people of a sudden felt
differently about their appearance in the buff and covered their pelvic areas with
rudimentary loin cloths.

• Gen 3:7 . . At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt
shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to
cover themselves.

( Apparently Eve remained topless at first; and in some primitive areas even today,
the women still are.)

To my knowledge, God has yet to condemn full frontal nudity; so this sudden
awareness of their appearance didn't come from Him. In other words; their new
attitude about the human body wasn't divine, rather, it was cultural: and even
today, many years later, the world's dress codes remain cultural.

NOTE: Nudist colonies and clothing optional beaches aren't evil per se where they
are legal. When people condemn those places as sinful and indecent; they display
the effects of the forbidden fruit incident at work in their minds.
_

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

When they broke the commandment of God concerning eating from the tree he told them not to it follows

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

This wasnt really hid from him as we are told,

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.

They know not that they are naked here (so naked with no shame)

Rev 13:7 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Then counseled to buy of him white raiment that they might be clothed

Rev 13:8 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed,
and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

All so that the very shame of their nakedness does not appear.

Although I don't think here he was really talking a congregation gathering without physical clothes on.

Paul mentions not being found naked here also

2 Cr 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

2 Cr 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

2 Cr 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon,
that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Being clothed upon, "that mortality" might be swallowed up of life.

 

[MedicBravo]

I'm no fan of churches who "enforce" dress codes.
Pretty sure God sees all and is largely irrelevant.
Would stupid thing such as a dress code be good or legit over someone's access to a church and fellow Christians?
What about those at the Line who want to visit but can't b/c of some "dress code"?
There are "churches" like that and both God and Bible do no command such a thing.

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

I'm no fan of churches who "enforce" dress codes.
Pretty sure God sees all and is largely irrelevant.
Would stupid thing such as a dress code be good or legit over someone's access to a church and fellow Christians?
What about those at the Line who want to visit but can't b/c of some "dress code"?
There are "churches" like that and both God and Bible do no command such a thing.

I missed your post, and I know the OP isnt really speaking about church attire, but I agree, that irks me too. The LORD doesn't even look at outward appearance, it says, The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Sam 16:7 Its really man that looks on outward appearance.

I love the fact that God chose John to go before His Son wearing what he wore

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins

God doesn't seem at all put off at the camel hair attire (or tell John to go home and change)

Jesus even asks on John's account,

Luke 7:25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

I don't even see where women are encouraged to adorn themselves in costly array (1 Tim 2:9)

People can fall into the wrong kind of thinking and start showing more respect for people who come into an assembly who were more well off than others and show it in their attires

James 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

James 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:

James 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

James 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

James 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

God is known to chose the base things of the world, and things which are despised

God bless you

 

[MedicBravo]

I disagree.
Our appearance affects our beliefs and how we acts.
Subjective body issues, clothing choices, health problems b/c of choice, etc. He may not "look" per human standards but His standards are beyond our own.
As a man, I shouldn't be displaying more of my body to the world just as women should not.
Optimally, I should have a better diet and better overall view of myself.
God created us and we should, optimally, take far better care of it than we have. IDK about you or anyone else, but I would be so embarrassed and highly depressed when seeing Him and knowing I could've done better.
IMO, it's not an easy topic.

 

[watertolive]

Amen God is no respector of persons

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Absalom was esteemed for his outward appearance seeing Israel praised him for his beauty

2 Sam 14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

On the otherhand Jesus Christ was not considered as one who was esteemed at all (Isaiah 53:3)

Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

But then again that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Seeking the praises of men or God, one does look on outward appearance and the other upon the heart.

 

[Brother Paul]

I'm no fan of churches who "enforce" dress codes.
Pretty sure God sees all and is largely irrelevant.
Would stupid thing such as a dress code be good or legit over someone's access to a church and fellow Christians?
What about those at the Line who want to visit but can't b/c of some "dress code"?
There are "churches" like that and both God and Bible do no command such a thing.

By their standard Jesus would have had his hair too long and was not weariing any pants.

 

[MedicBravo]

Most churches don't teach the 100% truth of God and the Bible.
They water down the Alphabet people and "change" things or avoid certain topics to "put butts in seats and fill quotas".
There'll be NO excuses for those churches and any leaders who are guilty of this.

 

[watertolive]

I believe this is more about the law, of what a place requires. Just like you can't wear your gun in all places, say the federal building.
If we don't believe we should have a dress code then don't go to that church. However if one wants to partake in that establishment then abide by their dress code.
God does requires us to obey the laws that are implemented.
All power, glory and honor be unto God. Amen

 

[Brother Paul]

Christianity is not like Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and such, that have dress requirements. Although I believe no one who wears a gun to church is a real follower of Jesus Christ, we have no specific dress code that one could look at and say "There is a Christian"!

 

[MedicBravo]

Christianity is not like Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and such, that have dress requirements. Although I believe no one who wears a gun to church is a real follower of Jesus Christ, we have no specific dress code that one could look at and say "There is a Christian"!

That's where you're 100% wrong.
Go back through human history in the Bible and you'll see how God used Christians and how some like David used a weapon to stop evil.
Self-defense IS biblical.
We are commanded to protect those who cannot do it themselves. Technology changes but the right to self defense and that of others does not.

 

[Brother Paul]

That's where you're 100% wrong.
Go back through human history in the Bible and you'll see how God used Christians and how some like David used a weapon to stop evil.
Self-defense IS biblical.
We are commanded to protect those who cannot do it themselves. Technology changes but the right to self defense and that of others does not.

You must be on the wrong thread. Dress code has nothing to do with self defense (which I agreed with)

 

[Sue D.]

In church a person should dress modestly and be clean. We should be there to worship God. No one should be drawing undue attention to themselves.
And there are those who will dress and act in ways that Will get them attention just to see how people in the congregation will react to them. And in the process they will hear the gospel and accept Jesus christ as their personal Savior.

 

[Brother Paul]

In church a person should dress modestly and be clean. We should be there to worship God. No one should be drawing undue attention to themselves.
And there are those who will dress and act in ways that Will get them attention just to see how people in the congregation will react to them. And in the process they will hear the gospel and accept Jesus christ as their personal Savior.

Amen! Thanks Sue

 

[watertolive]

Even though I'm dressed modest, what if I'm not clean?
What Abt the inward parts; is the heart clean?
Ye shall know them by their fruits.

What if my clothes aren't clean?
So what! Man looks at the outward appearance of a man, God gazes upon the heart.

All power, glory, and honor be unto God. Amen

 

[Sue D.]

Everyone has access to soap and water. So there's no reason to go anywhere potentially smelly . Especially not church.
A person can come up all kinds of "what if's" -- 'what if' a person took the time To have clean clothes and body.

 

[Brother Paul]

Even though I'm dressed modest, what if I'm not clean?
What Abt the inward parts; is the heart clean?
Ye shall know them by their fruits.

What if my clothes aren't clean?
So what! Man looks at the outward appearance of a man, God gazes upon the heart.

All power, glory, and honor be unto God. Amen

Amen

 

[Br. Bear]

Best thing to wear...


“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment ‭was‭ as a robe and a diadem.”
Job 29:14

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
Isaiah 61:10

 

[Br. Bear]

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
Colossians 3:14