So you’re right, Ida. The issue isn’t dress standards at all. It’s about being honest with God. Like I said in my post, how can God fix us if we won’t admit to him that we’re broken?

It’s different for each individual.

But Jason had an interesting point. What signal are we sending others? Yes, I agree, the gospel message is, in itself, an offense. But are we giving off vibes of love and invitation, or are we exuding exclusivism and judgmental attitudes? Can we look at ourselves from the outside and see if we’re doing anything to hinder the gospel?

Is it possible that Jason’s unsaved friend may have heard the message more clearly without the noise of a dress code ringing in his ears? I can’t say; perhaps he would have found something else to harp on, but what if his feeling that people were judging him for his dress happened to be the only thing standing between him and Jesus?

I’m not saying that everyone in that church is that way or that even the majority of the folks are that way (my parents STILL are members there), but because I was a member longer than you’ve been alive, I can say with reasonable certainty that it’s a common problem there.

Nate knows he didn’t become “broken” by putting on shorts and flip flops. He first realized his brokenness and realized he didn’t need a suit–he needed God. And so I think his change of attire was just a physical representation of his inward change. I think his humility in admitting he even had a spiritual problem is taking responsibility like an adult. He admitted pretty much to the world that he’s not perfect. Which is somthing I NEVER once witnessed in anyone at our former church. No one ever admitted their sin unless they were confronted with it and couldn’t run from it.

I’ve never seen a verse in the Bible where God asks us to “dress up”, so I’d put that in the category of a man-made “rule”. What I do think God asks of us is that we remain modest in such a way so that we don’t cause anyone to struggle with lust. There’s a difference. I can dress casually and modestly at the same time. I can “dress up” and still dress immodestly and visa versa.

Regarding “dressing down” being associated with the liberal movement, and “dressing up” so as not to “offend” others–aren’t liberal Christians still Christians and thus, still our brothers and sisters? To look down upon them for the way they dress demonstrates a lack of love. Worse, in that attitude, one usurps God’s authority by judging his servants. The reverse is true too. Those of us who love to dress casually shouldn’t look down on those who don’t.

Again, the spirit of love should prevail, and one’s heart and mind should be bent towards pleasing God alone and not worrying about what others will think of us if we dress down (or perhaps up), unless it involves a question of modesty and/or a real desire to reach the lost around us.

I love my bros and sisters who love to dress up and I love my brothers and sisters who love to dress down. But I love most when my brothers and sisters are authentic in heart and spirit regardless of what they’re wearing.

I’m not at all suggesting abandoning dressing up a little as we go to church but I have been thinking on this topic a lot lately and trying to figure out how it all works together and I thought I would throw this out there since everyone is talking about this.