Madisonville Church of Christ

Recently, I was invited to attend a series of preliminary hearings at the Circuit Court of Hopkins County. As one defendant after another came before the judge to enter his plea, I noticed that most of them were dressed slovenly, with an overall appearance that was unkepmt. At one point, the judge stopped the proceedings, and admonished the courtroom. This gist of what he said was this: "Most of you defendants are before me today facing felony charges. You are here to enter a plea, negotiate bail, and schedule a pre-trial hearing. Portions of this process, especially bail are matters that are at the court's discretion, and first impressions are very important. When you come into court wearing blue jeans, t-shirts, exercise outfits, and overalls, you seem to be acting as though this is just another ordinary day in your life, and that this is no big deal to you. Well, this is not just another day, and these proceedings ought to be a very big deal to you. The next time you appear before me, dress apropriately!" Much of what the judge said about appearing before him in court could also be said about appearing before the Heavenly Father in worship. The Lord's day is not just another day, and how we dress ought to reflect that.

What does it mean to dress "modestly," and how does modesty apply to the attire in which we worship God? In I Timothy 2:8 through 10, the apostle Paul wrote, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." In these verses, he emphasized the fact that all Christians ought to be serious about their spirituality. This should be reflected in the prayers they offer, and in the manner in which they dress. Emphasis must be placed upon the beauty of one's inward self, rather than upon one's outward self (II Cor. 4:16-18). In making this point, Paul stated that Christian women (and men, by implication) must clothe themselves in "modest apparel," at all times. The Greek word that is translated "modest," in this passage, literally means, "appropriate." While the concept of modesty does indicate clothing that covers one's body, so as not to incite illicit thoughts in others, it also indicates clothing that is appropriate for a given situation.

Certainly, it is possible for one to be clothed from head to toe, without being appropriately attired for the presented situation. A Christian who wears blue jeans and a t-shirt to worship may be fully dressed, but he is not modestly dressed. When an occasion is important, people tend to want to look their best, so they put on their best attire, and they try to look their best, so they can make a good impression upon those who observe them. On the other hand, a Christian who wears a tuxedo to worship may be fully clothed, but he is not modestly dressed, either. Appropriate attire does not call undue attention to the wearer. Certainly, when one worships God, it is an occasion to dress up, but it is not an occasion to show off ("with shamefacedness and sobriety;" I Tim. 2:9).

Modesty in Worship