Lesson #12 - Our Dress In Worship

Even though worship is not a "dress parade", many times we become too sloppy, and revealing in the way we dress for worship. Our clothes do contribute to the emphasis we place on worship to God. This does not mean we have to wear fine and expensive clothes. But the way we dress should be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion.

Women are commanded in 1 Timothy 2:9-10, "In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation…which is proper for women professing godliness with good works." Modest clothing is the way women who are "professing godliness" dress. Certainly a woman or man whose clothing is not modest is not professing godliness by the way they dress. In this verse "moderation" suggests being restrained and "propriety" suggests conforming to what is proper in the worship of God.

The wearing of lewd and revealing clothing to worship God is unthinkable, but some do it anyway. A woman who wears clothing that exposes herself to men is contributing to their sin of lust. Our Lord says in Matthew 5:28, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." She becomes guilty of contributing to his sin of adultery, so she also becomes guilty. In our actions as well as the clothing we wear, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Some think they have to follow the style and fashion of the world, regardless of how short and revealing clothing gets. But we are told in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world." Why? Because this world is going to be lost, and if we conform to this world we will also be lost. We are conforming to this world when we dress immodestly. We are "to keep ourselves unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

Would we dress in sloppy or revealing clothes if we were attending our parent’s funeral? Our Lord says in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." How should we dress to show respect for someone much greater than our parents, when we appear in the presence of our Lord to remember the death of our Saviour and to honor and worship God? He is the one who made us and who will determine our future in eternity.

When we worship we are actually in the presence of the Lord. He deserves only our very best. We are told in Romans 12:1, "That you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God". Do you actually think God is pleased with us when we wear immodest clothing as we present our bodies a living sacrifice in worship to Him. Are we doing as our Lord says (Matthew 6:33), "seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness"? If we are wearing clothing that is immodest, how could we? Our dress should show a moderate opinion of our own value. Our dress should be pure, proper, chaste, and decent. It should not call attention to ourselves, because it is showy, sloppy or lewd.