Christians – What are you wearing? Your Sunday best? Uh Oh. Is this going to be about wearing clothes that are “appropriate” for Christians? Like long dresses for women? Suits and ties for men? If that’s what you’re concerned about, don’t worry. I’m talking about something else entirely. Well, sort of. Something that really matters. Something that makes a difference.
Sure, there’s this “thing” about wearing your “Sunday best”. As if Jesus will be offended or reject us if we don’t wear the right clothes. On top of that, “Sunday best” sounds like we should have special clothes for, well, just for Sunday.
I can just imagine Jesus’ thoughts about that. I think something along the lines of, sell your Sunday best clothes and give all the proceeds to the poor.
Do you disagree? Well, hang on to that disagreement for a while. I’ll get back to that later.
After all, Jesus spent lots of time with the sinners. The bottom of the social order. Prostitutes. People with physical problems like leprosy. The “unclean”. Did Jesus ever look at what they were wearing? Did Jesus ever ask any of them to dress properly before He’d spend time with them? Or heal them? No. We don’t read of that even one time.
We’ll return to the thought on clothes later on as well.
What are you wearing? Your Sunday best? Why does it matter?
Actually, it’s from something Paul wrote about how we should clothe ourselves. That sounds like the Sunday best thing again. Not to worry. It’s not. Well, sort of not. While the Greek word is translated as “clothe”, it can also be translated as “put on”. Either would have worked.
However, I suspect that with many people today, clothe is probably better. Why? Because we tend to have this overwhelming desire, or is it need, to define people by what we wear.
Here’s what I mean. A stranger looks at you, and one of the first things they look at is what you are wearing. And then they make decisions about you, based on what you’re wearing. It happens all the time. We’re pigeon-holed into some social/economic class, based on the clothes we wear.
It’s like our clothes are so intertwined with who we are that we become inseparable from our clothes.
But remember, Jesus didn’t care about that. He didn’t care what anyone wore. Paul was equally unconcerned in the passage below.
Focus on things above
Rules for Holy Living
Even the NIV section title should give us a huge clue that this isn’t about what we wear. Holy living and nice clothes? As we’ll see later, this was somewhat of an oxymoron to Jesus.
Col 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Here’s one time when Jesus spoke of clothes.
Do Not Worry – Matthew
6:25-33 pp — Lk 12:22-31
Mt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Mt 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
There’s so much to pull from that passage. But for today, let’s take:
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
There’s a clear statement that what we wear in this life and seeking God’s Kingdom are two different things. we don’t need to worry about what to wear here. And God will take care of what we wear in the next life.
It’s true that wearing our Sunday best doesn’t seem to be as much of a big deal as it used to be when I was younger. And yet, at some churches it does. Or more likely there are unspoken “rules” about things that some don’t consider acceptable to God.
Col 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Why do I include this part of the passage? Because it says, now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. If you look down on what someone wears in your church, think about how you feel. Think of the words that pass through your mind, if not your lips as well, when you see them. And then compare those words to the words Paul wrote.
There goes that Sunday best thing. Or is it, here comes that Sunday best thing? Actually, it’s about not insisting that people wear their “Sunday best”. At least not their Sunday best clothes. Why not? Because maybe they don’t have any! Does that disqualify someone from being able to love Jesus? No!
Setting our hearts and minds on things in Heaven takes away the idea that we should focus on the here and now things of this earth. And that includes clothes. Like the Sunday best tie and jacket. Like long dresses for women.
As I said, Jesus didn’t look at clothes. Jesus didn’t look at social status. Unless it was maybe in light of the reality that those in the higher social/economic layers tended to think they didn’t need Jesus.
Get rid of those ideas that social status, money, how people dress, Etc. are important.
And yes, admit that we may have negative feelings about people who come to “our” church and don’t dress in a way that we think is appropriate. Again, if Jesus didn’t care about what you wore, why do we care so much?
Notice I wrote “our” church. In quotes. Because the church doesn’t belong to us. It’s Jesus’ church. Not ours. His. Not our rules. His rules.
Col 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
And now, realize that Paul wasn’t talking about clothes. If anything, some of our thoughts about people’s clothes in church might be one of the things Paul’s warning us about.
If compassion for others, kindness towards others, and patience with others are so ingrained in us that they are like clothing, then we will be able to focus on the things above. We’ll be able to focus on the things of Heaven.
If we have humility, then we won’t look down on those who can’t afford to dress the way we do. Oh, and don’t forget about over all these virtues put on love.
Like a coat goes over our clothes, and they can’t be seen until the coat is off. Love is the first thing people should see in us. And then, “underneath” love is compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Col 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Yeah, this is what Paul said are the important things to “wear”: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Yes, with the peace of Christ, we should look at others in a different light. Instead of being concerned with what someone wears, whether or not they have their Sunday best, we are concerned with showing them love.
And if there are still some among us, some who call themselves Christian, we should lovingly teach and admonish them about this question of “what are you wearing?”
By telling us to wear compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, Paul was saying that those things should be such a part of us that it’s what people see when they look at us.
Sell your Sunday best clothes and give the money to the poor
I said we’d return to this. Now’s the time.
Did Jesus ever ask people to dress properly?
First, let’s look at something Jesus said about John the Baptist. Yes, about what John the Baptist wore. But more importantly, about what some people expected him to wear.
Jesus and John the Baptist – Matthew
11:2-19 pp — Lk 7:18-35
Mt 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
Mt 11:2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Mt 11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
Mt 11:7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear.
Mt 11:16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
Mt 11:17 “ ‘We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”
Check this out:
- “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
- 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.
- 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
People with wrong expectations would have missed:
- Someone whose beliefs were so strong that he couldn’t be swayed.
- The one chosen by God to announce the coming of His Son.
- A prophet, but more than a prophet.
Imagine missing all that, just because we expected someone dressed in “Sunday” best clothes. We didn’t see that, so we didn’t pay attention to someone important. And we missed the one who came to announce the first coming of Jesus.
What if we missed the second coming for the same reason?
Jesus did speak about wedding clothes
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet – Matthew
22:2-14 Ref—Lk 14:16-24
Mt 22:1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
Mt 22:4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
Mt 22:5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Mt 22:8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Mt 22:11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
Mt 22:13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mt 22:14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
This time, let’s pay attention to the last four verses.
Mt 22:11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
Mt 22:13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mt 22:14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Once again, this isn’t really about clothes, as in what we wear. This is about preparation for the “wedding”. Specifically, in this instance, it is about whether or not we are true “believers”/followers of Jesus.
22:11 not dressed in wedding clothes This man accepted the king’s invitation, but on his own terms—which the king found improper.
22:13 weeping and gnashing of teeth Reactions of great anguish. This signals that Jesus is talking about a time of judgment—likely upon His return (see note on 8:12).
22:14 For many are called but few are chosen Summarizes the theme of the preceding parables (21:28–22:14). God invites many people into His kingdom, as seen in the parable Jesus has just told (vv. 1–13). However, as the man thrown out of the wedding feast illustrates (vv. 11–13), not all who consider themselves part of God’s kingdom are genuine members of it (compare 7:13–14, 21–23). Those who hear and respond favorably to God’s invitation are able to join him in celebration (compare 25:31–46). 1Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Mt 22:11–14). Lexham Press.
Jesus, during His short time on earth, told us how to follow Him. How to prepare for this “wedding”. If we choose not to prepare as He taught us, then we must suffer the consequences.
The wedding reminds us, today at least, of the wedding feast of the Lamb in Revelation.
Conclusion – Christians – What are you wearing? Your Sunday best?
In a way, maybe I was fortunate. When I first started working, it was with mainframe computer operating systems. I rarely dealt with people. I could wear pretty much what I wanted. I used to go to work in cut-off jeans and a tee-shirt. People only cared about what I knew, how well I could keep things running, not with how I dressed.
Over time, I moved up in the organization, but still kept with the “casual” dress code. Even when I went to staff meetings with the president (at a large university) I still wore jeans and tennis shoes. Again, it was about what I knew and could do. All the other people had to dress nice, the Sunday best kind of thing.
So when I go to church, even today, my “Sunday best” is the only kind of clothes I have. Jeans, casual shirts, and usually tennis shoes. God doesn’t seem to mind. The people in my Bible study class don’t seem to mind. And I don’t care what they wear either. I don’t look at anyone in church and ask, what are you wearing? Is that your Sunday best? Or is that the best you can do?
No, I’m just happy they are there. That’s the “new self“.
We love people because they are created by God. And because He loves them. As He loves us. Not because of what we wear.
So for all of us who are Christian, do we practice what Paul wrote? Do we practice what Jesus portrayed in His life? Are we the kind of people that someone who can’t afford the “Sunday best” will want to go to church with? Or do we look at them, ask ourselves what are you wearing, and make them feel unwelcome?
And to the person looking for a welcoming, loving church. If at first you don’t find one, don’t give up. They do exist. Try again. Just as you’re looking for Jesus, He’s looking for you. Keep looking. You will find the right place. And you will be found.
One last thing. “Sunday” best, when we’re talking about love and other attributes of being a Christian, isn’t just for Sunday. Those things are for every day. All day.
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Footnotes
- 1Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Mt 22:11–14). Lexham Press.