03 March 2013

Wearing Your Best to Church - Conclusion


With everything that has previously been said about what to wear to church, I must address something else about clothing and for good reason. At issue is when women choose to wear clothing that is revealing. This is a tough subject for me as a man to discuss, but while I was a youth minister, this came up several times, especially with bathing suits around camp time. I normally would explain my concerns with the women counselors and let them take care of it, and I never had a problem. However, what is considered dress clothes for women today, is very revealing. I had a friend who is a youth pastor who was doing a great job at getting the neighborhood youth to come to the church, but what some of the young women were wearing to youth group was just too revealing. His solution, which I love, was that there was a couple who owned a tee shirt shop in the congregation, and he had them make nice tee shirts with the youth group logo on them and when a young lady came to the service who would benefit from extra coverage, he would give her a youth group tee shirt. Most of the other kids would already be wearing them, and he never had to ask a girl to put one on, they always immediately put them on. 

The last few years I have noticed that these revealing clothes are showing up in the church service itself. Some of you are asking, "What is the big deal, you just made a point of saying clothes do not matter." I will put it in simple terms; it is very hard to concentrate on God and preach when the woman in the front row has almost her whole chest exposed to you. 

You may say, "Hey Dr. Brad, you just made a great point about how God does not care what I wear to church." However, there is another Biblical principle at work here. You should not in your freedom in the Bible, cause someone else to sin. 1 Cor. 8

 
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

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