A matter worth pon­dering is whether we as Christians could be unduly influenced by the apathetic attitude of current worldly culture to the many privileges that are ours. One can think, for example, especially of our privilege to worship on the Lord’s Day and how we dress for it.

There is no question about the trend. Sunday best is under pressure and Sunday casual is in. As one colum­nist put it: “Casual Friday has now morphed into Sloppy Sabbath.”¹ I have no interest in suggesting a dress code for church. The point we need to ponder is whether we are being negatively influenced by the current blasé at­titude to the many blessings we can enjoy today. Could it be that the trend to less refined dress to church has something to do with a lack of appreciation and gratitude for what happens when we participate in worship? Are we still sufficiently aware of the tremendous privilege we have in being able to approach holy God as those in­clined to sin but redeemed of grace alone in Christ? It has struck me in visiting places like Sudan and the townships of South Africa how impeccably dressed the poor people are for worship. Their clothing is very simple but it is sparkling clean, modest, and worn with joyous smiles. It is their Sunday best! They wear the best they have for they are approaching the King of kings! Could we, like the culture around us, be losing our sense of awe of God and the thanksgiving we owe to him? What kind of a message is sloppy Sunday dress sending to God?

The Lord’s Day is the day of thanksgiving and worship where God is at the centre. The trend to seeker-friendly services focuses on “customer satisfaction.” Come as you are, be comfortable above all, and take along your cof­fee if you like. But one goes to church not to be catered to and to be made comfortable, but to worship and bow before God, Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty Holy One, who demands respect, awe and worship of his creation. The trend to more and more casual wear is not a matter of more formal clothes being unaffordable. The West is prosperous. It is not a financial but a spiritual issue. As our civic culture loses its Christian moorings it also loses its respect for God. As Christians we need to resist such insidious cultural influences. For surely indifference and a blasé attitude to one’s dress when ap­pearing before God in worship is unacceptable.

Scripture teaches us that God does care about what we wear when we worship him. When Israel had to pre­pare themselves for God’s coming down to meet them at Mount Sinai, then God gave instructions also about their clothes. They had to be washed and clean (Exod 19:10-11). Furthermore, as priests in God’s service (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6) we can by analogy think of how im­portant Old Testament priestly dress was for God as they were engaged in worship. These simple priestly garments had to be made “for glory and beauty” (Exod 28:40). Even when an apparently menial task was performed in the course of worship like removing the ashes from the altar, God specified the clothing to be worn (Lev 6:10). So the clothes one wears are import­ant when worshipping God.

Indeed, is the church not the bide, adorned for her husband, Jesus Christ? When you have that kind of iden­tity, clothes are important! Already in Old Testament times the church could jubilate: “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isa 61:10). This reechoes in the announcement in Revela­tion that the marriage supper of the lamb has come “‘and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev 19:8)

As we go to church and enter into the Most Holy Place in worship (Heb 10:19-25; cf. 12:22-24), should we not be dressed in our best in anticipation of that great day!? Who would think of dressing down? After all, what a privilege and reason for gratitude to be Bride of Christ, worshipping in anticipation of the coming of the Bridegroom!