Thou Shalt Submit [part two] ...

Because of the separation of the second chapter from the third chapter in Peter’s first letter to the church, often verse one of chapter three is read as if it is the start of a new conversation, or a new admonition from Peter’s counsel.  It is not.  It is the continuation of our study on the strategy of submission to conquer evil.  In our previous examination of chapter two, we begin to see how Peter progressively raises the stakes in asking the church to show love, even in the face of evil.  Despite the absolute corruption, malice, and pagan indoctrination of the Roman system of government; Peter offers zero counsel to rebel, and instead asks us to submit to every ordinance of man, for the sake of the gospel.  When we are cheated, we are to be honest and loving in return.  When others speak lies, and accuse us falsely, we are to remain steadfast, upright, and speak no words of reprisal.  In this sense Peter is only reinforcing the teachings of Jesus when He asked us to love our enemies.

But the level of submission Peter asks is more than just our submission to Christ of our will in order to be transformed by the power of His love.  It is to allow that transformation to effect “how” we love others.  As we adopt the love of Christ into us, as it becomes part of us; we begin to lose the distinctions between friends and enemies.  People are only people.  They are to be loved, no matter how they respond to that love.  Those who have responded to the love of Christ might make an effort to return love when it is extended to them.  But the goal is not to see love extended only so that we see love returned.  It is to see love extended no matter what the outcome.  Sinners, after all, are the ones MOST in need of the love of Christ reflected through you.  It is not through violence, that evil can be extinguished from the hearts of man; it is only through a choice to love.  Peter sets a very clear mirror for us from which to examine our progress in our spiritual transformation … how humble can we be in the face of injustice, and how loving can we be in the face of undeserved evil. 

These are not popular words today.  They were no more popular in Peter’s own day.  The natural human condition rebels against oppression and injustice.  Our sentiment today is to resort to violence to achieve “justice”.  It was so in days of old as well.  It is the clarion call of Satan to demand “justice”.  For equality would see an eye taken for an eye, and a life taken for a life – that is justice.  But it is not the way of our God, for our God prefers mercy over justice.  He offers forgiveness rather than the rewards we have truly earned.  He loves us despite what we have done, and offers to free us from the chains that would bind us to repeating the failures of the past.  He pays our penalties Himself so that justice need not be visited upon us.  But to be free, we must be made free.  We must submit ourselves to Christ to be transformed by His love, submitting our decisions, our desires, and thus our actions.  In the last study, we come to realize, that the preferred state of one who loves, is submissive, not aggressive.  To see love win, we must be willing to obey, even when obedience is not what we believe is “fair”.  Instead of rebellion against the corruption of Rome, Peter asks that we honor Roman rule.  Instead of meeting violence with violence, we are to meet it with patience and love.

It is ONLY after men understand what has been asked of them with regards to submission that we can continue with the admonitions found in chapter three.  They are not isolated from each other, with wives asked to submit, and husbands to be made free from submission in general.  No, the prerequisites of submission have had a long prolog in chapter two, and now we continue with this these beginning in verse one of chapter three as Peter writes … “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;”  The word “likewise” is a reference to how the unbelievers come to know the love of Christ as discussed in the previous examples.  As Christians maintain a spirit of love and charity, and humble obedience even to the unjust edicts of men, they bare witness of a strength outside of themselves.  The transforming power of the love of Christ is made evident in our ability to remain humble and loving in the face of injustice. 

It is ironic that husband’s, and men in general, miss the subtlety of Peters inference.  Peter has just been describing how unjust oppressors discover Christ through the loving response of humble Christians.  Here Peter offers to wives the word “likewise” – perhaps meaning that he understands that husbands too are often unjust in how they treat their wives.  Peter continues that the direct influence of a wife upon her husband is profound.  Loving words spoken in humility by a wife who has discovered the treasure of serving her husband are nearly impossible to ignore.  The hardest man can be melted by the softest woman.  No matter what the husband is compelled to face and deal with in his quest to provide for his family, he cannot ignore the simple, uplifting conversations that love can inspire in a wife who prizes service.  It does not take Biblical brow-beating, or forced exposure to the word of God, to reach the still unconverted heart of the husband.  It only takes consistent love reflected in the consistent conversations of the wife.  The living witness is more powerful than the written word.  For if the word is not alive in you, of what value is it?

Peter continues in verse 2 … “While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. [verse 3] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; [verse 4] But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”  In this Peter has destroyed the entire fashion industry.  For as with all things, the inside will matter more than the surface.  To be clear, Peter is not advocating that women become nudists, refrain from cleanliness and good hygene practices, let the hair run wild, abandon make-up – but – wear only a meek and mild spirit.  While these ideas might appeal to some men, it would be unwise to attempt to use this scripture to achieve these goals.  However, Peter is making a clear statement about the priorities of “how” a woman reaches the heart of a man.  Bad news ladies … it is not in the new hair-do, or the myriad of jewelry you wear, or in that “to die for” new outfit on the manikins in the department store window.  It is captured in the counsel already given – it is in respect, upright conversations, humility, and consistency of love shown.  It is in our humility that God is able to reach us, it is why he prizes the meek and quiet spirit so highly, and why it is of such value in a wife.

Keep in mind, Peter is not just looking to impart general marital advice, he is talking specifically here about how a Christian woman reaches the heart of an unconverted husband, that she might introduce her husband to the Christ she serves.  The bond of matrimony is not strong enough to overcome the freewill choice of a spouse.  They cannot be saved because you are righteous.  They are not transformed by the love of Christ, just because you are.  These are individual choices, that each one of us must make.  If only one partner in a marriage makes the choice to be transformed, only one will be ready to live eternally in the city and existence He is currently preparing for us.  There will be no greater sadness than to face that eternity in solitude, because the partner we shared a life with here on earth, was never reached by the love we “could” have shown, and for selfish reasons, simply didn’t.  Peter offers the heart of woman, a method for insuring she is not alone on that great day, but is able to stand with the man she has chosen to love.

Peter continues in verse 5 … “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: [verse 6] Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”  Here is where it gets interesting.  Peter writes that this method has worked before.  Holy women in days past have trusted in God to transform their hearts, and make them able to consistently serve and love their own husbands.  Through their influence men were brought to God.  More interesting is the example of Sara who is said to have obeyed Abraham and called him lord.  Could it be, that Abraham was prompted to begin his search to find God, because of the influence of his wife Sara?  Could it be, that the much touted faith of Abraham was strengthened and supported by the largely invisible wife Sara?  There were no sayings regarding the matriarch of the Jewish faith.  Sons of Abraham was a popular designation, daughters of Sara much less so.  Yet does Peter here offer us some insight, that perhaps the mighty man of faith, owed much of this reputation to the consistent humility of his wife whose influence was a powerful one?

Peter continues in verse 7 … “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”  Peter again uses the word “likewise”.  Perhaps here he refers to the Abraham reference cited above, a recognition that the influence of our wife on our faith is profound – whether for better or worse.  He counsels husbands to dwell with them according to knowledge.  Do not forget that it is God you serve, and He who you love first, in order that you may then find immeasurable love for your wife through Him.  Husbands are to care for their wives as unto the weaker vessel.  Peter is not demeaning the strength of a Christian woman.  He is instead asking husbands to care for their wives as if handling precious china, something that is tender, can break, can be damaged by inattention or a lack of care.  Things that are irreplaceable must be handled with great care so that they are always valued, and never thrown carelessly aside.

Then Peter raises the stakes again.  He tells us that we are … “being heirs together” of the grace of life.  When once the bonds of matrimony are made, when two choose to become one, they are indeed seen as one.  Yes, each of us must choose to submit to Christ, and be transformed by the power of His love.  But having made that choice, as well as the one to be bound in marriage, we are “heirs” together.  We inherit the life and home in our heavenly destination as one.  When in Eden God determined it was not good for man to be alone, His wisdom was not colored by sin, or its effects.  Man was created and pronounced good.  But the addition of a wife makes him better.  The two individuals who form a family unit are made stronger in the joining than they were by themselves.  Men must understand this.  The knowledge of the eternal implications of our choices cannot be understated.  When God says the word forever, he is not thinking in terms of a 70 year life span.  He is thinking about forever, an existence that extends well beyond this corruptible one.  When we bind ourselves till death do us part, we recognize human frailty, but in so doing deny ourselves the potential of what might still be to come.

The advice Peter offers comes with a warning … “that your prayers be not hindered”.  Service, care and love for our wives, cannot be omitted while we think ourselves as having achieved spiritual enlightenment.  We have chosen to serve and love them, and how we do this, is a reflection of the transformation our Lord has wrought in our hearts.  To pray to God for things we “want”, while ignoring the needs of our wives, is to have our prayers hindered.  It is a reflection of our selfishness in how we pray.  The needs of others should top our prayer list; of those our wives should be first in line.  To ignore the needs of our wife, is to ignore the half of our one-ness.  It is literally to work against our own best interest.  The unity institutionalized in marriage is no trivial or temporary thing.  And as Peter states here we face our next life as joint heirs in the grace our Lord offers us.

Peter’s counsel to submit flies in the face of the untransformed heart.  It does go against our human nature and natural inclinations.  But it stands as the strategy employed by our God to see us saved.  While in this world, Jesus obeyed the laws of the Romans, and made no effort to dethrone them.  He submitted to Roman rule, even when it cost him torture and death.  To remain consistent in meeting evil with love is not something the normal human can expect to maintain.  It can only come through the transforming power of Jesus in our lives.  It can only come as we let Christ remake how we thing, what we value, what we want.  It takes a literal overhaul of our human nature to see the wisdom of Peter’s words.  Those obsessed with justice, cannot understand this approach.  And in the end, those obsessed with justice will never find it.  For “justice” is a very subjective standard, and the true equality it would demand is a price few are willing to pay.

But entrance into heaven, is not based on the justice of what we deserve.  It is instead based on the mercy that would see us transformed from one who earned death repeatedly, to one who would love others and willingly die to see them spared.  This is the example our Lord set for us.  This is the path we are all traveling on.

And Peter had only begun to describe what it is like to love another …

 

Communion (part two) ...

What is betrayal?  How long does it last?  Can it be undone?  John sets the scene for us again in his gospel in chapter 13.  The act of humility and service of their King washing each of their feet is still fresh in their minds.  But a disturbing fact has emerged.  Christ has said one of them is not clean, despite the foot washing.  They all know this means that one of them is unclean in spirit.  But who?  And to what extent?  And what could this mean?  Is one of them unfit to serve in the new anti-Roman kingship their Lord is sure to setup in the near future?  The people have already tried to crown Him more than once in His ministry, and it stands to reason that He won’t be able to avoid this eventuality forever.  They all believed His coronation was eminent, so to have one of them identified as being unworthy to be a leader in the new administration was quite disturbing.

But being “wrong” about doctrine, was not a sin.  If it were, ALL of them would have been guilty.  The misinterpretation of scripture was going to lead them all to a great disappointment, but was not going to alter the truth in any way.  The true meaning of scripture was about to be revealed.  The true glory of God was about to be seen in the giving to us the ultimate of sacrifices of self.  So despite them clinging to misguided interpretations, and hopes that vaunted their pride and ambition, these ideas were NOT the source of the uncleanliness that Christ was identifying.  In that sense the disciples were little different than the Pharisees.  Both were mistaken about doctrine and scripture.  But the difference was that the disciples were willing to follow and love Christ in spite of the error of their doctrinal beliefs.  As long as they were willing to follow, their beliefs could be corrected.  When like the Pharisees they no longer believed they needed correction; that they were already the foremost authorities of scripture ever known to man, truth could not be discerned by them – even when it was accompanied by miracles, and the literal voice of God the Father.

How like us.  Each Christian denomination is so certain today of its respective beliefs and doctrines that none of us believe we still need to be led to truth.  We have our own ideas about the packaging of truth, and believe only our own leads to heaven.  But in this we are ALL mistaken.  We are ALL in need of the leadership and guidance of Christ; for it is Christ alone that allows us to see truth clearly.  It is Christ alone who allows us to look beneath our respective packaging, and find the truth in its purest form.  For Christ alone is truth.  Interpretation of scripture is nothing more than an attempt at discerning Christ better.  It is a vehicle by which to behold Christ.  But it is always and only Christ who IS the truth.  When we become willing to be led, we can be led.  When we are humble enough to discard our own human wisdom and look to Christ to receive His wisdom instead of our own – we will find it.  And we may come to rethink many of the core beliefs we hold as sacrosanct.  Think about it.  The most fundamental belief of the Jewish nation at the time of Christ was regarding the mission of the Messiah.  And they were ALL wrong about it.  But it was the disciples who were willing to be corrected and led by the Truth of Jesus Christ.  We may find that one or more of our core beliefs are mistaken as well.  And we may be the better and blessed for this discovery, but only as we put our faith, our trust, and our humility to follow in the only true leader Jesus Christ.

Judas however, was not so willing.  Judas was too much like the Pharisees around him.  Judas could see that Christ was simply too humble to ever take the crown the people wanted Him to have.  So Judas planned to force the issue.  He would betray Christ into the hands of His enemies, thus forcing Him to become the King He was supposed to be.  Surely no man would ever allow Himself to be killed, rather than become the King of the world.  The plan of Judas was a sound one.  It was logical, rational, believable, and he was certain Christ would thank him for it later when He was King.  Then, once having a crown on His head, Jesus was sure to remember who was responsible for putting that crown on His head.  He was sure to reward the ingenuity and creativity of the Machiavellian planning of Judas.  Judas thought himself in a win-win scenario.  He would make a little money, and force Christ on the throne at the same time.  He would naturally become the number two guy in the new kingdom.  And he would win the thanks and gratitude of Christ in the process; even if the process itself, was a little shady.  The lesser of two evils though right?  And after all, the end justifies the means.

Again, how like us.  When our prayers are not answered in the way we desire, we attempt to manipulate our circumstances to force God to answer them in the way we believe He should.  Instead of re-thinking “what “ we want, or “if” what we want is truly what is in our best spiritual and eternal interests, we demand positive answers in the here and now.  When we sometimes do not get the answers we want, we proceed with every human means at our disposal attempting to get them anyway.  We rationalize to ourselves that we are only following the certain will of God.  We rationalize that even if we must disobey the values and laws of God to get what we want, once we get it, God will be happy and forgive us our methods of achieving these goals.  This is the same logic that allows men who carry the name of Christian to commit murder of those who will not accept their ideas.  They believe they defend the honor of God, and follow His earlier edicts from the Old Testament regarding how to handle enemies.  But they entirely miss the life of Christ who took NO such approach when confronting those who would not accept His truths.  And they miss the same concepts of forgiveness offered throughout the Old Testament, from cities of refuge, to the sacrificial system, to the salvation of Noah who was far from perfect, to the bargaining of Christ with Abraham to spare both Sodom and Gomorrah with thousands of evil doers if only for 10 who were not so evil.  But when we are bent on our own ideas as being the will of God, we are never deterred by truth, logic, or the reality of the answer “No”.  We proceed on course and figure God will catch up with us later.  So it was with Judas.

Jesus continues talking to his disciples in verse 18 saying … “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”  Jesus reminds them all that each of them is precious to Him, He chose each one.  Judas, John, Peter, all selected by Christ.  But being selected does not automatically translate into receiving the transformation He offers.  One must be willing for that to occur.  Jesus tells them that the damage done by “lifted up his heel against me” will not be a permanent detriment.  He continues in verse 19 saying … “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.”  Jesus is trying to tell them all, Judas included; that He knows what is about to take place.  It will not be a surprise to Him.  This was His mission.  The disciples all expect Him to be crowned King.  Instead He is about to be betrayed to His death, a death upon the cross.  That is a long ways from their expectations of Him, and the Messiah in general.  Had He been overtaken by events, without fore-knowledge, it might have totally dampened the faith of even His most loyal followers as to His divinity.  Instead He tells them here, plainly, He knows what is coming.

Jesus then looks forward, to a time when His followers will go into the world to preach the new gospel.  The gospel of redemption, reformation, and re-creation under the name of Jesus Christ.  This will not be an easy work.  There will remain those who believe it is their religious duty to kill the ones who spread these new ideas.  So in verse 20 Jesus reminds His followers, that they have a connection to Him, and through Him to God the Father … “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”  The gospel that will be preached by these men is not just one of the story of Jesus Christ in isolation.  It is the story of Jesus Christ and His intimate connection with God His Father, and now ours.  That connection is our vehicle of restoration, back to what His intentions were for us, before we embraced this evil of self.  In this verse, He offers them and us hope.  Hope that no matter how our message is received, it is a truth that traces back to the Father’s throne, not our own.

But none the less, one of His faithful few, remains bent on betraying Him to His death.  Betrayal is painful to us, but agonizing to Christ; and for a different reason.  Jesus agonized that the betrayal Judas would enact, may cause the loss of Judas to His kingdom.  He would gladly see Judas repent and be forgiven no matter what his crime.  But Judas would not believe he could ever be forgiven, and so would not ever ask it.  He would believe his crimes were too great.  He would believe he did not deserve a second chance.  So like us.  In truth, we know better than to choose to do the things we do.  Like every other sinner before us or after, we partake in the evil of self-service willingly.  We do not deserve his forgiveness.  And so, some of us will be like Judas, choosing to live as though forgiveness is not possible and therefore we must get as much evil as we can before we die eternally.  And some of us will live like Peter, who though we are guilty of great public crimes that cause immense pain, still crawl back to the throne of grace, only to find Him there with open arms longing to forgive our every crime, and purge us of the evil we embrace.  The weight of the loss of Judas hurts Christ and troubles Him.  He cries out to them in verse 21 … “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”  This was both a prophecy and a warning.

The disciples could hardly believe their ears.  This was more than just being unclean or unworthy.  They had an active traitor in their midst.  They began looking around and doubting that this was even a possibility.  All of them had been with Christ for nearly three years.  They had all seen the miracles.  They had all seen the risen Lazarus.  It was unthinkable that one of them could do such a thing.  And in this scene, John takes time to note where he was.  He was in the “bosom of Jesus”.  He had his head on the chest of Christ, or perhaps in his lap.  But no matter, he was physically the closest to Jesus at the time this was all occurring.  Communion, even when it was painful, to talk of betrayal, was still occurring between God and man.  So Peter asks John to ask Jesus who it might be and John does ask.  Jesus could have exposed Judas clearly by name.  But if he had done so, Peter and the others might have taken direct action to prevent Judas from carrying out his plans.  So instead He is less clear to the others there, and only very clear to Judas.  I believe He was still hoping Judas might turn from his plans.

Jesus answers in verse 26 … “Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”  Still dining, he dips some of the unleavened bread into the oils there and hands it to Judas.  Thus Judas knew clearly, that Jesus was well aware of His plan.  But the disciples were used to Christ serving others, and another act of generosity was not immediately interpreted as the identification of a traitor.  But at this point, something horrific happened.  John tells us in verse 27 that at that moment Satan entered Judas.  Christ then directs Satan within Judas … “Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”  Judas having refused to yield control of himself to Christ, has now yielded it to Satan whether he wanted to or not.  There are only two choices in this regard.  Satan tries his best to get us all to believe that “we” are the masters of our will and our fate.  That “our” decisions govern our lives and no one can control our will or make us do anything.  But this is just not so.  We have but one choice: to yield to Christ, or to default control of our will to Satan.  Our nature is to be bound to self-service, slave to it, we are simply NOT free to choose a fate for ourselves other than to give up to Christ, or be bound to evil.

The disciples in the room could still not wrap their heads around what Christ was saying, either to Judas or to them.  They did not know if maybe Jesus was asking Judas to go out and buy something they needed for the feast, or maybe to address some need the poor may have.  But whatever the reason, Judas got up immediately and left into the night.  Satan has no power against Christ.  He cannot resist the power of the love of God.  But he is fully able to conquer us without working up a sweat.  We are child’s play to him.  When we refuse like Judas to be transformed by Christ, to be protected by Christ, we find ourselves in the net of the devil already.  This was the sadness Christ had dreaded, for the one sheep had left the fold and was lost.  Christ loved Judas, and it was His will, that all would have remained faithful until the end.  But Judas would not choose to embrace that fate.  Now all that remained for Judas was Satan and the night.

To think that Judas alone betrayed Christ was and is a mistake.  We join him in that betrayal.  Every time we choose to sin, rather than choose His victories within us, we put Christ back up on that cross to cover the cost of our choices.  Peter too would betray His Lord, he would deny even knowing him, in order to protect his life, such as it was.  While our crimes are great, it is not our crimes the Lord came to judge within us.  Instead He paid our cost so that we might embrace His forgiveness, and begin to know His re-creation personally.  Had Judas like Peter sought repentance and forgiveness, he would have found it.  Though we are convicted by the truth of our sins, and though we do not deserve yet another chance, His love reaches out to us still.  He does not want to lose us, like He lost Judas.  He wants to reclaim us, like He was able to do with Peter.  But the choice of our response to His love, is our choice to make.  We can ignore Him, walk away from Him, believe we are not deserving and decide to never seek Him out again.  Or, we can return to the foot of the cross, confess what He already knows, acknowledge our need, and find redemption, and re-creation from a love that can transform the entire world, within us, and around us.  This is the lesson of Judas and his betrayal for us to learn from.  There is redemption, even after a betrayal of God, if we but seek it. 

And communion was not over yet …

Looking the Part ...

Would you go to church in shorts and a tee shirt?  Would you consider it if it were a cleaning day or work bee?  How about to a game night at church?  Does it matter “when” you wear these clothing items, or for what purpose we get together in a church to accomplish?  Despite a general trend towards dressing more casual in America, most Christians would still hesitate on wearing shorts to a formal morning worship service in church.  Those that might consider it are decidedly younger in age than our more senior church goers.  So does how we dress matter anymore, or is it a non-issue?

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness” … although this is found nowhere in scripture, it is often cited as a reason to dress appropriately in church.  But then, what is “appropriately”?  In the days of Moses, when God sought to talk directly with His people, He asked them to refrain from sex with their spouses for 3 days.  He asked them to clean themselves and their clothing.  They made an effort to prepare, and then approached Him at the foot of Mt. Sinai.  This was a singular event, and there was no prescription recorded mandating everyone put on their best clothing, or buy new clothing – only to insure that what they had was clean.  Perhaps more important, that they themselves were clean.  After all, “to obey, is better than sacrifice” and “to listen, is better than the fat of Rams”.  God always tried to direct Israel to examine their hearts when approaching Him, more so than their exterior.  Nonetheless, modern Christians have adopted a tradition of wearing their “finery” to church on a weekly basis.

So how good is too good?  I could wear my $200 suit from Burlington, or my $1500 Joseph Aboud suit from Nordstroms, or my $5000 Armani from NYC.  Does it matter what I spent on my suit when dressing for church, or where my suit comes from, or how extravagant it looks?  I could wear my $40 leather belt on my pants, or choose to wear my $400 crocodile Italian belt instead.  Does it matter if I have these choices and choose to wear the less expensive items?  The same could be said for a pair of leather loafers – one pair is $60, one is $600.  And none of this touches my watch where the numbers get really crazy.  My Seiko, or my Rolex, or my Bvlgari – which do I believe most honors God in His worship service this week.  Often we pick on women and how they fuss over their clothing and outfits, and seem to struggle with make-up and jewelry.  But a wealthy man can easily wear clothing and accessories that would outstrip a typical women in cost in no time.  It is not just women, who need to examine what they wear and why, it is also men.

And what about those who have no choice, or very limited choices?  A young man enters the sanctuary wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a cut-off tee shirt; our first thought – is he too poor to dress up, or was this done by choice?  Was he too lazy to at least clean up his clothing, or perhaps does he live on the street and is only looking to duck the heat of the sun outside for a while before wandering on his way?  Our thoughts center on his ability to choose, and in so doing we reveal more about us than about him.  There was a young man who wore his work clothing to the sanctuary every week.  He worshipped our God in humility, read scriptures with power and authority, and taught those who would listen in truth they had never even considered before.  But his clothing was never new, and never varied.  He kept it clean, but he wore it to work every day, on trips, in the sun, He may have even slept in it.  His name was Jesus Christ.  At His death, his tormentors cast lots for the only thing He owned, His single outfit of clothing.

Jesus had no change of clothes to wear to worship on Sabbath at the local synagogue or even the Temple in Jerusalem.  He had only the clothing he wore every day.  He could have owned more, but He chose to be poor and keep nothing but what He needed instead.  And apart from His death, His clothing is rarely if ever mentioned in His ministry.  No one cared what He was wearing when He taught, healed, or showed the magnitude of His love for us.  And He never made a single comment about what someone else was wearing when He encountered them.  “Clothing” was not a barrier for access to Christ.  Instead it was completely irrelevant.  What Christ wore never prevented Him from reaching a lost soul, working when it was required. and worshipping as He was able.  His clothing was practical, functional, and not extravagant.  His disciples never mentioned their own clothing throughout their subsequent ministries.  The only time clothing was mentioned after His ascension, was in relation to new converts selling everything they owned and giving the proceeds to the ministry.  It appears our early Christian ancestors modeled themselves more like Christ and kept no spare outfits to set aside for worship services.

So how about just showing up in a bikini?  Why bother with clothing at all?  Perhaps again here our Lord could serve as our role model.  His clothing was not only clean and maintained as He was able, it was practical and modest.  Again throughout scripture it was not the goal our Lord to become the sex symbol of His day.  He made no effort to show off His pecks, or six pack abs.  He did not keep his robe cut short in order to show a well-developed leg from all the walking He did in His time.  Nor does scripture speak of Mary, Martha, or Mary Magdalene ever attempting to wear seductive clothing in His presence.  Clothing again was a non-issue, the concept of dressing to seduce would have been the farthest thing on His mind, or on the minds of those who followed Him.  Seduction would be confined to the auspices of marriage, not designed for public display whether at recreation, or in worship.  When a man leaves his shirt undone, or chooses highly tight fitting clothing to display the muscles he works hard to maintain he sends a message – “look at me”.  When a woman wear skirts cut high, or slit high; or wears a top with a low cut and a push up bra – she too sends the message – “look at me”.  As Christians, do we really want to send this message, particularly when as Christians we know just how far from His perfection we really are?  Perhaps our clothing would be better suited to draw no attention and send the message – “look at Him”.

And what of our ornaments?  To wear jewelry or not continues to be a question long debated in our congregations.  The rational to wear jewelry is that makes us look more attractive, and gives us a sense of being more “complete” in our overall outfits.  The rational not to wear jewelry is that causes too much attention to ourselves, does not scream humility, and scripture seems to proscribe not wearing items “that the heathen wear”.  But our rational is wrong.  Neither line of thinking is the right one.  Jewelry is not inherently evil, if it were we would not be receiving a jeweled crown in heaven.  Diamonds, gold, and precious stones are not the problem – we are.  “I” am my own worst enemy in the spiritual warfare of my life.  It is my lust for more, my desire to out-do, my need for attention, and my pride in my accomplishments that so often causes me to reason that wearing my $40,000 watch is somehow a good idea in church.  When in truth, there is no “good” reason to wear it there.  Further, there is probably no “good” reason to even own it.  Even if I am wealthy, the money could be better spent on those in need, than on “me” – the enemy of my soul.  Jewelry does not complete our outfits any more than it completes us as individuals.  It is window dressing in a vain attempt to distract from the gaping hole in our conscience that allows others to suffer while I continue to accrue my earthly kingdom.  In short, it is me putting my treasure in the completely wrong place.  Again it says more about me than I would care to admit.

So back to our original question, what is appropriate to wear to worship?  I believe the answer is found in the ministry of Christ.  I should wear clothing that is clean wherever possible, practical, modest, and comfortable for me to meet, and assist others as they have need.  My shoes should be comfortable to walk in, as rarely do I find those in need within only a few steps of where I am today.  My clothing should not alienate people, or make them feel uncomfortable to be around me, as they cannot match my ability to dress well.  In short, it should not be extravagant, immodest, or designed in a way to promote me at all.  My clothing should become a non-issue in my encounters with others, and being able to meet their needs becomes the more important part of the equation, than what I look like when I do it.  Were the church to adopt this pragmatic approach, the debates over what is modest go away.  The debates over jeans, shorts, tee shirts, cut offs, and expensive accessories go away.  Humility becomes the guiding principle, and service the overriding goal.

Our sanctuaries are nothing but brick and mortar, our members are the value in our churches.  “When two or three are gathered together in my name” says the Lord, this is where church is being held.  It happens at the beach, in a restaurant, in a hospital bedside, in a mall, almost anywhere where believers get together and make ministry and Christ their first priority.  Dressing up in order to accommodate a traditional time, in a traditional place, to keep traditional standards is about honoring man made traditions of the past – not about honoring God or the ministry or example of Christ.  Humility, modesty, cleanliness as we are able, practicality; these are the hallmarks we should strive to achieve, remembering that service to others “is” the ministry of our Lord.  Attention to self has nothing to do with Him.  I long for a day when clothing is no longer any concern of the people of the Lord, for they are known for their love and unfailing interest in the needs of those they encounter.