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The Mayor pointed out this article in The Christian Post the other day, and I decided it needed a comment from Landover:
You will note from the picture that the "preacher" is a fellow of color and those people have a tendency to go in for that sort of thing. I'm not sure that it's not bred into them - I suppose "look-at-me" clothes cut down the number of hunting accidents in the jungle and if they also encourage "loose behavior", well, that only fits into the style of a race known for collecting paternity orders.
So I thought of a few Bible verses that would help us understand how God sees fashion and how a pastor should conduct himself:
M't:23:1: Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
M't:23:2: Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
M't:23:3: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
M't:23:4: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Basically this means that they "talk the talk but don't walk the walk", as young people say nowadays. Jesus then went on (as He often did):
M't:23:5: But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments.
Now, I don't know about you, but I can't get too excited about broad phylacteries - I can see a use for them. That said, "and enlarge the borders of their garments" is pretty explicit. Jesus is giving a lesson here.
Obviously, we may understand that in the Holy Land, at that time, if you walked around with an embiggened border, you had to beat the women off with a stick. This causes all manner of social problems and results in "The Woman taken in Adultery" John 7:53–8:11.
Fashion, style and dress are all important to a figure of great importance like a Pastor - the word we are looking for is "conservative" - or to put it another way "Republican" - not given to the whims of youth and the times but guided by and guiding an altogether more graceful time in the past when everything was so much better.
A Church is like unto a small part of Paradise wherein everything is "just right" - if a wildly attired blackman rushes the stage and starts screaming gibberish, we can't imagine that that will bring anyone nearer to God, can we? I can't.
Advice is also given to men about how their women shall appear:
1Tm:2:9: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1Ti:2:10: Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
Yet, regrettably, fashion tips in The New Testament of the Bible are rare. Back in the OT, fashion was usually reserved for kings who doubtless had advisers to keep everything "tasteful", and that is where we want to be when we are in church.
The idea is to "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things" and I can't see Jesus in Skinny jeans, no matter how hard I try.
You will note from the picture that the "preacher" is a fellow of color and those people have a tendency to go in for that sort of thing. I'm not sure that it's not bred into them - I suppose "look-at-me" clothes cut down the number of hunting accidents in the jungle and if they also encourage "loose behavior", well, that only fits into the style of a race known for collecting paternity orders.
So I thought of a few Bible verses that would help us understand how God sees fashion and how a pastor should conduct himself:
M't:23:1: Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
M't:23:2: Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
M't:23:3: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
M't:23:4: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Basically this means that they "talk the talk but don't walk the walk", as young people say nowadays. Jesus then went on (as He often did):
M't:23:5: But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments.
Now, I don't know about you, but I can't get too excited about broad phylacteries - I can see a use for them. That said, "and enlarge the borders of their garments" is pretty explicit. Jesus is giving a lesson here.
Obviously, we may understand that in the Holy Land, at that time, if you walked around with an embiggened border, you had to beat the women off with a stick. This causes all manner of social problems and results in "The Woman taken in Adultery" John 7:53–8:11.
Fashion, style and dress are all important to a figure of great importance like a Pastor - the word we are looking for is "conservative" - or to put it another way "Republican" - not given to the whims of youth and the times but guided by and guiding an altogether more graceful time in the past when everything was so much better.
A Church is like unto a small part of Paradise wherein everything is "just right" - if a wildly attired blackman rushes the stage and starts screaming gibberish, we can't imagine that that will bring anyone nearer to God, can we? I can't.
Advice is also given to men about how their women shall appear:
1Tm:2:9: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1Ti:2:10: Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
Yet, regrettably, fashion tips in The New Testament of the Bible are rare. Back in the OT, fashion was usually reserved for kings who doubtless had advisers to keep everything "tasteful", and that is where we want to be when we are in church.
The idea is to "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things" and I can't see Jesus in Skinny jeans, no matter how hard I try.
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