Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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Hey Pastor John
Damien said in a recent e-mail, “I had the thought that to anyone looking on I would have looked just like one of the many people who went to church on a Sunday morning. I felt something I could not form into thoughts.”
I remember for a while in Australia that Leah wanted me to wear nice dress pants and shirt to the Sunday Morning meetings, and I kept saying no because I like jeans, and I felt that buying slacks would be a waste of money.
Well, something came up again a few weeks back now about wearing nice shirts to look nice at the Sunday meetings (she got over the slacks in Australia), I said, “I don’t want to wear a nice shirt because it was so Christian” (dressing up fancy).
Leah said, “Every one dresses up on Sundays,” but it still didn’t set right with me. (I think I wore a nice shirt once or twice).
I guess I did not want to be seen as another person going to “church”, but I did want to be seen as a young person dressing nicely to go out somewhere important.
I just wanted to share that because they were feelings I was having for a long time and Damien’s e-mail brought back that memory.
Steven
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Thanks for writing, Steven.
It is exciting, this learning the right ways of God, isn’t it?
Leah is right. You should listen to her in this matter. I never have liked it when people tramped into my house for a prayer meeting looking as if they had just come from an outdoor barbecue. Sloppy grooming and dress are indications of spiritual sloppiness and carelessness. I have never seen anybody who possessed the knowledge of God look dirty or be careless in their dress when they met with God’s people to worship Him. Physical dirtiness always accompanies spiritual dirtiness, it seems. Of course, extra fine dress for worship is an indication of pride. But I know I don’t have to warn you about doing that. :)
So, next time we get together, and every time you ever gather with saints of God, unless it is an impromptu thing, be “prayed up”, put on a good, clean shirt and nice pants, and then go rejoice with the saints before the Lord. Nice, clean clothes is not “dressing fancy”. It is simply showing respect to God and to His people. We are to “abstain from filthiness of both the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord”, especially when we gather together before the Lord.
Pastor John