Proper Attire

We all should desire to be clothed with proper attire in our daily lives and especially when we go into the house of God. Some modern churches advertise for the people to come as you are, whether it is shorts, work clothes, and who knows what is the limit on dress. This is just a novelty to attract people. We are to leave the world behind when we go in to worship the Lord. Some people expose certain parts of the body that as Elder Sony Pyles says, “where God never meant for the sun to shine.” They most likely don’t do this in a church capacity but they certainly do on the beach and sometimes even in Walmart because I have witnessed such temerity.

Just as there should be proper natural attire, there should be proper spiritual attire if we want to serve the Lord as dedicated servants. Isaiah tells us, “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” (Isa. 52:1). God’s people certainly need to be awake and aware of what garments to put on. We cannot put on the robe of righteousness that justifies us in the sight of God, but we can put on the beautiful garments that adorn our righteous standing with God. Peter tells the elect that they should be  “clothed with humility.” (I Pet. 5:5). Peter goes on to say that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. This surely should be motivation to be properly attired with humility. We surely all need grace!

Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is likened to a certain king which sent his servants out to call them that were bidden to the wedding. The kings oxen and fatlings were killed and the dinner was prepared and they were bidden to come to the marriage.  To make a long story short, we find that finally some come to the marriage, but they had to be properly attired. The king came in to see the guests at he wedding and he found one that had not on a wedding garment.. The king asked him, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.” (Matt. 22:12). The king’s servants were ordered to bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness. He was not properly attired. This wedding garment is the garment of obedience to the commands of the real King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

Paul tells the church at Colosse of some things with which they needed to be attired. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” (Col. 3:12).  It would be wonderful if the saints would always be properly attired with all these garments. Then tells the church to put on charity which is the bond of perfectness. Peter addresses the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and exhorts them to add to their faith. They were to add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness and brotherly kindness. Being attired with these attributes means that we will be neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. However, if we lack these things, we are blind and cannot see afar off.

May we all be properly attired each and every day with the things God has instructed that we might praise Him for all the good things He has done for us. He truly has given us that which we do not deserve through His mercy and grace so we should ever be mindful of our attire as God see all and knows all.–October 16, 2012–Elder Larry Wise

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About wisepb

Pastor: Bethany Primitive Baptist Church
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