First of all, on the back page of our weekly bulletin there is a statement pertaining to this subject. It reads, “Troy Christian Chapel does not have a dress code per se, but we do encourage our worshipers to dress with modesty and good taste. Christian worship is sacred time in sacred space, and it calls for appropriate decorum.”
Modesty, of course, comes from the word modest. In dress code it would be not to dress extravagantly, but with balance and restraint, not to draw attention to oneself. To dress modestly is to observe the proprieties of dress, which means proper dress for the occasion.
Matthew 5:27-28 could have reference to one’s immodesty: “You have heard that it was said, do not commit adultery, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Immodest dress could enhance a situation of this nature. Although Jesus was specifically addressing the male gender, I feel that either or both genders could be a guilty party in immodest appearance as well as “lust of the eye.” So to dress modestly would be to dress in a way not to attract lustful attention.
Pastor Jake Stirnemann