Title: DRESS CODE FOR CHRISTIANS

Focus: Christians must learn to live by a dress code that reflects the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Function: To encourage the people to examine their dress code of daily living—their ethical and moral conduct—in light of their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ.

Text: Romans 13:8-14

Dress codes! Who likes them? A few weeks ago, I got a phone call from our youngest son, Eric. He called about his wedding ceremony. “Dad,” he said, “Kara and I would like you and the best man and the ushers to wear a tuxedo. Are you ok with wearing a tuxedo at our wedding?” My initial reaction was negative. “I would rather not, son,” I said. “I’m afraid that a tuxedo will ‘cramp my style,’ and besides, tuxedos are not my cup of tea.”

Well, if you are a parent having raised some kids, you will understand how I still ended up wearing a tuxedo at Eric’s wedding. Kids can be persistent, and more importantly in this case, I realized that this matter was important to my son and daughter-in-law; and after all, it’s their wedding, and they were not asking me to do anything offensive or immoral.

My son’s request to adopt a particular dress code for his wedding gave me some food for thought. Most people, including myself, don’t like to be told what clothes to wear. In the western world, we value individualism. We want to express ourselves as we see fit. Some want to dress in a non-conforming way to society; others want to simply fit in. Some want to be identified with pop culture and Hollywood idols; some want to be “cool,” and others don’t care what they wear as long as their dress code rattles their parents a bit.

Today, I want to talk about a dress code for Christians. I know! I’m entering dangerous territory. But today’s Scripture forces us to do so, for the passage that we read teaches Christians that we must learn to live by a dress code that reflects the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, I encourage all of us to examine our dress code of daily living—our ethical and moral behavior—in light of our faith and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Before we dig into the passage, I want to say something about western-style dress codes and the Scripture’s dress code. When I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s, the western world’s dress code for my generation was shocking to my parents and grandparents: long, unkempt hairstyles, long side-burns, mini-skirts—these were things that gave my parents heart burn, and us, teenagers, the jollies.

Today, the western world’s dress code seems to center on revealing baggy pants, bare midriffs, excessive cleavage, ear rings for men, nose rings for girls and other rings for indiscreet parts of the human body, and then of course, there are the tattoos. No doubt, you have had some conversations with your sons and daughters about such things. Modern day dress codes (just like the ones in my youthful days) can give parents a fit and lead to angry outbursts and conversations.

That’s the way it often is with generational dress codes.

The scripture’s dress code centers not so much on clothes or hairstyles or tattoos for that matter. No, the Bible’s dress code for Christians centers on ethical and moral conduct. Today the Scripture calls us to examine our dress code of daily living in light of our faith and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. At the beginning of a new season of serving and following the Lord Jesus, we do well to examine our dress code for daily living.

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The Apostle Paul is writing to the Christian church in Rome. He has written about God’s plan of salvation and the work of the Lord Jesus. Paul covered many bases, ranging from our sinfulness and our need for salvation to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Forgiveness and justification are the topics covered by Paul so far. But now he has come to the application part of his letter. Now Paul is ready to address a believer’s response to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

In Romans 13:8-14, then, we notice that Paul’s flow of thought is as follows: Exhortation, Motivation and Application. In vs. 8-11, for example, Paul exhorts us to fulfill the law of God by means of loving conduct, especially our conduct toward our neighbor: “…he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law,” says Paul. All God’s commandments are summed up in “this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

In vs. 11-12, Paul gives us the rationale or motivation for calling us to live a life of love: “…do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” In other words, we live in between the time of Jesus’ first and final coming. And the day of Jesus’ final return is coming closer and closer. Be ready for that day. And here’s how: Love your neighbor, and honor the dress code for Christians!

I say that in light of vs. 13 and 14. There we find the Apostle Paul appealing to our moral and ethical conduct as a way to respond with faith and love to Christ and our neighbor. Listen: “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” Thus we notice the flow of Paul’s thought: exhortation, motivation, and application.

The thrust of Paul’s appeal to our dress code of daily living, our moral and ethical code of conduct—centers on the Lord Jesus. In fact, Jesus embodies the love of God and the love of neighbor; the person and work of Jesus reflects the mind and will of God; and therefore, Paul summarizes his dress code for Christians by saying: “…clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Elsewhere in his letters to the churches, Paul expresses the same dress code when he says: (Phil. 1:21) “For me, to live is Christ….” And in Col. 3:12 Paul urges us to clothe ourselves “with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

That unity and that love come to expression as the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, and as the word of Christ dwells with in us richly. The thrust of Paul’s appeal then is centered on the person and work of Jesus. To know him, to abide in him, to be shaped by his Word and to be immersed by his peace or work of forgiveness and reconciliation—all these will enable us to live by the Bible’s dress code for Christians.

Note that the Apostle Paul uses metaphors to appeal to our moral and ethical conduct. Paul talks about the night and the day: “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” Building upon this metaphor of time, Paul speaks of “deeds of darkness” and the “armor of light.” The darkness of the night conceals behavior that usually cannot sustain the light of day. Deeds of darkness range from “orgies and drunkenness,’ from “sexual immorality and debauchery to dissension and jealousy.” The deeds of darkness are all those acts that belong to our sinful nature. They are acts unbecoming of Christians; they are acts to which we must die, and from which we must repent.

Using a metaphor of darkness and light enables Paul to make a contrast between an acceptable dress code and an unacceptable dress code for Christians. Certain moral and ethical conduct is simply off limits for you and me who wish to follow Christ. So, let’s face it: there is a dress code for Christians to follow.

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The other day, I learned that the U.S. Marine Corps has begun to enforce its dress code. U.S. Marines in camouflage cannot get out of their vehicles to run an errand or grab a meal on their way to or from the base. No pumping gas, running into the post office or picking up a cup of joe, either. Although Marines were always largely prohibited from wearing uniforms off base, they were allowed to make brief stops during their commutes. Now they can stop only for a medical emergency, a traffic accident or a breakdown ( cf. msnbc.msn.com)

This is their code. You break the code; you’ll get strict punishment.

In business, too, there are professional dress codes. And if you don’t like them or break them, your employer has a legal right to fire you. For example, in 1998, the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Harper v. Blockbuster Entertainment upheld Blockbuster’s dress code that mandated male employees to cut their long hair but not female employees. (cf. dba-oracle.com/dress_code) My point is simple: dress codes are important in civilian and military life; the code of moral and ethical conduct for Christians is even more important. For the dress code of Christians either reflect and bring glory to Christ, or they dishonor him and his name. Therefore, pay attention to Christ’s dress code!

I want to make three observations: (1) Our ethical and moral conduct is subject to the law of God and the person and work of Christ. The 10 commandments are normative, functional in our daily affairs. We must keep them and interpret them through the eyes of faith in the Lord Jesus and in his work on the cross and in the tomb. Thus stealing and cheating are off-limits; antagonizing or dishonoring our parents, swearing and taking God’s name in vain are offensive to the Lord. Unchastity or sexual immorality, including sodomy, bestiality, adulterous affairs, and cohabitation or common-law living are contrary to God’s law of love. These acts dishonor the Christ, and they cannot be part of our dress code for daily Christian living. God’s law forbids such acts.

(2) How we treat our physical appearance, i.e our body, calls for spiritual discernment, discretion, and calm, wise judgment. Young people, how you dress, the clothes you wear (or don’t wear) all make a statement about yourself and about your relationship and commitment to the Lord Jesus. I urge you to dress with modesty, with good taste, with a taste that shows you are committed to honor the Lord Jesus and his will for you in life.

Parents, the way we dress and conduct ourselves send a message to our children and grandchildren. Be sure to use discretion; be sure to dress appropriately—and when there is some doubt as to whether our clothes may be offensive to some, then simply consider these clothes off limits. Let’s do it, not just for our sake, or for the sake of others, including our children, but especially for the sake of Christ.

Also, parents, use wisdom when it comes to the stages through which our teenage sons and daughters go. Check your photo albums and take another look at pictures of yourselves when you and I were 15 or 16 years old. Do you remember the stages we all went through?

Use spiritual wisdom when you consider worldly dress codes and wish to apply a Christian dress code. The other day, for example, I looked at a picture and noticed that the hairdo of our 17 year old son (six years ago) could have served as a nesting place for five birds. But you should have seen his hair cut at his wedding last week. Some things are passing fads, harmless. Other things, however, call for serious discussions about the dress code for moral conduct and living. Be wise, be discreet, and use spiritual discernment.

(3) The best way to acquire a Christian dress code is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. I maintain that when a person comes to know the Lord Jesus, when a person anchors his/her faith and trust in the person and work of Christ, then gradually that person will learn to express her love for God in appropriate and edifying ways throughout life. She will learn to be modest and discreet in dress; he will think twice about tattoos covering every conceivable body part. When people come to know and love the Lord Jesus and when people apply Christ’s word and peace to their own lives, then they will learn to express themselves in ways that honor the Lord Jesus and reflect his will.

Therefore, come to faith in Christ. Know him and his work. Lead your children to Christ; guide your teenagers to trust in Jesus; model to your children that Christ is the head of your home and life. Pray often; pray fervently for your children, and relish the dress code of God’s love. For when our moral and ethical conduct is in line with God’s will, we also will discover God’s blessings or favor in our lives.

Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now and always! Amen.