God’s Word lists both appropriate clothing and style that never go passé, are never immodest, and are never out of style for his children.  In fact, it’s what we should wear everywhere we go, suitable for any occasion, and for all times. That clothing and style is displayed in Colossians 3: 12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience… And overall these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

When it comes to dressing, we probably think of what to wear for a specific occasion or event.  Of course, that what we decide to wear refers to our exterior clothing that covers our bodies.  Coincidently, when this article was more than half finished, a news item popped up on my laptop: “10 Things You Should Never Wear at Church And 10 That Keep You Appropriate.”  I couldn’t help thinking, how providential this was

These were among those items not to wear: revealing clothes, inappropriate graphic tees, distressed jeans, sunglasses, and hats.  Those listed as appropriate included: skirts below the knees, trousers, ironed shirts, modest jewelry, and dressier shoes.

God’s Word lists both appropriate clothing and style that never go passé, are never immodest, and are never out of style for his children.  In fact, it’s what we should wear everywhere we go, suitable for any occasion, and for all times. That clothing and style is displayed in Colossians 3: 12-14:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against some.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And overall these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

The word “clothe” is descriptive of what covers us attitudinally, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.  These garments are visible to others in our comportment vis-à-vis anyone and everywhere.  They are a style that reveal authentic beauty, modest comportment, detectable poise, and spiritual excellence.  They represent both physical and spiritual modesty.  Such modesty is desperately needed today both physically and spiritually.  In the physical realm, it means we do not dress to sexually entice or distract anyone by making some radical statement. In the spiritual realm, it guards us from arrogance or pride.

It’s a style that may not be called chic.  Instead, it is better known as holy, godly, pure, sanctified.  And isn’t that how we would like to appear before our heavenly Father?  Needless to say, it’s also how we should appear to both believers and unbelievers alike.

We are renewed to be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience—all beautiful virtues.  The Word doesn’t stop there, does it?  It ends with communicating what type of cloak or coat to wear over those garments that surpasses the most expensive of overcoats: “…put on love.  Interestingly, the word for compassion in the Greek is οἰκτιρμοί while the word for love is ἀγαπάω.  The word for love is what we normally hear referred to as agape love. Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love.  It is the most significant of the four loves—agape, eros, philia, storge—in the Scriptures.

As children of our heavenly Father and disciples of His Son, Jesus Christ, we are exhorted to be properly dressed spiritually: appropriate at all times, for all occasions, and with all people.  In the flesh we are not capable of doing this alone.  That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in, the One who can both enable and empower us through the fruit of the Spirit:, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-23).

God not only exhorts us to dress in an appropriate spiritual manner, but he has also provided the garments to do so.  We are so richly blessed!

Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.