[ItsOurTimeNow]

"ABBA FATHER.

DADDY."

While those words invoke a sense of comfort, it's not to be confused with irreverence or casual laziness.

I'm reminded of an AOG church that I once attended. Or, attended once - and never returned. A member of the church showed up 1/3rd of the way through the service - in sweatpants & a t-shirt, then proceeded to crack open a Mt. Dew and drink it - all while the pastor was preaching.

That, IMO, is irreverent casual-ness - and certain contemporary music creates an environment that can encourage that type of behavior.

I'm not saying people need to wear a 3-piece suit to church, but c'mon - a little holiness and respect is needed.

[Quix]

IOTN: While those words invoke a sense of comfort, it's not to be confused with irreverence or casual laziness.

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I don't know if you are aware of the fierce thread about dressing for church and reverence to God or not.

I'd been troubled by a local church policy on the subject--that platform people MUST wear ties and jackets etc. and a general haughty stuffiness that semed to go with it. After the thread, I was even more convinced than ever.

History is clear.

There was NO dressing for church until after the industrial revolution.


People only had a very hole-y, ragged set of clothes to do farm work in and a somewhat less hole-y and ragged set to go to town in.

For a long time after the Industrial Revolution, churches FORBADE folks from dressing up for schurch to avoid the pride, ostentaciousness, haughtiness and their less well-to-do bretheren feeling LESS THAN.

Eventually, as it often does, pride won out and we have the horrid flaunting stuff that goes on to this day. Where sects forbade buttons, then the elegance of the 'frog-ties' became an issue etc.

I'm convinced it's far better to trash all that--better for one's spirit and relationship with God.

I've become more convinced than ever that

REVERENCE IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART.

That finery does not aid it one microgram's worth. Nor does ragged casualness degrade it one microgram's worth.

There will be times when a white robe is required. God will provide it.

There may be special event times when SOME folks would think that finery was quite in order. If so, I think the Biblical standard is clear. If one has two coats, give one to the brother without one.

IF A CONGREGATION IS NOT WILLING TO INSURE THAT EVERY MEMBER, ATTENDER AND VISITOR HAS EQUALLY FINE CLOTHES TO WEAR--AT NO CHARGE TO THE POORER AMONGST THEM--THEN THAT CONGREGATION HAS NO BUSINESS SETTING A STANDARD OF DRESSING FOR CHURCH.

I've only been in one church like that.

But even then, I think the temptation to construe fine clothes as a component of righteousness would be overwhelming and deceptive.

This whole business of looking down one's MORE RIGHTEOUS NOSE BECAUSE I'M DRESSED RIGHT vs looking on the heart--is unBiblical, haughty, deceptive, insideous, and an insult to the covering of Christ's Blood over all us Blood-brothers before The Cross, imho.

WHOMSOEVER WILL, SHALL COME.

Only the rabble made it. The fine dressed wouldn't come. The Banquet Host was furious--go out into the highways and byways and compel them--only the rabble made it. And The Host took care of the clothes.

I somewhat suspect that it's a LITTLE bit like eating meat. Whatever you do--do it for the glory of God--whether dressing up to honor God or dressing down to insure the brother feels equal, at HOME and Loved by God and man.

Certainly the psychological research is very clear. EXTRINSIC RELIGIOSITY correlates extremely highly with phoney, shallow, hypocritical--even harsh and viscious spirituality.

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On the issue of

ABBA FATHER--DADDY . . .

Have also thought long and hard on this topic.

I no longer think it is even possible

TO PROPERLY, FITTINGLY REVERENCE GOD AS HE DESIRES

without

being able to authentically sincerely call Him Daddy from the heart, being firmly convinced in the mind that it is a reality, as well.

I suppose that it is better for our tail-feathers if we are terrified of Almighty God vs dismissive of Him. And, that He would prefer the former to the latter.

But that is NOT the sort of Relationship Christ died for. And any less relationship is an insult to Christ's death and Blood.

There is something in the heart of man addicted to RELIGION and EXTERNAL REVERENCE is one of it's midwives. And Christ was most hostile against it.

I'll take 100,000 rabble in torn and dirty jeans of sincere heart reverence any day over 10 tsk tsking about their clothes.

DADDY is the nature of the relationship THE ALMIGHTY WANTS.

Only when we have found Him authentically and reliably DADDY can we enter into with heartfelt intensity--into the proper heart reverence for DADDY AS ALMIGHTY GOD.

Until then, we are terrified slaves but not sons.