"Sacred Clothing?"

In Ex. 28:1-4 the Jew's were to make sacred garments for the High Priest Aaron. Doesn't that sound strange to us? Sacred garments? What were they made of that made them so sacred? Was it the material was holy? Did God beam down something from heaven to give them spiritual molecular structure? No, these garments were sacred because God claimed them and purposed them for His particular use when Aaron approached the holy Father.

We look in the religious world today and we see beautiful robes worn by religious figures, covered in rings and necklaces with their bright smiles and perfect hair. It makes us think the person is exalting himself while putting on display whatever it is they put on display.

But in the OT, Aaron was told to have sacred garments. Those garments as instructed by God were what God wanted in the High Priests ministry to the Almighty! The clothes spoke of his function! He was a representative of God on behalf of the people. They would be shocked (and it would be sin) if the High Priest entered the presence of God without these sacred clothes. Without these sacred clothes, he would be condemned.

I often hear people (especially preachers) saying clothing doesn't matter today. At one time clothing did matter but those days seem to be gone. Something wonderful was happening when the priest ministered! He was not permitted to minister without the special clothes. The clothes he wore spoke a message to his devotion to God. The clothes didn't make the man, they identified him! The clothes didn't create the moment, they marked the moment! The moment was calling that something wonderful was happening between God and His people.

Okay, but what does all this have to do with us? As I stated, many say clothes aren't important as we try to pull together verses from the NT to prove it. Wait, let's be honest here. Clothes do matter today! When there is a special occasion, we concern ourselves with our clothing. When we go to the store, we don't walk in our pajamas do we? I saw a Senator the other day at the capital wearing a suit, putting on his running shoes to walk. It looked out of place with his suit! We attend funerals of friends and loved ones but not wearing shorts with some outlandish shirt! Even golf courses have clothing codes! We dress for the occasion! Maybe we don't wear sacred clothing while ministering before God but perhaps we need to reconsider what we are showing in the presence of our Lord as the body approaches a holy and righteous God who bought us with the blood of His Son.

I am not trying to dictate our clothing but I am trying to get us to open our eyes to what we may be doing. Too many times the preachers are trying to be just "one of the boys" or "no different than anyone else." Maybe that's what is happening to us as people just see us as that and nothing more! The lack of dignity, honor and awareness have escaped many. Laid back and the lack of respect are what is hurting many in the church. And then we chime in, "why people in the community won't visit us if we are dressed to high heaven." We aren't talking of dressing to high heaven and I have yet to see very many of the community come in our dress-down assemblies either! We need to carefully consider what Paul instructed Titus that all men, young and old, need to be dignified. The word "dignified" means what commands and demands respect in behavior and attitude! Preachers need to be an example to the rest living lives of integrity and dignity. Because many preachers aren't taking their position before the Lord as serious, the brethren don't either. We aren't conducting ourselves in ways that would make people respect what is going on during an assembly. We have turned so much like to world, to think like the world, to look like the world and the message sounds like the world! Our casual approach to God seems to cheapen God and when you look closely at the people, you can see them follow suit to those who minister the word of God. The word is taken casually, preached casually and God has lost His respectful place. Maybe I am going overboard or I am missing something but it just isn't right to dishonor the ministry of the Word and if by our casual approach to it we cheapen it and if we avoid prayerful study of the Word, we ought to stay out of the pulpit!!