Sunday Colthes

Every Sunday morning I go to church and put on my Sunday best. I have always wanted to know what makes Sunday morning so special that we have to wear a coat, tie, dress, or the like. What is it about that magical hour that makes us all dress up? Why is it that 7 hours later we can worship God wearing jeans? I have been trying to discover the theological reasons for this. I know it must be scriptural for it transcends denominational lines.

1. It is the reverse of sack cloth and ashes. In the Old Testament to show signs of repentance you would tear your clothes and put on sack cloth and ashes. But being New Testament Christians we must do the reverse. So we put on skirts, dresses, ties, coats, etc. Sunday is the first day of the new week so we put on our best clothes to show God how holy we want to become that week. We feel fresh, revived, and ready to be the perfect Christian. 7 hours later we have had a fight with our wife over being late for church, watched football and enjoyed the beer commercials, took a nap instead of visiting the hospital. In just 7 hours we basically realize that we have sinned and that God knows we are not holy so we wear jeans and pray for grace.

2. Soiled Garments. Every self respecting Christian eats out on Sunday. You go to church, give mom the day off, and go out to eat. You enjoy a good meal, condemn the waiter for working on Sunday, and then you spill salsa on your clothes and you can't wear them again that night. So we throw on our jeans and polo.

3. The Angels Dressed Up. Luke 24:4 ...two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. You see this was on a Sunday morning. So here is the Biblical example. They dressed up in dazzling robes not dingy ones. Now later on in Luke 24 we find 2 men traveling and they meet and ate with Jesus. Everyone knows that you don't travel in your Sunday best so the Sunday night meeting with Jesus must have been informal. They were likely wearing there every day robes not there dazzling robes.