Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus

To the editor:

As it pertains to how to dress appropriately for worship services, to follow a recent Speak Out topic, my congregation still believes in traditional attire, believing that one should dress in nice clothes as you can afford. But we also believe it disturbs God when we sit in our finery and harbor a critical judgment on those who cannot afford expensive clothing for whatever reason. It doesn't matter what you wear on your outer side when your inner heart is filled with prejudicial contempt and envy.

And even as we trade opinions back and forth on any topic, let's remember our best decisions rest not on human opinion but on God's authority. As for what to wear to church, remember Paul wrote that we are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14 and Galatians 3:27), with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12), and with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5) because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." We welcome all who come to worship God irrespective of what you choose to clothe your body. Though we tend to look on the outside and make comparison, it is God who knows the true feelings of your heart.

The Rev. GRANT F.C. GILLARD, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson