Upholding God’s Standard in Dress and Appearance | The Philadelphia Church of God

http://www.pcog.org/39719/upholding-god%e2%80%99s-standard-in-dress-and-appearance/

During his Philadelphia Youth Camp (pyc) sermon before the campers on July 9, 2005, Pastor General Gerald Flurry mentioned that some of our ladies and their daughters need sharp rebuke about their skirts and/or dresses because they are either too short or too tight. He tied this in with Revelation 18:4 and how God’s people have been called upon to come out of Babylon. Someone has to tell you, paraphrasing my father, if you don’t change your garments, you will suffer through the plagues of God.

Those are strong words! As members in God’s Church, we must act accordingly. Upholding God’s standards in dress and appearance is your responsibility and mine.

Problems at PYC

Every year at the pyc, we encounter some problems in the way our teenagers dress—especially among girls. Satan is doing everything he can to get our ladies, both young and old, to be dazzled by sexy, slutty clothes. For some of our girls, it can be used as a way to attract attention from the opposite sex. Maybe it’s because they aren’t getting attention from a father. Maybe it’s because of their parents’ lax standards. Maybe it’s because of ignorance. No matter the reason, God’s standards in dress must be upheld.

This is why, every year at camp, we discuss God’s clothing standards. But this emphasis in pyc instruction must be accompanied by reinforcement at home if there is to be any permanent change in behavior.

Before discussing some of the standards we emphasize at camp, let me first be clear—it is good to dress in style as much as possible. Herbert W. Armstrong plainly wrote about the importance of avoiding extreme worldly fads, but he did explain that God’s people are to be a light to the world and should set a good example—including in the way we dress. We shouldn’t look geeky or weird. We should make an effort to dress in style where God’s standard allows and make it easier for people in the world to respect us. But dressing in style still must be done according to God’s standard.

Added to the overall instruction my father gave us in that sermon, here then are some additional details that he couldn’t cover in a sermon. Most of these rules were discussed with the girls at pyc, and my father wanted the Church to be aware of them as well.