Should we dress up for Sunday church or wear our regular everyday clothes?

I contend that wearing our Sunday best clothes for church deters people who can't afford such clothing from going to church because they are not properly dressed. The comment that I hear is that it is a sign of respect when you are dressed in your best. Respect for who? Does God care how you are dressed? What is your opinion?

In my opinion people should wear whatever they want to wear (within the limits of good taste). We shouldn't judge people by what they wear, or by how much money they have or don't have.

"For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" James 2:2-4

James doesn't say anything about how they should dress, but how they should treat one another.

I was raised dressing up for church, but once I was able to go without my parents I stopped. I never understood the idea.
I, too, heard the 'respect for God' argument and it didn't register with me, either.
Fortunately it seems more common anymore to dress more casually.

This is a good question and one I ponder because I do not like to dress up. I'll offer a thought question and verse as my answer.
Imagine what you would wear to go before/meet someone you regard as highly important here on earth.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

As for being able to afford nice clothes. Goodwill has nice clothes cheap. Some are even name brand. I know people at church who actually wear suits from there. There is also garage sales. As with most things, not being "able" to afford nice clothes is just an excuse. I'm sure there is something they blow money on that could go to getting a nice outfit.

I see it as a personal preference. I have one nice suit that I call my weddings and funerals suit. I've never been one to dress up. If I visited a church where the majority are dressed to the nines... I probably would look for a church where my attire fit in more.

In my life before I owned a cell phone, I wore bib overalls fairly exclusively. I wore those to church too. I was quite active and visible during the church service. Once I had a lady come up to me after service and tell me that seeing me dressed the way I was made her feel comfortable at that church... On the flip side of the coin, no telling how many others would have liked to of told me to consider dressing a little differently... no one ever did though. When I got a cell phone the riveted buttons on the bib overall pockets were a danger to the cell phone so I switched to carhartt cargo pants and t-shirts.

On the other hand, my two boys had suits at an early age and wear them a lot more than I ever have in my life.

It isn't what you wear on the outside God is much more interested on the inside.
I always think people who get dolled up for church are seeking peoples approval and not Gods.

I guess to this I would respond: Is it our place to judge the motives of people for dressing the way they do? If they're unloving and uncaring toward others and demonstrate by their actions they don't care about what God thinks then I might go, hmmm; but not just because of the way they're dressed.

Not judging just saying God is more interested on the inside of a person not on the clothes they wear for church.

nonsense. God doesn't care what anyone wears to church. it's never a fashion show. i have worn work clothes to church.

That cannot be true since (a) clothing is available in a range of prices (b) most businesses and corporation require employees to adhere to a dress code, and (c) this has never been an issue in the past. But now even preachers are dressing casually -- for what? Are they on vacation or lounging at home?

If you were invited to meet royalty how would you dress? Is God far greater than any human royalty? As a matter of fact God had a strict dress code for OT priests. Check it out. Are believers a part of a Royal Priesthood? Then dress accordingly. You would not go to work dressed any old way (if you are in fact an employee).

indeed we shouldnt care how anyone dresses if they come to church we should be glad they came and offer them a good seat

a lot of times we have opinions about small insignificant things like for instance if I think “ everyone who attends church should wear thier Sunday best “

often it causes me to then judge everyone else by the standard I have assumed God requires or wants from everyone . So then if I see someone come to church not looking tbier best and dressed in a t shirt and jeans with a hole in them …….my mind begins to cast a judgement based not on how God feels about that person but based upon my own judgement that’s only meant for my own conscience regarding my own actions but I try to impose it on the others as well

This isn’t always the case but often seems like our nature to be convinced of something and then impose that as a requirement upon e we gone we see and know when God really never says “ anyone who attends a church meeting must wear thier very best clothes or it’s a sign they aren’t a real believer “

a it’s actually coming from our own thinking and judgement of another persons relationship with God .

if we know someone’s planning an affair or having one maybe we might want to speak with them about thier actions and plans as Christian siblings in hopes they will stop …. but if someone isnt wearing clothing we approve of we shouldnt concern ourselves with it because God cares about thier soul not thier clothing only the clean white robe he puts on us matters

So if you are having fellowship with God at home do you first go and put on your suit before you begin?

When Christ died on the cross and the veil was rent, means that we now have direct access to the Father through Christ and His Holy Spirit. Christ is our new High Priest and I'm sure His clothing is made up of those who are members of His Church and have received the Father's Holy Spirit. Even schools have adopted uniform policies so that rich kids with rich clothing will not outshine the poor or average kid. Poor and below average people will be discouraged from entering a church if everyone is dressed in their Sunday best because they will not want to stand out and be looked down upon.

Then the church needs to go out and recruit them and not wait for them to come through the doors. Fishermen go out and catch fish, they don't sit around waiting for the fish to jump in the boat.

When people went to Jesus to talk, teaching, healing, being delivered from anything and everything did he first say go and put on your suit then come back.
No instead he says come as you are. Which to me means with all ones mess, brokenness, pain, sin. Just come.
Didn't Jesus also say in Matthew 6 that the body is worth more than clothing and to stop worrying about what you put on as the pagans are always worried about that.

As a few others have mentioned, use a balanced judgment and don’t go into one extreme or another.
Don‘t wear a Giorgio Armani suit and shoes and don’t wear a clown costume from the trans bridge.
It also helps that you don’t look like you just rolled out of bed.
All of this is done not for God because we’re all naked in body and spirit in front of Him, but it’s done as a sign of self respect and respect for others.

This is something that I’m mindful when I interview people for a job too. How you dress shows a bit about your character.

It is not our place to judge the motives of people for dressing the way they do. It is our place to let them know of the negative effect it has on other people outside a church filled with dressed up people who might consider entering but don't like to dress up or are not able to dress up. A perfect example is a homeless person (and there are many) or even an illegal immigrant (and there are many) walking by a church wanting to go into the church building to hear the word of God but will not enter because they are not dressed properly. It's a question of what is important to people, looks or the heart. God judges the heart, not the looks.

You are putting humans in the place of God. Employers might judge a prospective employee with his attire, but God judges the heart and not the attire.

certainly, God is greater than all. i would wear work clothes, royalty isn't anyone better than anyone else. we're not in the O.T. obviously, there are places & situations where dressing appropriately is proper etiquette. there are times in the summer especially, where you are going some place right after church & dress clothes are not appropriate. you think i'm going to go home & change my clothes? absolutely not. in fact, i disrespect, to some degree, royalty. who the heck are those people living so high & mighty while their citizens aren't living that way?