Don't Wear Pajamas to Church

Among Christians there has been a valid concern over the decline in clothing standards. Unfortunately, this concern leaves a large looming question over the discussion- what standard should we adapt? Opinions range from allowing the risqué to imposing legalistic parameters.
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Often the discussion centers around the clothing choices of the female- for obvious reasons- but I want to step back from that discussion to look at the broader issue. Not only is there division among the brethren over what is or what is not modest, there is division over what is or what is not casual.
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The discussion often goes something like this, “Our world has become far too casual and it is obviously creeping into our churches.” Some of those who make these statements may have people showing up to church in their pajamas, but I fear that some are wishing that they could get all the men to wear ties.
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Before going any farther on this discussion, I think we need to look at what the scripture actually has to say on this matter. James 2:2-4 says, “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”
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It breaks my heart when I see how some Christians completely ignore this passage and actually do the complete opposite of what it says as they look down on those who they do not think are dressed up enough. Many need to repent and realize that even John the Baptist did not dress up like people thought he should. “But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” (Matthew 11:8) “And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;” (Mark 1:6)
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Today I wouldn’t be surprised to hear someone say, “We didn’t come out to hear someone preaching in Carhartts and work boots.” In our culture, the standard for men dressing up is to wear a suit and tie, but we must understand that this is a cultural standard, not a Biblical standard. In Jesus’ day the cultural standard John the Baptist was held to was soft clothing, yet he did not match up with that standard.
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Now before I go any further, I can understand why some are concerned. I too have seen people going to Walmart in their pajamas, and think that maybe they should pay a bit more attention to their culture. As Christians it is tempting to go to extremes. The one extreme would be to expect that every man should come to church in a suit and tie. The other extreme would be to say, “just come in your pajamas.”
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As Christians, we should not ignore our culture so that we end up drawing undue attention to ourselves, but we also need to recognize that different cultures (whether it be different geographic locations or eras in history) have different ways of dressing.
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I also believe that it is good and proper for us to wear nice clothing as we go to church, but dressing up for one man may mean putting on a tie- dressing up for another may mean putting on his new Carhartts. Of course if all you have to wear is pajamas, please come to church in them.