Come As You Are

I’ve sat in Church’s where this phrase is used many times to express, that God does not care how you come to Church as long as you come. Although there is some truth to this, this phrase is nowhere in the Bible. Now before anyone gets bent out of shape, yes God wants you to come to church, but not with the wrong mindset and motive. Let me explain: Last week, my oldest granddaughter went to Bible study with her house shoes on. I did not see this until after Bible study, so I did not confront her until then. Then on Sunday, her sister went to Church with jeans on that were ripped at the knees (they were not purchased that way). The older of the two said, “God don’t care, He said come as you are.” I was upset to say the least, but if she has not been told the truth, she will believe that this is okay. I pulled the both of them to the side and explained to them that, that is not true and that people have taken that saying, (because that’s what it is, a saying) and turned it into something meant from God, yet there is no actual godly validity to it.

When I read the Bible I see how God wanted the Tabernacle and the Temple to be constructed and adorn. When the Israelites where getting ready for the Great Exodus from Egypt, God told Moses to ask the Egyptians for all their wealth, specifically silver and Gold, “Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor articles of silver and articles of gold (Exodus 11:2).” Then Moses told them again, and the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth (Exodus 12:35-36)! These items were used to make beautiful the Holy place where God would dwell among His people.

Then again when you read the book of 1 Kings 6 and 7 you see how the Temple was built with detailed instruction on the outer and inner materials to be used in its building. Again, silver, gold, and bronze, and other articles of finer quality were used to adorn it in beauty. This tells me God likes to be adorned with beautiful thing around Him. So why then do we as His people feel that we can go to the house of the Lord any old kind of way? The Church is the one place that we should give honor and glory to reverence the Lord. Would it hurt us to put on a nice dress, skirt and blouse, a suit and tie, and a clean pair of shoes, just one day out of the week? If you don’t have it for some reason or another, that’s fine, but if you do, don’t be lazy and disrespectful about it. Some of us will buy a new outfit to go to a dance, a club, a concert, even to a special dinner, but do you buy one to wear to Church? Hum, I wonder. Look at this story in the Bible, “Then he told his servants, ‘we have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren’t up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.’ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled. When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn’t properly dressed. He said to him, ‘Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!’ The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, ‘Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn’t get back in. That’s what I mean when I say, ‘Many get invited; only a few make it (Matthew 22:8-14 MSG).’ The banquet guest are us, church members, the under dressed person is the person coming to church with the wrong mindset or attitude in their relationship with the Lord.

Yes, there are occasions where God tells us to come. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).” Or “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free (Isaiah 55:1)!” Or, come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world (James 4:8). Or, then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matt 16:24).” We are to come before Jesus with a pure heart, whether broken, hurt, ashamed, lost, depressed, fearful, hopeless, or helpless, we are to come, but come giving thanks, glory, and honor in your dressing, reverencing Him, for His is the house of the LORD.