Dressing Up for Church: The Christian's Sunday Best

It’s Sunday morning. You’re frazzled, bleary-eyed from a late Saturday night. The kids are just waking up, and it’s time to rush out the door to get to church—hopefully before the announcements are over.

Probably the last thing on your mind is dressing up for church. You just grab something halfway presentable and go. In today’s fast-paced world, taking time to actually dress up for church is far from many people’s minds. But taking time to dress up for church—at least in the biblical sense—is absolutely worth it.

So what should you wear?

Colossians 3:12 tells us:

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony…” (vv. 12–14)

As valuable as it is to make Sundays special by dressing nicely, it’s far more crucial to “put on” godly character than it is to don a sports coat. No matter how neat your outward appearance, being clothed in godliness matters infinitely more.

We don’t dress ourselves in these virtues to earn God’s love or secure holiness, but because we already are God’s chosen, holy, and beloved people. They flow from the gospel. 

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1. Put on Compassionate Hearts

All the traits in verse 12 are interrelational—they assume we’re living life together in Christian community. Compassion means showing genuine concern for another’s suffering (BDAG). People around you are hurting. Compassion feels that pain with them. It’s easier to close your eyes and heart to others’ needs, but God calls us to a better way.

2. Put on Kindness

This word often describes God’s character and treatment of us (Rom 2:4; 11:22; Eph 2:7; Titus 3:4). Consider how kind God has been to you—a sinner—and come to church ready to show that same kindness to others. Kindness notices needs and responds tenderly.

3. Put on Humility

Humility is key to unity in the church (Phil 2:1–4). Without it, everyone pursues their own agenda, and squabbles break out as we each fight for our preferences. Humility defers to others. It sings along even when the music isn’t your style. It serves in the nursery, admits when it’s wrong, and asks forgiveness.

4. Put on Meekness

BDAG defines meekness as “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.” When we think too highly of ourselves, we become prickly, defensive, and pushy. Meekness, by contrast, is gentle, considerate, and courteous. It’s not weakness—it’s strength under control.

5. Put on Patience

The KJV calls it “longsuffering.” It means “bearing up under provocation” (BDAG). God is endlessly patient with us (Rom 2:4; 9:22; 1 Pet 3:20). The more we see and savor his patience, the more ready we are to be patient with those who irritate or provoke us.

6. Put on Forbearance

Verse 13 shows what it looks like to wear these garments: putting up with one another. Paul assumes people in the church will sometimes be difficult. Not every wrong needs to be confronted. Most often, we simply “let love cover a multitude of sins.” That’s forbearance.

7. Put on Forgiveness

Forgiveness assumes that, yes, other Christians will sin against us. Expect it. If forbearance covers minor irritations, forgiveness addresses real sin. Forgiveness means choosing to let go of the offense, promising not to hold it against the person—because God has forgiven you in Christ.

8. Put on Love

All these traits are facets of genuine love. Love is a deep commitment to others’ ultimate good. It involves affection, sacrifice, and care. Love ties everything together “in perfect harmony.” It’s the belt that holds the outfit—and the church—together. 

Conclusion

Getting ready for church involves more than just getting out the door on time. It means preparing your heart—ready to sing the gospel (v. 16) because the message of Christ dwells richly within you.

Putting on these gospel clothes doesn’t happen in two minutes on a Sunday morning. It happens day by day as you read God’s Word, rejoice in the gospel, and experience his love and kindness toward you.

So pray that God would clothe you with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, and above all, love—so that when you come to church, you’ll be dressed beautifully in Christ.