I love my church, but there are things that have been brought to my attention that deal with young men sagging their pants. I feel the issue is important; we do need to be respectful to the women in the church and, most importantly, to God. These young men and I on occasion sag our pants; does that make me any more or less saved than the rest of the congregation? I understand there are guidelines, and I can’t go and do whatever I want, but whether I wear jeans to church or a suit, isn’t Jesus going to love me the same? It seems to me we can get too caught up on the outward appearances and miss God. Is all this judging good for the church as a whole? I think God will accept my baggy jeans and all, what about you, preacher?

Sincerely, How Low Can You Go

Dear How Low Can You Go,

The issue isn’t about dress code - but modesty. It is one thing to dress more casually or formally than others; it is another to show your underwear in public. Men sagging their pants are just as bad as women wearing low cut and revealing clothing. God tells us to dress modestly (1 Tim 2:9). It is shameful for a christian to not be fully clothed (Rev 3:18). It is important that we dress in a way that is honorable in the sight of all men (Rom 12:17). The way we dress is part of our reputation, and therefore we must be careful what message it sends. My kudos to you for caring. Hike up the pants.

I know I am an old guy, but just when I think I have heard everything, I come across the title to yesterday's question. What in the world is “The 411 on the Bling Bling”? Don't keep me in suspense!

Sincerely, Old As The Hills

Dear Old As The Hills,

We here at AYP attempt to answer Bible questions with all seriousness… but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun from time to time. The headline you are referring to is from this post. The title is based off of everyday slang of the younger generations. ‘411’ is a way of saying ‘the information pertaining to’ and ‘bling bling’ is a funny way of referring to jewelry. We thought it might be a pithy way of referring to the question about wearing gold. Since it seemed obvious the question was asked by a younger person, we thought a catchy slang title might be funny. As cultures and language change, it never hurts to be ‘all things to all men’ (1 Cor 9:22)… not to mention that the title made us laugh really, really hard!