RE: Do the scriptures really teach... ...that God forbids the wearing of jewelry?

A RESPONSE TO BECKY LAYWELL’S POST ON HER BLOG

INTRODUCTION

In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Brother Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus unto the Gentile Christians, wrote by inspiration to the church to prove all things and hold fast that which is good. With that in mind, when I read Becky Laywell’s “This is who I am” blog, I decided in my heart to do a scriptural check on one of her articles titled: “Do the scriptures really teach......that God forbids the wearing of jewelry?” The following is a step by step dissection of her writing. I hope to be guided by the same Holy Ghost who inspired the blessed apostles and hope to edify every sincere reader with the content of this piece.

I wish to state here that, from all indications, this sister appears sincere and this rejoinder does not intend to point her in a bad light, but to carry out a sincere investigation into the matter she has raised. I see in her a desire to align her heart and mind to her faith. I had similar doubts, myself, about a couple of those verses in the past but never bothered to do a double check prayerfully, because I didn’t deem them of utmost importance until I saw some of them being used in her write-up. There is a risk to lean on our own understanding when there seems to be a conflict between our beliefs and our reasoning. We do not rely on enticing words of man's wisdom, so that our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. God still speaks to His children.

Becky Laywell, who I learnt, does not use jewelry, owing to her church of God upbringing and the holiness inclination of her husband, ironically did this article which raises much doubts on the traditional beliefs of the church concerning the wearing of jewelry, among other things. She based her premises on her understanding of the phrases: "Not with...but with" and "let it not be...but let it be" which is found in 1Tim2:9 and 1Pet3:3, 4.

1 Timothy 2:9-10 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh [befits] women professing godliness) with good works."

1 Peter 3:3-4 "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and or wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

Forbidden or Not

Contending that the “expressions are not intended to prohibit the first item” but that “the second item is emphasized as being far more important than the first”, she cites John 6:27, in which the Lord says to "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath the Father sealed" and asks whether this scripture forbids working for food, or it is just emphasizing the spiritual food. Again, She cites 1 John 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truth" and asks whether this means that we should not tell people that we love them, or that our words are meaningless without action? In response to this point, we endeavor to check the context of the first verse cited by looking up five verses before the 27^th verse which she has used. Here we have it:

John chapter 6:22 ¶ The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Now, we know what the Lord means when He says:

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life…”

It’s very clear now. (Smile) The people labored searching for the Lord because of the bread they hoped to be fed with. The Lord was not referring to people laboring for their daily bread.

Point #1: Sister Becky started out on a very wrong premise. In this case, Christ was not only emphasizing spiritual food, He was also reprimanding the desire for fleeting gains. The same admonition could go for those of us who follow the Lord because they desire to gratify the lusts of their hearts. Such is the spirit of those who search the scriptures to find support for their kind of lifestyles.

Her second reference is 1 John 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truth" Here it’s clear that our love should not be in empty words, but backed by action and sincerity. Using this sense for 1Timothy 2:9 and 1Peter 3:3, we will have the following understanding: Do not let your beauty be only in the use of cosmetics and jewelry but also let it be in your character. This meaning would be very odd, because it has no alignment with the spirit of the New Testament. It is a clear endorsement for the use of outward adornment which contradicts Christ’s teachings on self denial and humility. Make-ups, as we all know, are needed in the quest for attractiveness and in the effort to get the attention of men to one’s outward appearance. This is clearly the opposite of shamefacedness, which is mentioned in one of the verses as a requirement for Christian sisters and mothers. Even if we are to accept this sense we will have a problem with it when we use it for other verses. For example:

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.

 1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

 3Jo 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

It is clear that if we follow that method of interpretation we’ll have some trouble in the above verses. 3John1:11 would then mean: Do not follow only what is evil, but also follow what is good. The same problem would be observed in the other verses.

She gave other examples to support her argument, which I intend to go into after illustrating a few points in the two scriptures in question.

OUTWARD ADORNMENT CLEARLY FORBIDDEN

1 Timothy 2:9-10 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."

1 Peter 3:3-4 "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and or wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

“In like manner…” After addressing the priorities of the brothers, the apostle turns his attention to the sisters. Sister Becky, who I suppose is Christian, rightly states: “The ladies in Greek and Roman culture were very showy in their appearance; especially their hair. Most of the jewellery they wore was stranded through their hair. Today, jewellery is worn on other areas of the body.” Therefore, it is clear that the apostle was showing the Christians the right manner of adorning themselves, which he classifies as “modest”, “which becometh (befits) women professing godliness”, “as becometh holiness”, “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands”. The foregoing shows that the intent of the apostles was to lay down the doctrine of righteous adornment by making a contrast with the unrighteous ones. In our zeal to call out the fanatical dispositions of those who seem to be stretching the definition of modesty too far, let us not pretend that there is nothing like the attire of an harlot, which Proverbs 7:10 clearly affirms. Some will even claim that there is no such thing as harlot. (The modern trend is to re-brand the bad and defame the good). Let us rather understand that the holy God will only have a holy dwelling place, whether in heaven or in earth. If the saint’s heart is His earthly abode, it therefore must correspond with heaven, in and out; the dwelling place must correspond with its occupant. Bro J. W. Byers points that this is the reason God has given us the perfect revelation of His holy will—to instruct us in the complete preparation for His incoming and indwelling. This instructs us in every possible respect, even to the outward adornment of our bodies, which altogether, if faithfully observed, will obtain all the promised graces of His presence. We concede that nothing of itself is unclean, that it’s not what goes into a man that defiles him and that it’s on the heart the Lord looks. However, we are persuaded that a man’s outward appearance is a reflection of his heart condition. A lascivious person dresses skimpily. The things a man yearns after show what he places his priority on. His heart will always be where his treasure is. You cannot work on inward adornment when fixed on outward ornamentation. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other. When proceeding to the outward, you are departing from the inward. You cannot make both motions at the same time. We ought not to be gratifying the flesh which has been crucified with the Lord. A dying man has no use for jewellery and fine costumes. Set your affection on things above, not on jewels and make-ups. By the way, make up is for correction or compensation. You only make up for something bad, not something which God saw and judged good! (Ge 1:31) On the other hand, inward adornment or ornamentation ensures inward and outward beauty. The principle is to cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also, thou blind Pharisee! The knowledge that we are the temples of the Holy Ghost suffices us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The two texts under examination show us the standard of Bible humility in outward adornment. They are the teaching of two different apostles, written at different times and places, and both express the same truth upon the subject. We all believe they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore should all accept what they have stated. The uniform teaching and spirit of the entire New Testament agrees therewith, and there should be a cheerful response in the heart of every professing child of God to the same. The fruit of true humility must be borne out to the world. The hidden man of the heart will show out every characteristic of his nature—if it is the old man with his corrupted and depraved nature, or if it is the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Seeing that we have put off the old man with his deeds, let us also see that all the furnishings and adornments that belong to him are put off, not only in our conversation and deeds but in our every appearance. A meek and quiet spirit in the heart, if unhindered, will permeate to the exterior, and will harmonize the outside with the nature of the inside.

There is a need to check the desire to be the centre of attraction. This is more so for women than men. Hear what Adam Clarke has to say:  

“Moderation would lead them to avoid all unnecessary expense.  They might follow the custom or costume of the country as to the dress itself, for nothing was ever more becoming than the Grecian stola, catastola, and zona; but they must not imitate the extravagance of those who, through impurity or littleness of mind, decked themselves merely to attract the eye of admiration, or set in lying action the tongue of flattery.  Woman has been invidiously defined: An animal fond of dress.  How long will they permit themselves to be thus degraded?”

Dr Barnes also says:

“It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery. When the heart is right; when there is true and supreme love for religion, it is usually not difficult to regulate the subject of dress.”

A desire to exaggerate the outward appearance in order to be impressive shows a want in the heart: a want for acceptance. Man is overly concerned about how he looks. “How do I look?” seems to be the question on every lady’s lips. I believe they could find the most honest answer if only they direct the question to God who looks on the heart. He would grant them the much needed security. An intense love for God gives true security and eliminates the desire for material attachment. The feeling of insecurity easily creeps in if one perceives societal rejection on account of outward appearance. People labor anxiously to maintain an acceptable dress-sense. This would only become a sin when it goes beyond the limits of modesty. There might have been a problem of defining modesty if the apostles had not shown us clearly what they are and what they are not. On the approved list, we have modest apparel, shamefacedness and sobriety. We could elaborate on these, but space would fail us, unless we must have a very large write-up, which no one would like to read. On the forbidden lists we have braided or plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, which Peter terms apparel. (Sister Becky tried to make a point with the word apparel. I consider it unnecessary when put in its proper context.) The Greek words for plaited or braided hair are plegma and emploke; put in its proper context means “elaborate braiding of the hair”. This is very clear and needs no much ado. In my little corner of the world, some sisters are having problem in this aspect. They suppose that the hair is their glory and they need not cut it or be shamed. Since the only natural way to make the African woman hair grow long is through plaiting, they reckon that it is not against the will of God for them to plait. I, for one, would not attempt to improve on what God created and judged good. Sister Becky also made a point about interior and exterior decoration of the houses we live in. She reasoned that if we do not sin by making such decorations it might not be morally wrong to decorate our bodies which God declares to be His house. In response, I wish to draw her attention to the fact there is a distinction between the house built by human hands and the one built by God Himself which He saw and declared good. Can man make what God has called good better? Did He commission man to improve on the work done on the human body? Men have become too bold to do some piercing here and there; some coloring; some tattooing; some twisting and plaiting. It would be fitting to add Adam Clarke’s statement here:
  “When either women or men spend much time, cost, and attention on decorating their persons, it affords a painful proof that within there is little excellence, and that they are endeavoring to supply the want of mind and moral good by the feeble and silly aids of dress and ornament.  Were religion out of the question, common sense would say in all these things: Be decent; but be moderate and modest.” 
 Does the Negro woman now desire to please the Lord by having long hair, which is not given her by nature, unlike the Caucasian woman? Will the Lord Judge you for what you were not given? The principle of judgment as pronounced by the Master is “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” To this Bro Paul adds: “it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” I do not believe the Lord will condemn you for what He has not given you. If you will first have a willing mind to obey the Lord, He will teach you how to maintain your hair and keep it looking good without plaiting, perming, crisping, etc.

What about the accounts in the Old Testament?

In another line of argument, Sister Becky referred to the fact that jewelry was used by many of God’s people in the Old Testament. However, we know that not everything done in the Old Testament is being practiced nowadays. The old was a shadow of the new. When the Messiah was on earth in the flesh, He told a curious woman that the hour cometh and then was when true worshippers would worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. The first point to note therefrom is that before that hour, which Christ was referring to, the Father was not being worshipped in the right way here on earth. He came to show men how we ought to live the life. This is why there will be a problem to point people back to that hour or that time of ignorance that God winked at. When I did a personal study on the reason God allowed men to use jewelry then, I learnt something wonderful. The discreet and only wise God set forth to teach man value by showing him the precious gold and other treasures before intimating him that there is something, more precious than these things, which he ought to seek after. It's like teaching a little child arithmetics by use of objects he can relate with. When he gets used to it, you reinforce the lesson by use of numbers and abstract things. Now that we have found this greatest treasure, it baffles me that some enlightened souls are yet bothered about gold et al. Come on, fool, take a clue from the merchant man seeking goodly pearls: when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. What have you denied yourself of; what have you given up to follow Christ? You think can set your foot on the plow and look back. You've just counted yourself out! Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. These are times of compromise when saints want to conform to the world. Do you want to belong or be accepted? You want to be esteemed among men? You want to justify yourselves before men? God knoweth your hearts. Hear ye now the word of His Son that ye might have life:
“that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God”.
I ask again, “do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

We've got something more than gold and silver. Is your simple heart still dwelling in doubts? Consider these verses:

Ps 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. {the honeycomb: Heb. the dropping of honeycombs}

 Isa 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

HALLELUIAH!

Also see Ps 119:72,100,127; Pr 8:10-11,19.

I also wish to draw your attention to the following verse. Jer 4:30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. {face: Heb. eyes}

Next, we shall consider her question:

If God forbade the wearing of jewellery,

1.       would not Abraham's servant offering of it to Rebekah and then worshipping God be irreverent and inappropriate?

2.       would Joseph have accepted Pharoah's gift of jewellery?

3.       would David compare wise behaviour to an earring of gold?

4.       would Isaiah compare a bride and bridegroom adorning themselves to the salvation and righteousness of God?

5.       would a comparison be made of a maid forgetting her jewelry to God's people forgetting about Him?

6.       would God offer jewelry as a gift or reward?

The first two questions are similar. We've already mentioned that those were the times of ignorance which God winked at. Let consider this account:

Judges 17:1 ¶ And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

 Judges 17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

 Judges 17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. {consecrated: Heb. filled the hand}

Did God condemn this Israelite for doing this? Can we now safely say it’d be right to do what he did since God allowed it in the Old Testament? Your guess is as good as mine.

The other questions show a dire need for more study on types and antitypes in the Bible. Why would God compare His Son to a lamb? Does that mean we should offer him a lamb as sacrifice for sin? Nonsense, please! God used what man was used to as a means of illustrating what he wasn’t used to, which He had in store for him. Has it now become an evil thing in your eyes that He should use those that be of men to show forth the things that be of God? Do you think that the reward that He gives His saints is a crown of “gold that perisheth”? To be carnally minded is death. Men would cleave to all manner of imaginations to strive against the knowledge of God. Someone said that ImagiNation is the greatest nation because you can have whatever you wanna have in that nation, lol!

On a serious note, one of her questions is: “If God forbade the wearing of jewelry, would David compare wise behavior to an earring of gold?” Good question! I presume she was referring to the verse below, though there is no evidence that it was written by David, but our record show that it was one of the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

Pr 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

So, all ye that lust after an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, ye oughta be obedient to the wise reproof and counsel of truth. What more need I say? 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me GOLD tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

OH, HOW I LOVE THE CHURCH OF GOD!

In the Evening Light Song #292 SPIRIT HOLY, Stanza 3 says:

Thou hast cleansed me for thy temple,

Garnished with thy graces rare;

All my soul thou art enriching

By thy fullness dwelling there.

(This is the kinda adornment ya oughta crave for).

Now consider this ELS#99 titled THE TEMPLE OF GOD:

Not in the Temples made with hands,

Though beautiful by art;

But God in mercy condescends

To dwell within my heart!

Oh glory to Jesus

So sweet in me;

My body, thy temple shall forever be.

How wonderful that he would take

This poor abode of sin,

And wash me in his precious blood

And now abide within!

No more I think of God afar,

But see thee, Lord, within;

Oh, shine in me, thou morning star,

And keep thy temple clean.

O Lord, enshrined within my breast,

My constant joy and peace;

My soul can now forever rest,

Secure in thy embrace.

What then, do we do with the account of the lost son in Luke 15?

Clearly, putting a ring on the hand was in ancient times a mark of honor and dignity. See Gen 41:42; 1Ki 21:8; Es 8:2; Dan 6:17; Jas 2:2. This story was given by the Lord to teach a moral lesson to His audience. Now, if you decide to overlook the lesson and dwell on one element of the story, we may not choose to do likewise. What do we then do with this account? Should we not understand from this account that God is interesting in saving souls no matter how lost they get? What else does Sister Becky expect the church of the living God to do with that account? Should we now use it as proof text for wearing rings?

The sister further asks: if Jesus forbade the wearing of jewelry, would He have used the giving of a finger ring in relating the joyous occasion of welcoming a son back home?

My brethren does it appear to you from the above question that this sister does not support the wearing of jewelry? She specifically mentioned to me in a forum that she is not supporting the practice. Now, I’ll liken this kind of questioning to one used by some sects/cults in my country, Nigeria, to support praying vehemently against their perceived enemies. They quote Luke chapter 19, verse 27: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me”; and insist that it must be right to be vengeful and unforgiving, if Christ could use such a proclamation in His illustrative lesson. It’s a shame that we allow ourselves to be so narrow-minded and short-sighted to make doctrines out of an illustration. If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

But, James 2:1-4 talks of a man coming into the assembly wearing a gold ring and bright clothing

Marvel not at that, O little flock, we'll have all manner of persons coming into our assembly. They are “not all of us”. “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place ... and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers … if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face [perhaps with his bling bling hanging down his neck] he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

Let no man deceive you to believe that Brother James has endorsed wearing of Jewelry in chapter 2, verse 2. In fact, the brother has some hard saying for the rich and their plushy lifestyle in this chapter and also in the last chapter, where he stated that their gold and silver were cankered and rusty.

Pride in the heart of man

The beloved sister thinks that some are proud in wearing their jewelry; others in not wearing it. If she thinks that anyone is proud for doing the right things, for which God’s Spirit gives the grace so that no man can boast as if it’s of works, she need not assume that everyone is like that. As for those who are thus, we are advised to judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Having pleasure in them that do them

When someone asked her why she doesn't wear jewelry since she’s convinced it’s not wrong, she said:
  "I am a married woman in love with and committed to my husband. While he and I do not have the same understanding on many spiritual matters, it would be disrespectful of me to go against him in matters which do not affect my walk with the Lord. I know from experience that I cannot begin to make him understand or agree with me on this issue, so I choose not to go there."
It seems there are many Christians whose practices differ from their convictions. How sad it is for them to daily suppress their persuasions and desires in order to submit to another person’s authority. However, some of them find a way to live out their dreams through other people, especially their children. Some others get to the Internet anonymous to relate with people of like passion. So, though they don't wear the bling bling, they get gratified from the act of those who are wearing them freely, and wish they could be like them. There is something about this phenomenon that reminds us of those “who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them”. You don't do them yet you have pleasure in them that do them. Are you not after all the same as they are?

Even though we thus speak, we are persuaded better things of our dearly beloved Sister Becky Laywell, and things that accompany salvation. I learnt she received proper upbringing, in all church of God and holiness standards. My heart goes out to her and others who have allowed their doubts to get the better part of their judgement. I pray that the Spirit of God may convince as many of us who are yet not convinced of this matter, even after going through this humble piece. Amen.