Tuesday 5 th April 2011
Dear Ladies,
Here is an article presented by a brother -in-christ in it he cites various authours, namely
Joe Crewes, Ellen G White and Doug Batchelor backed by scriptures from both old and new testaments
in the bible. I pray that It will bless you as it has me.
Eternal Blessings
Mizaj4christ
Thought Nugget” #47
by Rodney A. Brown Sr.
Greetings, dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
As with all topics that are sensitive, and touchy in one’s life, this one
requires much prayer with an open ear and heart! Please take a moment to ask God’s Holy Spirit
to guide you into the honest of all truth, proving to you the will of the Father.
I earnestly pray that you will be richly enlightened, and blessed!
FROM THE HEALTH PERSPECTIVE
3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of
the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The Skin and its Functions. Physiology of the Skin. Elimination.
Impurities are constantly and imperceptibly passing from the body,
through the pores, and if the surface of the skin is not kept in a healthy condition,
the system is burdened with impure matter. The burden of labor is thrown upon the liver,
lungs, kidneys, etc., and these internal organs are compelled to do the work of the skin.
The skin needs to be carefully and thoroughly cleansed, that the pores may do their work in freeing the
body from impurities. You have not given your body a chance to breathe.
The pores of the skin, or the little mouths through which the body breathes,
have become closed, and the system has been filled with impurities.
Its million little mouths are closed, because they are clogged by the impurities of the system,
and for want of air. They breathe the same air over and over,
until it becomes impregnated with the poisonous impurities and waste matter
thrown off from their bodies through the lungs and the pores of the skin.
ABSORPTION
If the garments worn are not frequently cleansed from these impurities,
the pores of the skin absorb again the waste matter thrown off. The impurities of the body,
if not allowed to escape, are taken back into the blood, and forced upon the internal organs.
Many are ignorantly injuring their health and endangering their lives by using cosmetics. . .
When they become heated, . . .
the poison is absorbed by the pores of the skin, and is thrown into the blood.
Many lives have been sacrificed by this means alone.
–H. R. {HL 188.1} – {HL 189.2}
God has surrounded us with his glories, that the natural eye may be charmed.
The splendor of the heavens, the adornments of nature in spring and summer,
the lofty trees, the lovely flowers of every tint and hue, should call us out of our houses to
contemplate the power and glory of God, as seen in the works of his hands. But many close their senses to these charms.
They will not engage in healthful labor among the beautiful things of nature. They turn from shrubs and flowers,
and shut themselves in their houses, to labor and toil in closed walls, depriving themselves of the healthful,
glorious sunlight, and the pure air, that they may prepare artificial adornments for their houses and their persons.
They impose upon themselves a terrible tax. They sacrifice the glow of health God
has given in the human face, the blended beauty of the lily and the rose, and tax
the physical and mental in preparing the artificial to take the place of the natural.
The beauty of the soul, when compared with outward display, is regarded almost valueless.
In the anxiety to meet the standard of fashion, beauty of character is overlooked. A writer has well said:–
{HR, October 1, 1871 par. 14}
“CURLS AND COSMETICS ARE ALL IN REQUISITION TO ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF ‘THE HUMAN FACE DIVINE;
‘ BUT WHAT IS THE RESULT? YOUTH’S ROSES ONLY FLEE THE FASTER–OLD AGE WILL CREEP ON APACE;
ROUGE CANNOT HIDE ITS WRINKLES, NOR CAN IT MAKE ANY FACE BEAUTIFUL. WE ARE DECIDED BELIEVERS
IN THE OLD ADAGE,
‘HANDSOME IS THAT HANDSOME DOES.
‘ NO FACE HAS TRUE BEAUTY IN IT THAT DOES NOT MIRROR THE DEEDS OF A NOBLE SOUL.
THERE IS NOT A THOUGHT, WORD, OR DEED, THAT DOES NOT LEAVE ITS AUTOGRAPH
WRITTEN ON THE HUMAN COUNTENANCE; AND WE CARE NOT WHETHER KIND
NATURE HAS GIVEN HER CHILD AN UGLY FACE OR A HANDSOME ONE, IF THE HEART THAT BEATS UNDERNEATH
ALL IS WARM AND LOVING. AND IF THE SOUL THAT LOOKS OUT FROM THE EYES BE TRUE AND PURE, THE FACE WILL BE BEAUTIFUL ALWAYS,
FOR IT HAS FOUND THE TRUE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH;
AND THOUGH TIME MAY FOLD THE HAIR IN SILVER, AND FURROW THE BROW,
YET THERE WILL EVER BE A BEAUTY LIGHTING IT UP THAT YEARS CANNOT DIM,
FOR THE HEART AND SOUL NEVER GROW OLD.”
{HR, October 1, 1871 par. 15}
by E.G. White.
The health effects of makeup use are thought by
some to be a thing of the past. But here are some recent statements by Dr. Oz…
“What we put on our face could be very hazardous to our health, and hurt our beauty in the long term.
Makeup, moisturizers and perfumes, Dr. Oz talked a lot about the moisturizers and lotions
we put on our face everyday to fight wrinkles has not been approved by the government at all.
The FDA oversees this multi billion dollar industry, but it does not approve products
before they hit store shelves. Cosmetic companies are only required to list
intended ingredients on their products. These companies are no way legally
obligated to list harmful byproducts that may incur during manufacturing.
Dr. oz says don’t think your safer by natural, hypoallergenic, or organic products.
There are no guidelines for those terms in the cosmetic world. Beauty products put us
in contact with roughly 126 chemicals daily, and many of them have not been thoroughly tested.
Creams that claim to eliminate wrinkles, often damage the skin to produce a wrinkle-free effect.
These creams are designed to penetrate deep into your skin where the blood vessels are,
the newer creams are actually better absorbed by your body, which means they have a greater potential to cause problems.
Dr. Oz and Dr. Arthur Perry explains that in order to eliminate the appearance of wrinkles,
they plump up the skin by inflaming it with products that are actually irritating to the skin and break down collagen,
encouraging more wrinkles down the road.
The same goes for fragrances as harmless sounding as lavender, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and peppermint.
Lip Gloss the shine in lip-gloss comes from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of oil drilling,
and when you spread it on your lips, you end up eating it, which is essentially the same as drinking gasoline.
Add up the amount of lip-gloss the average woman uses (and consumes) over a decade, and it equals 7 pounds.
The European Union has banned many petroleum jelly products, and experts are concerned they
could be linked to cancer. Women with breast cancer have twice the levels of hydrocarbons (substances
found in petroleum jelly) in their breasts than women who haven’t had breast cancer.” by Dr. Oz
If Looks Could Kill: dangers of modern cosmetic make up products
Here’s a typical day for most women across North America.
The alarm rings and she crawls out of bed …
Turns on the shower and under the steady stream of water,
she gently scrubs her body with a deodorant soap.
Then she grabs her shampoo and washes her freshly tinted hair.
Scoops up a palm full of hair conditioner
and applies it to her hair to smooth out the tangles.
Next, she grabs a can of shaving cream and removes the growth of
hair from her legs. The shower finished, she towel dries and spreads on an even coat of body
lotion and a dusting of powder over her skin.
She brushes her teeth and gargles with mouthwash—blow
dries her hair then spritzes with hairspray.
Sitting at her vanity (ever wondered why they call them “VANITIES”?) she carefully applies
a smidgen of moisturizer over her face to reduce the fine lines. Today,
she’ll wear foundation and a little blush.
Oh yes, better add some eye shadow for today’s special meeting and a little eye liner
and a stroke of mascara. A dab of lipstick, a blast of perfume and a little sunscreen
on her arms and she is set for the day.
She looks radiant and healthy but…her looks are killing her!
Let’s take a look at what this woman’s particular brands of cosmetic
and makeup products have exposed her to in a matter of minutes.
■The deodorant soap has a pH of 9, which removes the protective acid mantle of
the skin making it more alkaline and therefore, more vulnerable to penetration.
It also contains ammonia, formaldehyde and phenol, which are known carcinogens and triclocarban,
which is under suspicion of being a cancer causing agent with daily use.
■Her shampoo contains cocamide DEA, which is associated with carcinogenic nitrosamines
and sodium lauryl sulfate, a known mutagen.
■The hair tint contains quaternium-15, which releases carcinogenic formaldehyde
and the carcinogen, phenylenediamine.
■The conditioner contains methylisothiaolinone, an ingredient that is mutagenic
and is presently being evaluated as cancer-causing.
■The shaving cream contains a-pinene, a chemical that damages the immune system.
■Her body lotion contains mineral oil, which, as a cosmetic grade petroleum product,
includes the contaminant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAs) known as xenoestrogens
that can mimic estrogen in the body.
■The dusting powder contains talc, a substance like asbestos. When talc was combined
with a common air pollutant, benzo(a)pyrene, it induced tumors in 80% of the animals tested.
■The toothpaste contains saccharin and FD&C Blue#1, which are carcinogens.
It also contains resorcinol, which can cause a blood disorder (methemoglobinemia), convulsions and death.
■The mouthwash contains 27% ethanol, which is suspected of causing esophageal cancer. It also contains phenol,
which can cause fatal poisonings through skin absorption.
■The hairspray contains polyvinylpyrrolidine (PVP) and reports show that
it may cause harm if the particles are inhaled. Modest intravenous doses fed to rats caused tumors.
■The moisturizer contains phenol carbolic acid, which can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions,
coma and death as a result of respiratory failure. It also contains PEG-40, which contains
dangerous levels of dioxin and propylene glycol, which studies show can
negatively alter brain waves and cause liver and kidney disorders.
■Her blush contains FD&C Red #3, which caused human breast cells to grow,
mimics the effect of natural estrogen at the molecular level and damages
the genetic material of human breast cells.
■The eyeshadow contains iron oxide, which although deemed safe by the FDA
for use in the eye area, is a suspected carcinogen, teratogen or toxin.
The eyeliner, contains ascorbyl palmitate, and studies suggest that the palmitates
are to be considered carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic.
■The mascara may be contaminated with bacteria.
Is also contains polyvinylpyrrolide (PVP), a carcinogen.
■The lipstick contains paraffin, which is a mixture of hydrocarbons and is derived from petroleum.
It is known to be contaminated with the carcinogens, benzo-a-pyrene and benzo-b-fluroanthene.
■The perfume contains toluene, a suspected potent carcinogen that was found in every fragrance tested,
and benzaldehyde, which is a central nervous system depressant that may cause kidney damage.
■The sunscreen contains padimate O and the preservative, BNPD, which together
create the carcinogenic nitrosamine, NMPABAO.
When one considers all the risks involve in using such products, when necessity is lacking,
a bearing towards ungodly character is bound to be the result. God is not pleased with such endurance.
COLORFUL COSMETICS AND JEWELRY
“With this little background on how to make love the motivating factor in setting up Christian standards,
we are now prepared to illustrate how the principle operates in practice. Although any one of the “conduct”
standards of the church could be used, let us choose one that has evoked considerable complaint—colorful cosmetics and jewelry.
Multitudes of sincere members have laid aside the use of these artificial adornments “because the church says so.”
This is a poor reason for doing anything in the Christian life. Hopefully, after reading this chapter,
the explanations about arbitrary church rules on the subject will give way to personal conviction based on loving and pleasing the Lord.
Repeatedly, pastors have faced the questions: “What is wrong with my little wedding ring?
Do you think God will leave me out of heaven just because I wear this bit of jewelry?”
My own heart has been dismayed and troubled on many occasions over this negative approach to Christianity.
Please note what the question implies: The questioner is obviously seeking to know how much he can get by with and still make
it to heaven. His attitude reflects a legalistic desire to do only the things that are laid down as divine “do-it-or-else” laws.
But this approach is wrong, wrong, wrong! The true Christian will not ask,
“How much do I have to do in order to remain a child of God?” but rather,
“How much can I do to please Jesus whom I love?” This is the positive approach based on
seeking God’s will on the question and loving Him enough to obey His will happily as
revealed in the Bible. Once this open-hearted, loving premise is accepted,
it remains only to search through the Scripture to find indications of God’s will concerning
the use of colorful cosmetics and ornaments. This we shall now proceed to do.
In Genesis 35:1-4, Jacob was told by God to take his family to Bethel where they were to be presented at the altar of the Lord.
This was a very sacred spot to Jacob—the place of his conversion in earlier days,
after seeing the heavenly ladder in his dream. But before they could be consecrated at that holy spot,
Jacob told his household to “put away the strange gods that are among you” (verse 2). Apparently,
the family had picked up some of the heathen customs in their tarrying in the land.
There were certain objects that had to be laid aside before they went up to the altar,
because they were pagan objects. Please notice, in verse 4, what these objects were:
“And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods
which were in their hand, and all the earrings
which were in their ears: and Jacob hid them under
the oak which was by Shechem.”
In Judges 8:24,
we are assured that earrings were worn by those who were Ishmaelites.
The context strongly implies that they wore ornaments as a mark of their apostasy from the true God.
Genesis 34 reveals that Jacob’s sons had committed some grievous sins, and Jacob was
coming before God to make a solemn atonement for them and for his family.
It was a time of heart-searching and repentance. Everything was done
to make wrong right and to open the way for God’s blessing to come upon them.
The custom of wearing heathen ornaments was given up, along with the strange gods. The earrings were laid aside.
Under similar circumstances a reformation took place in Exodus 33:1-6.
A terrible apostasy had developed in the previous chapter while Moses was in the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments.
A large number of the Israelites had worshipped the golden calf, bringing plague and destruction that threatened the nation.
Moses called for them to repent with these words:
“Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord,
even every man upon his son,
and upon his brother; that he may bestow
upon you a blessing this day”
(Exodus 32:29).
In the next chapter, Moses went up to the tabernacle to plead with God for the people,
who were still adorned with their heathen trappings from the day of indulgence and sin.
The instruction God gave for the restoration of Israel included a change of dress,
just as it had earlier in the case of Jacob and his family.
God said,
“Say unto the children of Israel,
Ye are a stiff-necked people;
I will come up into the midst of
thee in a moment, and consume thee:
therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee,
that I may know what to do unto thee.
And the children of Israel stripped themselves
of their ornaments by the Mount Horeb”
(Exodus 33:5, 6).
We are left in no doubt as to the attitude of God concerning the wearing of those ornaments.
God, who changes not, told them to take off those things and present themselves for judgment,
to answer for their apostasy. It is of more than passing interest to note
that this prohibition was laid down in connection with their going into the Promised Land.
God said,
“I will send an angel before thee;
and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite …
for I will not go up in the midst of thee;
for thou art a stiffnecked people”
(Exodus 33:2, 3).
It is significant that they were
required to strip off the ornaments before they could enter the Promised Land.
Does this have anything to do with us? Indeed it does. Paul assures us in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that
“all these things happened unto them for ensamples:
and they are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
He likens their Red Sea experience to baptism in verse 2, and in verses 7 and 8 he refers to
the great apostasy experience of Israel in Exodus 32, when they made their golden calf.
Then immediately he explains in verse 11 that these things that happened to them were for “our admonition.”
This can only mean that God’s dealing with them over their apostasy is to teach us something.
His command for them to remove the ornaments before going into the land of Canaan applies to us
before going into the heavenly Canaan. The parallel is obvious in the context.
The earliest record in existence concerning the use of colorful cosmetics is found
in 2 Kings 9:30. Many have questioned the origin of the expression “painted up like Jezebel.”
The answer is found in this text:
“And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face,
and tired her head, and looked out a window.”
The history of that infamous heathen queen,
who put hundreds of God’s prophets to death, is well known to Bible students.
To trace the biblical origin of the custom to Jezebel certainly casts an unholy
shadow over the practice. But we shall see in a moment that the use of colorful
cosmetics was a consistent mark of heathen women and unfaithful women throughout the Bible record.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God sent one of the most scathing denunciations of
jewelry that can be found anywhere in the Bible.
Nowhere do we find a more direct and unequivocal revelation of God’s feelings toward the wearing of ornaments.
In Isaiah 3:16 God does not generalize about ornaments, but gives a long list of specific articles
that were being worn by the “daughters of Zion.” Now, let’s notice whether God, the same yesterday,
today, and forever, was pleased with the wearing of these things.
“Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go, and making
a tinkling with their feet …
in that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their
tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, …
the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, … the ornaments of the legs,
and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
The rings, and nose jewels”
(Isaiah 3:16-21).
Let’s pause in the midst of this recital and ask the question, how will God take away these things?
In the next chapter, verse 4, we read,
“When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion …
by the spirit of judgment,
and by the spirit of burning.”
Don’t overlook the fact that God refers to all these objects of adornment as “filth.”
He further describes most graphically the ones who survive the “washing away” of the ornament,
“In that day shall the branch of the Lord
be beautiful and glorious,
and the fruit of the earth shall be
excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion,
and he that remaineth in Jerusalem,
shall be called holy, even every one that is written among
the living in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 4:2, 3).
In bold, clear strokes, the prophet reveals the abhorrence of God for the manifestations
of pride in wearing ornaments. After the washing away of those artificial baubles, God describes the women as being
“comely,” “holy,” and “beautiful.” Apparently, He does not appraise beauty in the same way that we do.
The women put on all their jewelry to make themselves beautiful, but God said it was filthy.
When it was all washed away, He said they were comely and beautiful. Do not miss the extreme significance of this truth.
God uses that word “comely” to describe His Bride, the Church.
“I have likened the daughter of Zion
to a comely and delicate woman”
(Jeremiah 6:2).
As if to reinforce His assessment of the inordinate pride displayed in His people, God made the following observation:
“The shew of their countenance doth witness against them;
and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.
Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded
evil unto themselves”
(Isaiah 3:9)
. No question is permitted to remain about the shamefulness of outward adornment.
It will be well to take note at this point that God identified rings
as part of the “filth of the daughters of Zion.” What kind of rings was he talking about?
High school seniors will answer immediately, “My class ring is symbolic of my being a senior. It’s not worn as an ornament.
God was talking about other kinds of rings.” The Mason will defend his Masonic ring in almost the same words:
“God wasn’t talking about my ring. It simply represents my belonging to the Lodge.”
And then there are the birthstone rings, the engagement rings, and the wedding rings—they also have symbolic meanings.
How easy to justify the one we happen to be wearing, and to claim that God was not talking about that one.
But how do we know God wasn’t talking about the very one we are wearing?
Would it not be presumptuous to feel that God makes an exception for the one we are wearing,
just because we don’t want to give it up?
What did God mean when He said “rings?” Did He mean only certain kinds of rings?
I asked my mother a similar question one day. You see, she had forbidden me to take any icing
off the cake after it was frosted. I was permitted to “lick the pan” by scraping up all
that Mother left in the bottom of the container, but it was a law of the house that I could not remove any from the cake.
But one day Mother went to the store and left me alone with a beautiful,
fresh-made chocolate cake in the middle of the table. I watched the luscious icing ooze down the side of the cake
and collect on the rim of the plate. The temptation was too great, and I quickly scraped up all
that excess icing on my finger—but not quickly enough. Just at that moment Mother walked through the door.
Believe me, Mother hauled me off to the bedroom very quickly while I
tried to forestall the inevitable. I still remember the crux of my fast talk to escape punishment.
Mother said, “I told you never to take any icing off the cake.” Triumphantly I replied, “But you didn’t say chocolate cake.”
Somehow, my wise Mother was not the least impressed with that less-than-sound bit of juvenile logic.
I wonder how it might sound to our all-wise Heavenly Father when we say, “But you didn’t say wedding ring.”
And that is true. Mother just said “cake,” and God just said “rings,”
and to quibble over what kind is but a childish attempt to justify our obvious violation of God’s revealed will.
After all, why are we searching the Bible on the subject? Are we not trying to find out
what best pleases the Lord? We are not seeking for ways to get around what pleases Him.
Our sole purpose is to find His will in order to do it. We love Him too much to risk displeasing Him.
This is why the true Christian will not quibble over the kind of ring or seek
a rationalization in going contrary to God’s will.
Lay aside all rings. Isn’t it patently obvious that if one symbolic ring can be defended,
then all symbolic rings can be defended?
In no instance do we find any biblical precedent for wearing a physical sign of marriage.
The history of the wedding ring is tainted with pagan sun-worship and papal superstition.
Not one argument put forward in its favor carries any weight in comparison to the one great fact that it is not pleasing to the Lord!
A carnal Christian could argue that it is not clear that one will be lost for wearing a ring.
But the Christian who loves God supremely will answer that it is enough to know that it displeases our Friend.
Incidentally, history gives us a very clear picture of the relationship between early church
apostasy and the introduction of the wedding ring.
The famous Catholic Cardinal John Henry Newman described it in 1845
in his monumental book Development of Christian Doctrine, p. 373:
“Constantine, in order to recommend the new religion to the heathen,
transferred into it the outward adornments to which they had been accustomed in their own.
It is not necessary to go into a subject which the diligence of Protestant
writers has made familiar to most of us. The use of temples,
and these dedicated to particular saints … incense … candles … holy water …
processions … the ring in marriage, turning to the east, images at a later date …
are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church”
(emphasis added).
The prophet Jeremiah, like so many other Old Testament writers, added more
counsel concerning the type of people who wore artificial ornaments. God moved upon those holy men to represent
the church prophetically as a woman. When God’s people were backslidden, they were portrayed
by the prophet as a harlot or an unfaithful wife.
Thus we read texts like the following:
“And when thou are 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”
(Jeremiah 4:30).
Through Ezekiel, God symbolized His apostatized people, Judah and Israel,
by two harlots named Aholah and Aholibah. His description of their bold ornamentation matched the
lewdness of their conduct.
“And furthermore, that ye have sent for
men to come from far, unto whom
a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came:
for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes,
and deckedst thyself with ornaments”
(Ezekiel 23:40).
Hosea expresses the same thought when he describes the hypocrisy of Israel.
Again, the unfaithfulness was well dramatized by a decorated woman.
“And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim,
wherein she burned incense to them,
and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and
she went after her lovers,
and forgat me, saith the Lord”
(Hosea 2:13).
Over and over again, the Bible connects the wearing of colorful cosmetics and jewelry with sin,
apostasy, and heathenism. When they turned away from the Lord they put on the ornaments that,
as Isaiah said, “declare their sin.” There is no lack of texts that spell out the truth
clearly and without equivocation—the great God of heaven was displeased with those things
and used them to symbolize departure from His will.
Turning to the New Testament, the picture comes into even sharper focus.
John, in the book of Revelation, describes the scarlet woman of sin
(symbolizing the false church) as
“decked with gold and precious stones
and pearls, having a
golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication”
(Revelation 17:4).
In contrast, the true church is depicted in Revelation 12:1 as a beautiful woman clothed with the glory of the sun.
This woman is called the bride of Christ in Revelation 21:9.
Notice that no ornaments are worn by the bride of Christ.
These types of the true and the false religious systems also point out the estimate God places upon
the use of artificial adornment.
Two final texts from the writings of Peter and Paul will reveal the firm, consistent views of the early church
concerning this practice. Both of these stalwarts occupied
positions of influence among the disciples,
and their Spirit-filled letters represent the unchallenged view of the apostolic church.
Paul wrote, “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 Timothy 2:9, 10).
Peter wrote in much the same manner, except that he especially addressed Christian women who had
unbelieving husbands.
“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if
any obey not the word, they also may without the
word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward
adorning of plaiting the hair,
and of 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”
(1 Peter 3:1-4).
These words of Peter contain counsel for every Christian wife in the church today,
and they deal with one of the most perplexing problems that faces Christian women whose husbands are not
with them in the faith. How far should the believing wife go in trying to please her unregenerate husband?
To what degree should she compromise the truth of God in little things to keep things smooth at home and
possibly to help win her husband? Peter’s advice is simple and clear-cut:
Don’t compromise truth and principle at all. Even if the wife is not permitted to speak about her faith,
she can win her husband by her “chaste conversation.” Other translations use the more proper term “conduct”
instead of “conversation.”
But notice how the conduct of the Christian wife will manifest itself.
Peter asserts that she will win her husband much more readily by laying aside the outward adornment.
Surely the Spirit of God anticipated the dilemma of the wife who feels that she needs to wear a wedding ring to please her husband,
even though she knows it does not please the Lord.
This text makes it exceedingly clear that God should come first,
and that such a decision also will do more to win the husband than any other course.
Hundreds of evangelists and pastors could bear witness that this is true.
The women who eventually lead their husbands into the faith are the ones who hold firmly to the standard of God’s Word.
The ones who do not win their companions are those who will let down the standard in little things
to be more compatible with their unbelieving husbands.
This might seem contradictory, but the practical results are demonstrable.
As long as the wife is not living up to all the points of her own belief,
the husband figures that it must not be very important. He cannot get excited about doing
something that does not even claim the full compliance of his sweet, Christian wife. But if she does take a firm stand
to please the Lord above all others, even in the face of his own displeasure,
the husband is deeply impressed that this “religion bit” must be important.
He probably will say nothing about his true feelings. He might, in fact,
affect great indignation, but his respect and admiration will be secretly stirred by the firm, conscientious stand of his wife.
We must anticipate right here the argument that is advanced by the wives who are not inclined to part with their wedding rings.
They say, “I don’t want to give up my ring because it shows that I am married. I’m proud of my husband.
I want everyone to know that I’m married. I think marriage is a most sacred and important thing.”
No one can find fault with these sincere sentiments.
Every wife should love her husband and be proud of him.
Marriage is important, and she should want everyone to know that she is married. But let’s ask this question:
Is there anything in a person’s life that is more important than marriage? Yes, there is just one thing
that is more important than being married to a husband or wife, and that is to be married to Christ.
The claims of Christ’s love are the only claims that should ever take priority over
the love of husband and wife. In the light of all the overwhelming Bible evidence,
we have discovered that ornaments are displeasing to the Lord. It is true that the
wedding ring will tell everyone that the wife is married to her husband,
but it will also tell something else. It will tell that she has chosen to
please her husband even above the Lord Jesus. It will reveal that she is placing someone else’s will
above the Bible-revealed will of God. As such, it bears a wrong testimony to the world.
Some might object that such a conclusion is too strong. Some are bound to say,
“You are judging and testing my Christianity by a little thing like a ring or an ornament.”
No, this is not the case. It is love for God that is being tested,
and the Bible clearly points out the criteria for the test. That test not only
involves keeping the plainly revealed commandments of God, but also includes laying aside everything else that we discover
does not please Him. Here is the evidence: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments,
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22).
Please do not overlook the two things that true Christians will always be doing. They obey the direct,
overt requirements that God lays down in His law, but they also go further by
searching out everything that would please Him. In other words, they will obey the injunction to
“always be trying to find out what best pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:10, 20th Century Translation).
Jesus exemplified and dramatized this divine principle in His own life and teachings.
He said,
“The Father hath not left me alone;
for I do always those things that please him”
(John 8:29).
The arbitrary commandments are obvious even to a carnal man, but the little things that please God are revealed
only to the loving heart of the Christian who searches the Word for indications of His will.
It is a solemn fact that those who will be saved at the coming of Jesus are symbolized by Enoch,
who “was translated that he should not see death … for before his translation he had this testimony,
that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Paul describes the glorious coming of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. In the same text,
he portrays the resurrection of the righteous dead and the catching up of the
righteous living. But speaking of those saints who should be ready for translation,
Paul said,
“I exhort you by the Lord Jesus … how ye ought to
walk and to please God”
(1 Thessalonians 4:1).
One of the marks of those who are redeemed out of the earth is their willingness
to please the Lord in everything.
Listen, if you know a certain thing is pleasing to the Lord, and yet you refuse to do it,
what are you really doing? You are pleasing someone else above the Lord.
You might say, “But it’s such a small, small thing.” Of course, it is a small thing,
but love is actually tested and proven by the little things we do for one another.
Ask any housewife if it isn’t so. Her husband might give her a washing machine on her birthday,
and she would appreciate it. But if he brings home flowers in the middle of the week and says,
“Honey, let me dry the dishes for you,” any wife will tell you that
it means more than the washing machine.
Why? Because it reveals more of his true feelings to do the little things
than to do big things that are more-or-less expected. God is pleased when we keep His Ten Commandments,
but we really show our love more by going beyond the commandments,
to please Him in the little things that are revealed in the Bible.
Right and wrong never have been, and never should be, measured by the amount.
It is the quality of sin, not the quantity, that presents the largest problem to the Christian.
The Bible reveals the fact that colorful cosmetics, rings, etc., are displeasing to the Lord.
The Word of God does not reveal that a certain quantity of colorful cosmetics
is wrong or that a certain type
or number of rings is displeasing to Him. Even the smallest deliberate violation of the revealed will of God is serious.
It indicates an inward rebellion against placing God first. The devil’s favorite argument today is “a little bit is all right.”
This was Lot’s foolish argument when he was ordered by the angels to flee into the mountains.
He begged for permission to go into another city close by Sodom and Gomorrah. His argument was,
“Is it not a little one?”
(Genesis 19:20)
. Can you understand why he wanted to go into another city after losing everything he had in Sodom?
Yet the same rationalization is used by many Christians today. They
debate and quibble over the size of their ring or the amount of the immodesty.
Satan is delighted to hear people trying to decide just how much they should violate the will of God.
Never forget this: It is not the degree of the deviation from the Bible standard that is so important,
but it is the fact that there is a deviation that constitutes the real problem.
The size of the step is not the thing of greatest importance, but rather the direction in which the step leads.
Sometimes ministers are accused of making a big issue out of the wedding ring because
they wait for the candidate to remove it before being baptized. Actually, experience has proven
that the ring is not the problem at all.
The ring is merely the symptom of a much more serious problem: the lack of full surrender.
When the heart is yielded, and God is made first in the life, no convert will allow a little ring to stand in
the way of uniting with the body of Christ by baptism. When love for Christ is stronger
than love of self or husband or wife, then nothing will stand in the way, least of all a small metal ring.”
by Joe Crews
Justified Jewelry?
Those who seek to justify the wearing of jewelry usually point to Bible stories in
which God’s children wore gold, silver, or jewels. For example, the Scriptures report with no comment
that Joseph wore a ring and “a gold chain about his neck”
(Genesis 41:42), that Saul wore a bracelet (2 Samuel 1:10), that Mordecai was given a ring by Ahasuerus
(Esther 8:2), and that King Belshazzar gave Daniel a scarlet robe and “put a chain of gold about his neck”
(Daniel 5:29).
But, remember, just because we see something done in Bible times does not mean that God condoned it.
The Scriptures simply record a faithful history of God’s people-including all their failures.
Noah drank wine and became drunk (Genesis 9:20, 21). Lot had sex with his daughters and got them pregnant
(Genesis 19:30-38). Judah hired a prostitute for a night, impregnated her,
and later discovered she was his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:12-26).
We cannot assume that God condones such unsavory practices just because these incidents were
mentioned in the Bible. Other passages of Scripture clearly tell us that God condemns
alcohol, incest, prostitution, and jewelry as anti-productive to accomplishing His purposes for humanity.
One story that is often cited to justify jewelry is that of the prodigal son. Since the father
“put a ring on his hand,” some say that we can assume God wants us to wear jewelry. Obviously, as we’ve just seen,
this parable is not an inspired comment on whether Christians should wear rings.
Furthermore, the ring the father gave his son was most likely a signet ring.
Signet rings contained the family seal. People used them to press this unique seal onto official documents.
It was the family’s signature. Rather than an ornament for display, signet rings were a tool
for officiating documents and were usually worn on the index finger.
Before the prodigal son left home, he asked his father for his share of the inheritance.
Once he received his money and goods, he left home to spend it all on “riotous living.” Luke 15:13.
Out of money and destitute, the foolish prodigal later found himself flat broke, hungry, and poorly clad.
In desperation he returned home, trusting in the goodness of his father to at least take him in as a servant.
The prodigal felt that he no longer deserved to be a son, since he had
squandered half of his father’s hard-earned savings.
But instead of rejection, his father showed him unlimited acceptance. He replaced
the prodigal’s rags with a comfortable and clean robe and put shoes on his bare feet. He filled his son’s empty
stomach with a feast. And to the son who just wasted his riches,
this father gave the signet ring-the family checkbook- with free access to his remaining fortune.”
Modesty and Humility
The original purpose for clothing was to cover the nakedness of our first parents.
Adam and Eve never would have dreamed of hanging gold or silver on their bodies
to accent their fig leaves! Clothing was for modesty and to protect them from the changing climate.
Someday God will place a golden crown of victory on the brow of the overcomers.
Yet even then the saved will remove their golden crowns in God’s presence (Revelation 4:10, 11).
Notice what God told the prophet Isaiah about jewelry and fancy clothing.
“Moreover the Lord says: ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk w
ith outstretched
necks And wanton [seductive] eyes, Walking and mincing [swaying] as they go, …’
In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents;
The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes,
the charms, and the rings; The nose jewels, the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments,
the purses, and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes.” Isaiah 3:16-23, NKJV.
A woman in Bible prophecy symbolizes a church. In this prophecy, the women (churches)
were to be severely judged because of their pride, which is directly connected with external adornment.
Because we wrestle with sin and temptation, now is not the right time to glorify our exteriors.
The supreme goal of the Christian is to attract attention to Christ, not to self.
Decorating our mortal bodies with glittering gems and minerals usually springs
from pride and is diametrically opposed to the spirit and principles of Jesus.
“And whoever exalts himself
will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:12.
Pride of appearance was a large factor in Lucifer’s fall and rebellion. When God originally created Lucifer as a perfect angel,
He gave every precious stone as his garments-
“the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl,
the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire,
the emerald, and the
carbuncle, and gold.”
Ezekiel 28:13.
Unfortunately, Lucifer chose to misappropriate God’s gifts.
Filled with pride, he decided he was beautiful enough to have God’s place
on the throne of the universe. “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted
thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” Ezekiel 28:17. Pride led to rebellion.
Rebellion led to war in heaven. And war in heaven led to sin on earth.
Ever since Adam and Eve’s fall into sin, we humans have had to
struggle with the same sinful nature that has pride at its root. God, therefore,
has commanded us to not wear jewelry. In our sinful condition, we are no better able to resist
the tendency to sinful pride than was Lucifer. When our physical bodies are changed at the second coming of
Jesus, we will no longer be tempted to sin. Only then will Jesus consider it safe to place a crown of gold on our heads.
So until then, we would do well to follow the counsel given by
the apostle Paul on the subject of adornment: “In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves
in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 1 Timothy 2:9, 10, NKJV.”
by Doug Batchelor
Here is a video for additional information…
BLESSINGS!
~RABS~