Vol.3 No.1

Q. I belong to an ultra conservative church. The women in the church do not wear jewelry of any kind, including wedding rings., and discourage the use of facial cosmetics. Is this going too far? Isn’t it our relationship to Jesus all that is really important?

A. I agree that our relationship with Jesus is all important. (see Galatians 2:20).

However, an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ will lead us to live a humble, selfless life. Paul admonishes, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12: 1-2).

Once I was studying the Bible with a woman who asked about the "rules" concerning jewelry because she had noticed that the women in the church she attended wore no jewelry. I explained to her that it was because the women were followers of Jesus, and they wanted to do what the Bible instructed in the following verses: "'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 women professing godliness) with good works" (I Timothy 2: 9-10).

"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" (I Peter 3: 34).

I then explained that God wants His children to present themselves in a way that people will recognize their inner beauty and be pointed to Him. When we adorn ourselves with jewelry and colorful cosmetics, the attention is naturally drawn to what we wear, to us, and to our bodies. Anything consistent with the simple, humble life of Jesus is lost, therefore, men and women are not turned to the Lord (see Matthew 5: 16).