Jewelry - Forbidden or Caution?

[Dr. Shane]

This is an article I wrote once. I may have even posted it here at C/A.:

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Self-adornment and sports have selfishness in common and both present their own dangers to one's spiritual life. Some people cannot adorn themselves without going overboard and losing their focus on Christ. Others cannot participate in sports and maintain their focus on Christ. Yet the dangers are different. Those that cannot play sports may have no strugles with losing themselves in self-adornment. And those that lose themselves in self-adornment may have no problem in sports.

Beauty can be dangerous. The first sin was a result of beauty (Ezek. 28:12-17). It is easy to get sucked into self-adornment and lose focus of one's true beauty, which is found within (where the HS dwells). Lucifer didn't become corupt by a competitive football game. Of Lucifer it is written, "very precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the Beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold".

It seems obvious to me that wearing jewels in and of itself is not sinful. If it were why would have God adorned Lucifer with them? However His creation is to respond, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Rev. 4:11) That is what Lucifer and so many after him have failed to do.

It seems that is why Peter wrote, "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." The NASB places the word "merely" in verse 3 "let not your adornment be merely external" and read in context the word "merely" certainly could be correct. Peter compares the two beauties (internal and external) and is telling the wives not to worry so much about their hair, their jewelry and their dresses as they do about their charachter. Peter well knew "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion." (Prob. 11:22)

To expond on this a little more Peter says, "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning"

In other words: Let your light shine and let it shine from within you. To place it in context he is counseling wives married to unbleiveres so "they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives"

Now Paul's councel is not so easy to understand. "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 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."

Paul's council is to the young pastor, Timothy, in regard on how to run the church. He clearly is saying women should not wear jewelry or costly hair styles and clothing. However he also tells men to lift up holy hands. He goes on to say, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection." We all know one thing EG White wasn't was silent. Then Paul continues, "But I suffer not a woman to teach..."

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This is a study I made and am now quickly translating to English (forgive any errors)

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1. Who is the "king of Tyrus? (Ezek. 28:12, 13; Gén 3:1; Rev. 12:9; Isa. 14:12)

2. How did God dress Lucifer? (Ezek. 28:13)

3. Why did Lucifer sin? (Ezek. 28:17)

4. Who used jewelry in the Bible? (Gén. 24:22)

( Gén. 41:42)

(2 Sam. 1:24)

(Ester 3:10)

(Psalms 45:11)

(Jer. 22:24)

(Dan. 5:29)

(Song.1:10)

(Luke 15:22)

5. Did God command His people to use jewelry? (Ex. 3:22; 11:2; 12:35)

6. Did God command His people to remove jewelry? (Ex.33:4-6; Jer. 7:29)

7. What kind of symbolism did God use for Jerusalem? (Ezek. 16:10-14)

8. Compare Jerusalem with Lucifer. (Ezek.16:15-18; 28:17)

9. What did some of the children of Israel do with their jewelry? (Ex. 32:1-5)

10. Does jewelry still present a danger? (Jer. 2:32; 4:30; Hosea 2:13)

11. What is God's warning? (Isa. 3:16-24)

12. What advice did Peter give the wives of unbelievers? (1 Peter 3:1-5)

13. What is Paul's advice to Timorth? (1 Tim. 2:9, 10)

14. Does jewelry make a woman truely beautiful? (Prob. 11:22)

15. What is worth more than jewelry? (Prob. 3:13, 14)

16. How did God punish Israel? (Ezek. 23:26)

17. What is going to happen with all the world's jewelry? (Rev. 18:11-24)

18. What is the purpose of jewelry? (Rev. 4:11)

19. Was jewelry of any good use to the children of Israel? (Ex. 35:22-35; Núm. 31:50-53)

20. What is jewelry simbolic of? (Isa. 61:10, 11; Mal. 3:16, 17)

21. Can jewelry simbolize something bad? (rev. 17:4)

22. Does God want believers to be attractive? (Psalms 45:6-11)

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