25 December 2006

Should Christians Wear Jewellery?

I am not a Christian. I am non-religious. I write this thread so I can ask other Christians here for advice on a family issue.

My little sister Lily lately has experimented with jewelery, just a plain gold necklace. She's only a little girl so I don't think jewelery is a good idea as she might lose it. But she loves wearing it. It makes her very happy, so I let her wear it because it's only $50.

My mom found out that Lily was wearing jewelery and she got very angry. She told me that the bible forbids women from wearing jewelery. I said, "Prove it," and she took out the Holy Bible and pointed to Peter 3:3, which says "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes." So I had to take the necklace away from little Lily. She was really upset. It broke my heart to see my little sister so sad. My mom reminded Lily that it was her duty according to the Ten Commandments to listen to what her parents told her.

I have been reading the bible lately and I found something from 1 Timothy 2:11-12 that may help me: "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." In other words, the woman should be in silence. I am the a man and I should therefore make the decisions, and if I decide to allow Lily to wear jewellery then I assume the bible supports that. My mom would have to agree otherwise she is going against the Word of God. However, the bible also says that children must listen to their parents.

I continued to read the bible and read that "neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." (1 Corinthians 11:9.)

1 comment:

Russ said...

Hi Norak

I recommend you read your wife's original Bible quotation again. Does it say "thou shalt not wear jewelry?" No, it says your beauty should not come from outside adornments. This is consistent with other Biblical references that teach us God looks on the inside of a person when He evaluates us, not on the outside. It's not about wearing jewelry or not - it is about what the wearing of jewelry, or a haircut, or shaving, or wearing nice clothes, means to us about ourselves and about our value before God.

So we teach our children godly things.

"My precious daughter, your beauty is not because you wear a pretty necklace, although it certainly is pretty. Your beauty is from the inside, because God made you that way. To me, and to God, you are every bit as beautiful with or without the necklace."

This is scriptural.

In my opinion, taking away the necklace and saying God is against necklaces is far less scriptural, and far less profitable for teaching or for relationship.

Finally, as for the husband being the head, be careful here, because though it's truly in the Bible, the Bible also says that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, having given His very life for her. This is consistent with all Biblical teaching about leadership, which says the godly leader (including the godly husband) is to be - first and foremost - a loving servant in his home.

The husband is also to be a priest in his home, rightly dividing the word of truth, the Bible. I commend you for striving to do that. However, you will be able to do it best, with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, when you believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior, give Him the right to tell you what to do, and stand as a Christian servant/leader in your home.

I pray you find Him in this way.

All the best,

Russ