e have now in our study reached what
I believe has become one of the most hotly debated issues in the Adventist Church:
What does the Bible say about the wearing of jewelry? The church has a long
history of maintaining that the Word of God condemns jewelry, but is that really
the case? Or are our antijewelry views derived more from concepts that have
just become tradition in our church over time? In this chapter we shall attempt
to answer some of these questions.
I have carefully listened to the arguments
of many pastors and evangelists about what the Bible teaches concerning jewelry
and other ornaments. Once again, my research examined a fairly wide spectrum
of views ranging from staunchly conservative to a more liberal accommodation
of the subject. Taking each into consideration, I have spent many hours in the
Bible attempting to draw my own personal conclusion as to how I should relate
to the issue. What I have found I would now like to share.
The Idolatry of Jewels
In Genesis 35 the patriarch Jacob
prepared his extended household to go before the Lord in worship. He told them
to �put away the strange gods that are among you,� and �they gave unto Jacob
all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which
were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak tree which was by Shechem�
(Gen. 35:2, 4).
Years later the household of Israel (Jacob)
returned to the Promised Land during their exodus from Egyptian bondage. While
their leader Moses was on an extended visit to the mountain of God, the people
grew impatient and made a cult image in the form of a golden calf (Ex. 32:1-4).
Commenting on the incident, the book of Acts says that when the people bowed
before the golden calf they worshiped �the host of heaven� (See Acts 7:40-42).
How could they have been worshiping the �host of heaven��the sun, moon, and
stars�through the golden calf? The answer lies in the material they used to
make the idolatrous calf. They fashioned the golden calf from the gold earrings
the people had brought with them out of Egypt (see Ex. 32:1-4).
Many have used these two accounts in
an attempt to prove that the Bible considers the wearing of jewelry idolatrous.
At first glance it appears valid. But a hidden aspect of the texts makes the
condemnation of all jewelry as idolatry not as cut-and-dried as we might like.
The earrings that Jacob�s household wore they had bought from their surrounding
pagan culture. Likewise, the earrings melted down for the golden calf came from
the Egyptians. Ancient Near Eastern peoples engraved the images of their gods
onto their ornaments. This of course violated the second commandment.
Archaeological digs have uncovered such
engraved trinkets. What made the jewelry idolatrous was the images on them.
�In the Bible, earrings were often associated with idolatry. Jacob asked his
family to stop their idolatry, and give up their earrings, which he buried (Genesis
35:4). The prophet Hosea associated the wearing of the jewelry with the worship
of Baal (Hosea 2:13, 17). Earrings became connected with idolatry because
heathen nations engraved strange deities and figures on their earrings and other
jewelry. This was thought to ward off evil and bring good fortunate to a
family. They were like good luck charms, except they were taken much more seriously�
(The Victor Handbook of Bible Knowledge, p. 69; italics supplied).
�In the superstitious Near Eastern nations
many people feared imaginary spirits. To protect themselves, they wore magical
charms. The amulets referred to in the Bible were earrings worn by women (Genesis
35:4: Judges 2:13; 8:24), or pendants suspended from the chains around the necks
of men. The amulet had sacred words or the figure of a god engraved on it.
. .Women also wore amulets to insure fertility. Jeremiah the prophet noted another
common heathen practice: The women of Judah kneaded cakes, gave drink offerings,
and burned incense to the �queen of heaven� to assure fertility (Jeremiah 44:17-19;
cf. 7:18). The �queen� mentioned in this passage was probably Astarte (Ashtoreth),
the Canaanite goddess of sexual love, maternity, and fertility. Of course, all
of these superstitious practices were evil in God�s sight� (Illustrated Manners
and Customs of the Bible, pp. 442, 481; italics supplied).
The Bible itself contains several references
to the practice of turning ornaments into idols by either engraving the images
of gods upon them or using the material to form an idolatrous image (see Eze.
7:20; 16:17; Isa. 30:22). The point I want to make here is that we cannot justly
condemn jewelry as idolatry by these texts unless the ornaments bear graven
images or are used in a superstitious or otherwise idolatrous way.
For example, when my wife was a little
girl she and her family were caught in a frightening electrical storm. In her
fear she felt comfort in that she was wearing her scapular, a small piece of
fabric representing a sleeveless religious garment. She had been taught that
wearing it would not only constantly remind her of her commitment to God, but
also invoke the intercession of the blessed mother and thus bring blessings
to her life. Many feel that by wearing a cross they are somehow closer to God
and have a better guarantee of safety and good fortune. Such ornaments become
objects of idolatry because they subtly replace a person�s direct trust in God.
However, the broader principle of truth
we need to learn here is that it doesn�t necessarily have to be an ornament
to be idolatrous. Anything we place reliance on instead of total trust in the
mighty God of heaven becomes an object of idolatry. Many, even among Adventists
who would condemn all jewelry as idolatry, rely more upon their financial wealth
to get them through certain hardships than they do God. What is it that makes
the driving of a prestigious car sometimes respectable while we could condemn
a young woman for her $10 pair of earrings? Cannot such be as equally idolatrous
in God�s sight?
God�s Promotion of Jewelry
It may shock many to discover that the
Bible reveals God as a promoter of fine jewelry. Now, before any declare me
a heretic and prepare the kindling to burn me at the stake for making such a
statement, at least hear me out. We may have our pet ideas about a subject,
but the truth is that when we come to the Bible on any given topic we must let
the weight of Bible evidence determine our conclusions. The truly wise will
acknowledge the truth of what Scripture states, even if it upsets the applecart
of traditional thinking.
Adventists often chastise other Christians
regarding the way they use certain scriptures to support traditional errors,
such as the immortality of the soul or the wrong worship day. Such individuals
take an a la carte approach to the Bible by choosing those texts that appear
to prove their point while ignoring other passages that challenge their cherished
conclusion, Yet we Adventists have done the exact same thing when it comes to
issues such as the wearing of jewelry. We like to quote certain texts that by
themselves make it appear that God is totally antijewelry, but leave off those
equally inspired statements indicating that God is not as adamant against such
things as we try to make Him out to be.
Check it out in your concordance. For every text
in the Bible that speaks of ornaments negatively you will find two or three
in which God speaks of them favorably. For our first parents� enjoyment the
Lord furnished them a land (Havilah) enriched with gold, pearls (bdelium), and
onyx (Gen. 2:10-12). The Lord instructed the high priest of the sanctuary service
to wear gold and precious stones (Ex. 28). God created Lucifer with a covering
of gold and precious stones, and he even walked on �stones of fire� in the Most
Holy Place. In all this God considered him as being �perfect in beauty� and
�perfect in [his] ways� (see Eze. 28:12-15). Even Jesus, our Lord and Saviour,
will wear a �golden crown� on His head when He returns to earth for us, at which
time He will also present us with one (Rev. 14:14; 2 Tim. 4:8).
But for a more thorough observation of
how the Bible presents God�s attitude toward jewelry, let�s explore a text in
Isaiah. Because of Israel's
infidelity God spoke to them through His prophet, �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 they cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments
of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, the rings,
and nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples,
and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the
veils. And it shall come to pass, that instead of a sweet smell there shall
be stink; and instead of the girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness;
and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty�
(Is. 3:16-24).
Bible scholars would tell us that there
are two ways of extracting the full meaning of this passage. First, the context
is literal in that Isaiah's
day found the women of Israel frequenting the shops of the Phonecian craftsmen
to buy their ornaments and clothes. Once again, these articles most often bore
the engravings of the Phoenician gods.
The second application is that the items Isaiah condemned indicated a much
deeper problem�Israel's spiritual condition. God had taken the Hebrews, one
of the most lowly and insignificant nations of the earth, and had used them
to demonstrate His power to reform. Now His people had turned away from Him.
The jewelry in this case symbolized Israel's apostasy. A similar correlation
between the misuse of jewelry and idolatry appears in Hosea 2:13.
Now, for the purpose of our inquiry, can we really use these texts
in a way to prove that God is altogether against jewelry? To answer that question
let us go to Ezekiel 16. It reveals how Israel initially received those ornaments
that she corrupted with paganism. In the first eight verses of this chapter
we find an account of how God found Israel destitute of any real earthly value
and through a �covenant� with her �caused thee [Israel] to multiply as the bud
of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come
to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown,
whereas thou wast naked and bare� (Eze. 16:7).
Now, notice what God reminds Israel He did for her when He made
her His, �Then washed I thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood
from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered
work, and shod thee with badgers'
skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and
a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine
ears, and a beau tifuI crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold
and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work;
thou didst eat fine flower, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful,
and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen
for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon
thee, saith the Lord God� (verses 9-14).
Here we see clearly that it was God who symbolically decked out
His bride Israel. Does this sound as though He arbitrarily forbids jewelry?
Hardly! In fact, after He dressed her up in fine clothes and jewels and stood
back and looked at her, He declared that she was �exceeding beautiful� (verse
13).
�In this context God does not consider these ornamental tokens of love as idolatrous
but rather as symbols of His own righteousness that He covered her with. We
see the same symbolism even more strongly in Isaiah 61:10: �I will greatly rejoice
in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with
the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself
with her jewels.�
The passage reminds me of another portion of Scripture
in which God adorned His bride. �And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband�
(Rev. 21:2). As I studied this it was as though God invited me to look at His
wedding album. God told me to �come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the
Lamb�s wife. . . .And he. . .shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God� (verses 9-11).
What I saw was most surprising. I had often used as an
argument for God�s condemnation of jewelry the fact that another great city
spoken of in Revelation 17, also known as the �great whore,� was decked out
�with gold and precious stones and pearls� (Rev. 17:4). You can imagine my surprise
as I peered into God�s wedding photos of Revelation 21 and saw Him proudly standing
next to His bride, who was adorned with the very same articles: gold (Rev. 21:18
and 21), precious stones (verses 11, 18-20), and a string of pearls around her
neck of walls (verse 21).
We even try to contrast the harlot�s outward adorning, as described
in Revelation 17:4, with that of another woman whom God obviously acknowledges
as His: �a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet� (Rev. 12:1).
But even here our argument breaks down when we read that she has �upon her head
a crown of twelve stars.�
Needless to say, many of the traditional arguments we employ against
jewelry, such as the one involving the harlot of Revelation 17, are flimsy.
But that is always the case when we refuse to deal squarely with what Scripture
really has to say about a given topic. Because of our dishonesty with Scripture,
we damage our credibility in the eyes of real biblical thinkers and obscure
the great principles of the Word, which are in fact the best argument against
decorating the human body with jewels. (We shall deal with these great principles
later in this chapter.)
To return to Ezekiel 16, after the Lord did so much for Israel
and adorned her in His glorious fashion, she played the harlot. As with Lucifer,
whom God had created with a coverning of gems and gold, Israel also began to
focus on her outward beauty instead of cherishing the inner beauty that comes
only from a close, dependent relationship with Christ (Eze. 28:13, 17; 16:15).
Losing focus of our total need for Christ is always the beginning point of apostasy
and idolatry. As Israel forsook the Lord in her heart, notice what she did with
the external adornment that God had provided her. �Thou hast also taken thy
fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest
to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, and tookest
thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou has set mine oil and mine
incense before them. My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and
honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour:
and this it was, saith the Lord God� (Eze. 16:17-19). Exekiel obviously refers
here to the ways the pagans worshiped the deities that we discussed earlier.
In fact, it was so bad that Israel even began sacrificing their own children
in an attempt to obtain the favor of the false gods (verses 20, 21).
One can imagine how sick it made God�s heart to view such spiritual
darkness among those whom He had clothed with the glorious light of truth about
Himself. But as for the jewelry, we see that in this context it only became
defiled when false worship began to creep in. In fact, we end our study of Ezekiel
16 with the Lord telling Israel that He will use those very pagan nations that
Israel sought to imitate to strip them of their clothes, take their �fair jewels,�
and leave them �naked and bare� (verse 39). In essence, by their unfaithfulness
they lost that which God had given them in the beginning of their relationship.
�They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean
thing. Their silver and their gold will not be able to save them in the day
of the Lord�s wrath. . . .For it has made them stumble into sin. They were
proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their destestable idols
and vile images. Therefore [or because of this] I will turn these [the jewels]
into an unclean thing for them� (Eze. 7:19, 20, NIV).
The Heart of the Issue
The best biblical instruction for discarding jewelry appears in
the New Testament. We will look at two passages, one by Paul and the other by
Peter. �I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not
with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds,
appropriate for women who profess to worship God� (1 Tim, 2:9, 10 NIV). �Your
beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the
wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your
inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great
worth in God's sight.
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used
to make themselves beautiful� (1 Peter 3:3-5, MV).
Here we have presented the real nuts and bolts of the issue. The
apostles, from their studies of Old Testament history, have laid out for us
a great principle that we can use as a guide in determining how to relate to
external adornment. The wise man also stated the same principle when he wrote:
�Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord
is to be praised� (Prov. 31:30, NIV).���� The heart of the issue is really an
issue of the heart! In other words, does our heart find its value by being adorned
with spiritual attributes, or do we seek through external show to prove that
we are somebody valuable? Perhaps the deepest thrust of this principle, as it
pertains to jewelry, is that we often use it as a substitute for Christ in an
attempt to establish some human self-worth. This too is a species of idolatry.
The Lord desires for His children to find their self-worth in the price that
He paid for them in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Peter and Paul both point out the fallacy of trusting external
adornment (or anything else, for that matter) for a sense of importance and
virtue. They remind us that genuine virtue is always found on the inside and
not on the outside. Though antijewelry advocates often use these texts as absolute
decrees against physical adornment, they really state that as people become
more and more infatuated with Jesus Christ on the inside, they become less and
less concerned about having to prove anything outwardly. In other words, they
die to self. It is the natural outworking of an inner principle.
The apostles are simply addressing the same question Jeremiah raised when he
asked, �What are you doing, O devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet
and put on jewels of gold? Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself
in vain� (Jer. 4:30, NIV). Scripture is crystal clear on this point. It is nothing
more than fading vanity to deck ourselves out with ornaments just so we can
feel a little more secure about ourselves. It is putting trust not in God but
in perishable material and is comparable to the Israelites fashioning their
jewels into images of their false gods.
There never has been and never will be any protection in self-adornment. We
are safe only as we allow God to adorn us. Just as He in the beginning ornamented
Lucifer with gold and previous stones (Eze. 28) and as He symbolically decorated
Israel with all manner of precious material (Eze. 16), so the Lord seeks to
cover us with the ornaments of a converted heart, the fruits of a Spirit of
God (Gal. 5:22, 23). While the world strives to obtain a perishable crown, the
Christian�s focus is on the crown of eternal life that will never perish. �Now
they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an uncorruptible� (1 Cor. 9:25).
Especially today, in light of the ever-growing piercing
craze going on in our society and the constant emergence of gaudy public figures,
I ask, Would our Christian witness of total dependence on Christ be stronger
by wearing fewer of the things the world trusts in? May God grant Christians
today the courage to stand up and be �a holy nation, His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light� (1 Peter 2:9, NKJV). We don't
need the piercing of our ears, lips, nose, and navel as much as we need the
piercing of our heart with godly repentance. As it is written: �Rend your heart
and not your garments� (Joel 2:13).
But I also want us to see that the pride factor, as it relates
to jewelry, can be a two-edged sword. Not long ago I attended a group study
during which someone stated that if people wore jewelry it automatically indicated
that they were either proud or promiscuous. I strongly objected to such blanket
judgments. When are we ever going to learn the first lesson we should have acquired
way back in Christianity 101��Judge not, that ye be not judged� (Matt. 7:1)?
Such sweeping declarations indicate that we have just pushed Christ off His
judgment throne and are attempting to rule the universe ourselves.
The truth of the matter is that just as much pride�if not more�can
reign in someone�s heart over the fact that they don�t wear jewelry. Especially
in ultraconservative Adventist circles, in which some seem more interested in
checking how well they are doing in the standards game than they are in laboring
for those outside their compound, it is easy to feel secure in conformity to
peer pressure. Actually, in this case the real humility test might be to attend
one of such gatherings dressed in a manner that does not fit in with the crowd.
Spiritual pride can sometimes hide itself in the most inconspicuous
ways. Just as some cover up their lack of relationship with Christ (pride) with
outward adornment, conservative Christians can cover up their void of Christ
(pride) by abstaining from ornaments. If not handed over to God at conversion,
mortal pride will simply transfer itself from external adornment to other areas
such as pride in our spiritual knowledge or our outward show of compliance to
standards.
Though we may fool even our own selves with such fig leaf garments,
God knows what we are really like, and He desperately tries to help us see our
condition, That's
why we need the Word of God. It has the ability to cut through even our religious
externals and �judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart. Nothing in all
creation is hidden from God�s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before
the eyes of Him to whom we must give account� (Heb. 4:12, 13, NIV). In the final
judgment by the One who cannot err, I believe that we will discover that some
of the very ones in our church who make such a noise regarding the jewelry question
are eaten up with the cancer of their own forms of spiritual pride.
As for the promiscuity charge, coming from the Baptist
Church I know multitudes of elderly women who wear jewelry, and I can promise
you that sex is the last thing on their minds! Oh sure, it can be used for that
purpose. But it is certainly not our place to judge anyone�s motives except
our own.
Once again we come back around to the motive of why we do what
we do. As we have already discovered from the Bible, jewelry of itself is not
bad or sinful, It is the motive behind its use that should be in question. God
made this precious material for humanity's
practical use and enjoyment. It is what we make out of it that defiles it.
In a sense our condition is like the diabetic. Because of their illness their
body cannot appropriately handle honey and other foods that contain sugar. Though
there is nothing inherently bad about honey, for the diabetic it can be extremely
detrimental. Likewise, we are all sick with sin. Therefore materialism, whether
it be in the form of jewels, money, lavish homes, fancy cars, or anything else
that surrounds us in our materialistic age, can be spiritually harmful to us
because of our tendency to indulge those things sinfully. Materialism among
God�s people in Ezekiel�s day made them stumble into sin (Eze. 7:19,20). So
while we are ill with sin, the best policy for most of us is to be extremely
cautious how we relate to jewels and precious stones and as much as possible
minimize their use. But after Jesus comes and He has cured our sinful natures,
then God�s Word says that He will entrust us with these good things because
we will then be able to handle them properly.
What�s more, certain people seem to have an immunity to the effect of some
things that would cause the downfall of someone else. For example, unlimited
financial resources could lead many people away from God, but Abraham and Job
remained steadfast despite it. Is it too farfetched, then, to think that there
may be someone whose commitment to God would remain unaffected if they wore
jewelry? What about that big gold chain that the king of Egypt put around Joseph�s
neck (Gen. 41:42)? Did it affect his commit to God? If not, then why do we seem
to be so intent on telling every Adventist cowboy that it�s sinful for him to
wear a big buckle? The bottom line is really this: In areas such as the wearing
of ornaments it is between the individual and God to determine what they can
or cannot handle.
Some of us fear such reasoning. As with the church of the Dark Ages, we are
afraid that if our church ever opens the lid on full liberty of conscience we
won�t be able to get it back on. Though we talk a lot about religious liberty,
we Adventists really fear the ramifications of what we preach. We shrink back
in horror at the thought of where it might lead. So we try to strain the meaning
of certain scriptures to support our traditional conclusions on such subjects
as jewelry. We even go so far as to manipulate people�s consciences by refusing
them baptism if they don�t discard all jewelry, even though not a single place
in the Bible or the writings of Ellen White tells us we should follow such a
course. Though we often pride ourselves that we are a people of the Word, when
faced with such challenges we too will reach for our Church Manual to establish
our rules for faith. The reality is that we actually water down the real convicting
principles of God�s Word by trying to use our own manipulative tactics. Would
we not have better success at just presenting the biblical principle and letting
the Holy Spirit use His divine sword to cut away at the heart?
One very well-known conservative leader in our church told me recently, �Keavin,
I�m afraid we�ve lost the battle over jewelry in the Adventist Church.� He confided
that he had reached his conclusion after realizing the lack of real scriptural
evidence to support a hard-line position on the subject. Which might be a good
time for me to make a personal confession.
I'm sure that some who don't know me are by now thinking I'm some
out-of-control liberal. For what it's worth, neither my wife nor I have worn
one article of jewelry, other than useful articles such as watches and hair
clips, for more than 16 years. We don't even wear wedding bands, even though
it would now be perfectly acceptable in our church if we did. To be really honest,
I wish we all could just forget the whole issue and be content in looking forward
to our heavenly jewels. But I realize that everyone is not like me, and to be
even more honest, I'm glad they are not. One thing I have especially come to
appreciate about God's arrangement with His creatures is His willingness to
allow everyone to think and choose for themselves.
A Closer Look
Now, I know that someone will insist that the statements we read from 1 Timothy
2 and 1 Peter 3 are ironclad statements that we under no circumstances should
wear any physical adornment. Though such a conclusion fits in so well with our
traditional views, a more thorough investigation of the passages will revel
that we have been somewhat inconsistent even in our interpretation of them.
Let�s start with 1 Peter 3:3, 4. The real intent of the passage is not to condemn
externals but rather the subjection of women. Once again, this scriptural instruction
could be as easily violated by those who wear no outward adornments as it could
by those who do.
We must also take into consideration Peter�s admonition that Christian women
should make holy women of old, who radiated with inner beauty, their examples
rather than the fashion models of the magazine racks. Yet notice the individual
whom he suggests as that role model for submission: Sarah, the wife of Abraham
(verse 6). Now, remember, this very same Abraham provided jewels for his future
daughter-in-law, Rebekah (Gen. 24:22, 30, 53). It may be a matter of speculation,
but if Abraham was comfortable in giving jewels, silver, and gold to the one
who would become his son�s wife, then it is not far-fetched to believe that
his own wife probably wore them. On the other hand, if Abraham and Sarah didn�t
employ adornment, then Abraham must have sent the gifts with his trusted servant
in order to meet Rebekah and her family where they were with their customary
expectations. If that was the case, then Abraham treated the subject of adornment
as one of custom rather than a moral issue. If we still persist with the argument
that Sarah and Abraham were products of their time and didn�t have the light
on adornment, just as they didn�t have the light on polygamy, then Peter made
a poor choice of a role model to deliver his antiadornment message.
Some argue that in Abraham�s day jewelry was their form of currency. �Therefore,�
they say, �for Abraham�s servant to offer jewelry would be comparable to our
giving money today.� Without doubt, at that time jewelry had monetary value.
But Scripture reveals that they also traded in silver and gold as currency besides
what was turned into jewels (Gen. 23:16).
Next we have 1 Timothy 2:9, 10. Now, this verse really seems to have some meaning
to it regarding the principle of outward adornment. However, once again jewelry
is not the focus of Paul�s instruction, but rather that women should be silent.
It once again amazes me how we treat such passages of Scripture so inconsistently.
We strongly emphasize the counsel regarding a woman�s outward appearance and
tend to condemn those who disregard it, but totally ignore verse 8, which instructs
men to lift up their hands while praying. If someone attempted to emphasize
this practice in our church, no doubt many would accuse him of trying to bring
Pentecostalism into our ranks. And furthermore, if we try to follow the verses
literally, why do we have no problem permitting women to teaching or even speak
in church when it clearly tells us that they should remain silent (verses 11,
12). Of course, it is because most of us understand that this counsel was a
product of Timothy�s time and was totally appropriate in a society that allowed
women very few privileges.
My point regarding the two passages of scripture is this: Yes, I do believe
we find in them a vital principle of simplicity that we need to share with people,
but once again I find no reason to use the passages as absolute evidence that
God arbitrarily condemns all physical adornment. While we tend to make a forceful
rule out of it when dealing with people, the Holy Spirit seeks to work into
their hearts the principle of modesty and simplicity that will be like leaven
in a lump of dough. What eventually, in time, results are the beautiful, simple
attributes of Christ�s life formed within the inner person. The focus is then
no longer on the exterior, but on what the Lord is doing on the heart. Of course,
we will notice a change on the outside, but that transformation will be a genuine
one because the Lord brought it about rather than it being the result of human
scriptural arm-twisting. Other people will discard any unnecessary adornment
because they feel that they don�t need it any more, not because they have to
give it up so as to be accepted.
Though we have been greatly inconsistent in our interpretation of the two texts,
they still remain as the two great classics to use in teaching others how to
relate to the subject of adornment.
Ellen White on Adornment
Anyone who reads what Ellen White has written on the subject of jewelry and
adornment will have no question that she took a very conservative stand against
it. It is actually from her, and not Scripture, that the church has historically
found its best defense for its strong position on the subject. This is why when
those who oppose jewelry realize that many of the biblical arguments we use
are weak, they immediately appeal to �Sister White says.� But sooner or later
every Seventh-day Adventist must ask themselves: �Do we use Ellen White to interpret
the meaning of Scripture, or do we use the Scriptures to interpret Ellen White?�
That question was an easy one to answer even for Ellen White herself. She said:
�The testimonies of Sister White should not be carried to the front. God�s Word
is the unerring standard. The Testimonies are not to take the place of the Word.
. . .Let all prove their positions from the Scriptures and substantiate every
point they claim as truth from the revealed Word of God� (Ev 256:italics
supplied). Again: �Our position and faith is in the Bible. And never
do we want any soul to bring in the Testimonies ahead of the Bible� (ibid.;
italics supplied.) What is she saying here? She is counseling us never to try
to make any more of a case than we can substantiate from the Bible.
Ellen White made her strong statements regarding physical adornment
on the basis of the principle of needless adornment discussed in 1 Peter and
1 Timothy. That�s the portion of Scripture you will find her appealing to the
most. Was she correct in her interpretation of the principle? Absolutely! And
it is upon this point and this point alone that we can justifiably use Ellen
White�s antiadornment counsel. Once again, her work was to call attention to
the general principles of the Word of God, not to establish some new hard-line
position. Only heaven knows how many honest seekers of truth we have turned
away because of what sometimes appears to be our legalistic approach toward
their wearing of jewelry.
As seen in her own life and how she treated cases requiring special counsel,
even Ellen White�s position was not quite as hard-line as some would seek to
make it. Take, for example, the issue of the wedding band. Not that long ago
the subject became the focus of hot debate in the Adventist Church. Many members
of the church felt that the counsel Ellen White gave regarding the use of the
wedding band, as recorded in Testimonies to Ministers (pp. 180, 181),
absolutely condemned it. While she clearly enunciated the principles behind
her recommendation that at that time Adventist not wear wedding rings in America,
she did state that �in countries where the custom is imperative, we have no
burden to condemn those who have their wedding ring; let them wear it if
they can do so conscientiously.� Her statement reveals that she recognized
the ring as an issue of custom and not morality. If the wedding ring were immoral
it would have to be so worldwide, but it has been acceptable by our church for
years in other countries. When something is not a matter of morality, then it
must simply be one of custom.
It was on this basis that the North American Division at their year-end meeting
in 1986 made the decision to allow the use of the wedding ring in North America
because large numbers of church members from countries where the ring was customary
had moved into North America.
Ellen White sometimes wore a rather large brooch. Earlier, in chapter 3, we
discussed the case of her gold watch. She said, �some were in trial because
Sister White wore gold� (HS 123). No doubt many today who desire absolutes would
condemn Ellen White herself if she were still around.
Obviously Ellen White carried out the biblical counsel of not putting on gold
for the superficial purpose of beautifying her person because she regarded it
as violating a Christian principle. But it cannot be dismissed that she personally
had no problem with the wearing of it if it served a useful purpose. Her
counsel called for simplicity of dress without �needless adornment� (see OHC
273). She told us the only reason she discarded her gold watch was that other
people had a problem with her wearing it, not because she did (HS 123).
Maybe some in our church today who are so adamant that they be allowed to wear
things that cause others to stumble could learn a lesson from a true servant
of Christ here regarding the unselfish principle of submission. They may triumphantly
point to the Bible and say that it does not necessarily condemn the wearing
of all jewelry. Undoubtedly they will even use some of the arguments I�ve
made in this chapter as license to decorate their mortal bodies. But to
such let me say, If how you use adornment doesn�t condemn you in the judgment,
a selfish attitude that would cause church members to stumble over it will.
Jesus said: �But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in
me, it were better for hm that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that
he were drowned in the depth of the sea� (Matt. 18:6).
It seems reasonable that we should consider Ellen White�s statements regarding
the use of bodily ornaments on two fronts. One involves those who have become
convicted that Ellen White was a true messenger of light sent from God. If that
is the case, then we would do well to heed what God presented through her, taking
into consideration the time, place, and circumstances of each particular statement.
The other front concerns those individuals who have not yet come to accept
the divine calling of Ellen White�s mission. We cannot use her writings with
them. �I have been shown that some. . .make the visions a rule by which to measure
all, and have taken a course which my husband and myself have never pursued.
. . .Those who were, comparatively, strangers to the visions have been dealt
with in the same manner as those who have had much light and experience in the
visions� (1T 382). God intends that we deal with this class by simply presenting
them with the clear principles found in the Bible. We may rest assured that
the Holy Spirit will take over from there.
While we should carefully instruct new converts on the subject of idolatrous
dress and prepare them for membership in a church that commonly holds that �to
dress plainly, and abstain from the display of jewelry and ornaments of every
kind is in keeping with our faith� (Ev 269), �it is too late now to become enthusiastic
in making a test of this matter� (ibid. 273).To make such subjects as
dress and physical adornment a central issue is not in harmony with the work
of the Holy Spirit for this hour. �There are many who try to correct
the life of others by attacking what they consider are wrong habits. They go
to those whom they think are in error, and point out their defects. They say,
�You don�t dress as you should.� They try to pick off the ornaments,
or whatever seems offensive, but they do not seek to fasten the mind to the
truth. Those who seek to correct others should present the attractions of
Jesus. They should talk of His love and compassion, present His example
and sacrifice, reveal His Spirit, and they need not touch the subject of
dress at all. There is no need to make the dress question the main point
of your religion. There is something richer to speak of. Talk of Christ, and
when the heart is converted, everything that is out of harmony with the word
of God will drop off. . . .In order to teach men and women the worthlessness
of earthly things, you must lead them to the living Fountain, and get them to
drink of Christ, until their hearts are filled with the love of God, and Christ
is in them, a well of water springing up into everlasting life� (ST July 1,
1889; italics supplied).
Conclusion
I realize that what I have just said will challenge many. Believe me when I
say that writing on this subject has been one of the most difficult things I
have ever attempted. I let a friend of mine read the first draft. The question
she asked me was challenging in itself, �What are you trying to prove by writing
this?� she asked. I pondered that question for a long time and have decided
to present my answer as a conclusion to this chapter.
First, I urge Adventists to be a people who interpret the Bible with integrity.
Nothing will ruin our influence with people more quickly than for them to see
us as those who wrestle with the contextual meaning of a Bible verse for the
purpose of supporting one of our peculiar positions. Also, calmly laying out
the biblical principles on a subject and allowing the Lord to work that principle
into life of the person with whom we are laboring has a sacred power in itself.
We often interrupt the sacred communion between the Lord and our evangelistic
interests by trying to manipulate them through fear, force, or other means of
coercion. Instead we should want the Spirit, not human beings, to generate and
inspire conviction. Personal expressions and experiences are fine if we make
it plain to the individual that we in no way expect the same of them. We should
always encourage them to study the topic for themselves and make their own personal
convictions the reason they change instead of following our example. By writing
this chapter I'm
in no way suggesting that our emphasis on modesty in adornment is wrong, What
I'm attempting to do is challenge
us to find a better way to present it based on sound biblical logic.
Second, I desire that we see people as being more important than
our personal beliefs or convictions. Paul made it clear that we can have all
knowledge and understand all mysteries, but if we don't
possess a genuine interest in other people's
rights, then in God's
sight we are the ones who have the problem (see 1 Cor. 13). Most people can
quickly tell whether we are really interested in them or just in making them
an evangelistic trophy. In light of this subject, we should be able to love
and respect the one who is all decked out with jewels as much as, if not more
than, the one who fits into our Adventist way of thinking. Just because the
Adventist Church may lose the battle over jewelry doesn�t mean we have to lose
the battle over souls.
And last, I have sought in this chapter to help us all realize
that a love for Christ should be the real reason for any of us to do what we
do. The real issue is not the jewelry�it is Jesus Christ. The devil is always
seeking to place our focus on externals. But when we place the love and mercy
of Jesus before those who seek something better in life, a supernatural element
enters the experience. It produces results that no one can deny. If a person
makes changes because Jesus has touched the heart, he or she will stick with
their changes even when accused by family or friends of following human or sectarian
teachings.
It is painful to realize that some may misunderstand why I have
presented what I have. They make think that I have an ulterior motive. But if
this particular chapter helps just one person be better able to focus on Jesus
in the midst of all the bickering that goes on in the Adventist Church over
issues such as jewelry, then the price of being misunderstood has been worth
it.
_________________________
Keavin Hayden is Director of Evangelism in Union Springs, New York.
