Should Christians Wear Jewelry?

"Why are you suggesting that I remove my earrings?" asked a young believer to her pastor. "Show me where it says in the Bible that Christians should not wear jewelry?" shouted another one to the first elder of her church. Those are questions that most religious folks are asking themselves on a daily basis. They cannot get the answers to them, for they are rejecting the truth.

Although there is not a biblical commandment that prohibits the wearing of jewelry, ornaments in the Scripture are a symbol of sin, idolatry, apostasy, and backsliding. The following examples suggest that Christians should remove their earrings, rings, and bracelets before meeting the Creator.

1. In route to Bethel

Responding to God's call to go up to Bethel (in Hebrew, house of the Lord) and dwell there (Genesis 35:1), Jacob asked his household "to put away the foreign gods that are among them, purify themselves, and change their garments" (Genesis 35:2). Acknowledging that they could not meet the Lord the way they were, "they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears" (Genesis 35: 4). What did he do with them? "He hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem" (Genesis 35:4). So if earring were allowed to wear in God's presence why did Jacob have to burry them before going up to Bethel?

2. At Mount Horeb, just before entering the Promised Land

When the Israelites were about to enter Canaan, God commanded them to remove their jewelry. And the Lord said to the Hebrews: "You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you" (Exodus 33: 5). What should they do to avoid that? Here what our Creator asked them to do: "Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you. So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb" (Exodus 33:5-6).

3. God's people always wore jewelry when they are forsaking him

In Isaiah 3: 9, 19-23, the Lord clearly declared that in wearing bracelets, pendants, and rings his people were sinning. In Hosea 2:13, God affirmed that when Israel forsook him she began to wear ornaments: "I will punish her for the days of the Baals to which she burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers; but me she forgot", says the Lord.

Jesus commands his people to separate themselves from Babylon which has been described in Revelation 18: 2-4 as a harlot decorated with gold, precious stones, and pearls. He urges them to be followers of his church, a pure woman clothed with the sun (Jesus' brightness and righteousness). The only jewelry Lord's people should wear is "a meek and quiet spirit" (1 peter 3:4).