General
The topic to which I speak is that of clothing, jewelry, hair, tattoos, and similar items. The Holy Scriptures speaks to these issues. However, some guidance is essential concerning the application of the scriptures in our modern day society. This is necessary because the Bible provides a set of interrelated and consistent doctrinal principles yet it makes no attempt to explicitly address every situation humans may encounter throughout history.
Clothing, jewelry and similar items serve the purpose of protection, subjection, commitment, projection, and making one look and feel good. Such items communicate and project about one’s personality, heart, priorities, and attitude. One should never use such items with the underlying motive to provoke, entice, or cause oneself or another to commit ungodly acts. Instead the scripture says let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works.
One should never use such items for cultic religious practices. This is the principle set forth in Leviticus 19:28 (Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1) which speaks about cutting one’s flesh for the dead and printing marks on one’s body which one might consider tattooing or body piercing.
It is not clear if Leviticus forbids tattooing only concerning the dead or for all purposes. It is better not to ever get them. If one go them before or since becoming a Christian t is better to cover them especially if they are vile if one can but it is not generally necessary that one get them removed if difficult or risky or expensive to do. If one believes it is okay to have them for other than regarding the dead, they should be body decoration or ornamentation for righteous communication or righteous ideas and purposes only. They are certainly forbidden as an instrument of idolatry, divination, and similar cultic practices.
Also, one should not give excessive attention and resources to such items. This is the principle set forth in I Timothy 2:9-10 and I Peter 3 regarding such items as jewelry and braiding of hair. These scriptures do not forbid the wearing of jewelry or the braiding of hair. For if it did then watches and wedding rings could not be worn. Also, these scriptures do not say that a woman should be shame to be a woman nor do they say a woman should be shame to be and look beautiful. They do say that a woman should be shame to dress and/or act in such a way as to promote or entice another to think or act in an evil way. A woman focus should always be to help men to do right as she was created to be his helper. Again, the admonition has to do with the setting of priorities and proper use of resources. This does not mean one should not give ample attention and resources to oneself. Indeed one should.
Also, the issue is not whether one is exposing oneself in certain areas such as the breast or buttock (front and back) areas. This includes over-exposure of the thighs through the wearing of slits or short skirts/dresses. One, especially females, should always minimize such exposure. However, the real issue is the underlying motive for such exposure and to what degree one is considering others. For example, the eyes of some men who like big breasts will be drawn to those big breasts whether they are fully covered, partially covered, or not covered at all unless the woman is wearing clothing so big that the breast areas cannot be observed at all. Yet, one should always be aware that the less covering the more distraction and sexual desire and enticement are likely to occur, intentionally or unintentionally.
All things are lawful for me but not all things are expedient for me (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). It is lawful for a man to wear either short or long hair. For indeed God required Samson to have long hair. It is lawful for a woman to wear either short or long hair. Yet, let expediency prevail without any imposition of law or rules. Thus, in the absence of medical or genetic reasons, the length and style of a male and female hair should be discernibly different. The hair of males should be of the shorter variety and the hair of females should be of the longer variety. Common sense from God should guide the determination of how long is too long and how short is too short as well as what styles are appropriate for males and what styles are appropriate for females. Again, we like scripture impose no law or rules regarding such matters except when absolutely essential to good order and decency. Let the conscience of the individual guide such matters. The same applies to clothing, jewelry, and other similar items. There should be a discernible distinction between male and female clothing, etc. We should not allow the fashion pushers to deceive us into cross-dressing. Indeed, there are places such as in the assembly of believers where clothing and other standards should be established and enforced to minimize distractions and enticement to sexual urges.
When Adam and Eve sinned they were ashamed and covered themselves. It is our belief that they were ashamed of what they had done and therefore sought to hide from God. God also clothed them before sending them out of the garden. It is our belief that he did so to let Adam and Eve and us know that we ought to always be ashamed of sin. So then the issue is not of how much covering but the reason for the covering or the lack thereof.
So then the issue concerning clothing, jewelry, and similar items is primarily the motive, the kind of person one wants to project, and the value one places on considering others. It is difficult if not impossible to tell another person’s motive for sure. Therefore, each individual should realize he or she is personally accountable to God for his or her behavior, clothing and otherwise. One should always keep in mind that we as Christians are to represent and portray the holiness of God less we contribute to others stumbling or misunderstanding who we are and who God is. We can certainly look good and express our beauty without being distasteful or inappropriately inviting or seductive. (Genesis 24:22, 47, 53; Proverbs 2:16-20; 5:1-23; 6:24-29; I Timothy 2:9-10; I Peter 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:24; James 1:13-18; I Corinthians 11:1-16)
Some Specifics on Jewelry
There are verses that speak of using jewelry in a negative wicked way as well as using jewelry in a positive godly way. Some verses of using jewelry in a positive godly way are cited below.
Abraham sent Jewelry to Rebekah (Gen 24:22, 30, 47. 53)
Joseph wore jewelry (Gen 41:42).
God told the Israelites as they left Egypt to get jewelry from the Egyptians to take with them (Exodus 3:22)
The Israelites gave jewelry to Moses to build the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:22)
Israelites took jewelry as spoils from war (Numbers 31:50) as an oblation for the Lord.
Daniel wore jewelry (Dan 5:29).
God speaks of Israel as a bride who he adorned with jewelry (Ezekiel 16:11, 12; Isaiah 61:10).
God speaks of Israel disobedience as a woman/bride who has forgotten her jewelry and attire (Jeremiah 2:32)
Some Specifics on Jewelry (Nose ring, earrings and the like)
According to a number of scriptures it seems that the following doctrinal conclusions can be drawn concerning jewelry:
(1) It is proper to wear earrings
(2) It is proper to wear nose rings
(3) The type of earring and nose rings worn at that time cannot be determined from the text.
But it is unlikely that the servant of Genesis 24 put holes in Rebekah ear or nose when he gave her the jewelry. But then perhaps she already had holes in her ears and/or nose.
Genesis 24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
Isa 3:18-24 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, (19) The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, (20) The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, (21) The rings, and nose jewels, (22) The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, (23) The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. (24) And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
Ezekiel 16:12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
And the same scriptures in the NKJV
Gen 24:47 Then I asked her, and said, “Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
Proverbs 11:22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.
Isa 3:18-24 18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; 19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; 20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, 21 and the rings; The nose jewels, 22 the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, 23 and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. 24 And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.
Ezekiel 16:12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.
Now let’s analyze these scriptures.
First note that according to Strong’s concordance, the Hebrew word nezem (Strongs H5141) can mean nose ring, earring, or jewel.
In Genesis 24:47 The KJV indicates that the Abraham’s servant placed an earring on Rebekah’s face. Since the word earring is used, it suggests the earring was placed on her ear. The Hebrew word translated earring is the word nezem. In the KJV this word is translated either earring or jewel. It is translated earring 14 times but jewel 3 times (Proverbs 11:22, Isaiah 3:21, Ezekiel 16:12). Of the 14 times it is translated earring, only 3 of those times does the word ear occur in the verse. The rest of the time the particular body part is not explicitly mentioned in the translation.
In the KJV the Hebrew word aph (Strongs #H639) is translated face in Genesis 24:47 but it is translated nose in the NKJV in that same verse. It is the same Hebrew word translated nose in both the KJV and NKJV in Isaiah 3:21. So then it seems if aph in KJV Genesis 24:47 had been translated nose it would have been natural to translate nezem nose ring instead of earring in the KJV. Such a translation would have been consistent with the NKJV. On the other hand, both the KJV and the NKJV could have chosen to translate aph as face in Genesis 24:47 and Isaiah 3:21 and nezem as earring in Genesis 24:47.
Note that in Proverbs 11:22 if the word nezem translated jewel had been translated earring it would read “as an earring of gold in a swine’s snout”. A snout is a swine nose. So then translating it “as a nose ring of gold in a swine’s snout would have made sense. But the KJV translators chose the word jewel. A similar analysis can be made of Ezekiel 16:12.
So it seems that the same doctrinal conclusions can be drawn from both the KJV and the NKJV: (1) It is proper to wear earrings (2) It is proper to wear nose rings (3) The type of earring and nose rings worn at that time cannot be determined from the text. But it is unlikely that the servant of Genesis 24 put holes in Rebekah ear or nose when he gave her the jewelry. But then perhaps she already had holes in her ears and/or nose. (4) Since the same doctrinal conclusion can be drawn, what value does the change in the NKJV add to the church?
