I received a friend request on my MySpace page from a pastor who, in his picture, was where the traditional white clergy collar and also had two earrings.
Now let me preface that I am not judging so much as wondering what the point is. I grew up in the SDA Church where jewelry for men and women was taboo. This was justified by a couple of old testiment texts where God told the Children of Israel to remove their jewelry and the fact that in Revelation the harlot is bedecked in jewelry.
I am not here to debate whether or not it is a sin to wear jewelry. I just want to know why a Christian would wear jewelry, more specifically, why would a Christian man wear earrings? Given the fact that most men my age and a little bit younger grew up in a culture that if a man worn an earring, they were gay. It was not a misunderstanding or being prejudice, that was just the reality of the situation, because only women, or those who wanted to be feminine, pierced themselves.
The history of piercing is telling. Earrings and nose rings started out as a way to mark people as slaves. Earrings also became a way that women wore the wealth of their husbands. If you thought bling was bad now, it was so bad in ancient Rome that "there were women known as auriculce ornatrices, special doctresses whose sole occupation was the healing of ear tumors and of injured or infected ears.1
My main question is this: If you grew up without having earrings, what would motivate you to get your ears pierced as a Christian adult? We are all taught that our bodies are the temple of God, would God tell you to punch a hole in His temple? As Christians, our focus is supposed to be to bring glory to God. The purpose of jewelry is to make ourselves look better. There is no health benefit to having earrings. There is no spiritual benefit to getting our ears pierced. We have no record of a command to the follower of God to pierce himself. In fact the only command to pierce is for a slave. As Christians, we pride ourselves on being free. Why would we wear the symbol of slavery of we are free?
I am not bashing anyone who wears earrings. However, I am disappointed every time I see a minister of the Gospel with an earring in their ears. As Christians, we are supposed to be distinct. Those who are not born again as slaves to sin, so them wearing earrings is entirely appropriate. For those of use who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and made free through the power of His grace, we should want to cast off every symbol of slavery.
I pray that this post has made you think about your appearance in general. It is no sin to look good. As representatives of God Almighty, we should look like children of the King. However, we should not look good to bring glory to ourselves, but rather in order to help people see the glory of God.
Pastor J
1. Kunz PhD DSc, George Frederick (1909). Book of the Pearl. N.Y. The Century Co.
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5 comments:
well i am a follower of Christ and i agree with what your saying i also have earrings and i want to give glory to god - but it being symbolic as slavery yea i agree with that but man created that statement -why cant we glorify God why does an item or a appearance represent your heart? I know i am free in Christ- wouldnt it be like saying why wear black because it symbolizes death or the devil? why cant that color glorify God man created that statement right? -again what we wear or have can still bring glory to God and God can still use us-and yes i agree with what would our motive be if we got a tatoo or a jewelry-
I will renew my assertion that it is not the fact that one wears jewelry, but rather what their motivation is. As Christians, we are called to represent Christ in every aspect of our lives. We are called to be distinct, peculiar people (Titus 2:14 & 1 Peter 2:9).
This does not mean we have to do everything that is opposite of the world, but there needs to be a visible difference. If we believe that God is the Creator of everything and that we are made in His image, why would we need to add to or modify His handiwork. God shaped our looks in the womb and yet we feel that we need to help God when it comes to our appearance by augmenting our bodies with jewelry or tattoos.
Also, we live within a cultural context, where just about everything has a meaning. If we know the origins and connotations of a symbol, we as Christians should be careful not to engage in anything that has a negative view, without taking significant steps to ensure that it has redemptive value and can be used to glorify Christ.
While jewelry and tattoos can be shaped to show religious symbols, they tend to draw attention to the physical rather than the spiritual. And even those who blatantly go against the principles of Christ where crosses on their bling and have cross tattoos.
My overall point is that we should allow God to be our bling and not allow the exterior be a stumbling block for our brothers or non-believers. Allow the natural beauty that God has give us to be our glory.
That's My 2 Lincolnstm
Pastor J
Thank you for this comment Pastor J...I know that when we surrender to Jesus and He tells us something through His word or verifies it through a person or some other form, we need to obey. He has truely made my life simpler since I have decided to follow Him in 2000.
I know the God does everything good, good, very good, and so if He says "don't" it is better to agree because He is the only One that knows why. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
If we want to go our own way the end is clear. Maybe the anonymous writer should stop and see that God only says what is good for us, I would caution that writer what Proverbs 9:8 says... Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
You see friend, we need to OBEY...not try to justify, God says the gate is narrow, there is no room for a truck load of stuff and we cannot come to our Heavenly Father and say "ya but" Remember the story about 7 women (church) that take hold of 1 Man (Jesus) and say let us wear our own clothes...eat our own food...etc but only let us be called by Your Name...saying we are Christians and disobeying do not go hand in hand, can two walk together unless they are agreed??? Sorry friend, obedience is GOOD for us...because ONLY our Savior can see what is needful. A mans heart is wicked and deceitful...God is the One that holds all the power...He says He presents before us the way of life and the way of death...CHOOSE. what are we goig to choose? We can't have it both ways.
I am not saying that an earing is death, I am just saying what on earth are we hanging on to? Is it worth it?
I got my ears pierced as a young teenager because I wanted to for the look (had since I was a kid but my parents made me wait until I was 16), no other reason. However, a few months ago - I'm 25 - I got my ears pierced again mostly BECAUSE of the servant meaning. I am a servant of Christ, my life is his, and it's a little tiny reminder for me of that. No different in that sense from a Bible verse magnet on the wall or something like that.
Remain bless Pastor J.
Well, you have said it all. There is no point of trying to justify error to suit ones idle in the heart. You and I are wonderfully made by Father God, and so, additional jewelries and make-ups are not required at all. Holiness is the beauty of every Christian pilgrim.
Quite clear, we are in the era of modernized Christianity where many Christians have been deeply depraved. Sadly, many pastors and priests have laid down an addicted strong delusion pertaining to Christian modesty and sobriety. 2 Tim 3:1-5. Aside from bible perspective, in general viewpoint, you often been addressed by how you dress.
Claiming to be a Christian pilgrim but dressing like a Jezebel or prostitute is confusion. "For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but it is of the world." And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever," 1 John 2:16-17.
God is ancient of days; He cannot be modernized! Your lifestyle cannot contradict your Christian profession, irrespective of your title in the Church. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Heaven entry requirements have a standard that cannot be altered. God requires outward and inward holiness.
Satan and his cohorts know that “the time is short,” very well. At present, Satan has released his millions of demons from pit of hell to the earth. Those demons come out with terrible weapons over the Churches: pride of life, worldliness, empty principles and philosophies, sexual perversion, false hope of heaven, nudity, materialism, strong delusion, spiritual dryness, among others. The core purpose is to distract men from seeking the Lord with sincerity and become worldly-minded so as to claim the souls to hell.
Dear reader… now is the only opportunity to choose our destiny. Your present lifestyle on earth before death would determine where your eternity will be. God has formed you in His own image to serve Him on earth and live with in heaven for eternity. You must adjust your concept on worldly lifestyle to make heaven for eternity. If heaven is your goal, you need to live for God and do His will only. Hell is a horrible place, hopeless eternity in terrible darkness. Surrender your life fully to Jesus. Escape for your life now!
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