Gold Jewellery In The Scriptures

Other believers also will find this very beneficial in order to understand fully what the Bible does teach in relation to this subject. Please read this article, with the love of God that is in your hearts, Love that suffers "long".

When a person accepts Christ as his Saviour, a supernatural experience is given in his inner being. His spirit which was dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1, is created anew. He is born of the Spirit, he is born again, John 3:3,6, and 1 John 5:1.7, which says "Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God." made righteous, Romans 5:19. It means our old self, the body of sin, was crucified with Christ.

Now we are to walk in faith by reckoning or considering ourselves to be dead to sin, Romans 6:11 and alive to God.

Our problem is not sinful acts or wrong habits. It is SIN, that terrible monster. It rules in people from birth. It produces immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, idols, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, envying, drunkenness and wrong attitudes and thoughts. "Those who practice such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God", Galatians 5:19-21.

When a person accepts Christ, we know that the Spirit of Christ is then in him. We are not to look at him or her to see what former habits have gone. We stand on the Word of God, which says in John 1:12, "To as many as took him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God". That power is the Spirit of Christ, as stated in Romans 8:9, "Unless a man has the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ". All is based on the actuality that a man "has the Spirit of Christ", i.e. Jesus Christ Himself.

The person who receives Christ, must then grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord. Christ is to control the life. No other person is to control his life. It is Jesus Christ alone who is to direct what a person does or does not do. Jesus Christ is Lord, Saviour and God.

We who are leaders in the Lord, are to help and minister to believers so that they of their own will obey the Spirit of God and of Holiness, as God Himself writes His laws on their hearts, Hebrews 10:16. We do not write His laws on their hearts. God does.

We are saved by grace through faith, Ephesians 2:8,9. It is by faith that we walk. It is the fight of faith that we fight. We are not under Law, but under grace, Romans 6:14. Any man-made law or regulation places us immediately back under Law, to the degree we act in that particular area. According to Galatians 3:2,3, the works of the law are "flesh".

The foolish Galatians had gone back to obeying law, with its rules and regulations. The apostle Paul stated they were "bewitched". He stressed this terrible fact. It means they were "fascinated", or as if "affected by magic".

Mankind delights exceedingly in works of religion and in laws and rules of religion. He is fascinated or bewitched by this, throughout the world. This also occurs often in the Christian Church. It is bondage, not only to those rules, but to Satan, to the degree of following such laws. We should be slaves of Jesus Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit.

According to Galatians 5:1, Christ has freed us with freedom. Paul says, "Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery". "For freedom did Christ set us free", "Christ has made us completely free" or "This is the freedom with which Christ has freed us".

As stated in Colossians 2:20-22 it is elemental spirits of the world that produce rules and regulations. We do not belong to the world. We belong to heaven. Therefore, we are not to live as if we belonged to the world, in submitting to regulations.

These rules and regulations come in the command, "‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch", or as another translation puts it, "‘Do not handle this’; ‘Do not taste that’; ‘Do not touch that other thing’".

Removing gold does not indicate "separation from the world". Galatians 6:14 shows "I am dead (already) to the world (its traditions, its culture, its heathendom - its lust of the eyes, its lust of the flesh and its pride of life by the Cross of Christ". Removing gold or ornaments has no connection with being dead to the world as Holiness and old Pentecostal preachers taught. We are indeed to know separation from the world in our conduct, "Be not conformed to this world". This means we are to have our minds renewed by the Word and the Spirit, Romans 12:1,2.

The world is that system of beliefs and conduct that are controlled by Satan. To order the removal of gold is to follow such a worldly system that includes an embrace amongst its evil, of the legalism and religiosity of carnal, man-made and Satanic religions. We are not to love any part of this world, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4.

Some pentecostal preachers must be pure within and without nor wearing gold. As in Noah’s Ark. It is a type of Jesus Christ, not the believer. Because we are in Christ, the Ark, we are saved from the flood of eternal destruction. In Genesis 7:7, "Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood". Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah so it would be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man, when the flood would take away all the wicked.

In Noah’s day, the whole world of wicked people was destroyed and taken away by the flood. Only Noah and his family escaped the destruction because God said to Noah, "Go into the ark … for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation".

We who believe in Jesus are counted righteous in Christ. His righteousness has been credited to us. We escape hell, eternal death and the wrath of God only because we are in Christ, who is our Ark of safety and salvation. The ark is a type of Jesus Christ. It is not a type of the believer. The holiness of life of the believer cannot be typified by the ark that Noah was directed by God to "cover it inside and outside with pitch". It is not the believer who is to be made "holy within and without, in the soul and on the body".

In actuality, the body is not yet saved. Redemption has not yet come to the body so the ark covered with pitch on the outside can have no reference to the fact that our bodies now are to be so covered with holiness that gold must be removed. Romans 8:23 reveals that we "wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies".

Laws, rules and regulations have no part in salvation and the life by faith in the Spirit of grace. The Christian life is not to be ruled by commandments. The handwriting of ordinances that was against us, Colossians 2:14, has been blotted out, taken away and nailed to His cross. We have moved out of the rule of law and commandments. We are in Christ Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit to live in love even as Christ has loved us. That is the new commandment.

Dearly Beloved, can we not examine ourselves concerning such demands that make women, and indeed men, remove their gold and ornaments? Are not these demands unscriptural? Do not these demands, laws, rules and regulations spring from this world? They are not of God.

The ordinance of water baptism is a step that believers in Christ Jesus are to take. The only criterion we have to baptize a new convert in water, is according to Acts 8:12. It says, "When they believed... they were baptized, men and women alike". Acts 2:38 gives the order of events - "You must repent (turn from sin, return to God) and as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ". We turn from sin as our master. God deals here with sin itself. Sinful acts are dealt with continuously, as we go on living with Christ. 1 John 1:9 deals with sins, saying "If we confess our sins (to God not to man), God may be trusted, in his righteousness, to forgive us our sins". He is to be depended on, since He is just, to forgive us our sins.

These people in Samaria, Acts 8, were not asked to do any religious acts or follow any demands, laws, rules or regulations. They were not asked to remove their gold. Even Simon who made a confession without a living faith that saved him, was baptized in water, verses 13, 22.

In Acts 16:31, the jailer was told, "Believe on the LORD JESUS, and you shall be saved". In verse 33, we are told that immediately he was baptized, and all his household.

Often new believers are converted out of heathen practices. It was such in Acts 19:18,19 and after believing and after baptism in water, they then "confessed and began openly to admit their former practices, openly confessing that they had used magical spells". "Many who had practiced magic made their books into a heap and burnt them publicly". This is one example of how to deal with heathen and wicked practices and arts. The wearing of gold is another matter.

This is what happened:-

The question to ask a new believer wanting to be baptized is, "Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He is Lord?" On the confession of that faith he is to be baptized. He was born again when he accepted Jesus Christ. Scripture does not require anything else. The Word of God does not require any rules, laws or regulations to be imposed, such as to remove one’s gold.

There is nothing found in the Word of God that requires new converts wishing to be baptized in water or wishing to take communion (the Lord’s Supper) to remove their gold or ornaments on clothing. There is nothing in the Bible that commands workers or preachers of the gospel not to wear gold, ornaments, gold watches or lovely clothing. It is a disgrace to the Gospel to be dressed slovenly. We must never think it necessary to own and wear gold if we cannot afford it. We are not to covet, or be ruthlessly greedy, because then that would be idolatry.

Can I suggest that Indian saris generally are of "fine" material if white. If coloured saris are worn, they look "embroidered" and appear to be often "rich fabric". Where is the difference between wearing saris such as these, fine white or embroidered and wearing gold ornaments? The saris are generally ornamental, meaning "decorated by coloured designs".

In Genesis 24:22, the servant gave Rebecca who was to be the bride for Isaac, a gold ring (about 1/4 ounce), and two bracelets in GOLD (5 ounces each, over one lakh rupees). Sarah, wife of Abraham, obviously wore gold. Women believers are to become Sarah’s daughters, and "never let fears alarm" them, 1 Peter 3:6. This includes fear of wearing gold and the fear of man. DO NOT FEAR. Sarah had internal adornment, meekness. She also had external adornment of gold.

Aaron made a golden calf out of the ornaments of gold, Exodus 32:24,33. The sin of worshipping the calf was such that God wanted to blot the Israelites out of His book. God smote the people and afterwards they went into mourning and removed their ornaments, 33:4. Then in verse 6, we read "the Israelites laid aside their ornaments by Mount Horeb". They "sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play", 32:6. This means that they were drinking strong drink, with possible nakedness in their idolatry and evidently it became a drunken sex orgy, with the wearing of gold, as also happened at the time of Balaam, Numbers 25:1 and Revelation 2:14.

Then they removed their ornaments of gold, because they had used them in their terrible sin. This was their outward appearance of penitence. Now, anything connected with past idolatrous practices must be laid aside by us, whether it was gold made with tools into objects, or customs such as dowry and caste distinctions, and not forgetting the display of certain calendars.

Our repentance is to be one of the heart, which turns aside from all idolatry. If our gold was not used in idolatrous worship it does not need to be thrown away. If we feel we should lay aside expensive gold jewellery, a similar view should be followed in relation to expensive vehicles, homes and education.

John says, "Little children guard yourselves from idols". This includes "false ideas of God", such things being worshipped. It includes any person or thing that takes the place of God - people or status symbols, education, degrees that spring from the pride of life.

Exodus 36:21,22 shows that the women brought their GOLD AND ORNAMENTS to Moses for construction of the Tabernacle. They brought brooches, earrings, bracelets and signet rings, ALL ARTICLES OF GOLD. Their "hearts and spirits were moved" to do this WILLINGLY. They owned all this gold jewellery, because God Himself had commanded them to "plunder the Egyptians", Exodus 12:35,36. They "asked the Egyptians for jewellery of silver and gold".

We all may choose to give. Some desire to give gold, money, houses, lands, motor cars, clothing, food or donate time for the work of the Lord or to help and minister to others. "God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:7. Perhaps the best thing we can give is not gold, but food! It is amazing how believers on demand will give up their gold (a religious work, or legalism) but yet the ones who demand it worship their stomachs and lusts, see Philippians 3:18,19. Paul wept as he wrote this under the Spirit’s anointing.

In Exodus 36:6, we discover that the Israelites did not bring all their gold to Moses. Indeed, they had worshipped gold previously, Exodus 32:3,4. Now they were giving willing of their gold. They gave so much that Moses had to stop them from bringing any more gold. They therefore had gold remaining to use personally.

The women in Isaiah 3:16-26 were judged by God, not because they wore ornaments and gold but because these fashionable women tried to lure men with seductive eyes and they walked in arrogance and pride. Therefore God said He would take away their ornaments and gold.

God Himself sanctions the use of gold and jewellery by women, when He says in Isaiah 61:10,`"As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." We often see garlands, but quite often Pentecostals refrain from the gold and the jewellery. A good question also to ask, is "If gold is rejected why is jewellery that is inexpensive and not of gold also rejected?"

In the book of Ezekiel, God acknowledges the right of women to wear beautiful jewels, gold and silver. However, He does condemn in His righteousness, the use they made of their gold and jewellery. It was condemned because they then used it in idolatry. Any use of gold, ornaments, jewellery, images or pictures as idolatry is a great evil.

The sin of "greed" or "covetousness" is idolatry. How many believers, Pastors and churches, who insist on the removal of gold, have in their hearts the secret sin of greed and covetousness? This sin is very apparent in general actions and speech.

A severe warning is given in Ephesians 5:5. The NRSV Version reads, "Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God", while the New Translation says "For you can be sure of this, that no one who is sexually immoral, impure or greedy (for greediness is a form of idolatry) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God".

Anything connected with idolatry, whether objects, clothing, habits or culture must be renounced. The greatest sins lie with habits and culture and not with the wearing of gold and jewellery or the use of objects.

Ezekiel 16:16-20 reads, "You took some of your garments, and made for yourself colourful shrines ... You also took your beautiful jewels of My gold and My silver that I had given you, and made for yourself male images, and with them played the whore; and you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set My oil and My incense before them. Also My bread that I gave you - you set it before them as a pleasing odour .. You took your sons and your daughters ... and these you sacrificed to them."

It was not only gold and silver that were used in idolatry, it was also clothing, food and their children. All are legitimate possessions for us to own and use today, including gold and jewellery. It is what we feel about them and do with them that is important. Wrong use can bring the frown of God on their users.

MEN in the Old Testament also wore gold. In Genesis 41:42, Pharaoh put the GOLD NECKLACE around Joseph’s neck. The High Priest wore an ephod of GOLD with golden threads and onyx stones (emeralds) in GOLD, Exodus 39:2.

In Ezekiel 27:16 God said that merchants had paid the Israelites for their goods with emeralds and rubies, very precious stones. In Psalm 45:13,14 the Holy Spirit gives a description in type of the church of Jesus Christ, "The King’s daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with GOLD. She (the church) will be led to the King (Jesus Christ) in EMBROIDERED WORK".

Our salvation has nothing to do with legalistic acts. We are not under any legal requirement to remove our gold. THE DISCARDING OF GOLD AND ORNAMENTS ON DEMAND IS A WORK OF RELIGION and has no place as such in the life of any believer or church. Why do churches here say, "You cannot wear ornaments or gold" when they allow watches, sometimes of 22 carat gold? All Timex watches have the same parts. The difference in price is due to the difference in the outside design and ornamentation. This shows the believers purchase the more expensive ones for their ornamental value. Another thing is that many wear watches that do not work. They are ornaments! Let us be logical and consistent. God says, "Come let us REASON together" Isaiah 1:18. Use reason!

It was common for the well-to-do and those of high social standing to wear several gold rings. Even Jesus Christ acknowledges such a custom. He did not condemn it. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:22, He says, "Put a RING on his finger". The ring was real and actual. It is not a type of the Holy Spirit. The kernel of the parable is "Your brother was dead but now he’s alive He was lost but now is found". There is no connection in this parable with the Holy Spirit. It is the Father.

What is the Meaning of 1 Peter 3:3?

First of all, let it be emphasised that Peter says to all believers, in verse 8, "To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic." This love is the most important thing in a church. To husbands, in verse 7, Peter commands "Show consideration for your wives". Do wives like to wear gold and embroidered clothing? Then show consideration, sympathy and love and do not stop them from wearing gold if desired. I must emphasise it is NOT REQUIRED to wear gold. It is not required to wear earrings, nose jewels, necklaces, or rings. Neither is it required that we do not wear such ornaments or gold! If believers so desire, they can give to the work of the Lord, gold, money, food, bikes, clothing, vehicles, money from bank accounts, even houses, perhaps the money otherwise spent on education and overseas trips and so forth.

1 Peter 3:3,4 is better translated according to the New American Standard version, which scholars would agree is more correct than the King James version. The King James was translated in 1611, in English that was in usage at that time. Also, scholars then did not have access to manuscripts that are available today. The Tamil and Malayalam translations have been based in part on the basis of the King James Version, often following Latin translations.

This is the translation and meaning - "Let not your adornment be MERELY external, braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewellery or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart".

The New English Version says, "Your beauty should reside, not in outward adornment - but in the inmost centre of your being, with its imperishable ornament, a gentle, quiet spirit, which is of high value in the sight of God".

What should beautify a woman in her husband’s eyes will be two things. First and foremost it is to be her inward demeanour. This is expressed in beautiful Christian acts. Then, he will be attracted by her outward adorning. For example, most Indian husbands expect their wives to have long hair, which is attractive to them.

Rightly or wrongly, most would not wish their wives to cut off their hair. They like their wives to braid their hair, and to wear it long. That is the Indian custom. It is an external and outward adornment of the wife. The husband enjoys it. If the reason he enjoys it is merely to follow heathen customs, culture and traditions, he is sinning. Is it so that at the bottom of his heart is a secret idolatry of "woman" to appear looking as a goddess? That is for husbands to decide before Christ.

As Christian husbands, there is no scriptural basis for them to demand their wives wear particular clothes or even have long or short hair. Ephesians 5:25 states clearly - "Husbands, LOVE your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her". Christ gave up Himself, which included His desires, wishes and will. Thus husbands, out of the same kind of love for their wives, will give themselves up, including their desires, wishes and will.

The Scriptures bear this out, when it says, "Let not your adornment be merely external".

Her outward adorning is : -

Naturally, a woman is allowed apparel. In fact, it is a necessity. In the same vein, she is allowed braided hair. Indian women wear apparel (saris, or trousers) and braid their hair. Therefore the outward adorning of gold jewellery, which is in the same list, is allowable. In some countries, gold rings given for marriage, are a necessity.

In India, if we say, "She cannot wear gold or embroidered clothing", we must also say, "She cannot wear apparel such as saris or dresses". We must also say, "She cannot braid her hair".

Indian women wear beautiful saris, ornamented with colourful figures and designs, or they wear beautiful fine white saris to church. They braid their hair. Therefore, they should be allowed to wear gold. They should not be commanded to take it off, which could be due to the bondage of women that has been imposed for centuries, in ungodliness and idolatry. Jesus Christ has brought salvation to women from this bondage. We are not to command anyone about anything! Men also, should not be told to remove gold rings.

Hundreds of millions of Pentecostal men and women wear gold rings and diamonds or other precious stones as a marriage troth. They would never remove them. To the world, it could appear that such a man and woman were merely living together, and that they were not married.

Here, Pentecostals will reject believers and preachers who come wearing gold wedding rings, engagement rings and even ornaments. To reject such shows a lack of love.

As many millions of Pentecostals all over the world wear gold, ornaments and jewellery, can we say they must not be baptized in water, have communion and that they sin? No indeed. Of course, what Christians do in the West and in other Asian countries, does not mean to say that it is always right. In this case, it is right, because they are operating under grace through faith alone.

1 Timothy 2:9 indicates that women must wear proper, respectable and honourable clothing. She must be modest, according to her feminine needs and culture, not wearing elaborate hair styles, in which are braided expensive and ornate jewellery - gold, diamonds, pearls, sapphires etc.

In those days, many wealthy women wore elaborate hair styles as described, that cost at one time, well over a lakh rupees. That was not consistent with Christian principles.

Paul in his epistles stood for the grace of God as against law. He taught against adding any rules and regulations to this grace. He vehemently denied legalism. He always advocated freedom in Christ. There was to be liberty from LAW AND TRADITIONS. He preached liberty for women from their centuries’ old traditional bondage by men. We are the sons of God and are to be led by the Spirit and not by laws and traditions.

Titus 3:5 shows clearly "He saved us, NOT ON THE BASIS OF GOOD DEEDS done in righteousness, but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit".

Salvation is not based on good works and is not as the result of any righteous (or so-called righteous) actions. Such actions as removing gold, fasting, works of charity or the righteous obedience of water baptism, are not the basis of righteousness, salvation or fellowship with the church. To do this shows them to be religious works and those who command such are following legalism (law) instead of grace.

1 Peter 3:21 regarding water baptism, states clearly, "Regarding water baptism; which now saves us, NOT BECAUSE in receiving it we have put away the filth of the flesh, but because we have earnestly sought a conscience reconciled to God."

Water baptism does not save us. We can even go to heaven without being baptized in water. Water cannot purify from sin. Certainly we can go to heaven without being baptized in the Holy Ghost. We can go to heaven if we wear gold, embroidered clothing and/or braided hair which things are irrelevant. "Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed", John 8:36.

It is customary for idol-worshippers to present much gold to their gurus and temples. Roman Catholics also give gold even to Mary, when they consider in blind error, that she has healed them of diseases and answered their prayers. C.S.I. believers know that God would not demand such a practice.

This being the case, let us consider this question. Why are Indian Pentecostals in blindness of heart, clinging to heathen customs and pagan practices? They are acting in opposition to the Word of God in demanding believers remove their gold. "Whom the Son sets free, is free", John 8:36.

It is not correct to say that because some Indians worship their gold marriage neck-lace that it should be thrown away. Idolatry is a thing of heart and must be repented of. It is the heart that must be dealt with by Christ, and not the material things, such as gold.

There is worship of the cow. Must we stop eating beef and drinking cow’s milk? There is worship of money. Must we stop using money? There is worship of eating. Must we stop eating? There is worship of a high education. Must we stop education? There is worship towards Pastors. Must we stop having pastors? The list could be extended. The heathen pray. Must we stop praying? The only command regarding heathen prayers is that we do not pray in the same way they do. Some believers even pray often in the manner of the heathen. We should be spending time teaching the right way to pray - instead of using unscriptural teachings about gold.

In the face of this, we can see how ridiculous it is to base the putting off of gold on the fact that some people have worshipped gold.

Christians are putting education before Christ, food before Christ, adultery before Christ, the dowry and caste system before Christ, Indian culture and traditions before Christ, abuse and domination of women before Christ and other heathen and sinful practices. All those things are idolatry.

The heathen heart will worship anything. In a heathen country, heathendom is generally deeply implanted in the hearts of people even when they turn to Christ. That needs to be repented of and washed away in the Blood.

The judgment given to believers who have come out of heathendom, is stated by James in Acts 15:19,20. Some believed these new believers should be directed to observe the Law and to be circumcised (works of the flesh).

Let us note this judgment and state accordingly that new believers in India also, are not required by the God of grace, to follow any laws and regulations imposed by church authorities and pastors, as these also are works of the flesh.

Our stand as believers is in Christ. In Christ we stand against sin and idolatry, of all kinds. If people are not worshipping gold, they should not be required to take off such gold jewellery. We cannot demand anything. That is sin, as in 1 Peter 5:2 - "Shepherd (not command or demand) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion but voluntarily ..not for sordid gain (covetousness and greed) nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock".

Regarding ornaments, there is no verse of Scripture that tells us we are not to wear ornaments. Many Pentecostals of India reject ornaments. This practice is not in accordance with the Word of God in any way. If believers out of love for Christ decided themselves to give up for Him such things as gold, motor vehicles, bikes, houses, land, clothing or food, that is their decision and the Lord will bless and reward them accordingly. We are told not to lay up for ourselves treasure on earth but to lay it up in heaven.

"It is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood". Believers in Christ Jesus are to come out and be separate from idolatry, all of its practices and philosophies, traditions and thoughts, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. It is the Dowry system that should be abolished. It is a great evil.

Whenever a pastor believes the Word of God and knows that he should not demand the removal of gold and ornaments, he should examine John 12:41-43. He should not have "fear" of others. He should not love "human glory more than the glory that comes from God". He must have the courage and faith to baptise new converts and not demand removal of their gold, despite what other Pastors say.

Brethren, let us love one another and receive this in His love.