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would not be violating the principl es which the apostle
lays down. For women to bedeck themselves with cheap
objects for vanity is just as wrong as to put one's
treasure in expensive jewelry.
The
11
putt1ng on of apparel" mentioned
by
Peter is
explained
by
Paul to include unappropriate or lavish
clothing worn for vain glory.
In
these verses the principle
is always that women should be temperate in the expense of
their adornments and modest in their apparel. The fact that
only
specific~
costly or unnatural adornments are mentioned
clearly implies that the
~pestles
NE"&R
meanLt..o fQrbid all
jewelry.
S~ce
no word is said about wedding ringsJ
although wearing them was a universal practice of that dayJ
neither Paul nor Peter meant to forbid them. Christians have
a perfect right to · wear them. The origin of wedding rLngs
does not stem from pagan religious practices) despite the
fanciful cavemen stories of captured women and club-wielding
men.
As absolute proof that Christian women
may
wear
jewelry~
Peter says that his de.scription aptly pictures ' 'the
holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves being
in subjection Wlto their own husbands.
11
Yet those women
wore jewelry! (Gen.
24:47,53}.
And God blessed Israel of old
with adornments (Ezek.
16:9-14).
LETTER ANSWERING DEPARTMENT
(Apyrigb< I !/60 •
Jlodio Chur<h
of
Go4