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| The Bible encourages modesty in dress. Both men and women are to be careful not to dress in a way that flaunts their sexuality or is unnecessarily ostentatious and seductive. But we have no right to condemn others for their wearing of colorful clothing or the use of makeup or a particular hairstyle.<ref>Sam Storms, Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 312.</ref> | | The Bible encourages modesty in dress. Both men and women are to be careful not to dress in a way that flaunts their sexuality or is unnecessarily ostentatious and seductive. But we have no right to condemn others for their wearing of colorful clothing or the use of makeup or a particular hairstyle.<ref>Sam Storms, Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 312.</ref> |
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| What Paul is emphasizing is that Christian women should adorn themselves with clothing, hairstyles and jewellery which in their culture are inexpensive not extravagant, modest not vain, and chaste not suggestive
| | The question must be asked: Where does the New Testament say that wearing makeup and jewelry is sinful? Where does the New Testament teach us to measure sanctification by whether a woman wears slacks or by whether someone goes to the movies? |
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| John R. W. Stott, Guard the Truth: The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 84.
| | The answer is nowhere. These rules do not come from the Bible but are part of the “doctrine of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1–5), which Paul summarizes under the slogan, “Do not handle it! Do not taste it! Do not touch it!” (Colossians 2:21). |
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| | | People like keeping rules like these because it is a whole lot easier than dealing with envy, bitterness, hatred, lust, and other real sins. Moreover, the human heart is very happy to come up with its own rules, but resists submitting to the law of Christ - love one another. We can persuade ourselves that we are holier than others if we don’t smoke or drink. But God is concerned with real holiness, not the superficial pseudo-holiness of the doctrine of demons.<ref>Tabletalk Magazine, September 1992: Statism: One Nation over God (Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 1992), 20.</ref> |
| where does the Bible say that wearing makeup and jewelry is sinful? Where does the Bible condemn all drinking of alcohol? Where does the Bible teach us to measure sanctification by whether a woman wears slacks or by whether we go to the movies? The answer is nowhere. These rules do not come from the Bible but are part of the “doctrine of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1–5), which Paul here summarizes under the slogan, “Do not handle it! Do not taste it! Do not touch it!” (Colossians 2:21).
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| Why does the church continually fall into this trap? Because keeping rules like these is a whole lot easier than dealing with envy, bitterness, hatred, lust, and other real sins. Moreover, the human heart is very happy to come up with its own rules, but resists submitting to God’s revealed law. We can persuade ourselves that we are holier than others if we don’t smoke or drink. But God is concerned with real holiness, not the superficial pseudo-holiness of the doctrine of demons.
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| Tabletalk Magazine, September 1992: Statism: One Nation over God (Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 1992), 20. | |
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| Thus, when we read in 1 Peter 3 that women are not to braid their hair and wear jewels and nice clothes, we have to take this statement in its biblical context. Some have ripped these verses out of context and argued that all makeup is sinful, that it is sinful for a woman to do anything with her hair; but such applications of these verses are sadly misguided.
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| Tabletalk Magazine, October 1992: Martin Luther: Man of Courage (Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 1992), 46.
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| Peter’s strong statement against jewelry and nice clothes needs to be interpreted the same way as Jesus’ statement that we have to hate our wives in order to be His disciple (Luke 14:26). We know from plenty of other passages that we are supposed to love our wives. But when we compare our loyalty to Jesus with our love for our family, the degree of difference should be so great that by comparison we almost “hate” our family. Similarly, it is perfectly fine for a Christian woman to wear nice clothes, jewelry, makeup, and have a nice hairstyle, but in comparison to the effort she makes to cultivate her character qualities, it should be as if she had no regard for her outward appearance at all.
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| Tabletalk Magazine, October 1992: Martin Luther: Man of Courage (Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 1992), 46.
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| =Quotes of William Branham= | | =Quotes of William Branham= |