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Wedding
Ring
Another very common excuse for wearing gold is the
wedding ring. With some people it would be considered a
breaking of the sacred marriage vow to take off the
wedding ring. Many have declared they would not take it
off. Many professors of holiness stubbornly persist in
wearing their ring, no matter what anyone may say or
think. This is a serious matter, and should not be
slightly passed by. Many a dear soul has displeased God
and gone into spiritual darkness at this point.
We have come to the place in our
experience where two ways meet. Custom, tradition, and
friends tell us to take one way; the Word of God tells us
to take the other. We stop, reflect, and pray. If our
heart is open to God as it should be, the Holy Spirit
points us to the Word. If we want to please our friends or
ourselves or if there is the least unwillingness within us
to walk in the self denying way of the cross, we can be
easily persuaded to excuse ourselves, and think that it
does not make much difference.
We see many others whom we think
are good Christians, who are much older than ourselves in
experience, who wear gold and dress according to fashions
of the world; therefore, we conclude to take the same way
they have taken. Now, dear reader, we must not thus take
counsel with our own soul. If we do, we open the door to
the delusions of Satan. This is a serious point, and our
decision involves our highest interests. Let us decide for
God and obey His plain Word.
Every child of God should as
readily ignore the custom of wearing a wedding ring as
anything else that is plainly forbidden in the Word of
God. If those who seem to think their loyalty to their vow
depends upon wearing the ring would make sure that they
had a Bible experience of salvation, they would soon find
that a more sacred and stronger tie than a gold ring binds
them together. In case where an unsaved companion objects
to a child of God taking off the ring, I would suggest a
very careful and prayerful course in the matter. Take a
bold, firm stand for God's Word. Explain your reason for
doing as you do, and show your companion that it is no
lack of fidelity on your part, but it is because you must
obey God.
There are many professors of
holiness who are doing an incalculable amount of harm to
others who are looking upon them for example. To many
young converts the Word of God is made of none effect
because some influential person fails to obey it in some
of these things, thus bringing themselves and others into
a state of disobedience. Oh, I would warn every professing
saint to measure up to the standard of God's Word, no
matter what the sacrifice or apparent cost! You cannot
afford to take the chances outside of God's perfect
approval. Let the life of true humility work its way
through your entire being. If the desire for wearing gold
is in your heart, it proves that you have not reached the
humble state of grace where God would have you. If there
is no such desire there, then let your outward appearance
correspond with the heart and the Word of God.
The wearing of all jewelry is
equally as unscriptural and displeasing to God. In the
Revised Version the text in I Peter 3:3 reads: "Let
it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair and
wearing of jewels of gold," etc.
The wearing of pearls is also
mentioned and forbidden in the text, by Paul. I Tim. 2:9.
Had diamonds been worn then as they are now, they
doubtless would have been placed on the list and
forbidden.
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