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 1 Peter 3:3 reads: “Let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair and wearing of jewels of gold,”RV etc.

The wearing of pearls is also mentioned and forbidden by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:9. Had diamonds been worn then as they are now, they doubtless would have been placed on the list and forbidden.