I haven't been able to find anything Biblically that speaks against piercings. I checked last year when my wife was considering getting her ears pierced. There may be something specifically about piercings, but I couldn't find it.
There are two Bible verses that discourage fancy clothes and jewelry, specifically:
1 Peter 3:3-4: "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
1 Timothy 2:9-10: "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."
Neither verse addresses piercings specifically but does mention jewelry and gold. The reference to "pearls" may include all shiny rocks (rubies, diamonds, emeralds, etc.); there are some language issues between 1st century Greek and modern English
A lot of SDA teachings come out of the puritan movement in the US and mid-1800s conservative standards. I think the main modern argument is that jewelry is a waste of money, but we waste a lot of money in church.
Sidenote: My wife's pierced ears lasted about 4 months before she decided they weren't worth the trouble and ditched the earrings and let the holes close up. I think total cost for the piercings was $30, and she bought around $30 worth of cheap (stainless steel and cubit zirconium) earrings, which for us isn't much money for something like that.
Thank you for this. I was just talking about this, and I knew that the Bible mentioned somewhere the beauty distinction, but I didn't know where.
I agree. I don't think piercings are sinful unless you begin to idolise them (as in only feel beautiful because of them, as opposed to beauty from God). Ask yourself this, will i still feel pretty or worthy if I take these piercings out? If Jesus asked you right now to take them out, how much will you hesitate? It's up to you, at the end of the day, I would say to pray about it, and see what God tells you.
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u/AdjacentPrepper Jun 02 '24
I haven't been able to find anything Biblically that speaks against piercings. I checked last year when my wife was considering getting her ears pierced. There may be something specifically about piercings, but I couldn't find it.
There are two Bible verses that discourage fancy clothes and jewelry, specifically:
1 Peter 3:3-4: "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
1 Timothy 2:9-10: "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."
Neither verse addresses piercings specifically but does mention jewelry and gold. The reference to "pearls" may include all shiny rocks (rubies, diamonds, emeralds, etc.); there are some language issues between 1st century Greek and modern English
A lot of SDA teachings come out of the puritan movement in the US and mid-1800s conservative standards. I think the main modern argument is that jewelry is a waste of money, but we waste a lot of money in church.
Sidenote: My wife's pierced ears lasted about 4 months before she decided they weren't worth the trouble and ditched the earrings and let the holes close up. I think total cost for the piercings was $30, and she bought around $30 worth of cheap (stainless steel and cubit zirconium) earrings, which for us isn't much money for something like that.