3301.— The Wearing of Gold
Should Christians, in the light of 1 Tim. 2:9, 10, and 1 Peter 3:3, 4, wear gold watches? Is the wearing of gold watches against the Bible principles? It may be and it may not be. It depends to some extent on the motive. What the apostle very greatly forbids is the adorning of one's self. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” And in Peter, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” Sometimes it is very difficult to get any other good watch save a gold or gold-filled or gold-plated watch. It is rare that good movements are found in silver cases at the present time in most jewelry stores. So sometimes it is less expensive to get a good watch in a gold-filled case which is warranted for from ten to thirty years, than it would be to get that same movement in a silver case. Sometimes gold watches are given to individuals, sometimes inherited. Where they are kept for use there is certainly no transgression of Bible principles any more than there would be in wearing gold-bowed glasses. But if one wears them for ornament, for adornment, it is certainly contrary to Bible principles, as would be the wearing of a silver or brass ring. The whole point of the prohibition in the Scriptures turns over the one word “adorning.” The dress of the Christian should be neat, becoming, and proper to his station. The adorning ought to be as stated in the Word, that of a meek and quiet spirit, that of good works, that which would commend him to the approval of all who loved right character.