How strongly would you try to dissuade a 17-year old from getting an eyebrow barbell?

[farouk]

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4)

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17

MissLinda:

Those are great verses, which are wholesome and applicable generally.

Re. the words 'sins' and 'unclean', did you mean that earrings or jewelry are inherently bad, in your opinion?

But, yes, those are great verses, certainly.

[John81]

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4)

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17

Yes, Amen!

When I was a child and youth the things so many Christians today seem to think is okay wouldn't have even been considered because it was clear enough to all that such wasn't right for Christians.

Too many Christians today want to claim Christ but not live for Christ. They want the world and they want a Jesus that says that's okay.

[farouk]

Yes, Amen!

When I was a child and youth the things so many Christians today seem to think is okay wouldn't have even been considered because it was clear enough to all that such wasn't right for Christians.

Too many Christians today want to claim Christ but not live for Christ. They want the world and they want a Jesus that says that's okay.

John81:

In general terms I certainly would agree with those sentiments.

In more specific terms it doesn't face the matter of whether the jewelry itself is inherently 'wrong', but if people don't want to talk about this, fine. I guess it boils down to personal preference to a certain degree.

[John81]

Personal preferrence doesn't matter, what matters is what Scripture says. On this topic and the many similar topics more than enough Scripture has been put forth regarding the matter yet there are those who still want to worm their way around it.

One of costs of following Christ is actually following Him, not our own preferences.

[farouk]

Personal preferrence doesn't matter, what matters is what Scripture says. On this topic and the many similar topics more than enough Scripture has been put forth regarding the matter yet there are those who still want to worm their way around it.

One of costs of following Christ is actually following Him, not our own preferences.

John81:

So, right: tell me, please, exactly what the Bible says about, for example, earrings, so that we can known exactly what you mean by saying that they are unscriptural, in your view.

[John81]

So, right: tell me, please, exactly what the Bible says about, for example, earrings, so that we can known exactly what you mean by saying that they are unscriptural, in your view.

This is your tactic in each thread of this sort. You obfuscate the issue, move away from the actual topic, attempt to turn the whole issue in another direction and put words in the mouths of those promoting the Word and sound Christian living.

Either you wish to truly live for Christ, following Him fully, striving to stay far from sin or even the hint of sin, or you are not.

[John81]

Matthew 15:8

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.



Matthew 7:21

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

[1John2:15-17]

Personal preferrence doesn't matter, what matters is what Scripture says. On this topic and the many similar topics more than enough Scripture has been put forth regarding the matter yet there are those who still want to worm their way around it.

One of costs of following Christ is actually following Him, not our own preferences.

:amen:

[farouk]

Okay so let's see now.

It was stated that some jewelry was unscriptural, or words to this effect.

So I asked, if it's unscriptural, then, fine, which Scriptures, specifically?

This, I am told, is being obfuscatory.

Excuse me, if anyone is being obfuscatory, it's not me.

More broadly, I can see how if sincere seekers sometimes come to a somewhat extreme, conservative congregation, looking for answers from God's Word, they can sometimes be rebuffed by the hostile mindset of those who are unwilling to engage with the Scriptural specifics of the questions. This moves beyond the jewelry stuff now. It's a matter of mindset, isn't it?

'What saith the Scriptures' should be a reasonable attitude to take by a questioner, rather than a threat, or 'obfuscation'.

(I've not had an answer yet to my question about jewelry, BTW.)

[John81]

Galatians 5:13

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.


Galatians 6:8

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

[Miss Linda]

Personal preferrence doesn't matter, what matters is what Scripture says. On this topic and the many similar topics more than enough Scripture has been put forth regarding the matter yet there are those who still want to worm their way around it.

One of costs of following Christ is actually following Him, not our own preferences.

Amen!! :goodpost:

[Deb2live4Christ]

e

A bit of a live issue.

Probably just a passing fad.

Thoughts?

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

My point in this quote is the first part..."come now let us reason together, saith the LORD:"...this of course takes into account whether the 17 year old is willing to listen to reason...and of course the conviction of the parent...

There has been alot of good reasoning in the posted replies, but I have also seen non reasoning and flat out NO's!

Sometimes we do not have enough faith in our own conviction of the Word of God that as our "older" children grow to put the same scripture to them that brought us under conviction about matters of outward cultural fads...

I think teaching/training them not to be rash or hasty in things that are fad in nature and giving them scripture and expressing or explaining how that scripture impacted your decisions would be far greater in the long run in telling the 17 year old NO...

My children new my convictions and my thoughts on many things and respected them, but to my sorrow of heart; when they could legally do things they did...even when they new it broke my heart...but now in their 30's they are paying the price. One for instance got a tougue ring...now the dental bills for repairing the damage they are incurring in their later years...

Had they come to me and talked to me instead of waiting for the legal age where they did not need my permission which they knew they wouldn't have gotten, they would have heard more than what they thought I would say...I would have reasoned with them in the scriptures as well as found accounts of damaged done specifically for their desired choice of fad following...

The interesting thing about earrings though in scripture...Exodus 32:2 "And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me."

Did you catch "ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters"

Ezekiel 16:3-16 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

I find the above portion of scripture interesting...How did the LORD clean them up and make them beautiful in this portion of Scripture?

I am not advocating the 17 year old getting a piercing of any sort...I am just saying a 17 can read the Scriptures and will have questions we need to be prepared to answer in love and not in anger thinking he is question authority...

Remember teens don't always know how to come across when asking a controversal question and might sound curt and disrespectful when he/she may not be; but in nervousness come across because they may think they know your answers...

As they get older we need wisdom and guidance from the LORD so not to Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Look how Abraham interacted with Isaac when he had a question...Genesis 22

Anyway that is my imput :)

[farouk]

e

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

My point in this quote is the first part..."come now let us reason together, saith the LORD:"...this of course takes into account whether the 17 year old is willing to listen to reason...and of course the conviction of the parent...

There has been alot of good reasoning in the posted replies, but I have also seen non reasoning and flat out NO's!

Sometimes we do not have enough faith in our own conviction of the Word of God that as our "older" children grow to put the same scripture to them that brought us under conviction about matters of outward cultural fads...

I think teaching/training them not to be rash or hasty in things that are fad in nature and giving them scripture and expressing or explaining how that scripture impacted your decisions would be far greater in the long run in telling the 17 year old NO...

My children new my convictions and my thoughts on many things and respected them, but to my sorrow of heart; when they could legally do things they did...even when they new it broke my heart...but now in their 30's they are paying the price. One for instance got a tougue ring...now the dental bills for repairing the damage they are incurring in their later years...

Had they come to me and talked to me instead of waiting for the legal age where they did not need my permission which they knew they wouldn't have gotten, they would have heard more than what they thought I would say...I would have reasoned with them in the scriptures as well as found accounts of damaged done specifically for their desired choice of fad following...

The interesting thing about earrings though in scripture...Exodus 32:2 "And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me."

Did you catch "ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters"

Ezekiel 16:3-16 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

I find the above portion of scripture interesting...How did the LORD clean them up and make them beautiful in this portion of Scripture?

I am not advocating the 17 year old getting a piercing of any sort...I am just saying a 17 can read the Scriptures and will have questions we need to be prepared to answer in love and not in anger thinking he is question authority...

Remember teens don't always know how to come across when asking a controversal question and might sound curt and disrespectful when he/she may not be; but in nervousness come across because they may think they know your answers...

As they get older we need wisdom and guidance from the LORD so not to Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Look how Abraham interacted with Isaac when he had a question...Genesis 22

Anyway that is my imput

Ms Deb2live4Christ:

Good, good post!

Ty!



This is exactly the sort of reasoned response from the Scriptures that is so valuable.

Blessings.

[HappyChristian]

Perhaps so, Deb, but each parent has the right to say no. With no reasons given. IF the child has been reared to honor their parents, the no would suffice. And if the parents have been teaching their children to be obedient to scripture, and separate from the world, a barbell for the eyebrow wouldn't even be requested.

Saying no is not always in anger. And, again, it is usually a result of having taught standards all along anyway.

[farouk]

Perhaps so, Deb, but each parent has the right to say no. With no reasons given. IF the child has been reared to honor their parents, the no would suffice. And if the parents have been teaching their children to be obedient to scripture, and separate from the world, a barbell for the eyebrow wouldn't even be requested.

Saying no is not always in anger. And, again, it is usually a result of having taught standards all along anyway.

HappyChristian:

I think Deb (who can speak for herself) was probably referring to the idea of young people on the verge of adulthood who can read the Scriptures for themselves, may have searching questions, and may be shortly having to stand on their own two feet, anyway.

Blessings.