God compares His children to jewels in Malachi 3:17, portraying each individual as a distinct and valuable treasure. These jewels, representing many within the church, are not just parts of a whole but are personally cherished by God with warm, caring attention. Wearing jewelry is not inherently wrong when done in moderation and with wholesome intent, reflecting God's view of His people as precious. However, improper or excessive use in a vain or immoral manner is disapproved. Each jewel is spared as His own son, underscoring the deep love and individual value God places on us, ensuring our safety and giving us particular attention as His special treasure.

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Is It a Sin to Wear Jewelry?

Bible Questions & Answers

It is not a sin to wear jewelry when done in moderation and in a wholesome manner. God compares His children to jewels in Malachi 3:17, suggesting that wearing jewels is not inherently wrong. However, if jewelry is used improperly or excessively in an immoral or vain manner, it is frowned upon by God. The attitude and motive of the wearer are crucial when adorning oneself with jewelry. The true beauty lies in the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

In Search of a Clear World View (Part One)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The concept of treasure, as taught by Jesus Christ, holds profound value in shaping a Christian worldview. Treasure implies something we place high value upon, and its significance lies not in universal agreement on its worth, but in our personal recognition of its importance. We must individually decide what constitutes our treasure, making a voluntary choice to prioritize God and His calling as our ultimate value. This decision cannot be made for us; it is a personal commitment that draws our attention and compels us to protect and enhance this treasure. If we choose God as our treasure, His purpose for our life becomes the focal point, automatically guiding our actions to safeguard and increase its worth. This principle operates as an unyielding law, directing our focus toward what we value most. Jesus Christ's teaching emphasizes that this treasure will subtly force us to serve either God or worldly pursuits, portraying both as slave owners demanding our allegiance. We must choose to serve God with single-eyed devotion, ensuring that He is not merely an occasional consideration but the central focus of our life. Furthermore, the church itself is depicted as God's treasure, highlighting how He values us highly and willingly offers His protection. This significance is reinforced by the understanding that the church is not a passing phenomenon but a permanent entity in God's eyes, planned from the very beginning. As members of this treasured body, we are specifically called and chosen, adopted into the Father's family, and considered His possession, the Israel of God. This intimate relationship underscores the immense value of our calling, urging us to place it at the forefront of our worldview.

The Faithfulness of God (Part One)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God perceives us as treasures, set apart from the ordinary, as highlighted in Deuteronomy 7:6. We are not treated carelessly by Him; instead, He gives us particular attention and care, ensuring our safety. Beyond being mere treasure, He considers us special treasure, a term that carries an emotional quality, indicating His deep love for us. This sense of being cherished is reinforced in the New Testament, where we are described as a special people, complementing the concept of treasure. In Malachi 3:17, this perception deepens as we are seen not as a single entity but as individual jewels of great value. These jewels, plural in number, signify many distinct individuals, each treasured by Him to the extent that He will spare us as His own son. Each jewel within the body of the church is the focus of His warm and caring attention, emphasizing that we are not merely parts of a whole but individuals whom He personally values and loves.

Supreme Permanence and Value

Sermonette by Martin G. Collins

Our offerings must reflect the radiance of Christ. Only God can assess the quality of light in the precious stones He has called.

Knowledge and Wisdom (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by Mike Ford

Solomon urges the pursuit of wisdom by likening it to a search for hidden treasures, a phrase that translates the Hebrew term for a secret storehouse of buried valuables or precious items such as jewels. This comparison draws on the enduring human excitement over discovering caches of riches, whether motivated by greed, necessity, or the thrill of the hunt, because such a find is expected to transform life for the better. The Fenn Treasure provides a contemporary illustration, with its bronze chest said to contain gold coins, nuggets, gold dust, and precious jewels valued at up to five million dollars, prompting hundreds of thousands of searchers to endure harsh terrain, repeated expeditions, and even fatal risks in hopes of securing it. Yet Proverbs 8 presents the corrective perspective that instruction and knowledge must be received in preference to silver or choice gold, since wisdom exceeds rubies and cannot be matched by any other desired object, including precious jewels. This superiority directs attention away from perishable physical treasures toward the fear of the LORD as the true beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One as understanding, which multiplies days and adds years of life as the reward of eternal life in God's Kingdom.

God's Pearls

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Ted E. Bowling

God views His chosen people as His jewels, a special treasure set apart for Himself above all others on the earth. This designation appears in the promise that those who fear Him and meditate on His name will be His on the day He makes them His jewels, a term also rendered as special possession or peculiar treasure. The same principle of selection runs from the calling of Israel, whom God declared a holy people and special treasure because He kept His covenant with Abraham, through the New Covenant assembly described as a chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, and His own special people. This valuation stands in direct contrast to the world's measure of worth, which rests on talent, beauty, possessions, accomplishments, and the gratification of the flesh. God's people are therefore urged to separate themselves from that standard and to retain their confidence in the surpassing worth He has assigned them. The parable of the pearl of great price illustrates the point with clarity: the merchant who finds one pearl of great price sells all that he has to purchase it. The merchant is Jesus Christ, and the pearl is His people. Though mankind begins with no inherent righteousness or bargaining power, Christ willingly pays the price of His own life to acquire them. Pearls themselves supply a fitting picture of this transformation. Formed when an irritant enters the oyster, the gem grows as layers of nacre are secreted around the intruder until a complete, radiant jewel results. In like manner, those whom God calls start as carnal and despised, yet through the covering of Christ's righteousness they become a new creation. The process requires a lifetime of refinement, endurance, and purification, culminating in the day when the church is revealed in radiant splendor as God's priceless possession. Because God has loved them with the same love He bears for His Son, their worth is settled by His grace and sacrifice rather than by any worldly criterion.

Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 3): Hidden Treasure

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In the discussion of the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, jewels function as a metaphor for God's special treasure. The term first appears literally as precious metals, gemstones, art, jewelry, and fine clothing, yet the parable requires a figurative sense. Scripture consistently applies the idea of special treasure or jewels to God's people, beginning with Israel as the nation chosen through covenant at Sinai. The designation then extends to those who fear the Lord's name and speak of Him among one another. In the New Testament it identifies the elect, a chosen generation, royal priesthood, and holy nation called out of darkness. The church fulfills this identity as spiritual Israel, the only group that truly fears God in a godly manner, and a people formed from scattered individuals across nations who become united in Christ. Within the parable the jewels represent individual members of the church whom Christ finds hidden in the world, conceals again for protection, and redeems with His own blood in joy. This imagery underscores Christ's personal valuation of each believer and His ongoing work to safeguard the church amid spiritual conflict.

Who Are We and Where Do We Fit (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God set a jewel before His people as the very treasure of their calling to sanctification, declaring it theirs on condition that they keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments. This jewel represents the awesome gift of being chosen, set apart, and placed within the church, an honor bestowed solely by divine initiative rather than human merit. The presentation of the jewel serves as a practical motivator within the ongoing process of sanctification, urging believers to supply the appreciation only they can provide so that loyalty to God remains firm and the journey toward absolute holiness continues without interruption. When the jewel is properly valued, it works together with a single, clear eye fixed on the Kingdom of God, enabling disciplined focus that prevents the mind from drifting into divided loyalties or self-centered interests. Failure to appreciate the jewel, as illustrated by Satan and by Israel at the border of the Promised Land, produces pride, blurred vision, contention, and eventual rejection of the very gift that leads to divine purpose. In contrast, receiving the jewel with gratitude and maintaining an undivided gaze upon it strengthens the believer's place within the church, clarifies one's identity amid the surrounding world, and supports the steady growth required to reach the intended end of purity in every facet of life.

A Priceless Gift

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The term rendered jewels in Malachi 3:17 translates the Hebrew *segullah*, which designates property in the special sense of a private possession personally acquired and carefully preserved. The passage presents those who fear the Lord and meditate on His name as the ones whom He will claim as His *segullah* on the day of accounting, sparing them with the affection a father shows a serving son. This same word first appears in Exodus 19:5, where God promises that an obedient Israel will become His *segullah* above all peoples because the whole earth belongs to Him; the declaration underscores that He could have chosen any nation yet deliberately selected Israel. The Keil-Delitzsch commentary clarifies that *segullah* denotes valuable treasure set aside, not ordinary property. David later applies the term in I Chronicles 29:3 to his own personally obtained gold and silver reserved for the temple, illustrating the idea of treasure willingly sacrificed for a greater purpose. In the New Testament the identical concept surfaces without the Hebrew term. Peter describes the church as a chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, and peculiar people whose purpose is to show forth the praises of the One who called them from darkness. The underlying Greek conveys private property belonging especially to its owner. Paul echoes the thought in Ephesians 1:13-14 by calling believers the purchased possession sealed with the Holy Spirit as an earnest of inheritance. Thus the church stands in the same relation to God that Israel occupied under the Old Covenant, except that the purchase price is now the death of His Son and the seal is the gift of His Spirit. This status as *segullah* carries both privilege and obligation. Because God has set believers apart from the rest of mankind, they are required to live holy lives, keep His commandments, and reflect His character. The relationship is reciprocal: the Father and the Son extend sacrificial love, and those who receive it respond with affectionate obedience that glorifies Them. The entire discussion of *segullah* therefore reinforces the necessity of discerning the Lord's body at Passover and allowing that sacrifice to shape daily conduct, transforming believers into living sacrifices whose faithfulness demonstrates that they truly belong to God.

God's Love and Teachings for His Children

Sermon by Kim Myers

God declares through Malachi that He will claim His people as His jewels on the day He distinguishes those who have departed from evil, exhorted one another, and taught His Word and laws. This promise directly counters the human tendency to conclude that the way of life is not worth the trials, temptations, and uphill battle of the present age. The text links the designation of jewels to the assurance that present suffering is nothing compared with the coming glory, when the righteous will shine as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father and will be acknowledged as sons and daughters of the Almighty. By remaining faithful within the Family of God, believers are positioned to receive this recognition, just as parents value and protect their own children. The passage therefore ties the future identity as jewels to the ongoing reality that God is with His children, supplies their needs, guards them, and works all things for their good, making every present difficulty worthwhile in light of the inheritance that awaits.

Living Stones in God's House

Article by Staff

Solomon's glorious Temple must have been a sight to behold. God's church, however, is His Temple now—and each of us living stones in it.

Loyalty and Submission (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Loyalty and submission to God (not always easy) empowers and guarantees ultimate success and leadership, actually freeing us from the fear of death.

The Fear of God (Part Four)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The fear of God is the first line of defense, keeping us from profaning God's name, tarnishing the image of the Lord, and defending us from pain and/or death.

Proverbs 31 and the Wife of Christ (Part One)

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Revelation 19 and Proverbs 31 teach that the bride's value, strength, and virtue come entirely from God, yet must be lived out through righteous action.

The Priesthood of God (Part Nine)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The jeweled arrangement on the breastplate in Exodus 28, arranged in marching order, symbolizes differences in gifts and responsibilities of the tribes.

Why Are We Afflicted?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Affliction is a necessary aspect of life, yielding strength of character, while ease and comfort weaken us. Christ was perfected as High Priest through suffering.

Do We Remember Who We Are?

CGG Weekly by John O. Reid

Though we are the weak in the world, in God's eyes we are precious. Although we are right now lower than angels, we will be set over the works of His hands.

The Whirlpool of War

Article by John O. Reid

In God's vast experience, He knows that war produces hatreds that last for generations and destroys people's lives, reputations and potentials.