Should Christian women wear make-up or jewelry?

Question: "Should Christian women wear make-up or jewelry?"

Answer: 1 Samuel 16:7b declares, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Timothy 2:9-10 tells us, “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” Paul did not forbid women from wearing jewelry, makeup, or braided hair – rather he tells women to not let their outward appearance become more important than their inner beauty.

1 Peter 3:3-5 reminds us of this spiritual fact, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, 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. There is nothing wrong with wearing jewelry, makeup, or braided hair as long as it is done in a modest manner. A woman should not be so focused on her outward appearance that she neglects her inner spiritual life.

Recommended Resource: A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George.