Theology Category > Dreams & Visions
Wedding Rings
tinka:
Now this is where a true, true believer can have the test of vanity (smile). What will your vanity let your conscience do! "we have not burden to condemn", she put the burden on ones own choice and let the conscience "except the fault".
Remember her conscience at her baptism? She could not see how the others could be baptised and still have the rings on. This one statement alone is why I used the "poor excuse" term. She was not going to make statement against the "law of the land". But carefully put the burden on each individual and the vanity shows by the continuation of that weak excuse to the continuation to wear it.
Her statement is quite in consistency of Scripture which is quite direct in wearing of the gold, silver, jewelry etc, etc. anyways now look at what it has done for just one stumpling block. Just watch Hope channel and see what the "if" in many consciences expanded in great portrayal of "waste of time and money" in diamonds, rubies, and on and on. There is no conscience left on that matter! How is that to watch the majority follow after their "vanity". Scripture is clear. My own actions will deter the need to display. Oh and by the way I like the beauty of jewelry but I know what Jesus says and why. I have a hard time coping with what I do unintentionally to displease him let alone do intentional things.
Johann:
In 1913 a minister's wife in Scotland wrote a letter to Ellen G. White about the wedding ring. Ellen asked her son to reply on her behalf, and here is his letter:
"NOW REGARDING THE QUESTION RAISED IN YOUR LETTER. THE WEARING
OF A GOLD RING AS A MATTER OF ORNAMENT IS A USELESS PRACTICE, AND
CONTRARY TO THE BIBLE INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE SIMPLICITY OF DRESS
AND APPAREL. THE WEARING OF A RING AS A TOKEN OF LOYALTY IN THOSE
COUNTRIES AND AMONG THOSE PEOPLE WHERE SUCH A CUSTOM IS SO THOROUGHLY
ESTABLISHED THAT DEPARTURE FROM THAT CUSTOM WILL BE UNIVERSALLY
MISUNDERSTOOD IS, IN MY OPINION, QUITE ANOTHER MATTER, AND I THINK
THAT IF YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE COUNSEL OF MEN AND WOMEN OF EXPERIENCE
WHO HAVE LABORED IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IN INDIA, THE LORD WILL NOT
COUNT IT TO YOU AS A VIOLATION REGARDING THE SIMPLICITY OF WOMEN'S
APPAREL.
"POSSIBLY YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE STORY OF MY WIFE'S
EXPERIENCE WITH THE WEDDING RING. WHILE SHE WAS ATTENDING BIBLE
SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA, I BECAME WELL ACQUAINTED WITH HER, AND WHEN THE
TIME DREW NEAR FOR OUR MARRIAGE, I PROPOSED THAT IT BE IN TASMANIA
AT HER FATHER'S HOME. REGARDING THIS SHE WAS NOT ENTHUSIASTIC, AND
UPON INQUIRY, I LEARNED THAT HER FATHER HAD VERY DECIDED OPINIONS
REGARDING THE DUTY OF THE WIFE TO WEAR THE WEDDING RING, AND MY WIFE,
KNOWING THAT AMERICANS LOOKED UPON THIS MATTER DIFFERENTLY THAN THE
BRITISH PEOPLE, SUPPOSED THAT I WOULD OBJECT.
"SHE DID NOT CARE FOR IT PERSONALLY, BUT I PURCHASED A RING, AND
WE WERE MARRIED WITH IT BECAUSE HER FATHER'S FAMILY AND ALL HER
FRIENDS REGARDED IT AS ESSENTIAL. AFTER WE HAD BEEN MARRIED A FEW
MONTHS, AND HAD SETTLED DOWN IN OUR HOME WHERE WE WERE WELL KNOWN,
SHE LAID ASIDE THE RING, AND WHEN I ASKED HER WHY SHE TOOK IT OFF,
SHE SAID IT WAS IN THE WAY WHEN SHE WAS WASHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
BECAME OF THE RING, BUT SHE HAS NOT WORN IT SINCE. I THINK THAT IN
THIS EXPERIENCE IT WAS HER DESIRE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION OF PAUL
WHEN HE WROTE, 'WHETHER THEREFORE YE EAT, OR DRINK, OR WHATSOEVER
YE DO, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.'
"BY THE WEARING OF THE RING DURING THAT PORTION OF OUR EXPERIENCE
WHERE ITS ABSENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERED AT, AND CAUSED UNNECESSARY
PREJUDICE, AND BY LAYING IT ASIDE AS SOON AS THAT EXPERIENCE WAS
TERMINATED, SHE HAS FELT THAT SHE WAS DOING THAT WHICH WOULD BEST
SERVE THE CAUSE OF OUR MASTER."--DF 121, WCW TO MRS. W. E. INGLE,
APRIL 14, 1913.]--DF 121. {4BIO 197.1}
tinka:
So would this be the excuse in our own country to do our own free will and vanity. It is just too close to vanity now and waste of money as the inch gave into the millions of inches and SP done away with and that is the "way it's done" while it is spread world wide. Inch by inch --Now display is everywhere for no more then the vanity obsession.
Then you must not disregard a very very direct statement. "Is it worth taking that chance" she claims? Not for me! I do not want to be a stumbling block for anyone.
princessdi:
Ok, but my only concern is that if it is biblical church doctrine, that that is what it needs to be. Not depending on where you live. This is not the case with the Sabbath.
I'm sorry, but I grew up with the mission stories about people who risked imprisonment and death to keep the Sabbath, or even be baptized. All kinds of miraculous tales of village witch doctors and such. The Sabbath IS biblically sound, and treated so. There is no allowing for cultural differences. Neither should there be.
If we insist that the wearing of wedding bands is also biblical doctrine, then there should be no allowing for cultural differences. Joining the SDA church and keeping the Sabbath often jeopardized even destroyed families livelihood(sp), and personal safety, yet we proudly told the stories as a testament to their faith in God, and rightly so. Do you not beieve we should have the same such stories regarding wedding rings if as you say they are sound bibical doctrine?
If it is in the church manual then it should be enforced............everywhere, not just where it is most convenient. I believe this is where the church lost it's credibility in the area. I never said if it was right or wrong, only the facts as they stand. Personally, I dont' have a probelm with it. I just beieve that it does create hard feelings among those who were taught it was a matter of one's salvation, an outward show of their faith. It does seem double minded on the part of the church.to insist that only NAD needs to dispaly this particular show of faith and obedience. Do Hawaiians get to still eat roasted pig because it is such a huge part of their culture?
tinka:
We agree (smile)
Though in the church manual they basically ok'd the wedding ring on the above issues. I felt it was wrong as with some other issues too.
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