The Children of a King

God chose the people of Israel and distinguished them from, and dignified them above all the nations of the earth as a people who would have an intimate communion with him. God passed judgment on the nations that mistreated his people by requiring restitution for their suffering. For example, God commanded the people of Israel to spoil the Egyptians. “But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians” (Exod. 3:22).

God promised to bless the people of Israel above all the nations of the earth (Deut. 28:28). Not only were the people of Israel to be holy unto God, but they would also be a prosperous people. After capturing the two kings of Midian, Gideon questions them about the people that they killed in Tabor. The scripture records, “Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king” (Jud. 8:18).

God told Abraham that he would bless him and multiply his seed as the stars of heaven (Gen. 22:17). Peter writes that Christian women are the daughters of Sarah, Abraham’s wife (1 Pet. 3:6). Strongs Concordance translates Sarah as G4564, which means “princess” (Blue Letter Bible). The daughters of Sarah are daughters of a king. The daughters of kings were distinguishable from other women. The following scriptures in the Book of Psalm describes the daughters of kings.

9 Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
(Psalm 45:9, 13-14)

It is a woman’s God-given female nature to desire things that make her feel and look pretty. A little girl wears the colorful tutu, which is an expression of her desire for things that are feminine. As she gets older, she will desire more mature apparel, which will include makeup, jewelry, and pretty clothes. Christian women adorn themselves in ways that are representative of daughters of a king. This type of adornment is uniquely beautiful, and conservative in a way that sets them apart from the world. God does not require women to give up their God-given feminine nature to serve him.

Based on the scriptures that have been covered so far in this article, God expects his people to look like royalty. However, there are some in Christendom that believe that there is a price that women must pay to obtain righteousness. They believe that women must atone for Eve who was deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The atonement that they require restricts women from holding certain offices in the church, and requires them to demonstrate humility by following a dress code that is based on religious traditions. These have adopted their own standards of righteousness and rejected the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:2-3), which is, that Jesus Christ is the end of the law for righteousness (Rom. 10:4).

Women do not have to atone for Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden. The shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvery’s cross over 2,000 years ago paid the penalty for the sins of humankind. The Apostle Paul writes, “Whom God hath set forth to be propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Rom. 3:25). Propitiation is the means of appeasing the wrath of God and being reconciled to him. Jesus Christ paid in full the penalty for the sins of mankind. Righteousness is a free gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and costs women nothing.

Certain scriptures are used erroneously as guidelines to establish a dress code for Christian women. These scriptures include Deuteronomy 22:5; 1 Corinthians 11:5-6, 15; 1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:1-6; and Revelation 17:1-4. These scriptures are used out of context to justify why Christian women should not plait their hair, wear makeup, jewelry, pants, or fancy clothes. In this article we will examine each of these scriptures to determine if any of them are actual commandments, and if they can be used to support restrictions on women’s apparel.

HAIR PLAITING, JEWELRY, AND FANCY CLOTHES (1 Peter 3:1-6 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10)

Peter’s first letter to the saints was written during a time when the church suffered great persecution for their faith. In his letter to the saints Peter offers hope, confidence, and joy during the difficult circumstances in which they were living (Smith 2002). Peter also instructs them to submit themselves to the laws of the land and to each other (Smith 2002). Peter’s purpose in writing this letter was to comfort these saints during difficult times, it was not to make commandments regarding women’s apparel. However, these passages of scripture like many others scriptures are often used out of context to support religious traditions.

1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear,
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on apparel;
4 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.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
(1 Peter 3:1-6)

In these passages of scripture, Peter is merely reiterating the comments that Paul makes in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 where he writes that women should be modest in apparel, and compares outward adorning to inner adorning (shamefacedness and sobriety). Paul writes, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works” (1 Tim. 2:9-10).

Peter instructs the wives to submit themselves to their husbands, even if their husband has not been converted. Peter writes that the wives’ chaste behavior along with honor for their husbands will win them over. Like Paul, Peter also makes a “comparison” between outward adorning; (plaiting the hair and wearing gold and fancy clothes) and inner adorning (a meek and quiet spirit).

Peter writes that the holy women in Jewish history adorned themselves in like manner; through submission to, and honor toward their husband. Peter writes that Sara obeyed Abraham, and even called him lord. There are no scriptures in The Bible that describes the clothing that Sara wore. Therefore, we know that 1 Peter 3:6 does not refer to the clothing or apparel that Sarah wore. Although, the scriptures do describe her as being a fair woman to look upon (Gen. 12:11). The scriptures tell us that Abraham was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold (Gen. 13:2). It is likely that because Abraham was rich, Sarah was arrayed in a way that distinguished her from the women of other nations.

The correct context of 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-6 are intended as “comparisons” between outward adorning and inner adorning. These passages of scripture are not intended to be “commandments” on what women should not wear. Therefore, these scriptures do not support restricting women from hair plaiting, jewelry, and fancy clothes.

HEAD COVERINGS – WOMEN CUTTING THEIR HAIR (1 Corinthians 11:5-6, 15)

Corinth was located between two oceans, which made it a major trade center (Smith 2002). As a result, Corinth was surrounded by all manner of evil and immorality (Smith 2002). Things got so out-of-hand that the Corinthian Church wrote to Paul for help establishing order in the church (Smith 2002). The book of 1 Corinthians is Paul’s response to the Corinthian church (Smith 2002).

In his first letter to the Corinthian church Paul addresses the issues of division and disagreements; right and wrong; and spiritual gifts (Smith 2002). However, Paul admits on several occasions in this letter that he has received no commandment from the Lord on some topics. In 1 Corinthians, Chapter 7, where Paul is responding to questions regarding marriage, he writes three times that he has received no commandment of the Lord on the subject (1 Cor. 7:6, 12, 25).

In 1 Corinthians 11:5 Paul addresses the disagreements regarding head coverings. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 11:5 that a woman should not pray with her head uncovered because it is as if her head were shaved. Paul writes, “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered” (1 Cor. 11: 5-6). Note that Paul makes no comment restricting women from cutting their hair in this scripture.

Paul writes in verse 15 that a woman’s long hair is her glory. Paul writes, “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering” (1 Cor. 11:15). Here again, Paul makes no comments in this passage of scripture restricting women from cutting their hair. Yet, based on these scriptures, some have adopted a religious tradition that women should not cut their hair.

In 1 Corinthian 11:16 Paul writes that if anyone disagrees with his comments regarding head coverings, “...we have no such custom, neither in the churches of God”. It appears that this portion of the scripture is completely missed by those that use Paul’s comments on head coverings to adopt a religious tradition that women should not cut their hair. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 11:5, 15 does not support requiring women to wear head coverings or restrict women from cutting their hair.

FANCY CLOTHES AND JEWELRY (Revelation 17:1-4)

In Revelation 17:1, the word “whore” is G4204 in the Strongs Concordance (Blue Letter Bible). The word “harlot” is also G4204 in the Strongs Concordance because both words are used as metaphors for an idolatress (idol worshipper).

1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
(Rev. 17:1-4)

John describes the woman in symbolic and not literal terms (BibleRef par. 2). Her being decked with purple and scarlet color apparel and expensive jewelry represents the admiration that she receives from the world (BibleRef par. 3). It is believed that the woman symbolizes a new or existing religion that will seduce the world for a season (BibleRef par. 5).

Revelation 17:1-4 does not imply that women who wear purple and scarlet color apparel and expensive jewelry are harlots and whores. These scriptures are not commandments that restrict women from wearing these items. Therefore, it is completely out of context to use these scriptures to justify that women should not wear this type of apparel.

WOMEN WEARING PANTS (Deuteronomy 22:5)

The following passage of scripture is used out of context to justify why women should not wear pants: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God” (Deut. 22:5). The purpose of this law was to prevent cross dressing, and make distinctions between male and female (Got Questions). Since men and women wore robes during these times, it is clear that this scripture does not support restricting women from wearing pants (Got Questions).

God delights in the prosperity of his people in this life and in the life to come. John the Revelator describes what awaits the people of God in the afterlife.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the walls of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the nineth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
(Rev. 21:18-21)

Those who are offended by the people of God looking and living like royalty in this present day, will not fit in with the residents of Heaven, because there, the very streets are made of gold.

CONCLUSION

The scriptures examined in this article, namely Deuteronomy 22:5; 1 Corinthians 11:5-6, 15; 1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:1-6; and Revelation 17:1-4 does not support restricting women from plaited hair, makeup, jewelry, pants, or fancy clothes. There are no scriptures in The Bible that support these restrictions on women. Therefore, we must conclude that these restrictions are merely religious traditions. 

Righteousness that is based on one’s appearance is nothing more that self-righteousness. Paul writes, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:2-4). 

In conclusion, we stand in agreement with the biblical truth presented by the Apostle Paul, in which he concludes that the believer does not live by legalism, but by grace. Paul writes, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28).

If you would like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, you must be born-again according to Acts 2:38 which reads, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please share your comments and questions in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you. 

Diane Margo Penny is an author, content creator, social media specialist, and Web Designer.

WORKS CITED

The Holy Bible, King James Version. Giant Print Reference ed. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990.

[BibleRef.com.]

[BlueLetterBible.org]

[GotQuestions.org]

Smith, Carol. Guide to the Bible. Uhrichsville, OH: Humble Creek, 2002.

Image Citation:
crown-166986_1920.jpg. Pexels. [Pixabay.com.] Web. 10 Jan. 2025.