Are Christian Women Allowed to Wear Makeup, Earrings or Jewelry?
1) Direct Answer
Christian women should avoid makeup and ornamental jewelry, including earrings. Dress should be modest, simple, and shamefaced. A plain wedding band as a token of covenant—not as decoration—can be acceptable.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says, “Women adorn themselves in modest apparel… not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9–10). That is a clear call away from outward show.
- “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold… but let it be the hidden man of the heart… a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:3–4). God points us to inner beauty, not external display.
- When pride and show took over, God reproved it: the tinkling ornaments, chains, rings, nose jewels (Isaiah 3:16–24). He took them away as a judgment.
- Jezebel “painted her face” to present herself (2 Kings 9:30). Scripture never commends face paint; it ties it to a worldly, seductive spirit.
- Jacob called his house to put away strange gods—and they handed over their earrings (Genesis 35:2–4). Earrings in Scripture are often linked with idolatry and worldliness.
- Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost; we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). We present ourselves a living sacrifice, not conformed to the world (Romans 12:1–2).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Now notice, the apostles didn’t point women to decorate the outside, but to adorn the inside with holiness. Outward glitter draws eyes to the flesh; the Spirit draws hearts to Christ.
- If Peter says “not with… wearing of gold,” why argue for gold and glitter? If Paul says “not with… pearls,” why defend them? Show me one Scripture where God praises painted faces or flashy ornaments.
- A plain wedding band can serve as a simple token of a vow, not as adornment. But earrings and showy jewelry exist to ornament the body—exactly what the Word says not to pursue.
- You see, this isn’t harsh law; it’s love. When Christ lives within, a woman gladly chooses modesty, simplicity, and separation from the spirit of the world.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Choose the hidden beauty of a meek and quiet spirit. Lay aside makeup, earrings, and ornamental jewelry, and let your life shine with holiness. That’s the kind of adornment God honors.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers, Part 1
64-0823M §16
But when you come to go on the outside and maybe wear ever so much of a blouse or so forth, and then boost yourself out there with straps and things, that looks ungodly and cause men... Do you realize that's a spirit of the devil on you? Oh, yeah! So you don't want to do that, sister. Don't you do that; that's Hollywood's makeup and a trap of the devil! When you do that, you make men think the wrong thing about you; and when you do that, then you're guilty of committing adultery with that man, because you presented...
The Indictment
63-0707M §113
When you see that go down the street... And some of you ladies with long hair... Say, "She's old-fashioned isn't she?" Remember, that's scoffers. That's a crown that you're wearing. God said it was your glory. Wear it with pride. Hallelujah! Wear it with pride, as you would wear a crown of thorns for your Lord, wear it with pride! Don't be ashamed. He said so. No matter what these Jezebels says today, what these impostors standing in the pulpit, crucifiers of Christ, no matter what they say, you wear it with pride....
Christianity versus Idolatry
61-1217 §99
Why would our women want to cut their hair? God, it shows something's wrong. Why would they want to expose themselves in sexy-looking things? Why would our people have hunger in their hearts to hear a guy like Elvis Presley or some of these Rickies, or so forth, stand up there with an old guitar and old squeaky music and make our young girls sway and jerk their underclothes off, and things? God, and then that boy claims to be Pentecostal! O God, what is... ? Look at this Pat Boone who claims to belong to the Church...
Questions and Answers, Part 2
64-0823E §39
QUESTION: Also, Brother Branham, I believe a woman should be subject to her husband. But if a Christian woman has a sinner husband who does not even to one of your services---come to one of your services and won't---and wants his wife to be doing things, cutting her hair, wearing shorts, and going to ungodly places, is this woman supposed to be subject to this man in this way? Please explain this more clearly, as this is a question that is asked often. No, Sister, you are not subject to such a person. No indeedy. F...
Confirmation of the Commission
62-0122 §65
And while he was up on the mountain there one day... "Aw," the king said, "there's nothing to that guy. I'll send fifty men up. I don't believe he's nothing but an old fanatic. Didn't we know him around here, talking about Jezebel, my wife, wearing paint, and everything like that? talking about all this modern living [living after the first lady's example, like a lot of us Pentecostal people do]?" That's right. Our Pentecostal women with them great big waterhead haircuts, and things like that; yes, wearing paint, m...