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NASB | Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God [that is, to the judges who act in God's name], then he shall bring him to the door or doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl (strong needle); and he shall serve him for life. |
Bible Question:
Hank, I am posting this under your post simply because yours is the first in the current string here, not because I am specifically addressing you or any of your comments. I also am not posting my questions / comments as a defense for body piercing and tattooing. I personally don't care for it. My question is, what is everyone's attitude about pierced ears? I am not referring to multiple piercings, but the simple standard earring piercing (in the earlobe) that has been around for decades and which a lot of very Christian ladies have. Much of this thread seems to relate to attitude, and I am wondering whose attitude it is that needs examining? Much of this discussion is about "body" piercings and the affects on the Christian witness and attitude. Does anyone notice whether a lady has pierced ears or not? I know I don't. But we all notice a pierced eyebrow, don't we? What is the difference? Our attitude or theirs? I guess my point would be that I can't see the biblical difference between the pierced ear and the pierced eyebrow, but we as a society seem to. I am not going to discount some lady's Christian witness based on the fact that she has pierced ears. A pierced eyebrow really shouldn't affect my attitude towards that same Christian witness. Again, I am not trying to justify anything here. Just wondering if my/our attitudes are biblical or not, and if they are being properly applied. |
Bible Answer: mitelt Let me speak to this and I hope Hank will also respond. My wife has pierced ears but it was done before she or I were saved. That said she still wears earrings and I see nothing wrong as such. She has expressed regret that she had her ears pierced and I doubt she would ever have done it once she was saved. Earrings are the norm in society and most if not all women wear them. I'm told that piercing is more practical than anything else if you are going to wear earrings. Wearing pierced ear earrings is more comfortable I'm told and more secure (they are less likely to fall off and get lost). If the woman does have pierced ears and is wearing earrings it is almost impossible to tell if her ear is pierced with most styles of earrings. In the case of a single pierce while I still wouldn't recommend it, does almost become a matter of practicality rather than an attention getter. Now lets us move on to the multiple piercings and piercing in other places. I think it safe to say in all cases it is done to draw attention. Attention either for attraction, as a statement of rebellion, or as a statement of individuality. I think they talk of the condition of the heart and an attitude of the mind. In them as such I see a problem. The heart is focused on what the world has placed in it not the what God desires to be there. God doesn’t want us to attract attention to ourselves in lust, or in rebellion or as individuals. We are the body of Christ knitted together to stand Glorifying God not ourselves, our attitudes, or our desires. Exodus 21:6 may in fact be relating a custom of the time, it is also a lesson of the heart. Some that are in slavery don’t want to be set free, they want to remain bondage to the dictates of this world. It becomes an analogy for us today. Many that are in the church and claim to desire freedom from this world and sin within it still want to hang onto the things of this world. Their lips proclaim they are Christian but their action in this case pierced brows says they are still in the world. Jesus talked about this in His message to the Laodician church Rev. 3:14-22. Their hearts were in the church but also in the world. Whether we want to accept it or not there is a line drawn in the sand. Each of us must decide to step across or remain where we are. Jesus will not allow us to straddle that line forever. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit or they are not, we either have the attitude to keep our bodies holy and glorifying God or we don’t, we either use our bodies to draw attention to ourselves, or to God. Is there condemnation is piercings single, multiple or otherwise? No! But there is condemnation for the condition of the heart and the attitude of the mind that desires to do this to the Temple of the Holy Spirit for the wrong reasons. EdB |