The Unfading Beauty of a Gentle and Quiet Spirit

Q: If you're a Christian, is it OK to wear CELTIC jewelry if you cover it with the blood of Jesus?

A: Thank you for your question. The Christian life is not one of what we should and should not wear. That is living a life under the law. This is because if we say it is not okay to wear Celtic jewelry we have to define what jewelry is okay to wear. Furthermore, we then must decide if we are going to receive rewards for wearing the "proper" jewelry or be punished for wearing "improper" jewelry. Ultimately, your question seems to really be asking, "Is it a sin to wear Celtic jewelry?" That is because you mention covering your wearing of Celtic jewelry with the "blood of Jesus." Covering things with the blood of Jesus is not found in the Bible. It has been said that in the New Covenant, "we receive the blood by faith and sprinkle the blood with our words." This is not a biblical statement and only reveals an individual's lack of understanding of the forgiveness of sins we have in Christ Jesus. It gives the impression that we can put some sort of "shield" around ourselves by uttering some kind of prayer or saying. It also gives the indication that wearing Celtic jewelry is a sin, but we are going to wear it anyway. And as long as we "cover it in the blood of Jesus" God will forgive us of that sin.

The Apostle Peter may be able to shed some light on this subject for you. "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 (1 Peter 3:3-4)." The issue is not about is it okay to wear Celtic jewelry, but about the motivation behind you wearing it. Obviously, you are attracted to the jewelry and like wearing it. As Peter alludes to in the above passage, the real issue is what is in your heart. Are you reflecting the love of God in your life to those around you? Or, are you concerned about what you wear because you are focused on the image your jewelry projects to those around you? Much of what motivates our actions, including how we dress, is to bring attention to ourselves. That attention could be to make us stand out or it could be to make us accepted by those we associate with in our lives. Christians are not immune to the pressures that come with fitting in and being accepted by our peers. Your choice of jewelry may be playing a factor in how others view you. Regardless of your reasons for asking about wearing the jewelry, it is important that you understand some things about God and how He feels about you.

First of all God is not holding your sins against you. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7)." Even if wearing Celtic jewelry is a sin, and I do not believe that it is, you already stand forgiven in Christ. Secondly, because of your faith in Jesus Christ, you are accepted by God. "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God (Romans 15:7)." Most of the sins we commit are done so in order to gain the acceptance our hearts desire. However, God accepts you completely because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is no need to "cover" things "in the blood of Jesus." Jesus Christ did not "cover" your sins when He died. "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!" All the sins of mankind have been taken away from the eyes of God for all eternity because of the death of Jesus Christ. Thus, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God is able to offer His life, as a free gift, to all those who accept Christ by faith. All Christians have been made alive to God because God, in Christ, resurrects our spirits by indwelling us with His life. God is now able to live His life through us because there is no sin that will cause His life to leave.

You are now able to bear the fruit of the Spirit because God has met the desires of your heart in Himself. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)." That "gentle and quiet spirit" that Peter spoke about is manifested through you as you rest in Christ and all that you have been given through faith in Him. You are free to wear Celtic jewelry, but if you do not feel comfortable wearing it, then don't wear it. The Bible says that "everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23)." If you are having concerns about wearing the jewelry, just eliminate the concern and not wear it. It is that simple. There is no need to trouble your spirit by doing something you believe might be sinful. You are not going to be diminished, or exalted, in the eyes of God by the jewelry you wear. As you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, what you wear will reflect how much you are resting in the love God has for you. You will discover you are beginning to love others the way God is loving you and that you will be reflecting His love by revealing the beauty of your gentle and quiet spirit. Grace and Peace.