My mother was convicted of her wedding ring in the late 60's shortly after she came into the truth. No one preached against it or even spoke to her about it, God dealt with her about it. She has never wore one since. My father didn't like it but never made a big issue of it and he is still not in church today.
I grew up under the teaching of no rings and the church I attend believes it this way.
When I was married over 20 years ago we did not have wedding rings nor did we have token bibles, etc.
. . .
One thing leads to another, whether it is on the spiritual side or whether it is on the carnal side. Wearing a wedding ring opens a door to the thought process of "if it is ok to wear a wedding ring then surely it is ok to wear..."
As one of the pastors I have had in my life teaches "what womb did it come out of and where will it take you"
Thank you!
The slippery slope counts as a principle with me . . .
The vast majority of the secular people I know wear just the one wedding ring, or the set for the ladies. It is seriously not an issue and certainly not the cause for pride, vanity, jealousy and stumbling, at least among the secular/denominal men I know. Occasionally you'll meet somebody that has multiple rings or one on every finger, but then they've usually got other indicators about them that cause everybody to discern that there is a different class represented in that case.
It just makes me wonder if the Apostolic world is the only place where a simple wedding ring can get between a believer and his God.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not going to approach this any differently than I do other similar issues, i.e., what are your eyes resting on when you think about the issue. My test is this: Are you looking at God, wanting to live for him, give the issue to him, and please him fully, or are you looking at the things of this world, and attempting to decide which of them you can fit into your life without letting go of God?
So I'm sitting here looking at my wedding ring, and I think, this is not nor has it ever been the slightest issue for me. I wear it because my cherished bride gave it to me. I wear it to proudly show that I'm the one and only for my one and only. I wear it night and day. I don't envy the sculpted or jeweled bands of other men, because I frankly don't see the appeal. I find elegance in simplicity. I don't secretly desire a signet ring or such. I take it off when I use files and work on electrical devices. Otherwise, I just don't think about it.
I think I might feel hypocritical if I were take it off prior to a visit to a 'no-rings' church. I certainly don't know how I would explain that act to my children. "I'm still married to your mother even when we're visiting here." But I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense or others to stumble.
I'm trying to challenge my own paradigms, but I don't feel like I'm getting very far with this one. I've had my sins under the blood and the Holy Ghost for all these years, more years than I've worn the ring, and now, all of a sudden, *poof* I'm sinning by wearing a ring? I'm open minded but I'm still not sure I see it.
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Engineering solutions for theological problems.
Despite today's rising cost of living, it remains popular.
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." - Sir Winston Churchill
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Sir Winston Churchill
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." - Benjamin Franklin
My neighbor said that his aunt received the Holy Ghost in a local Assemblies of God church. Immediately afterwards, she took off her expensive rings and threw them in the Neuches river?
So I'm sitting here looking at my wedding ring, and I think, this is not nor has it ever been the slightest issue for me. I wear it because my cherished bride gave it to me. I wear it to proudly show that I'm the one and only for my one and only. I wear it night and day. I don't envy the sculpted or jeweled bands of other men, because I frankly don't see the appeal. I find elegance in simplicity. I don't secretly desire a signet ring or such. I take it off when I use files and work on electrical devices. Otherwise, I just don't think about it.
I think I might feel hypocritical if I were take it off prior to a visit to a 'no-rings' church. I certainly don't know how I would explain that act to my children. "I'm still married to your mother even when we're visiting here." But I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense or others to stumble.
Excellent points. And I would personally NOT take it off if I knew I was around some who were offended simply because it is a symbol of my marriage. And since I would be unwilling to denigrate my wife, I am unwilling to hide anything that represents her, even a little.
I've heard (in the distant past) of evangelists taking up ring and/or watch offerings. I always wondered (a) how I would react at such a moment, and (b) who gets the loot.
My wife has strict instructions should this ever happen in her presence.
Part of the masonic initiation ritual is the removal of the wedding ring. This is done to symbolize that you won't let your marriage get in the way of your vows to the lodge.
Call me a Laodicean skeptic if you must, but I would question anybody that would want to abruptly come between me and this well-accepted symbol of my wife's fidelity to me, especially when he looks like the cat who will be holding the bag at the end of the deal.
__________________
Engineering solutions for theological problems.
Despite today's rising cost of living, it remains popular.
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." - Sir Winston Churchill
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Sir Winston Churchill
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." - Benjamin Franklin
I've heard (in the distant past) of evangelists taking up ring and/or watch offerings. I always wondered (a) how I would react at such a moment, and (b) who gets the loot.
My wife has strict instructions should this ever happen in her presence.
Part of the masonic initiation ritual is the removal of the wedding ring. This is done to symbolize that you won't let your marriage get in the way of your vows to the lodge.
Call me a Laodicean skeptic if you must, but I would question anybody that would want to abruptly come between me and this well-accepted symbol of my wife's fidelity to me, especially when he looks like the cat who will be holding the bag at the end of the deal.
If my wife dumped her rings in such a collection, I would be following the dude with the bag ducking out the back door.
The moderate practice of wearing a wedding ring has to include the perception of the culture in which it is worn.
Perhaps. But the 'cultural' stuff can get us into trouble, too.
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There is no way that the scripture is speaking in broad brush terms on the subject.
How are you certain?
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Example, does the world question a person’s Godly, Christian character based on the wearing of a wedding ring. Absolutely not. Their witness is not tarnished one bit.
Yeah. What he said! My experience has been that a potential convert doesn't see my wedding ring and think to themselves, 'hey what a fancy-pants, he couldn't lead a hamster to God on a log-chain leash!' like they might if I had strands of gold braided in my long, luscious shimmering locks.
__________________
Engineering solutions for theological problems.
Despite today's rising cost of living, it remains popular.
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." - Sir Winston Churchill
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Sir Winston Churchill
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." - Benjamin Franklin
There is an interesting observation to be made here. The subject is wedding rings but it can really apply to any "standard" or conviction.
And that is that one side is usually able to say "Lets agree to disagree" and let it be while the other is not. Guess which side is what?
I very proudly wear my ring, as does my wife. They are not ubber expensive, but just nice enough as to not appear cheap. I think she paid about 500 for mine and I paid 650 for hers.
Now, when I meet someone or someone came into our church who did NOT wear wedding rings and was opposed to it, it would not offend me or anyone else in the building. However, is the reverse true? Would I not offend the living daylights out of the whole congregation if I we walked into a church that preached against rings?
If someone had a conviction against TVs and walked into a church that did not actively preach against them, I doubt they would offend anyone by not having one. Yet, let someone who HAS one walk into a church that actively preaches against them and it is a whole nudder ball game! (Assuming it was made known that they DID have one.)
The point is do you hold to you own convictions and beliefs or are you busy being offended by others?
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