Q: Is It Biblical for Pentecostal Churches to Wear Only White and Forbid Gold or Jewellery? — Anju, Kerala

A: Hi Anju,
Thank you for this reflective question. It’s one that many sincere believers—especially in parts of Kerala and South India—often wrestle with. Let’s explore it together with an open Bible and a Christ-centred heart.

Many Pentecostal groups in India have adopted practices such as:

• Wearing only white clothing (especially in worship)
• Forbidding jewellery, makeup, and ornaments (especially for women)
• Insisting on external modesty as a mark of holiness

But the question is: Are these commands from Christ, or are they extra-biblical traditions taken to an extreme?

What Does the Bible Say About Clothing and Colours? #

No New Testament command says Christians must wear only white. While white is a symbol of purity in Scripture (e.g. Revelation 7:14), it is not a command for daily attire.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”
— Isaiah 1:18 AMP

The New Covenant is not about physical garments but about being clothed with Christ.

For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Messiah] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values].
— Galatians 3:27 AMP

The command is not to wear only white, but to walk in purity, clothed inwardly with Christ’s nature. White garments in Revelation are figurative of righteousness (Revelation 19:8)—not a dress code for the church.

Is Wearing Gold or Jewellery Sinful? #

This comes from a misreading of passages like 1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3:

“I want women to adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and discreetly in proper clothing, not with elaborately braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes…”
— 1 Timothy 2:9 AMP

“Your adornment must not be merely external—with interweaving and elaborate knotting of the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or being superficially preoccupied with dressing in expensive clothes…”
— 1 Peter 3:3 AMP

However, the keyword is merely ‘or not’—the focus is on modesty, not on banning jewellery outright. Paul and Peter were addressing vanity and showiness, not condemning all forms of adornment.

In fact, in the Old Testament, God adorned Israel with jewellery to show His love (Ezekiel 16:11–13). The issue is not jewellery itself, but the heart behind it.

Where Did These Rules Come From? #

Many holiness and Pentecostal churches in India were influenced by early Wesleyan and Revivalist holiness movements, which emphasised:

• Simplicity
• Separation from the world
• Modesty in appearance

These began as heartfelt convictions—but over time, they became rigid laws, often disconnected from Christ’s leading.

Some groups also misunderstood Levitical purity or Old Covenant shadows, applying them to New Testament believers. But we are no longer under law.

“Why do you submit to rules and regulations—‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’—which all perish with use, in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?”
— Colossians 2:20–22 AMP

These external rules may appear holy, but they do not produce true transformation unless Christ is formed within.

True Modesty Comes From Christ Within #

True modesty and holiness begin in the heart, not with fabric or gold.

“Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonours the man.”
— Matthew 15:17–18 AMP

In the New Covenant:

• We are not justified by appearance
• The Spirit, not external codes, leads us
• We are clothed with Christ, not white clothes

Tradition vs. Christ’s Teaching #

Hope this brings clarity, Anju.

In Christ,
Shaliach.