What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Theological View on Makeup and Personal Care"
Answer
Adventist writings emphasize that order and cleanliness are the law of heaven and that Christians should appear neat and tasteful, without placing outward appearances above inner adornment. Cosmetics are viewed critically, as they cannot restore the radiance of true health and inner joy. The focus is on the “hidden person of the heart” – a gentle and quiet spirit – as the true adornment that pleases God and is of lasting value.
Natural beauty is regarded as a heavenly gift that should not be despised, but must always remain subordinate to character. A balanced approach is recommended: neither extravagance and vanity nor excessive frugality and neglect of the outward.
Critique of Cosmetics and Superficial Beautification
»Women may turn to cosmetics to restore the complexion of the facial color, but they cannot thereby bring the radiance of healthy feelings back to the heart. What darkens and clouds the skin also darkens the spirit and destroys the cheerfulness and peace of mind.«
Order and Cleanliness as a Heavenly Principle
»Order and cleanliness are the law of heaven; and to come into harmony with divine order, it is our duty to be neat and tasteful. Our outward appearance should not dishonor the One we profess to follow, but should bring honor to His cause.«
Natural Beauty and God's Appreciation
»Christ warned us against the pride of life, but not against His grace and natural beauty. He pointed to the flowers of the field, to the lily that unfolds in its purity, and said, “Even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” Thus Christ illustrates through the things of nature the beauty that heaven values: modest grace, simplicity, purity, propriety, which would make our attire pleasing to Him.«
Inner Adornment as the True Priority
»Now is your golden opportunity to shape pure and holy characters for heaven. You cannot afford to devote these precious moments to cleaning, frills, and outward beautification while neglecting inner adornment. “Your adornment should not be external adornment—braiding hair, wearing gold, or putting on clothing—but should be the hidden person of the heart, the imperishable one, namely the adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great value before God.”«
Beauty as a Heavenly Gift with Proper Assessment
»Beauty is a gift from heaven. It is not to be despised, but outward grace can be evaluated as we read the apostle’s admonition: “Your adornment should not be external adornment—braiding hair, wearing gold, or putting on clothing—but should be the hidden person of the heart, the imperishable one, namely the adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit.” How many sacrifice the peace of mind, a pleasant disposition, health, and happiness for worry and anxiety over outward appearances. God values the beauty of character, the loveliness of temperament higher, of great worth.«
Perfection in the Outward in Proper Proportion
»While it is our duty to strive for perfection in outward things, we must always keep in mind that this goal must not be placed first. It must be subordinate to higher interests. Above the visible and transient, God values the invisible and eternal. That has value only insofar as it expresses this.«
- External adornment and modesty
- Character formation and inner beauty
- Christian lifestyle and clothing
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
