Beyond Braided Hair
Analyzing Legalism and Its Impact on Salvation
By Abishai Alex Varghese, first-generation Indian American student residing in Philadelphia, PA.
As someone who grew up in the Malayalee Pentecostal community in India, I have witnessed how self-righteousness, which manifests as strict, man-made laws and traditions, diminish the core message of Salvation. India is a deeply religious country where people take great pride in their faith and heritage. Converting to a religion apart from Hinduism is often seen as disrespecting one's ancestors and abandoning cherished traditions. In my church, many are converts, especially from Hindu backgrounds, and most happen to be women who practice their faith in secret, often facing the risk of abuse from their families if they find out.
An expectation within the Malayalee Pentecostal community is for people to refrain from wearing jewelry. In fact, this commitment is how people identify Pentecostals from other denominations. Women are urged, or forced, to remove their jewelry because they view jewelry as a luxury and unholy consumership. Some determine jewelry has direct ties to the caste system or view it as refusal to let go of their “old life” before they truly knew Christ, which for them means before conversion into Pentecostalism. So, when these individuals attend church, they remove their ornaments as part of the Pentecostal tradition. However, upon returning home, they put their gold ornaments back on to avoid raising suspicion. These same pastors eagerly visit house-to-house to gain a single convert, celebrating the success of baptism as a testament to their ministry. Yet, when these converts face these challenges from society, instead of supporting or encouraging them, these pastors become stumbling blocks. Pastors sometimes deny communion to those wearing jewelry, viewing it as inconsistent holiness and a lack of commitment to God. Their behavior contradicts the core message of Jesus, who commanded us to accept, love, and support one another, not to tie up heavy burdens to their faith. Tradition has now gained primacy over the breaking of the bread—a signifier of salvation.
When asked why jewelry is prohibited, Pentecostal ministers often quote 1 Peter 3:3:
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes."
As well as 1 Timothy 2:9-10:
“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”
However, ministers miss that the whole point of these verses is not about removing ornaments; Paul and Peter advise women to focus on their inner beauty rather than their outward appearance. The essential message is not to remove jewelry but rather emphasizes that true beauty comes from a heart dedicated to good deeds and godly character rather than strict adherence to external standards. Their misinterpretation of this scripture portion has led them into an illogical paradox. Ministers, in critically disavowing what they think sacrifices godly standards for external metrics, they themselves have become obsessed with external presentation choices. Evidence of this pervasive paradox manifests as they proclaim the common phrase found sprinkled in many Malayalee songs and hymns, "Lokam enikku venda, lokathin impam venda," meaning, "I don’t want this world, the lusts of the eyes I don’t want." This confession of the tongue grows stale as many in our community invest in large homes, luxury cars, or other exorbitant things, emphasizing a selective view of what is acceptable.
These kinds of legalistic teachings are not new. During Jesus's ministry, He repeatedly criticized religious leaders who forced strict laws on others and ignored more essential matters such as justice, mercy, and love. In Matthew 23, Jesus sharply rebuked the Pharisees.
Jesus criticizes religious leaders for being hypocrites who focus on outward appearances and following traditions instead of truly obeying God. They burden others with strict rules, seek praise and recognition, and neglect important values like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Jesus teaches that what matters most is a person’s heart and actions, not just following rules or looking pious on the outside.
I am writing this to inform my brothers and sisters in Christ that the core of Christianity lies in the relationship with our God, Jesus Christ, and the transformative power of His Spirit. Jesus’ essential message is love through His grace which leads to gradual sanctification. Jesus’ essential message will not be manifested by critical eyes on Sunday mornings scanning the audience for gold ornaments or wearing white clothes on Sunday. If the Spirit has truly called us to remove our ornaments and let all physical adornment aside in worship, we must trust the power of the Spirit’s sanctification process to eventually convict us to those decisions; the Spirit’s work in a Christian’s heart is inevitable, after all. When our communities prioritize these legalistic rules over genuineness of worship, we place heavy and unnecessary burdens on our brothers and sisters, denying them a seat to the table that Jesus had set for them.
My vision of the Malayalee Pentecostal church is a community called to demonstrate Christ’s love through genuine righteousness, rather than seeking distinction through outward appearances alone. Our churches should practice Christ's love and welcome those struggling for their faith. Accept one another, love one another, and support one who is weak, as he commanded. Not to pass judgment on what they eat or wear, standing as a stumbling block to the one turning to Christ. We are not the judge. It's God.
Abishai Alex Varghese is a first-generation Malayalee student. Born and raised in India and now residing in Philadelphia, he bears a unique perspective to the function of the global Church. Currently, Abishai is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering while engaging in ministry roles at his local Malayalee church.