In 1 Peter 3:2-6 Peter exhorted the Christian wives to win their husbands to the Lord by putting on Jesus Christ. Now here in verse 3 he warns them not to follow the world’s example that Roman women were doing.
Apparently, there were some of these believing women who thought that if they dressed like the world that this would please their unbelieving husbands and that this is the way in which they could influence them towards Jesus and away from the world. It is of further interest to note that the word “adornment” in the Greek is the word “Cosmos” which is by definition the ordered universe! But it is also the word where we get our word “Cosmetic” from! While I believe that a woman who puts on her “Cosmetics” or “make up” often causes them to look so beautiful that they look like they are “out of this world”! But Peter’s warning is that they must never forget that the look they ought to be going for is one that cause their husband’s to realize that they aren’t just “out of this world beautiful” they are instead “heaven sent” as the beauty isn’t applied to the skin it is applied to the heart and that is what causes them to be God’s heaven sent gift!
It is important to note that the translators put into the text the word “merely” which was added for context as Peter wasn’t excluding a woman making her outward appearance more attractive, by the application of “Cosmetics”, “fashion” or staying in good physical shape. What Peter is saying is that outward beauty must never be the sole focal point. The truth be told that there is a big difference between glamour and beauty:
Glamour: Is artificial and external and is something that a person can put on and take off. It is because of this that it is corruptible, decays over time and fades away.
Beauty: Is internal and because of this it is real and lasting and is always present no matter what a person puts on or takes off outwardly. True beauty comes from what a person is in their heart and grows more wonderful as the years pass by.