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I thought I would go ahead and wrap up my headcovering post today, rather than next week. I mentioned yesterday that we would take a look at some of the common arguments against headcoverings.
I've changed my mind a bit, in that I'll mention just briefly a couple of common "arguments", but honestly I don't want that to be a focus. Mainly because if you are truly seeking God's word on a subject and truly looking at Scripture, common arguments won't matter or hold much significance.
There are two main disagreements when it comes to the headcovering passage. The issue of headcovering being a "cultural" thing, and the issue of a headcovering being the woman's hair. I'll just give you some "food for thought", if you will.
All I will say on the cultural issue is this: God's Word is living and breathing and relevant for today and for every believer (1 Corinthians 1:2). We need to be very careful what we pick and choose to be cultural. Maybe we should be asking ourselves this; does Scripture change to fit each cultural change?
On the hair issue...
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 says, Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered."
So if we follow the logic that Paul is talking about hair being the covering, this is how the Scripture would then read: (I'm replacing covering with "hair" and shave and shorn with "no hair".
Every man praying or prophesying, having "hair on his head", dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with "no hair on her head" dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head "had no hair". For if a woman "does not "have any hair", let her also "have no hair". But if it is shameful for a woman to "have no hair" or "have no hair", let her "have hair".
Ok, so this just doesn't logically make any sense at all! You can't shave or shear your hair if you don't have any. Also, this would mean that men should have no hair at all. It just doesn't line up!
Our long hair (as Paul talks about in verse 15) is for our glory. Our covering is for our husbands and the Lords glory.
So are there ever any circumstances when you should not cover? Absolutely yes. (My pastor recently wrote on this subject and I'm borrowing a few of his words here.)
1. You should not wear a head covering if you believe that by doing so, you will earn your salvation. No works that you can do can ever achieve for you eternal righteousness (Titus 3:5) or secure your salvation.
2. You should not wear a head covering if you believe that by doing so, it obligates God to bless you in some way. This, too, is a form of legalism -- just like trusting in your works for your salvation.
3. You should not wear a head covering if you have an attitude of pride about doing so. If you look down upon others who do not wear a head covering and fancy that you are spiritually superior to them, God will not honor your outward sign of submission because He sees your heart full of pride. Furthermore, you should not judge those who choose not to wear a head covering; it is not one of the two ordinances left by Christ to the church.
4. You should not wear a head covering if your husband would not be pleased with your doing so. This is a big one because the headcovering symbolizes respect for the authority of your husband. Therefore, if your husband does not wish you to wear a head covering, doing so would violate the very purpose of a head covering. Remember that the wearing of a head covering is an outward symbol. But the principle which is at stake is to be under authority to your husband.
It is easy to have a knee jerk reaction to a Scripture(s) when it challenges us in an area or road that we don't want to go down, or is counter culture to how we live. I know this all to well as I have had MANY knee jerk reactions over the last several years. Refinement is hard to walk through. I would just encourage you as in all things to talk with your husband, read the Scriptures, seek the Father and then do what HE tells you.
Thank you so much for taking this journey with me. I pray that you were encouraged and asked that you continue to pray for me as the Father molds me and shapes me into the woman He has called me to be.
11 Joyful Comments:
Just a quick note. I respect women who wear a head-covering and have no problem with it, but I would have replaced covering with long hair, not just hair. Thus a man should not have long hair and if a woman has short hair she might as well be shaved bald. You do not have to print or leave this comment up, this is just how my husband explains it and thought I would share. I do not want my comment to detract from your post. Thanks!
I completely understand where your husband would come to this conclusion! (and of course your comments are WELCOME!) Here is more of an explanation that I have come across with regard to the hair vs. veil. Remember I only give this as food for thought not debate! :) I love and welcome discussion - iron sharpens iron right?! :)
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On the issue of hair:
(taken from http://www.lightofmashiach.org/women/headcovering.html)
Paul used different Greek words for the natural hair covering and the headship covering. Let's look at the Greek words in the passage:
Paul said that men should not cover/katakalupto (Strong's 2619) their heads. And in verse 11 Sha'ul contrasts that with: "Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered/akatakaluptos/?" (Strong's 177) Note that 'uncovered'/akatakaluptos is the opposite of 'to cover'/katakalupto. Katakaluptos basically means to UNcover or UNveil. So far, we have a 'men uncover, women cover' command. Now for where the confusion comes in: When Paul refers to a woman's natural hair covering, he uses an altogether different word: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering/peribolaion." (Strong's 4018). Peribolaion means something thrown around (loose items like a veil, a mantle, a vesture). Hair is more like a glorious decoration given to woman. Now if Paul had meant the naturally occuring hair covering and the headship-type covering to be one and the same, he would have used the same word for each. Instead, a woman's natural hair covering (peribolaion) is being contrasted to this other covering (katakalupto) that women wear. In fact, the katakalupto actually *covers* the peribolaion.
Paul has begun this passage showing the contrasts between men and women in this passage: men are uncovered, women are covered. Then Paul supports his case for headcovering by pointing out that even in nature a women is given a covering -- by her long hair. But Paul never makes the leap that hair itself *is* a suitable headcover alone. If such a natural covering sufficed, then Sha'ul is wasting his time teaching this since the women already had a natural hair covering. Sha'ul deliberately used different words for the two coverings so we would understand they were complementary to each other but not identical. So there is *no* choice offered in this passage that one may choose to either shave one's head and cover it, or to leave one's hair long and remain uncovered. The natural order is to either wear a covering over the hair or to fully exploit the shame of being uncovered by also shaving off one's hair too. Better: if you resist submitting to the customary female headcovering, you may as well reject your natural hair as well.
Reading this just makes me miss dear Laura more! I am daily thankful for her wisdom and influence, her thoughtful inquisition into the things of God. Thank you for taking up the mantle sweet friend!
Noel - oh I miss her so much everyday. I pray I can be half of the Godly woman that she was.
Dear Chelsey ~
This has been SO SO SO edifying!
Do you mind if I 'quote & cite these posts all over the place'?
grateful to be 'almost there' in consistent practice,
Dei gratia,
Jackie -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Lat. “by God’s grace”
'used in recognition that all of life, sustenance, power, and hope are found in God’s unmerited bestowal of favor upon the undeserving'
I really appreciate you including your pastor's comments. I think that his points are very valid and important to include.Thanks!
Thanks so much for adding all of these notes about the specifics of the passage. Quite honestly, I haven't done a great deal of deep study on it. I guess I've always seen it as our hair is actually the thing that needs covering as that is our "glory." The only time a woman would be free from the need of covering would be if she were to shave her head and thus deprive herself of her "glory." I really appreciated your insights, and those of your pastor as well:)
I agree with Elizabeth - thank you for posting your pastor's comments and thank you for keeping this with scripture. So many people post their opinions and neglect the Word. I believe the Word is alive and it breathes and lives in each situation and for everyone. I also believe the Word is always relevant, it just may not be to our understanding at a certain time.
God Bless You
http://coffeegodandme.blogspot.com
Freddae - thank you for your kind words. I do think we must be careful in saying that Scripture is different to people depending on situations. That can be a dangerous place to go. Truth is Truth. Period. HOWEVER, I believe you hit the nail on the head when you said that the "Word is always relevant, it just may not be to our understanding at a certain time." We are forever growing and learning as we draw closer and closer to Him! Thank you for coming on this journey with me.
I had always understood that hair covering was intended to prevent our beautiful hair from being an entice to men other than our husbands to lust after us and therefore sin. It follows then that we are offering our respect to God and our husbands when we cover during prayer because that is when we are closest to God. I have never before really thought of this law of covering while praying. It isn't stressed in my denomination. I thank you for providing this insight and helping us all follow more closely His laws. I love living by His plan and in His time.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I do wear a head covering although I attend a church where this is not practiced. I sometimes struggle with wanting to be like others. But ultimately, I find it more important to be the person God wants me to be.
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