HEAD COVERING
HEAD COVERING
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
My Message below is an excerpt from my study entitled: WOMAN OF GOD, ARE YOU REALLY CONSCIOUS OF THE KEY ROLE THAT YOU OUGHT TO PLAY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST?
I WAS REPLYING TO THE MESSAGE OF A WOMAN "SENIOR PASTOR"
"I thank you dear sister! The woman Pastor supports the idea according to which” sn Paul does not use a word specifying what type of “covering” is meant (veil, hat, etc.).”
With all the respect that I owe her I would like to tell her that this assertion is false.
Let’s see what the bible declares:
“Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering » (1 Corinthians 11: 13-15)
The word used by Paul specifying the type of covering is meant is “hair”, the “long hair” of the woman. We need not make Greek or Latin studies to understand that. Let us take simply what the Bible says. God is always revealed in simplicity (Matthew 11:25):
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
Psalm 119:130
Do not see figure of speech (metaphors) everywhere. The phrase “Long Hair” means “Long Hair”.
Here’s the interpretation given by the woman Pastor to define the hair of the woman:
“…it refers to the outward symbol (having the head covered) as representing the inward attitude the woman is to possess (deference to male leadership in the church)”.
This is a false interpretation of the Word of God. Let us see one of the passages of the Scriptures which deal with the inward attitude which a woman is to possess:
“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
1 Peter 3: 1-7
To define clearly what interior attitude a woman must have, did Paul need to use a metaphor here (in 1 Peter 3: 1-7)? No! Please do not add your point of view to the Word of God. The long hair of a woman is not the symbol of her inward attitude:
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight” (V. 3-4).
Since a man who requests or prophesies should not cover his head, can the woman Pastor tell me what is the outward symbol of the inward attitude of the man? Shouldn’t the man who requests or prophesies adopt the similar inward attitude like that of the woman?
“For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (V.10).
Truly speaking, it’s a physical sign and not an interior attitude.
It is neither a hat, nor a scarf or a piece of fabric but Paul refers to natural and long hair of the woman created by God Himself. As much God does not live in temples built by hands (Acts 17:24), under no circumstances would He take pleasure in a piece of fabric. He rather likes the natural hair of the woman.
Consequently, a woman should not cut off her hair. It is prohibited by God. Amen!
The woman Pastor said:
“sn Paul does not mean nature in the sense of “the natural world” or “Mother Nature.” It denotes “the way things are” because of God’s design.”
I thank you dear sister! Let’s see what Paul said: ” Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.”
The nature of things here means the natural world. There’s no metaphor here. No! Let us see what the same Paul said in his epistle to Romans about the nature of things:
“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20
God is revealed to humanity through the nature, I mean the natural world, then through His Son Jesus-Christ and through His Word, the Bible. To understand God, it is necessary to understand the laws which govern the natural things which are the works of His hands. Thus, according to this nature of the things a man should not behave like a woman. A woman also should not behave like a man. This is a disorder, even an abomination (as regards sexual relationship for example):
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
Romans 1:26-27
In the same way, the nature teaches us that man should not have long hair but on the contrary the woman must have long hair because the hair was given to her by the Creator as her veil. This is simple to understand. There’s no figure of speech here. No! Leave the passages of the Scriptures in their contexts. Do not try to adapt them to the particular doctrines of your denominations. The Word of God is for God and God is his own interpreter.
The woman Pastor asked a question:
“If head covering = long hair, then what does v. 6 mean (“For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair”)?
I thank you dear sister! A biblical verse is a whole. Do not take a part a verse to explain all the verse. Thus, I would like to ask you a question too. The answer of my question will be the answer of yours:
According to you, what does the other part of the verse 6 below, which you quoted mean?
The same verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 11 says: “If it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head”. What does it mean?
I’m waiting for your answer!"
I hope this can help.
Bro. Germain
www.tagworld.com/srobouay
www.myspace.com/wawesan
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
My Message below is an excerpt from my study entitled: WOMAN OF GOD, ARE YOU REALLY CONSCIOUS OF THE KEY ROLE THAT YOU OUGHT TO PLAY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST?
I WAS REPLYING TO THE MESSAGE OF A WOMAN "SENIOR PASTOR"
"I thank you dear sister! The woman Pastor supports the idea according to which” sn Paul does not use a word specifying what type of “covering” is meant (veil, hat, etc.).”
With all the respect that I owe her I would like to tell her that this assertion is false.
Let’s see what the bible declares:
“Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering » (1 Corinthians 11: 13-15)
The word used by Paul specifying the type of covering is meant is “hair”, the “long hair” of the woman. We need not make Greek or Latin studies to understand that. Let us take simply what the Bible says. God is always revealed in simplicity (Matthew 11:25):
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
Psalm 119:130
Do not see figure of speech (metaphors) everywhere. The phrase “Long Hair” means “Long Hair”.
Here’s the interpretation given by the woman Pastor to define the hair of the woman:
“…it refers to the outward symbol (having the head covered) as representing the inward attitude the woman is to possess (deference to male leadership in the church)”.
This is a false interpretation of the Word of God. Let us see one of the passages of the Scriptures which deal with the inward attitude which a woman is to possess:
“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
1 Peter 3: 1-7
To define clearly what interior attitude a woman must have, did Paul need to use a metaphor here (in 1 Peter 3: 1-7)? No! Please do not add your point of view to the Word of God. The long hair of a woman is not the symbol of her inward attitude:
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight” (V. 3-4).
Since a man who requests or prophesies should not cover his head, can the woman Pastor tell me what is the outward symbol of the inward attitude of the man? Shouldn’t the man who requests or prophesies adopt the similar inward attitude like that of the woman?
“For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (V.10).
Truly speaking, it’s a physical sign and not an interior attitude.
It is neither a hat, nor a scarf or a piece of fabric but Paul refers to natural and long hair of the woman created by God Himself. As much God does not live in temples built by hands (Acts 17:24), under no circumstances would He take pleasure in a piece of fabric. He rather likes the natural hair of the woman.
Consequently, a woman should not cut off her hair. It is prohibited by God. Amen!
The woman Pastor said:
“sn Paul does not mean nature in the sense of “the natural world” or “Mother Nature.” It denotes “the way things are” because of God’s design.”
I thank you dear sister! Let’s see what Paul said: ” Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.”
The nature of things here means the natural world. There’s no metaphor here. No! Let us see what the same Paul said in his epistle to Romans about the nature of things:
“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20
God is revealed to humanity through the nature, I mean the natural world, then through His Son Jesus-Christ and through His Word, the Bible. To understand God, it is necessary to understand the laws which govern the natural things which are the works of His hands. Thus, according to this nature of the things a man should not behave like a woman. A woman also should not behave like a man. This is a disorder, even an abomination (as regards sexual relationship for example):
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
Romans 1:26-27
In the same way, the nature teaches us that man should not have long hair but on the contrary the woman must have long hair because the hair was given to her by the Creator as her veil. This is simple to understand. There’s no figure of speech here. No! Leave the passages of the Scriptures in their contexts. Do not try to adapt them to the particular doctrines of your denominations. The Word of God is for God and God is his own interpreter.
The woman Pastor asked a question:
“If head covering = long hair, then what does v. 6 mean (“For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair”)?
I thank you dear sister! A biblical verse is a whole. Do not take a part a verse to explain all the verse. Thus, I would like to ask you a question too. The answer of my question will be the answer of yours:
According to you, what does the other part of the verse 6 below, which you quoted mean?
The same verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 11 says: “If it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head”. What does it mean?
I’m waiting for your answer!"
I hope this can help.
Bro. Germain
www.tagworld.com/srobouay
www.myspace.com/wawesan
Comment
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Comment by N'ZI Amani Germain on May 15, 2009 at 5:32am
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Dear younger brother Lamale,
Man should not have long hair but on the contrary the woman must have long hair because the hair was given to her by the Creator as her veil.
It is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off.
However, a man should have his hair cut. If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him.
It is very clear, isn't it?
Dear sister T,
Women who are naturally bald or some type of illness to cause their hair to fall out will not be accountable for that.
If your niece is bald, God knows it. God is just in all His ways.
However, if your niece has intentionally caused this using cosmetic products, then she is responsible
for that. God is just in all His ways.
It is very clear, isn't it?
Bro. Germain
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Comment by Minister T on May 14, 2009 at 9:42pm
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I agree with you Minister Williams. If we want to just say that it is the hair, what about the women who are bald or some type of illness to cause their hair to fall out. One of my nieces had Alopecia Areata, would that mean she wasn't covered because she was bald? No. It is too narrow to reduce this to the hair on one's head.
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Comment by Min. LaMale Williams on May 14, 2009 at 3:00pm
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hi. i am min. lamale and i am 13. if paul only meant for the hair to be the covering, then men would have their head covered also!
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