The answer to the Head covering issue

Well let’s see- one man esteems one day above another and another esteems everyday alike so let every man be fully persuaded in his own heart because whatever he does- it is unto the Lord. One woman is submissive unto the Lord honoring her husband as her covering with only her hair and another is submissive with an extra material on top of her head and so let everyone be fully persuaded in their own heart because whatever they do- they do unto the Lord.

That being said I believe God has revealed unto me by the Holy Spirit what Paul was talking about in the passage of scripture in 1 cor 11 because brethren I also have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and I believe that He is the interpreter of the Word. The reason I’m posting this is because in the other thread concerning legalism I sensed the Holy Spirit correcting me on my understanding of vs 16 and I was grieved because I didn’t truly believe what I wrote about it.

You see, I know I have been filled with the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit is given to them that obey Him and I want to obey him in all things. So I begin to inquire of the Lord of the reason I was feeling as a spirit-filled man that this passage was being used legalistically and why did I not believe that we must teach women to put something extra on top of their heads because God was displeased with the teaching of the Pharisees in:
Matthew 23:4-5 (KJV)
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

This and many other rebukes from Jesus in the whole 23rd chapter in Matthew concerning their self righteous attitude and appearing to others as being holier than thou, was and is a concern of doing something outwardly to prove something inwardly as not truly being of God.

This led me to a discovery that brought me joy in the Holy Spirit that I truly believe was from Him. I will begin with 1 Corinthians 11:15 (KJV)
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
It is clear from this scripture that Paul is saying that hair is given to her for a covering right after He said this in 1 Corinthians 11:13-14 (KJV)
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

Earlier he said in 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 (KJV)
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

It is evident that Paul is talking about a covering in this whole passage of scripture and then I began to realize that every passage of scripture is to be read in context understanding that there is background to that particular time and place of scripture being written. There were loose and ungodly women in the city of Corinth whose hair was cut short in an ungodly way as being disrespectable to God’s order of how he created us as men and women.

We all have seen women lose their hair from chemo treatments and they would cover their head with a wig or something because they felt shame to show their head without their hair covering it. Well God wants us to be godly and the men to be masculine and the women to be feminine. God does not want men to cover their heads with long hair like the women or veiled in any way because he is the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of man so her head should be covered.

Also “sign of authority on her head” is not in the passage that is just other men’s opinion of what “power” means in 1 Corinthians 11:10 (KJV)
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

I must say that I’m no different than many other men who have come to different conclusions about this passage of scripture but one thing I do know is that Paul said “hair is given her for a covering”.

Well enough said for now but Paul said it plainly that the woman’s hair is given to her for a covering and he didn’t add that she needs to also wear something else for a covering also.

Well if I am to interpret this passage without the doctrines of men and all their quotations on it then it is clear that her long hair will do just fine for a covering. I believe Paul would even say “amen brother” that’s what I been trying to tell you all along- but sometimes we let other men influence us more than the Holy Spirit.

Blessings to all!

This led me to a discovery that brought me joy in the Holy Spirit that I truly believe was from Him. I will begin with 1 Corinthians 11:15 (KJV)
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
It is clear from this scripture that Paul is saying that hair is given to her for a covering right after He said this in 1 Corinthians 11:13-14 (KJV)
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

Earlier he said in 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 (KJV)
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

It is evident that Paul is talking about a covering in this whole passage of scripture and then I began to realize that every passage of scripture is to be read in context understanding that there is background to that particular time and place of scripture being written. There were loose and ungodly women in the city of Corinth whose hair was cut short in an ungodly way as being disrespectable to God’s order of how he created us as men and women.

We all have seen women lose their hair from chemo treatments and they would cover their head with a wig or something because they felt shame to show their head without their hair covering it. Well God wants us to be godly and the men to be masculine and the women to be feminine. God does not want men to cover their heads with long hair like the women or veiled in any way because he is the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of man so her head should be covered.

Also “sign of authority on her head” is not in the passage that is just other men’s opinion of what “power” means in 1 Corinthians 11:10 (KJV)
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

I must say that I’m no different than many other men who have come to different conclusions about this passage of scripture but one thing I do know is that Paul said “hair is given her for a covering”.

Well enough said for now but Paul said it plainly that the woman’s hair is given to her for a covering and he didn’t add that she needs to also wear something else for a covering also.
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Hey
thanks for sharing this.
rdg

For he is great, he does wondrous things: he is God alone.

The Most High Great and Wonderful God he requires order and goverment.... He requires the woman to be covered, he gives her the desire to be covered and then he gives her a covering...

rbanks wrote:
I must say that I’m no different than many other men who have come to different conclusions about this passage of scripture but one thing I do know is that Paul said “hair is given her for a covering”.

Well enough said for now but Paul said it plainly that the woman’s hair is given to her for a covering and he didn’t add that she needs to also wear something else for a covering also.

God bless you,
Lisa

hi everyone,

Thanks for all the gracious replies!

Thanks brother Blaine for all your input which is very good.

I believe this thread is answering the head covering issue to help set a lot of people free to the question of does a woman have to put a piece of cloth on top of their head.

I have discovered something else that I believe will be enlightening to those who desire true freedom concerning this issue.

I will mention it later on.

Blessings to all!

I have worked in West Afirca for over 10 years.

One thing I have noticed is that if a woman has done something wrong they shave her head.

As it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved.

Fortunately we don't have this stigma or custom in America. Whenever I see a lady with a shaved head I usually think she is undergoing cancer treatment.

But whatever the reason for the shaved head I never think they did something wrong since we all have done something wrong and need the grace and love of God.

We are all sinners but Christians should not treat people like sinners. We should not treat them like untouchables. Even Jesus touched the lepers.

Pilgrim

The first "covering" that took place.

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and CLOTHED them.

Notice that God clothed them both with skins which represent something that had to die to clothe/cover them. (The Life is in the blood). He clothed them both, not just the man.

And this is what God has done for male and female in Christ.

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath CLOTHED me with the garments of salvation, he hath COVERED me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

And the things that God is most intent on that we cover is the covering that Peter knew about quite personally. Peter never talked about an article of clothing and neither did the Jerusalem council. Jesus talked about clothing only once and it was symbolically as it relates to faith.

What did Peter say?

1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall COVER the multitude of sins.

Jesus talked about clothing us, only once and no more and He interacted with many women and had many as His followers.

Luke 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Paul talked more about PUTTING ON other things much more important than any article of clothing.

Col 3:12 PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Rom 13:14 But PUT YE ON the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have PUT ON Christ.

Eph 4:24 And that ye PUT ON the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Eph 6:11 PUT ON the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Col 3:10 And have PUT ON the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Col 3:14 And above all these things PUT ON charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

It seems that these are the most important things to put on and there is no dispute or misunderstanding or confusion about what is being communicated.

There are a plethora of teachings, understandings and interpretations of 1 Cor 11, but no consensus. However, we all have consensus on the aforementioned verses.

Shalom,
Pilgrim

krispy wrote:
zzzzzzzz....

Krispy

I know I've offended you and I'm sorry, I just don't understand this immature behavior.

God bless,
Lisa

They weren't Christian’s they were unbelievers the last one I heard of she had her hair shorn because she was caught with cannabis and the Police shaved her head. She probably got a good beating as well.

The second last time was a woman who tried to poison another woman, and a group of woman shaved her hair off…………and I guess a good beating as well…

It's amazing what you find in past threads.

I just posted a bunch of past threads on HeadCovering in this thread:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=43257&forum=36

There are some very good discussions in these threads on this most polarizing of issues.

Here is another by post by Graftedbranch that witnessed to my spirit. I have the Magna Carta of Women and it is very good.

No Custom? Or No Argument?
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=9669&forum=36&post_id=&refresh=Go

Jessie Penn Lewis did a wonderful treatment of this passage in "The Magna Carta of Women".

In it she put's forth the interpretation that in these passages Paul is addressing a question put forth by the Corinthians in a letter they had written to Paul.

In those days and especially in Corinth, for a woman to unveil in public was a public shame to her husband. She was considered as a temple prostitute who would unveil.

But for a man to veil was a dishonor to his Head which is Christ because the Tallith, or veil was a symbol of Condemnation. So for a man to veil was to dishonor Christ and His redemption.

Yet the believing women, who were experiencing the liberty which is in Christ by the Spirit saw no need to veil. They said in effect, 'We are in Christ, we are all on the same level, we have no need to veil". And so in the public gatherings when women would prophecy or pray unveiled, in their culture they were dishonoring their head which is the husband in the eyes of outsiders.

Paul tells them that becuase the man is the head of the woman she should not dishoner her head, but rather she should veil (for his sake).

But the man should not veil because that was to dishonor Christ.

Yet at the close of this portion, he emphasises that it is not a matter of legality, and that there is no imposed custom in the churches. and that it should not be a matter of contention.

It is a matter not of doctrine but of custom. Not a custom of the church, but one of the culture and they should honor this for the sake of the reputation of the gospel.

It is also true in regard to woman "remaning silent and learning at home. It was not permitted for a woman to be "educated". So He told them the women who desired to learn, let them learn at home through their own husbands and not publically to bring the gospel in disrepute. Paul in saying this is not degradng women but elevating them saying, "let them learn at home", let them learn. But do so in a way that will not hinder the gospel or bring the church into disrepute.

If you were to push many's view to its conclusion, because the bible says that we should pray without ceasing, and that speaking Christ should be our normal living day to day, a woman should always be veiled. And men should never wear a hat.

Graftedbranch

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all the good replies.

I do hope this thread will be enlightening to many who feel pressured to do something without the leading of the Holy Spirit.

So I’m asking everyone to please not hijack this thread from its topic. I believe this subject is serious to many sincere people.

Here is something else I have discovered because government order of God is final concerning the covering of headship in 1 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

So going back to what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 (KJV)
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

Notice verse 6 it says “let her be covered” if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven.

Then look again at 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 (KJV)
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Again it implies to her long hair in “for hair is given her for a covering” and there is nothing else to add to this unless we want to add to scripture. Now if anyone wants to make the covering be a veil as in covering her head then it still says that her long hair can be that veil of covering for her.

Here is something to think about “that her hair is given her instead of a veil” saying that a woman’s long hair can meet the apostolic standards of propriety and that she would require no artificial covering.

Something to think about…

Blessings to all!

Hi Sean,

I appreciate your input brother and I do see somewhat of what you are talking about concerning vs 5&6 but I think we would have to agree that we cannot be positive on exactly what Paul was meaning in that particular time and particular place.

We also know he was not specific in describing for others 100’s of years down the road in a different place and custom than Corinth exactly what type of artificial covering that all women should wear. We do know their head should be covered in a godly manner.

I do know that vs 15 is precise and seems to mean exactly what it says and we both know that this would be a good time for the Holy Spirit to cause him to state more specifically about every woman of all time needing to wear an extra artificial covering and what type if God truly wanted all women of all ages to wear something extra on top of their head.

I just have now found out that the literal translation has “instead” along with the YLT version in vs 15
1 Corinthians 11:13-16 (YLT)
13 In your own selves judge ye; is it seemly for a woman uncovered to pray to God?
14 doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man indeed have long hair, a dishonour it is to him?
15 and a woman, if she have long hair, a glory it is to her, because the hair instead of a covering hath been given to her;
16 and if any one doth think to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the assemblies of God.

I also did a little more searching and found this which really makes sense also and I have quoted him precisely as he has written it.

Nature (vv. 13-16). In a general way, it is true that nature gives women longer hair and men shorter hair. The Romans, Greeks, and Jews (except for the Nazarites) pretty much followed this custom. Nowhere does the Bible tell us how long our hair should be. It simply states that there ought to be a noticeable difference between the length of the men's hair and the women's hair so that there be no confusion of the sexes. (This principle eliminates the so-called "unisex" styles.) It is shameful for the man to look like a woman or the woman to look like a man.
The woman's long hair is her glory, and it is given to her "instead of a covering" (literal translation). In other words, if local custom does not dictate a head-covering, her long hair can be that covering. I do not think that Paul meant for all women in every culture to wear a shawl for a head-covering; but he did expect them to use their long hair as a covering and as a symbol of their submission to God's order. This is something that every woman can do.
In my ministry in different parts of the world, I have noticed that the basic principle of headship applies in every culture; but the means of demonstrating it differs from place to place. The important thing is the submission of the heart to the Lord and the public manifestation of obedience to God's order.

Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1.

Lysa, maybe Krispy is under conviction that he is snoring...reminds of what young fellows used to do during preaching. If the preacher got to stepping on their toes they would slouch down in the bench and act like they are sleeping.

Now, maybe you better go wake up that guy and tell him his snoring is disruptive!

ginnyrose

Joe,

That is a great first and last post.

Thus it is with learning how to follow the leading of the Spirit of God.

We are all in an individual school of the Spirit, customized just for us to learn to follow and trust the Lord. He is teaching us to walk in love...as He walked.

Pilgrim