Rachel Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:18 am
The main verses which are cited with regards to Christian headcovering are from 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, as you probably picked up from the top of the screen! I don't know what translation of the Bible everyone hear uses, but I'm going to write them out here from the NIV, because that's the one I have closest to me at the moment.
[color=blue](1) Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (2) I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings (note: also 'traditions'), just as I passed them on to you.[/color]
The first two verses are basically tell us to follow Christ's example. Being a man, Christ probably didn't wear a prayer covering, but I think this is telling us to follow is example generally. Verse two is telling us to remember God's teachings, the way Paul passed them on to us, not changing them to suit our own purposes.
[color=blue](3) Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. [/color]
This is explaining the 'headship order' to us. Lots of people get really hung up on the 'man is the head of woman' part, and don't realise that the headship order goes woman-man-Christ-God, so in 'dishonouring' man, we're also dishonouring God!
[color=blue](4) Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. (5) And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. (6) If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. (7) A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. [/color]
This is the bit that usually confuses people. It sounds like we're being told that long, uncut hair is an acceptable covering. But go through it and replace every time it says 'cover' with 'has long hair' and 'uncover' with 'bald' or 'has short or cut hair', and see how much sense it makes. Like this:
[color=darkred](4) Every man who prays or prophesies with hair on his head dishonours his head. (5) And every woman who prays or prophesies without hair on her head dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. (6) If woman does not have hair on her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should put hair on her head. (7) A man ought not to have hair on his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.[/color]
Does this make sense? No, it does not. How can someone without hair be likened to having their head shaved? They're bald. How can someone without hair have their hair cut, if there isn't any hair to start off with?
[color=blue](8 ) For man did not come from woman, but woman from man, (9) neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. (10) For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.[/color]
These verses I think say that, yes, we ought to submit to man, but we're not inferior animals. We were created for man, to serve and to help the men in our lives. The headcovering is a 'sign of authority'! We wear it 'because of the angels'! Now, I don't know why angels are being mentioned. I think it's one of those things that I'm not going to completely understand until I get to heaven, but it's pretty amazing to think that I am wearing my headcovering 'because of the angels'!
[color=blue](11) In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is a man independent of woman. (12) For as woman came from man, so also man is bon of woman. But everything comes from God. [/color]
And neither of us can function on our own. Nor can both male and female function apart from God.
[color=blue](13) Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (14) Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, (15) but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. [/color]
Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me? Why is it that when we see a man with long hair, we think it's pretty weird, but if we see a woman or girl with long hair, we think it's beautiful? And about verse 15, the Greek word used for 'covering' here is actually a completely different one to the one used for 'covering' in verses 4-7.
[color=blue](16) If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice - nor do the churches of God.[/color]
And here's the verse specifically for those who would say that the headcovering practice is only for the church in Corinth. Not so! The 'churches of God' are mentioned here. All of them have 'no other practice' (meaning not to have a headcovering). That's all Christians, not just the ones in Corinth. If that weren't enough, look at 1 Corinthians 1:2, the beginning of Paul's letter.
[color=blue](2) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours.[/color]
Everyone everywhere who calls on the name of Jesus to forgive us our sins and believes in him must comply with the ordinances (this we must do) described in 1 Corinthians. The verses from 11:17 onwards are talking about the Last Supper. Do you see any Christians saying that that teaching isn't neccessary to be followed?
I hope this has answered the questions of anyone who's still not sure about headcovering, without being too longwinded for those who already cover! I think, it's not a sin, per se, to not cover, but it dishonours God - who would want to do that?
And if all this isn't enough to convince someone, my thinking is, I would prefer to be wrong about this and still cover, and stand before the throne of God when I die and have him tell me "oh, you didn't really have to do that", than to be right about this and not cover, and get to Judgement and have God ask, "you knew you should, so why didn't you?"
It's a matter of faith to do it. Pray to God for strength, and he will giive you the strenght to do what you need to. It's not an 'I cover so I'm a better Christian that you' think, either. We do to do what God wants us to do, not what man (people) want us to do.
from Rachel.