Your Hair's Too Long

I Corinthians 10:32-11:19


“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.” (I Corinthians 10:32-11:2)

Christians are not to be offensive to anyone, whether saved or unsaved, Jew or Gentile. Our goal is to bring them to Christ, not drive them away. Paul went out of his way to be accommodating to all around him. He asks that Christians follow him, and praises them for having followed his example and obeyed the commands in other areas. But…

“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. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 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. 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. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. “ (I Corinthians 11:3-15)

All of the above statements are true. The long haired man and the woman with short hair do portray a rebellious attitude. In spite of that fact, the Apostles did not set such a standard, and neither did God’s churches. There was no reason for contention because there was no such standard set.

“But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (I Corinthians 11:16-19)

As we saw in I Corinthians 3:1-3, conflict and contention resulted from an unspiritual attitude. Setting a standard that caused contention indicated an unspiritual state in the one setting the standard, as well as the one who was offended by it. For this, Paul says “I praise you not. Their coming together under those conditions was not to benefit everyone, but to impose their will on others.

The conflict shows who is actually approved to God, not what the argument is about. People who allow the Holy Spirit to teach them will all come to a unity of doctrine. That is why God gave each of the different offices according to Ephesians 4:11-15.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Growth takes time, and is the product of the Holy Spirit, not human standards. It will not be produced by conflict. Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit.