Yesterday, I read a comment on another blog that referenced headcovering as a “divisive” issue. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this. The general consensus among Christians seems to be that headcovering shouldn’t be talked about much, since it’s one of those “hot topics.”
Well, is it? Divisive, I mean; since we all know that it is indeed a hot topic. I’ve done a bit of thinking on this, and here’s what I think.
Clearly, headcovering isn’t a salvation issue. The Bible leaves us no room for a blurry perspective on this; salvation, we are told, is by faith alone.
“…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Galatians 2:16
This theme is repeated over and over again throughout all of the New Testament, so there can be doubt on this point; we are saved (justified–made right with God) ONLY “by faith in Christ.” That’s it. No formulas to follow, no boxes to check off, no personal accomplishments to glory in. Jesus Himself is the answer. Anyone who teaches anything else is to be accursed:
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galations 1:8
If anyone were to preach that women need to cover their heads while praying and prophesying in order to be saved, that person who preaches this “other gospel” should be accursed. But, I personally haven’t heard anyone who supports headcovering, preaching this at all. As far as I can tell, those who support headcovering are aware that it is not a salvation issue, and they don’t try to make it one, either. Folks who try to accuse headcovering advocates of promoting salvation by works are probably not arguing based upon the facts.
So, if headcovering isn’t a salvation issue, what is it? It’s a God-ordained apostolic tradition (the KJV says ordinance). The headcovering tradition was delivered to believers straight from the apostle Paul himself, who was an inspired vessel of our Lord. So, ultimately, headcovering was instituted by God, and meant to apply to all believers of the New Testament era.
“Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.” 1 Cor. 11:2
So, those verses from Galatians we just referenced above, about there being no other gospel than that of being saved by faith alone in Christ? The apostle Paul penned those words (inspired by the Holy Spirit), and he is the same author who wrote the headcovering passage found in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16! If you read Galatians chapter two, you can see the conflict that occurred between Paul and Peter, because Paul considered that Peter and some of the other Christian Jews were being hypocritical; they were attempting to follow the law (at least partially), while at the same time knowing full well that the law had NOTHING to do with their salvation. Paul was very stern in his rebuke of them. And yet, here in 1 Corinthians 11, we see him saying that he praises the brethren for following the traditions! Either Paul is being inconsistent by insisting on grace alone in one case, but calling for tradition-following in the other, or these must be pretty important traditions!
Look at what is said in 1 Corinthians 11 later on in the chapter, regarding the Lord’s Supper:
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 1 Cor. 11:23-26
Did you make the connection? Regarding headcovering, Paul says “Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you,” and then in the same chapter, regarding the Lord’s Supper, he says, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.” Same word: delivered to you. Paul received instructions from the Lord that he passed on to the other believers; the practice of headcovering falling into this category, as well as the practice of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is also a tradition, but few people have a problem with observing it. Of course we know that it has no power to save us (only Jesus can save us), but we are obedient in keeping it because we recognize that it was given to us by God. So, tradition isn’t always man-made: sometimes it’s God-made.
In that case, “keeping the traditions,” such as the Lord’s Supper and headcovering, is something we do in obedience to our Lord! And Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). As we keep the traditions, we “proclaim” important spiritual truths (refer back to 1 Cor. 11:23-26 above, the Lord’s Supper passage). The act of putting a piece of cloth on one’s head, or the act of eating unleavened bread and drinking wine/grape juice, have no meaning on their own; it is what these things represent spiritually that is important. And the spiritual truth was intended by God to be communicated to others in a specific way in order to impart the message clearly (we can’t switch potato chips and soda for the bread and wine, and neither can we switch a wedding ring, modest dress, or a husband’s last name for the veil; the symbol must necessarily be implemented as originally instituted for the spiritual truth to be proclaimed accurately).
As new-born Christians, the main thing we need to understand is how to be saved. Once we’re saved, we’re supposed to grow. We grow as we read God’s word, talk to Him in prayer, and obey Him. The Christian life doesn’t stop with “Now I’m saved, how wonderful” (and of course, it is wonderful!); no, it continues on after that as we follow our Lord and learn to be like Him. So, headcovering should be considered a step of obedience that Christian women need to take as one of the logical next steps in their walk with Christ after being saved, just like getting baptized and participating in the Lord’s Supper. (Of course, it’s very important to understand the WHY of headcovering, too!)
Back to our original question: Is headcovering divisive? Let’s rephrase that. Is teaching other Christians to obey the Lord’s commands divisive? Well, it can be. When people who DO want to obey God’s commands for New Testament believers encounter other people who DON’T want to obey God’s commands for New Testament believers, there’s potential for conflict! When we are made aware of our sins and are forced to confront them, we have two choices: either we repent, and do the right thing; or, we dig our heels in, and refuse to do the right thing. This type of confrontation sifts the mature Christians from the immature Christians, and (hopefully) motivates the immature ones to grow up a notch. Either that, or it reveals who may not be a Christian at all, since if we truly love Jesus, we will keep His commandments.
Sometimes, the truth divides, because of its very nature: truth is light and reveals what’s in the dark. Even Christians fight against the truth at times. Perhaps they are struggling with old habits, or have allowed Satan a foothold in a certain area of their lives. Perhaps they simply don’t know the Bible very well yet, and are still clinging to worldly philosophy. When confronted with the truth, they will sometimes react poorly. But is that any reason why we shouldn’t teach the truth?
Another thought is that there are those Christians who truly DO WANT to obey Christ, but have a hard time coming to an agreement on what 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (the headcovering passage) really means. Is it cultural? Is it not cultural? Are we supposed to follow the principle (submission), but no longer need to apply the symbol (the woman having a covered head)? Or, are both the principle and the symbol tied together? I believe there are those who truly do desire to understand what this passage means, but are not at this point in their journey seeing eye-to-eye with others who ALSO desire to understand what this passage means. Is the solution to simply drop the subject? Wait a minute! This is the LORD’S command we’re talking about! It doesn’t seem to me that we should just “drop the subject” because we think it’s hard to understand, or we’re having a hard time agreeing on it. What we need to do is calm down, ask God for self-control, and be willing to have an open and honest conversation with other Christians about this, since our obedience to the Lord is at stake. We NEED to know what the will of the Lord is, since we will be guilty of disobeying His command if we don’t obey it because we don’t understand it. When Christians talk to each other about issues such as this, it is because we are trying to help each other grow, and to help each other obey the Lord (at least that should be our motive).
So, let’s not ignore this important topic because it’s “hot.” True, it can be divisive. But, we don’t need to allow ourselves to get all worked up about it. Let’s agree that yes, there’s potential here for conflict, but that we want to discuss this issue maturely, in order to find out what the will of the Lord is. And let’s be patient and kind with each other, since sometimes it takes time for us to be able study the information, digest it, and make a decision about it. And even then, we may still change our minds. It’s a process. I didn’t come to believe in headcovering in a flash; I had to study first, and then I had to think about it for awhile, while at the same time reading the Bible passage several times (as well as reading the entire letter of 1 Corinthians for context). Then, after I talked to my husband about it, I finally decided to submit to what I knew the word of God was actually saying.
I don’t expect others to come to agree with me about headcovering in a flash, either. I know that there is a process involved; and no, I don’t think that everybody else who doesn’t believe in headcovering is dumb and immature. I know that we are at different places in our personal walk with the Lord, and I trust that if we truly do love Him, and want to obey Him, that He will reveal His truth to us, in time (especially as we devote ourselves to reading His word).
Headcovering, though it can be divisive, doesn’t have to be. Among mature Christians, it can be a wonderful, beautiful opportunity to encourage each other in our walk with God. Those who have already started to cover, or who have been covering now for awhile, can testify to the fact that headcovering has so many benefits in the Christian woman’s life! In that case, how can we not want to tell other ladies about it!
truthathome.wordpress.com 
Hi, Jessica!
Wow, I loved this article! You make so many good points here.
“Is the solution to simply drop the subject? Wait a minute! This is the LORD’S command we’re talking about! It doesn’t seem to me that we should just “drop the subject” because we think it’s hard to understand, or we’re having a hard time agreeing on it. What we need to do is calm down, ask God for self-control, and be willing to have an open and honest conversation with other Christians about this, since our obedience to the Lord is at stake.”
I love this. I find it seriously perturbing when the argument of, “If you even TALK about this issue, you’re being divisive! And if you actually want to obey it, YOU are being divisive, so drop it!” When did basic obedience become divisiveness?
(Ken Ham deals with this same accusation over his young Earth creation views. He is often accused of being divisive when he is the one sticking to a plain reading of the Bible while others are not.)
Additionally, when did obedience become optional? Yes, headcovering is an outward sign. And it’s not good to have the outward sign without the inward heart attitude. But it’s not okay to neglect the outward sign either. If that were so, we could just ditch baptism and the Lord’s supper, because both are outward signs! We need to have the inward attitudes and beliefs AND the outward signs of those beliefs (headcovering, baptism, Communion).
I confess that I find the headcovering journey lonely, because I don’t know any other women in my own life who do it. Even those who believe that it’s right (and those are few!) don’t do it! I really hope that obedience to this passage grows over coming decades and that headcovering recovers from the blow dealt it by feminism to become the rich heritage that it was in pre-feminist times.
I do believe that current events are going to be contributing to a great purification of the American church in coming years. Those who cannot stand to be unpopular by sticking with the Bible are falling away from the church in droves (I’m watching it happen with my own eyes), and as Christianity becomes more and more unpopular (and even persecuted), I think we will see a greater return in the true church to historical practices that have become neglected in our age of “being relevant” and catering to the world and to feminism.
Do you know anyone else who practices headcovering (in your own life)?
And have I bored you enough yet with such a long comment??? 🙂
Have a wonderful night!!
Diana
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Diana, great comment! I agree with what you are saying about great purification of the churches. God bless you. Kinuko
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Dear Diana,
I’m never bored with long comments–actually, I love them! (Though if you only have time to leave a short one, that’s fine, too!)
I think you’re right, about the eminent purification of the Church in coming years. God is deeply interested in making us holy and without blemish. He may use persecution to make that happen (similar to the pattern of history). And in the process, I do believe, as you do, that we will see a return to biblical practices that have been neglected. There will be an even greater divide between those who follow the Bible, and those who don’t (though they call themselves “Christians”).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding the supposed “divisiveness” of headcovering. I’m glad we agree on this topic! I have trouble with people who want to do all the talking (opposed to headcovering), but who aren’t willing to listen to those who support it. It seems so unbalanced and unfair for them to basically say, “You headcovering advocates don’t have a right to talk. But we have the right to go on and on about how ‘divisive’ you’re being. So be quiet, and let US have the last word.”
Again, thanks for your wonderful comment. I enjoyed reading it, as always!
Jessica
P.S. No, I don’t know anybody personally who covers, except the ladies from a church we used to go to several years ago. It was an Apostolic Church (a Oneness Pentecostal Church) and we left because of other doctrinal issues. I don’t know that the ladies there truly understood the reason why they should cover; they mostly did it (it seems to me) in order to adhere to that church’s teaching. Besides that, I don’t know anybody. I’m so glad to have my online friends, though!
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There seems to be so many ladies who do not deny headcovering christians but do not practice by their own.
I have talked with some of them.They accept the teaching of creation order-headship of male,obedience of female.And also they are so faithful ladies.But they say ‘I do not.’
Headcovering is visible,and it sometimes announce that you are a christian and a conservative believer.It maybe one of the reason of their attitude.
What do you think,Jessica? As for Japanese christians,I think that there is also another reason.Christian headcovering is rarely known in Japan.So many of Japanese believers do not know about it but Cathoric nun’s veil,classic race veil,anabaptist’s cap.And for us those types of covering are so hard to practice.
I thank you,Jessica! You showed me many coverings you have before. So I could learn that I can choose many types of covering.
God bless you and your family,and please take care.
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Dear Sanae,
I think that you are right about headcovering being hard to practice sometimes because of its visible nature. It truly does announce that we are conservative Christians (and it forces us to live up to a higher standard). I also agree that sometimes headcovering isn’t practiced because it isn’t well-known (though if we read the Bible, it is clearly taught in 1 Cor. 11). A new believer (or one who hasn’t yet read the Bible all the way through) may have never encountered the headcovering teaching before. So yes, I do think that there are several possibilities for why some women do not cover, and it is not always because of rebellion (though it may be). I mentioned a few in my article, but I know that I may not have covered every reason!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this!
Jessica
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Dear Jessica,
As always, your post is intriguing and precise! Your post reminds of the first re-baptizers in the 16h century. Most of them were youths, purely and straightforwardly seeking to do His will,,and most of them were killed by the state authority as martyrs.They were the real “divisive” people, right? Through their courage and obedience to His word, the Church has got rediscovered its apostolic practice of adult baptism which had been abandoned by the Catolic church for centuries.
This is my sincere prayer that the headcovering sisters would be used as His little tools to recover His truth regarding 1 Cor 11.
from Kinuko
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Amen! I agree with your prayer that God would use headcovering sisters as His tools to recover the truth regarding 1 Cor. 11.
I think that sometimes standing for the truth is labeled as being “divisive” in order to protect the power of those in leadership. Thinking for ourselves is not allowed. Instead of looking at the issue objectively and openly, it seems easier to them to simply dispose of those who oppose them. I am also thinking of Martin Luther, whose main interest was in purifying the Catholic church from un-biblical practices and teachings. However they were unwilling to listen. How sad. They weren’t interested in obeying God, but in protecting their own position of power in the church, and in controlling the people.
Thank you for your instructive comment, Kinuko!
Jessica
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Dear Jessica,
Thank you for your reply. This morning, I read your most loving & powerful letters to Deborah on her blog. I was so touched by your faith, character, humility, logical mind, politeness, inner strength, courage, friendship and sincerity. I am so proud of having such a great friend. And I want all the headcovering sisters who are under pressures read your messages on her blog. Kinuko
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Thank you, Kinuko! Your comment touched me deeply. I also am grateful for such a great friend as you!
Jessica
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Jessica, my Young adults group is studying 1 Corinthians. We also going study head covering. I talked to my church elders and our Young Adults leader. They say that head covering matter is between the woman and God. It’s personal matter–my church stance on it.
I believe this is a progress from “head covering obsolete”
Irina
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Oh, great! I agree that seeing headcovering as a personal matter is definitely better than being opposed to it. There’s hope that the next step will be for the elders and leaders of your church to study the headcovering issue and accept it as non-cultural, timeless, and meant for ALL Christian women to follow. Thanks for the update; I’ll be praying for you and your Bible study group as you study 1 Corinthians.
From Jessica
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Hi Jessica,
Dropping by after a while. Been so busy lately😟, but so happy I read this article. It answered some questions I had at the back of my head regarding salvation and the headcovering. I knew it did not have anything to do with salvation, but this article makes everything fall into the right place. Thank you my dear for being diligent in the word. God bless you!
Lots of love,
Esther
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Reblogged this on The Christian Woman's Veil and commented:
I have not had time to write lately, but would love to share an awesome article on the headcovering from a Christian sister of mine Jessica.
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Dear Esther,
Thank you for your heartening comment!
It is always so wonderful to hear that something I’ve written has been useful to someone else!
I appreciate the reblog on your site, and your warm commendation! I’m glad you liked it enough to decide to add it to your collection of headcovering articles.
So good to hear from you again!
Jessica
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I’ve been to a lot of churches and none of them take or do communion the same way. Some of them did swap out the wine and bread with grape juice and crackers or gluten-free wafers. In the context, their communion sounds something like a pot-luck, whereas I’ve never seen a church take communion that way. We do things differently, and to say that ‘one can’t just change things’ is not taking into account that yes, things have been changed. Which is why head covering is up to be challenged and changed just like absolutely everything else and that’s where the division comes in because nobody agrees on one standard anymore than everybody agrees on one way to take communion. That’s also the problem with the ‘sola scripture’ approach where we divorce cultural and historical context from Scripture and try to interpret what Scripture means using Scripture. When you look at the Greek, the word ‘symbol’ isn’t there. My favorite translation puts it this way: “For this reason, the woman should exercise control over her own head, out of respect for the angels.” (they arrived at that conclusion by translating from Greek, to Latin, copied it for centuries, then to Spanish; bypassing the English connotations and interpretations altogether.) Which they take to mean that the woman should decide what she wears on her head; be it a head covering because that’s the prevailing cultural idea or the lack of a head covering as she is the image of God just as much as man is. Until somebody creates one interpretation that works for absolutely everyone all of the time, then there will always be division and not everyone will be on board with head covering.
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Hi, Jamie!
Thank you for commenting on my blog.
As I read your comment, a few things stood out to me, which I would like to share.
1)Yes, things have changed in the way that we observe certain ordinances in the church; specifically, our observance of the Lord’s Supper, and headcovering. However, admitting that changes have occurred does not prove the validity of those changes. The real question should not be, “Have changes occurred?” but rather, “Are those changes the will of God according to the Bible?”
2)A sola scriptura approach does not ignore cultural or historical context. Cultural and historical context may help to inform us of what a particular passage means, affecting our interpretation of it. However, though a sola scriptura approach doesn’t discount contextual evidence, it does emphasize that the Bible is “God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and therefore superior to cultural and historical analysis, which can be inconclusive at times. If there is an apparent contradiction between the prevailing culture and God’s clear command (such as in the case of headcovering, where it can be shown that the command given by God DID NOT fit the culture of the day), we must submit to the word of God. Sola scriptura also means that we don’t depend upon the opinions of other people to guide us, but instead, depend upon the HOLY SPIRIT within us to guide each of us personally as we read God’s Word for ourselves and do our best to understand it.
3)How do you know that your favorite translation is the most accurate? Especially as we reflect on the fact that any translation should depend upon the ENTIRE CONTEXT of a passage to determine how a particular word should be understood. Since the whole of 1 Cor. 11:1-16 seems to indicate that headcovering is a timeless command, how then can we feel at such liberty to translate verse 10 to mean that the woman can do whatever she wants? Doesn’t seem CONSISTENT to me. Yes, there are a myriad of translations out there, and most of them have very minor variances. However, in the case that there is a variance, we must intelligently decide which translation is probably more accurate.
4)When we base our beliefs on our own subjective experiences and feelings, and on what other people are doing and seems to work for them, we become susceptible to all sorts of deceptions. Because we have not accepted an objective base for our lives, doubts assail us, and chaos eventually ensues. We need an absolute truth. Finding out what that absolute truth is, is a journey, but one that God will guide us on, and one that is well worth the effort!
I hope all the best for you as you attempt to uncover the truth in your own life’s journey, guided by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
From Jessica
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You can’t always know that if a change was or wasn’t the will of God based on Biblical evidence. Like using a few ounces of grape juice and an oyster cracker vs the Biblical version of communion. There’s no verse that authorizes or describes the change. It just happened so they don’t match up. Same for head covering. Why is it that few people consider the possibility that God decided that head covering was past it’s time and did away with it because it had taken precedence as a rule people did without knowing why?
If the Holy Spirit can guide women to cover, then why can’t He guide them to uncover as well? Could that have been what happened when head covering ended?
I actually don’t believe that any translation of a translation of a copy of a translation is the most accurate, the documentaries I’ve seen show how verses that aren’t in one Bible, like the account of the woman caught in adultery, are in others – as if it were added onto the original. But because the originals were lost long ago, there’s really no way to confirm which version is the most accurate. There is, however, a consistent bad translation and chain of errors in every single passage where women are mentioned. Like the word that tells women to be silent is the same one that tells men to settle down. The word that tells women to be servants is the same one that is used as a title for men to be deacons. Even in this passage, adding the word ‘symbol of’ that isn’t there and changing it so that she is under someone elses’ authority, when the same word used of men always suggests that they themselves posses the authority. Even when the centurion said ‘I’m under authority’ he described it as having authority to tell his servants ‘do this’ ‘go there’ and people do what he says and goes where he says.
Everyone who interprets scripture does it from a human bias that is subjective, to how they read it or understand what it means. They’re not able to use it objectively. When no two people agree on Scripture, there’s no way both of them can be right about it being an objective truth because someone will always see it differently. When two people have a completely different understanding of absolute truth, then there’s the possibility that one or both of them are wrong. But while people translate the Bible and interpret the translations, our beliefs shape what we will teach; even on an unconscious level. But it also makes us blind to specific parts of the Bible that don’t mesh with what we expect to find. The problem is that the Bible can usually be interpreted both ways – for and against slavery, for and against sexism, even for and against head coverings.
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If complementarianism is new (not originating in Genesis 1-2) then it cannot be true: https://thisbrother.wordpress.com/2015/11/09/if-complementarianism-is-new-it-cannot-be-true/
This points to the problem with the submission portion, and makes the head covering principle weak in that light.
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Dear Jamie,
Thank you for your interest in this topic, and for taking the time to comment!
I’m sorry to have taken so long to respond to your most recent two comments. I did read them, and I even linked to the article “If Complementarianism is New then it Cannot be True,” and I read through the entire piece. I thoughtfully considered your points; however, I disagree with much of what both you and the author of the article said. If I could sum up my thoughts into one sentence, it would be this: “The Bible isn’t that hard to understand, and even if there are variances among translations, they are usually so minor that we can still come to a solid conclusion regarding all the major Bible doctrines using the REST of the Scriptures in which there are no variances among translations; however, when we reject the word of God as the one and only absolute base for our life, the only logical conclusion is that we will be lost in a sea of doubt, and will have no firm direction for our life.”
Jamie, I would encourage you to keep studying, but to also be open to the possibility that you may be wrong, and so may some of the other people who’s opinions you respect so much at this point. I strongly encourage you to pray to God for guidance, and to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as you study the Bible. And remember, the Holy Spirit (Who inspired the Scriptures) will NEVER contradict the word that He has already given us in the Bible. But, the devil loves to deceive us with SUBTLE deceptions that appear so much like the truth, and that are so palatable to us, that we often swallow them whole, IF we are not firmly grounded in the word of God.
Once again, I hope the best for you on your journey to find out what the truth is.
Jessica
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My church has spent the last several weeks focusing on how exactly we got the Bible going into detail – from the Torah and the rest of the Tanakh (Old Testament) to the Apocrypha to the New Testament Gospels and Epistles to the books that weren’t approved to be included in the Bible. We’ve talked about many millennia of human history, language and translation, politics and culture. From the scrolls and codices to stained glass windows (when people didn’t really read the Bible but had it read to them from illuminated manuscripts) to the printing presses mass producing the Bible (and the occasional typo – such as the He Bible and She Bibles); the Bible has been filtered through thousands of years and from thousands of people both orthodox and heretical thinkers from one language to another; it’s inevitable that bias and errors would creep in and they would be copied down hundreds of times over. Copyists sometimes copied notes in the margin as part of the verse, intentionally changed a word, mixed up the word order, added or removed a word (like adding a ‘symbol of’ in 1 Cor 11 when there’s no Greek word even hinting that it ought to be there). I can’t help but wonder, was the Bible inerrant before or after we added words to it? I wouldn’t be surprised if all Christians weren’t wrong in some way, shape, or form because our teachings very much miss the mark of Jesus’ core concepts; to love God and to love your neighbor – the things that the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament) suggest and the New Testament clearly spell out as our obligations: to look after widows and orphans, feed the hungry, visit prisoners and the ill, provide clothing and shelter, and speak out for the oppressed. Head covering didn’t make the list.
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One thing about “divisive” issues is that God doesn’t want us to ARGUE about these things. I am the sort of guy who likes to argue a point and try to convince somebody of something. The thought is, based on human reasoning, that if I can just use the right words at the right time, the other person will see the light. After all, isn’t that what has happened to me in the past?
Unfortunately, spiritual subjects don’t work that way. God tells us that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, no one can understand spiritual subjects: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)
I am learning that when someone doesn’t understand what God has taught me from His Word, I need to ask Him to give them understanding, and also to guide me in what to say.
“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive [argue]; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:23-26)
Obviously, it’s easy to get a holier-than-thou attitude toward others and decide that the reason they can’t understand us is that they aren’t as spiritual as we are. Sometimes, I imagine that could be the case. Sometimes, it might be that God has not chosen to reveal it to them at this time. Sometimes, I just might be wrong. 🙂 Over the last year-and-a-half, I have discovered that I was not hearing God’s voice as I thought I was, and I have had to learn what His voice actually sounds like. Just recently, I realized that something I thought He showed me a year ago was probably not from Him after all. But God is faithful, and as I have asked Him to teach me how to hear His voice and follow Him, He has been doing so–just not as quickly as I would like!
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Dear Mr. Horst,
Thank you for your very insightful and helpful comment!
Yes, I agree with you completely. Arguing is not God’s way; instead, we must trust that God can bring the other person to a correct knowledge of the truth, in His own time, and if that person allows himself/herself to be led by the Holy Spirit’s prompting. This has been my experience, too!
I do believe that it is good to be able to talk about controversial topics in a respectful manner; however, if there is disagreement, we shouldn’t get pushy. Striving and disputing aren’t profitable, and are behaviors that we should avoid. Later on, we can pray for that person, trusting in God that He can “reveal even this” to him/her (Phil. 3:15).
The Bible verses that you included are a perfect fit for this topic–thank you for including them!
I myself am opinionated, and this may come across strongly to others. However, like you, I am learning to “tone it down” and trust in God’s power to transform hearts and renew minds.
Thank you again,
Jessica
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Jessica, something happened last night at the Bible Study. We were studying head covering. The booklet for the study didn’t have a subject on head covering. So, our group leader printed out the articles on head covering; then he said that we should not neglect the subject.
He stated his belief, a woman should cover her head while praying (vocal prayer because the angels cannot read our thoughts), and speaking such as sharing about something. He also added that he fully supports those of us who cover their heads during the entire worship. He also stated that if a woman prays out vocally alone in her home, she should cover her head. However, the headcovering should not be such as huge hats with a lot of sequins, feathers, and other accessories. The leader also stated that God can convict a woman to cover full time.
Jessica, I wish you could see how he rebuked one of my friends who stated that the hair is headcovering.
One of my friends said that the subject was on her mind for sometime. The other friend said that she never knew about the headcovering. And my friend who covers the head at church, but not during Bible Study, stated that she was still learning when to cover the head. I was the only one with a covered head.
We had a great discussion. His father is a pastor in another province. The father believes in headcovering, but his mother isn’t.
Our leader also mentioned how the passage mentions angels. The Bible doesn’t mention angels very often.
Jessica, thank you for you prayers. I believe the Lord is at work.
I hope and pray that your pregnancy goes well.
Irina
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Dear Irina,
How good to hear from you again! And thank you for your kind remark about how you hope my pregnancy goes well; it IS going very well, thanks be to God!
I was so thrilled to hear about what’s happening in your Bible study! I’m glad that your group leader supports headcovering, and that other women in your group are being convicted about it. You know, I also believe the Lord is at work! After all, we battle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places–this is primarily a SPIRITUAL battle for a return to the truth of God’s word. This is not just about a piece of cloth: this is about gender roles and how important they are to the FAMILY UNIT, the CHURCH, and SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. This is a BIG issue! And I do think that God cares VERY MUCH about it.
Please keep me posted about what happens during your Bible study.
I hope everything is going well with you, too. How are your studies?
Jessica
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Jessica,
First, let me apologize for commenting on so may of your posts all at once, but your thoughtful and obviously God inspired words have put a hunger in me for learning! Head covering is another subject that I have been studying recently and even when I tried to leave it, it kept coming back to me! Is that God telling me something? I think so! That being said, I have read SO MUCH on this subject and as I’m sure you know, both sides make a compelling argument. I feel as though the Holy Spirit is telling me that head covering is for women today, but I am struggling over when to cover and how (as in cover all my hair or not). My first inclination is to think I should cover all the time because I pray a lot. At weird times throughout the day, and I might not always have a veil or covering handy. Also, I have read some interesting opinions on this such as this post, Sorry, its kind of long. Needless to say, I still haven’t figured it all out, and my husband has asked me to share my thoughts with him on it before he looks into the subject so to speak, he is on the fence. I would love to hear your thoughts.
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Hmmm, apparently I cannot copy and past a link here. It didn’t show up in my comment. I’ll try again, and if it works great, if not, then I would still love to hear your thoughts!https://bible.org/seriespage/22-1-corinthians-111-16-its-issues-and-implications
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Yes, I got the link, thank you!
I read the whole article, and I liked it a lot! I actually agree with almost everything that the author said, based on my own individual thinking and observations, and on what the Bible seems to me to be clearly teaching. I actually recommended reading it to another lady who recently commented on my blog, since I enjoyed reading it so much!
Thanks!
Jessica
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How wonderful to receive so many kind and honest comments from you on my blog, Corinna!
Well, I think that if we focus too much on what the two sides are saying (for and against headcovering), we will probably feel more confused afterward than when we began! The main thing is to read God’s word, and let the Holy Spirit help us understand what He is telling us directly from the Bible. After all, what other people think about it, is just that–what they think about it. But, our actions should be based on what God clearly SAYS about the issue, don’t you think? It’s really quite easy, when it comes down to it! When I start to feel bogged down with “this person says this, but that person says that,” I just take a breath, and rededicate myself to following what I know the word of God is telling me to do, regardless of what those other people’s opinions are, no matter how smart they are.
Hope this has helped in some way!
Jessica
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Jessica,
I’m glad you enjoyed the article! I thought that it had a lot of good things to say as well. Also, thank you for pointing out that I need to let the Holy Spirit guide me in my understanding of the scripture. Being what you would call “a baby Christian,” I tend to second guess myself a lot and constantly look to others who may be more knowledgeable about the Bible than myself, but if I just listen to that soft whisper, I know what God is telling me. So, I am going to start covering. I am a little nervous since I didn’t notice anyone else doing so at my new Church (I’ve only been there once though). I still struggle a little with worrying about what others think of me, but reading your blog and the comments by the other covering ladies has given me the courage to obey the Lord and not worry too much about society! Thank you.
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Wonderful, Corinna!
I’m so happy that you’ve decided to take that first step of obedience in headcovering! We (I and the other headcovering ladies who comment on my blog) fully support you! Please feel free to check out the Head Covering Movement site (if you haven’t already), where you’ll find many good articles, testimonies, sermons, and videos related to this topic. You can also submit a prayer request (see the link in the sidebar of my blog).
I look forward to hearing from you how your first experience in headcovering goes!
Jessica
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Jessica,
I have checked out the head covering movement site (that is actually where I found your blog)! There is a lot of great information there. I had my first experience with head covering at Church this past Sunday and I would say it was successful for the most part. The part that was unsuccessful was my own fault though. I have tried several different scarves that I already had, to try covering with, but none of them seemed to want to stay on my head! So, for Church I ended up going with an infinity scarf that I could just kind of drape over my head, but I didn’t particularly feel very comfortable with the way it looked, it really made me look like a Nun or an old lady. I think that particular style drew more attention than anything! Nobody commented to me, but I did get a lot of stares. I did see one other lady with a head cover on (the bandana style), but I didn’t get an opportunity to speak with her.
I know that it is not suppose to be about how I look, but I will admit I didn’t like feeling that way. Also, the one other time I wore that scarf, a co-worker commented to my husband that I looked like a member of ISIS, and I think it made my husband pretty upset so he does not like that style either. It was a weird situation to say the least. I have been covering a bit at work because I often speak about and study/contemplate Bible passages with a couple of my fellow co-workers, and I felt I should cover at these times. It is a little awkward though. I think once I find a style that is not to extreme it might be easier. I do feel guilty for feeling this way though…
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Thanks for letting me know about your headcovering experience, Corinna!
Well, I’ve experimented with different styles, too, and I don’t particularly like the infinity scarf, either, for the same reason! The only thing I think it’s good for, is if I need to have a covering handy (draped over the shoulders like a scarf until I need to use it), and then pull it up over my head really quick for a spur-of-the-moment prayer, and then put it back when I’m done. It saves time, and it’s easy.
My favorite style is the triangular scarf. I use this style for going to church or Bible class. But once I put it on, I keep it on for the whole time, since I have to be careful how I place it on my head. I always use a clip on each side, and I tie a knot in the back at the nape of my neck. I also pull my hair back into a low ponytail or braid, so that I will have something for the clips to hold onto (loose hair doesn’t work so good), and so that my hair won’t escape out from under the scarf around my neck.
At home during prayer and Bible lessons that I teach my children, I use a simple rectangular scarf. It’s very easy to put on and take off, and I’m not concerned about how it looks, since I’m at home.
I’ve used a wide headband at times, but it doesn’t feel as much like a covering to me.
My husband likes the triangular scarf the best, I think. He says it looks more like what a covering should look like. It definitely maintains the distinction of being a “covering” and not a fashion accessory, but it still allows some of my hair to show (he doesn’t like the Jewish-style covering that covers everything).
So, yeah, you’ll probably have to try different styles before you find the one that works best for you. But I’m confident that if you keep looking, you’ll eventually find it!
Great! I look forward to hearing more from you, whenever you have the time!
Jessica
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Based on what I see and hear, I do think women’s headcovering is a divisive subject. I don’t think it should be, but in reality it is. It seems that some Christian faiths such as: Hutterite, Mennonite, Anabaptist and such face an easier road in headcovering than other Christian faiths. For some reason it’s more the norm for them.
In the other Western religions you see women who wear the Jewish tichel, and the Muslim Hijab. Even in faiths where headcovering is more common you still see it as a divisive topic in the world. For some reason no matter your faith… you are seen as being an outsider if you practice headcovering.
I like the idea of headcovering, and have been trying different ideas to see what will work for me, but it’s not without people having strong opinions on the matter.
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Thanks for your comment, Victoria!
Here’s another thought I just had: maybe sometimes division is a result of spiritual war. Satan hates to see us follow Jesus by obeying His word. Naturally, the devil will influence as many people as he can to resist the truth, and even Chistians can be susceptible to this, if they’re not fully submitted to God. “Submit to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you.” But, sometimes we get it backwards: sometimes we resist GOD.
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