Ron Garber Ministries  

THE HEAD COVERING

"Every Man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved." (1Cor.11:4-5)

I believe I have heard just about every argument possible that anyone can make to excuse a woman from wearing a covering on her head when praying or prophesying. Paul says it is proper for a woman to pray or prophesy in the church as long as she covers her head but for a man to have a covering on his head would not be right. Before we get into the cover he is talking about, I want to point out the purpose that God inspired Paul to write these very controversial instructions. The answer is found in the careful reading of verse 3. "But I want you to UNDERSTAND that Christ is the HEAD of every man, and the man is the HEAD of a woman, and God is the HEAD of Christ." The subject of the whole verse is about HEADSHIP and God's ORDER. The head speaks of the one who has authority. The head of an army is the top general, the head of a corporation is the one who has the highest authority, etc. Jesus was under the complete authority of God, His Father. This was evident by His words: "I only do what I see the Father do. The words that I speak are not mine but of Him who sent Me. Not My will but Your will be done." Man is to be under the complete authority of his head, who is Christ. He should only do what his head shows him to do. He should only speak what the WORD says, for his head is Christ the Word, and his will should be conformed to the will of the Lord. A woman is to be under the complete authority of the man just as man is under the complete authority of Christ. Wives, do you say you are subject to the Lord? "Wives be subject to your own husband, as to the Lord." (Eph.5:22) "As the church is subject to the Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in EVERYTHING."  (verse 24) That is God's instructions not mine. This is, and has always been, the the order that God intended when He created Eve to be Adam's helper. (Gen.2:18)

When we come to the human aspect of man, it is possible for him to misuse or abuse his authority. If the man is a Christian, and he follows the instructions of the Word, there should be no problem; but if not, then it should be address by the elders of the church. If that doesn't work, or if a woman is married to an unbeliever, she has the option to separate. (1Cor.7:10-11) Rather than go further into that, I am going to approach this in the same way that Paul did - that the man being under the authority of Christ, his head, will properly use his authority - but also maintaining the FACT that the man is the head or the authority over the woman.

Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father (God) but through Me," (Jn.14:6) and the Scripture plainly declares, "There is salvation in NO one else; for there is no other name (the name of Jesus ) under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Ac.4:12) This states that we cannot by pass the order that God established and be saved by going directly to God. Billy Graham said that there are other ways to God like Islam, Buddhist, etc. If that were so, we would not be following the order God established and it would be contrary to Scripture. When I was in the military, there was a chain of command that had to be followed; which meant for me to go to the general, I would have to follow the established chain of command by starting with the authority directly over me - my company commander.

The Scripture tells us that a man who has his head covered while praying or prophesying is disgraceful and if a woman does not cover her head, when praying or prophesying, she disgraces her head. Let us look now at some of the silly fables that men have invented to twist or explain away this commandment of God. Some claim that that was only a custom of the Corinthians or of that time. If it was only a custom of a particular people, God would not have call it "disgraceful," and we are told to: "... contend EARNESTLY for the faith ONCE and for ALL handed down to the saints." (Ju.3) Also, "All Scripture is inspired by God (God inspired Paul to write) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction for training in righteousness."  (2Tim.3:16)  I am doing just that, teaching and correcting. Another fable is that the cover is "hair," and if that was true, men would have to shave their heads so as not to have a cover (hair) when praying or prophesying. Whenever I've pointed this out, people will quickly add, that the meaning is "long hair." Again adding something that the word does not say.

This book (Corinthians) that I am referring to was actually a letter written to the church. Now, Paul wasn't writing some great mystery or hidden revelation, but a simple letter. Therefore, he would have said a man should not have long hair and a woman should. That misconception comes from where Paul says, "Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, (verse14) but if a woman has long hair it is a glory to her?" (verse15) Paul wasn't saying that the hair is the cover, but that nature itself will TEACH you the same thing he was teaching. Therefore, it becomes a fact because it is established by two witnesses as Scriptures requires. (2Cor. 13:1) So, outside of a church meeting, a man can wear a hat and a woman does not have to wear a covering veil. The Greek word translated "cover" means to "cover up," so let's read it that way and the meaning becomes clearer. "For if a woman does not 'cover up' her head," (verse 6) and, "For a man ought not to have his head 'covered up.'" (verse 7 ) The Greek word used in verse 15 (translated covering) is a different word, meaning mantel. One more point I would like to bring out is that the "cover" mentioned, apparently, is removable, for Paul instructions are that it should not be worn by a man and should be worn by a woman - when praying or prophesying. You are not able to remove or put on your hair at will.

The Scripture gives a reason for these instructions besides the order mentioned in verse 3. "For man does not originate from woman, but the woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. THEREFORE the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels." (verse 8,9,10) It serves as a reminder to the heavenly angels - of those angels who rebelled against God's order and authority - by showing them that man respects God's order and His authority. Those rebellious angels (now called demons) followed Satan, who tried to exalt himself above God and would not remain in the proper order that God intended. They will accuse man in the day of judgement, if man overthrows God's order.

A man e-mailed me once and asked why I believed in the head covering. I sent him all the Scriptures and the reasoning behind it and he sent me e-mail back. He said, "I understand and see what you are saying, but I don't believe it is necessary." God doesn't ask us if we think it is necessary. Then he said, "All we have to do is believe the 'apostles' creed.'" It is ignorant to disregard the Word of God for a man-made creed (not even created by the apostles), that is flawed like all the other man-made creeds and "doctrines of faith" that men try to have us adhere to rather than God's Word. As Jesus said, "You invalidated the Word of God for the sake of your tradition." (Matt.15:6)

Finally, let me say that up until the early 20th Century, women wore a covering of some type when in church. After the women's lib movement spilled over into the church, women removed their coverings and also disregarded God's order. They said, "We can now do anything a man can," and stepped into the role that God intended only for a man and began to preach and teach. "I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." (1Tim.2:12-14) Women are again being deceived; and, as Eve dragged Adam into her sin, they are dragging men into this deception. Most women will refuse to wear a covering; for down deep inside, I believe they know its meaning and are still in rebellion. A lot of people, who claimed they loved me and were a friend, have turned away because they don't want to hear the truth; but, that doesn't change the Word of God. "So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?" (Gal.4:16)

Paul's words to the Corinthians concerning this subject, as well as others, were: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and HOLD FIRMLY to the ordinances, just as I DELIVERED them to you." (verse1-2) "But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God." (verse 16) By this verse, Paul is saying all the churches of his time held to, and practiced, the ordinance of the "head covering."

Ron

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