Why don't we enforce the biblical prescriptives on hair length for men and women?

[BarneyFife]

For a woman to shave her hair is like willfully cutting Christ off as a covering for sin.

How, exactly?

(Hi, Scott! )

 

[jessicaleks93]

When launching a new topic (thread) a prompt appears asking the question:
"Is this already being discussed?"

When I entered this topic title, an existing topic title appeared that I hadn't seen before,
but seemed to be in line with what I wanted to discuss. The topic was nearly laughed out of existence.
Lasting less than ten posts. Here's a link, if like me, you hadn't seen it before, and are curious.

How a Christian should look!

I can see why the topic didn't survive. It took a very conservative (by today's standards) view of male and female appearances.

If the topic had limited the OP questions/points to hair length as a biblical prescriptive, it may have fared better. IMHO

The scripture below gives some very direct prescriptives about this.
Yet we understand that this is meaningless in our current culture. Right?
The Apostle certainly doesn't use the modern day reasoning that says that Jesus had long hair.
Where did we get that idea? Hollywood, right?

I find it interesting that we ignore the biblical prescriptive on hair length, but protest a gay pride parade over sexual issues.

Questions:
1) If a couple showed up at church, the male with shoulder-length hair and
the woman with a buzz-cut, how would you feel about them?
2) If someone showed up at church with a gay pride slogan on their shirt,
how would you feel about them?

1 Corinthians 11:3-6. 13-15 NIV
But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,[a] and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off;
but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
[7-12]
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 that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.


/ cc: @John839

How is hair even remotely comparable to sexual sin? One is not following the guidance written in the bible, the other is one of the worst sins, as sexual sin is a lot 'stronger'. Anyhow, I don't know why churches choose not to follow the rules / guidance given to them regarding hair and head coverings, I'm going to say its cultural straying.

 

[ScottA]

How, exactly?

(Hi, Scott! )

In a word: Rejection.

If the betrothed rejects the groom, there is no wedding, no consummation, no two becoming one.

 

[BarneyFife]

In a word: Rejection.

If the betrothed rejects the groom, there is no wedding, no consummation, no two becoming one.

I'm still not sure how this is well illustrated by a woman shaving her head. :)

.

 

[ScottA]

I'm still not sure how this is well illustrated by a woman shaving her head. :)

.

It's an image in parable from God (not me).

Hair is a cover. Christ is a cover. The likeness is not in the hair, but in the fact that it is a cover.

Which is not to say, they are the same--indeed they are not. Which is true of all parables. It's a parable...the chosen method of communication by God.

 

[Sparrow77]

If a woman (biblically defined as the Bride of Christ, meaning men and women alike within the body of Christ) is not covered by Christ, she (men or women) is without God and the salvation that comes with the covering of sins through Christ.

For a woman to shave her hair is like willfully cutting Christ off as a covering for sin.

However, as signs or images created for revelation, the objects used (men and women or hair) are not the subject, but mere objects for example. This is the rule of all parables. Meaning, what one does with their hair is not the point, but rather what one does with Christ, and being covered or not. As for keeping or maintaining the biblical practice of long or short hair, one can either continue it as a service to future generations, or opt not to serve. It is not a sin, but simply not a service.

Thank you for answering my question, I am trying to understanding it from your perspective so assuming its a parable what does it mean for men then to grow there hair out? What is that actually saying?

 

[ScottA]

Thank you for answering my question, I am trying to understanding it from your perspective so assuming its a parable what does it mean for men then to grow there hair out? What is that actually saying?

If the hair of Christ is short or long, He is still covered, for He is Christ. But for one only portraying the role of Christ in his home or community, to let his hair grow--he is adding of himself to the measure of Christ...therefore, "it is a dishonor to him" (1 Corinthians 11:14).

 

[Behold]

Questions:
1) If a couple showed up at church, the male with shoulder-length hair and
the woman with a buzz-cut, how would you feel about them?

I'd "feel" that they could be taking drugs or drinking all day, but instead they came to Church.

I'd start there.

And when everyone was leaving, i'd talk to them and invite them back, and ask if they had any prayer needs.

The way i see it, is that the Greatest Christian who ever lived, who wrote all the church doctrine and most of the NT Epistles, started out as a person who was helping Christians to be murdered.
So, If he ended up as the "Apostle to the Gentiles" and was Graced with being the one Jesus taught to teach us "the Gospel of the Grace of God"...

Then when i look at Mr Long hair, i can hope that He will be one of God's Trophies of Grace also...

And when i look at his "lady", with the short hair, i can conceive that she's taking Radiation Treatments and lost all her hair and is now just coping with it.
It could be so... so, i'd just be really glad to see them both.

2) If someone showed up at church with a gay pride slogan on their shirt,
how would you feel about them?

I would initially feel that they are trying to agitate Christians.

I can't say for certain that they would be allowed to continue to do what is so obvious, as i have to respect the Believers, first and foremost, in such cases.

Someone might say.. ."well what if they are Christians"...
Well, in that case, they need to not support what God hates.. by being a walking Billboard that promotes what God hates.

After i asked them why they are doing that, i suspect they'd find another place to promote Homosexuality.

 

[St. SteVen]

How is hair even remotely comparable to sexual sin?

One scripture you quote from the OT says homosexual relations is an abomination (shameful?)
The scripture I bring from the NT says that the wrong hair length is shameful.
you trumpet one and ignore the other.

One is not following the guidance written in the bible, the other is one of the worst sins

So, it's okay to not follow guidance written in the bible? One is sinful and the other is not?

I don't know why churches choose not to follow the rules / guidance given to them regarding hair and head coverings, I'm going to say its cultural straying.

Both have a cultural significance that needs to be better understood.

]

 

[jessicaleks93]

One scripture you quote from the OT says homosexual relations is an abomination (shameful?)
The scripture I bring from the NT says that the wrong hair length is shameful.
you trumpet one and ignore the other.


So, it's okay to not follow guidance written in the bible? One is sinful and the other is not?


Both have a cultural significance that needs to be better understood.

]

Yeah one is an abomination sin and the other is just shameful, they are very different in level of offense / sin shall we say. Not sure why you're trying to link to the two? Other than to yet again, attempt to justify homosexuality in Christianity.

So we learned that there are different types of sins, trespass sin, abomination sin, etc. However, I don't recall reading that this about hair lengths is actually a sin.

There is zero cultural significance about homosexual sin.
Here is a link to a youtube video that came out recently from an Orthodox Father who discusses homosexuality in the nature of sin, I think you'd find it useful, but I've seen your posts on here a few times about homosexuality, pointing the finger at say hair lengths which isn't a sin, just a shameful thing, doesn't justify or open negotiation for homosexual sin and throughout the bible it says do not judge others and their sins, and try justify yours off the back of theirs. I would encourage you to learn about sin in general regardless of the sin itself and maybe then you'll understand this more, this video is good for that.

 

[Wynona]

When launching a new topic (thread) a prompt appears asking the question:
"Is this already being discussed?"

When I entered this topic title, an existing topic title appeared that I hadn't seen before,
but seemed to be in line with what I wanted to discuss. The topic was nearly laughed out of existence.
Lasting less than ten posts. Here's a link, if like me, you hadn't seen it before, and are curious.

How a Christian should look!

I can see why the topic didn't survive. It took a very conservative (by today's standards) view of male and female appearances.

If the topic had limited the OP questions/points to hair length as a biblical prescriptive, it may have fared better. IMHO

The scripture below gives some very direct prescriptives about this.
Yet we understand that this is meaningless in our current culture. Right?
The Apostle certainly doesn't use the modern day reasoning that says that Jesus had long hair.
Where did we get that idea? Hollywood, right?

I find it interesting that we ignore the biblical prescriptive on hair length, but protest a gay pride parade over sexual issues.

Questions:
1) If a couple showed up at church, the male with shoulder-length hair and
the woman with a buzz-cut, how would you feel about them?
2) If someone showed up at church with a gay pride slogan on their shirt,
how would you feel about them?

1 Corinthians 11:3-6. 13-15 NIV
But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,[a] and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off;
but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
[7-12]
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 that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.


/ cc: @John839

Some groups of Baptists and Pentecostals enforce this. Apostolic Pentecostal women, for example, do not cut or trim their hair. The men keep it short.