Head Covering at Churches

Does Woman need to cover their head while Praying or Prophesying ?

This is one of the fascinating question to ponder upon. Most of the West do not cover their heads but the east does? 

Studying the bible can be seen in two perspective as Objective truth and Subjective Truth. 

This is a subject based Topic and can be seen in two context : Cultural Context & Biblical Doctrine context

Cultural context : 

• In the Roman society if a woman has a long hair that hangs loose or unbound then it is a dishonor for her husband. The action may have suggested sexual availability or implied that she was unmarried. In cultures where head coverings are not a sign of being married, wives could obey this command by wearing some other physical symbol of being married.(wedding ring or chain
  

• Roman men sometimes pull the loose folds of their toga over their head while they worshiped Pagan Gods. So Paul emphasis that men should not dishonor Christ by Praying according to Pagan Custom.

• 11: 14 Here the word nature probably means " your natural sense of what is appropriate from men and Women." Norms of appropriate hair style ( and dress) may vary from culture to culture. Paul's point is that men should look like men in that culture and women should look like women in that culture. People should not deny the God-given differences between the sexes. Any violation of God's standard is SIN.

• To think of cultural based definition, then cultural relativism invokes here indirectly, in cultural relativism there is no such thing called Absolutes or single point of reference. It is based on each culture belief, behavior, objects, life style etc. and they draw a moral truth based on a particular or individual circumstances. In short, who are right is widely being practiced but ignored what are rights

What does the translation says :

• Paul begins this argument with the creation of Man & Women purpose. The head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband and the head of Christ is God.  The term " head" refers to authority and not the physical head.

• The Greek word " Head" means "source or origin" but in over 50 occurrences of this word in ancient sources, saying that person A is head of person B and person A has authority over person B. here, it is best to understand that Paul refers the " Head" metaphorically as " authority"

• By saying "authority" it doesn’t mean women is inferior to men. Christ is not inferior to God the Father. Submission does not indicate inferiority, but subordination. Just as Christ and God are equally divine, men and Women are equal beings. But just as Jesus and God the father have different roles in God's Plan of salvation, so men and women are given different roles

Here is what we learned ;

• Paul words are not merely directed to the cultural situation of his day - see I Cor 11 : 3, 11 -12. because he starts with the creation of Man & Women. He simply didn’t instruct for Woman but began the note whence on Husband & wife relationship.

• In the Roman society if a woman has a long hair that hangs loose then it is a dishonor for her husband. Only the Woman who is caught in adultery will be allowed to have loose hair as an act of shame or perhaps of mourning. Ref Numb 5:18. Also it is a dishonor before god to have loose hair(unbound) hair - Lev  10:6 & 21:10

• Shaved hair is dishonor

• Having a long bound hair is a covering I Cor 11 :15

Loose/free hair = Uncovered

Bind hair = Covered

Also one cannot claim leaving the head uncovered by Shawl or scarf is wrong.

in HIM

Wilson

How Christianity is Viewed from Outside?

The current generation is a very counterfeit culture, always pass criticism and it is not that easy to get into all the people good books and in fact it is inevitable. It is always good for every Christian to do a self-check or validation about his life with GOD.

We have to do this because we will know how Christianity is viewed from outside? we are not called only to preach, but also to live a life of example. By living a life of Christ we can show Christ to this world.  People pay attention to the actions or behavior more than the words, in other words more than we speak ,exhort etc..

Let us see an illustration to understand -

A boy desired to get his wish come true, so he surfed some Christian TV channels and learned to pray.

Before going to bed, he said, Lord upon your majesty Will, please grant the desires of your servant wish. I need a bicycle tomorrow by 6 clock in the morning and he went to bed.

Next morning when he woke up there was no bicycle. He got angry and decided to surf more Christian TV channels.

Before going to bed, he said, I declare my need of a bicycle, which is blue in colour and silver rail finish.

Next morning when he woke up there was no bicycle. He was very frustrated !

So he thought on & on and took the mother Mary statute from his house, ran into the forest and hid the statue there and came back home. He then prayed Lord if you want to see your mother back again? Then continues ….

 From this little story we could comprehend that, the boy mind was made up to the wrong direction. Isn’t it very critical for us to ponder upon the condition of the Christendom today.  could hear some saying where are the healers of God servants and where is GOD in this Coronavirus situation. Are the servants of God hiding?

 Our society has started to ask these questions, because the way Christianity had projected paves way for them to ask self-destructing questions.  If the gospel was rightly preached emphasizing more on SIN and repentance we wouldn’t have been in this situation. Compromising on human emotion, feelings will lead the life to Jeorpardy while preaching the truth. Investment of words without truth leads to spiritual bankruptcy(RZIM)

The line has to be carefully drawn while preaching , exhorting and it should be followed with the guidance of  holy spirit and not by means of Fleshly thoughts and guidance.

People always heed to Virtue, actions rather by mere words of emptiness.

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. I Peter 2 : 11 -12

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives I Peter 3 :1. it is only not applicable to the husband and wives relationship but to every others outside the Christian world.

II Corinthians 3 :2  -You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

Having said the above, we are the open Bible read by everyone in this world.  Habakkuk says

“Write the vision;

    make it plain on tablets,

    so he may run who reads it.

If we live a practical life, then we can harvest more souls for his kingdom !

God Bless ! Amen.

Family Planning !

It is uncommon for believers in India to raise a question of doing Family Planning is right or wrong?  Perhaps it is very less to give a thought of drawing a line whether or not it is right or wrong?

The current world is stopping at one or two children.

But it is imperative to know the truth which will help us to lead our fellow brothers & sisters to the right direction.

we will see some close answers from Bible although there is no direct reference to make our understanding

 

Close answers 1:

God had given the children as a blessings - Psalm 127.  In Genesis 1:28, He Said Be fruitful and multiply, Fill the earth and subdue it.

Looking at the above reference god has given us the ability to give birth to children's which is the most sacred gift.

No one will ever remain in a long time decision to stop having a children in their family. Perhaps, newly married folks might postpone their child bearing temporarily, however, eventually everyone will wish to have a generation after them to say their name.

We are the temple of god , designed by HIM in unique fashion with different similarities to one another. There are billions of People in this world but no one will ever look the same or have the same qualities, even the twins will have some dissimilarities in any of the virtues, appearance etc.  

But did He not make them one,

Having a remnant of the Spirit?

And why one?

He seeks godly offspring. Malachi 2: 15

So, the very purpose of GOD creating each one of us in this world is to have his ultimate will be fulfilled.

God has given SEX as the most beautiful and sacred gift to human beings. But this will be seen and ordained as HOLY, only inside the marriage.  Anything which is outside marriage is considered to be fornication, debauchery etc.. It is a violation of GOD's Law.

If we choose to abort the conception then it is SIN which is equal to Murder.

Close answer 2

Here’s a biblical reference from Genesis 38 to ponder upon;

Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her;  she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.  She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.  She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.  But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.

Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

Onan violated the law ( Deut 25: 5 -10) because it is a  covenantal responsibility to provide offspring for his brother wife but he didnt.

Having said the above, it is Onan bad intention to only have pleasure and there by violating the law of NOT giving her offspring. 

GOD always look after the intention of heart.

Certain Abstain may not be a sinful act but can be sinful depending on the intentions of abstaining.

Close answer 3

Perhaps, it will be permissible from GOD when we have intercourse with our wedded partner only for pleasure and not for further offspring's.

It is purely the calculative decision made by each one of us considering the finance, family situation, environment situation etc.

There are some protective measures found by human being like condom's, Family planning, which are considered to be SAFE sex for avoiding a conception as per worldly terms

However in other perspective, family planning could be considered, as a violation of GODs law or principle, because it perhaps can be correlated with the alteration of our body parts. We are not supposed to defile our body. Our body is designed and created as per GOD's plan , so any changes of his design result in violation.

In other perspective, if one decides to abstain from having child further, considering the vulnerability or lack of self-control leading to conception  during intercourse in future, it can also be taken as permissive will, approved by GOD. Since SEX is considered to be sacred and allowed inside the marriage, so usage of condoms and family planning can't be wrong.

Abstaining is not a sinful act but can be sinful depending on the intentions of abstaining from having children.

Having said all the above, are the closest reference for our contextual answers, although there are no direct answers from the bible.

So Live as you are called. ( I Corinthians 7 : 17-24)

But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 

Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.  

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.  Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 

For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 

Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

No Answers Found in Bible?

Only in Christianity you can find answers to all the tough questions raised in this world. Every Christian would obviously turn to bible when they don’t find answers to their question in this world. 

The world perhaps could show some temporary answers which may looks like a permanent answer. But the real thirst, needs, Justice can be quenched only in the Bible.

 However, there are also some situations where we may find hard to locate the answers from the bible for a tough and a complex question.

Let’s see some biblical reference happened during Israelite's journey to Canaan from Numbers 9.

Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover.  And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

When they do not find a reference in their Law on this situation, Moses immediately went to Pray, and he returned with answers from God to Israel People.

Needless to emphasize that, always we could find answers when we bend our knees in prayer.

in HIM
Wilson