The Hair Question

Is It Wrong For A Woman To Cut Her Hair?

By Orble Drummond

In recent years much controversy has been raised over the question of whether a woman should or should not cut her hair. The general consensus of opinion in the ranks of secular or modern religion, and even in some holiness circles, is that it is of trivial importance and should be left tot the discretion of the individual. Those who hold to such opinions are either ignorant of what the Bible actually teaches or else because of the pressure of worldliness deliberately and willfully rejects scriptural teachings. No where does God leave this decision to private judgment. The scriptures expressly and emphatically teach that a woman should have long hair: THAT IT IS A SHAME FOR A WOMAN TO CUT HER HAIR.

Before we launch into the study of this question, let us fix in our minds the actual meaning of the word SHAME. One of the alarming trends readily seen even in Holiness ranks is that to many SIN IS NO LONGER SINFUL AND SHAME IS NO LONGER A REPROACH. In this age of spiritual peril and moral degeneracy we are living so near to the world that we slumber peacefully, lulled by siren song, assimilating her color, assuming her characteristics, conforming to her image.

Winstons dictionary defines the word Shame as follows: A painful feeling of humiliation, caused by consciousness of guilt or any evil, immodesty, humiliation, reproach, disgrace, abomination.

In light of the above definition, it does not take an overly intelligent person to clearly see how God regards a woman with bobbed hair. To him bobbed hair is immodest. Bobbed hair is a reproach. Bobbed hair is a disgrace. Bobbed hair in God's sight is an abomination.

From the very beginning God has stressed the fundamental difference between man and woman. He has always demanded that men should be manly and the woman womanly. It is an abomination in the eyes of God for a man to be effeminate or for a woman to appear masculine. This is the reason that God has condemned woman wearing men's apparel or of men wearing that which pertains to a woman.

But it can be readily seen that in just the last 30 to 40 years, or since the so-called flapper era, how that the human race has rebelled against the standards of decency and corrupted itself.

For the image or ideal of womanhood enshrined on the pedestals of fashion and society is not the modest, Godly, womanly woman of a meek and quiet spirit that has created reverence and respect in the hearts of men of all ages, but rather the opposite: A cigarette sucking, beer guzzling, cocktail sipping, slacks and shorts wearing siren with painted face and frizzled hair, imprudent, forward, pushing, shoving, with no respect for herself and her heart full of rebellion.

How can she expect men to respect her? Thank God there are a few woman left who are holding to God given convictions and are not this type.

In the great economy of God, or order of the universe, God has established a place for every living creature and every created thing. A place for the sea with its bounds set. He has established the planets, some of them larger in diameter than our entire solar system, and placed them in their orbit never to very one millionth of a second. A place for animal kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, and for the angelic host of heaven. Also He has a place for men and a place for women.

The first sin ever to stain the purity of the universe was the sin of REBELLION. Lucifer through the pride of his heart rebelled against the position God assigned him. He did not want God's hand of authority over him. Therefore, the pivot point around which the whole hair question revolves is the question of authority or HEADSHIP. To set forth as clearly as possible just what we mean, let us examine I Corinthians 11(3-5). Paul speaking 11:3 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. 11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.11:5 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.

In brief analysis of the above scripture let us note the following:
(1) That the head of every man (speaking of Christians) is Christ. And man displays his submission to Christ by his uncovered head, or as we shall see in verses 13-15, by wearing his hair short. It is a dishonor to Christ for a man to wear his hair long.
(2) That the head of every woman is man. And woman displays her submission to man, her head, by her covering or covered head, which we see in verse 15 is her long hair. Therefore it is a dishonor to her husband and hence to her God for a woman to wear her hair short.

THE WEARING OF A VEIL OR HAT

Let us further note that Paul is not necessarily dealing with just the husband and the wife, but he speaks in a broader sense of man and woman. Not only are wives to be under subjection to their husbands, but daughters to fathers. God wants a woman to fill a woman's place and a man to fill a man's place. Long hair is a symbol of subjection on a woman's part. Bobbed hair is a symbol of Rebellion.

In studying the eleventh chapter of I Corinthians the question is often asked, "What about the wearing of a Veil or Hat?" May we answer and say that it was the custom of the eastern woman then as well as today to wear a veil in public. Only lurid women are seen outside their homes without a veil. This was an established custom of these countries; and as we have said before, such customs continue in many places today. But the covering or veil that God intended woman to wear reguardless of country or custom has been her long hair. For proof let us quote I Corinthians 11(15) "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering."

HOW LONG IS LONG HAIR?

Another question that we hear quite often is, How long must hair be to be considered long? Invariably, and we speak frankly and perhaps bluntly, we have found that questions are not asked in sincerity. But those who aask them many times are seeking loopholes to escape the responsibility of Bible teaching.

Let us answer as briefly and to the point as possible. In Paul's teachings on the subject as found in the eleventh chapter of I Corinthians, only three lengths of hair are mentioned: (1) Long hair; (2) Hair that has been shorn; (3) Hair that has been completely shaven.

To clarify all doubt let us turn to the dictionary and define the lengths of hair given there. First let us look at the word SHORN, which according to Winston is the past participle of the verb shear. SHEAR means to Cut or Clip something from, to use cutting or clipping scissors, shears or the like.

The definition of the word SHAVEN means to Cut Closely, to skim along near the surface.

Therefore, long hair as God intends the word to mean, "Is hair that has never been cut, clipped, burned, broken or touched by scissors, shears or the like, completely natural, untouched by any instrument." For in the light of this, what is the difference whether a person cuts an inch or a foot, or two feet from their hair. It is still shorn.

Perhaps this may be a hard statement, but I speak in the fear of God and out of love of God and His course. Let's not play the part of a hypocrite. I know that it is possible to thin out your hair, to cut off some and still have enough to do up and give the appearance of long hair. You may fool your pastor and you may fool the church, but sister God is not fooled. If you are going to live for God, why not be all out for Him? Why try to hold to the god of fashion and society and the God of Heaven at the same time.

A touching illustration in connection with this thought is regarding the woman in Luke 7(37-38) who washed the feet of Jesus with the tears from her eyes and dried His feet with the hair of her head. She could never have rendered such a beautiful mark of utter surrender, of love and devotion, had she been a modern woman with short hair.

Furthermore, if the painting we see today of Christ and His disciples accurately portrays the fashion and customs of their day, then the male disciples of our Lord wore their hair a lot longer than some Holiness women today. They were men and were required to wear their hair short. The same could be said of Paul. His hair would be much longer than the majority of women's hair today; yet it was the same Paul that declared that it was a dishonor to God for men to wear their hair long.

BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS

Let us study this question from another angle. Note I Corinthians (1:10) " For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels." Let us note the center reference for the word "POWER". The Scofield Bible renders the word "AUTHORITY", or the sign of the husbands authority. To further clarify this passage let us quote fro the Weymouth Translation: "That is why a woman ought to have on her head a symbol of subjection". The Moffat Translation of the Bible renders it somewhat the same: "Therefore in view of the Angels, woman has to wear a symbol of subjection."

Therefore in light of this, a woman's long hair is a sign or a symbol of not only her subjection to her husband, but also to her God.

But what of the Angels and why does Paul say because of the Angels? Let us remember that many of the Angels of God fell. Lucifer, now known as Satan, which was one of the brightest angels in heaven fell. They did not commit adultery. In view of the glory and the riches of heaven they did not steal. The two sins that caused the angels to fall were pride and rebellion. Read Isaiah 14(12-17). Stubborn self-will is the cause of rebellion. Seemingly all of the sins that man commits, God deals more harshly with the sin of rebellion than all others combined.

Samuel in speaking to Saul reminded him that rebellion was as the sin of witchcraft. We know that God in dealing with witches refused to allow them to live in the land, but gave express orders to destroy all such. May we say as soberly as we possibly can that after a woman has come into the knowledge of the above truth and then out of stubborn self-will refuses to comply, she is guilty of the same two sins that cause the angels to fall. PRIDE and REBELLION. Pride, lest the world laugh and call her queer. Rebellion, not only against man, but against the will of almighty God. Idf God spared not the angels that sinned, take heed lest He spare not thee. Mark this word: you might as well say good bye to the favor of God and spirituality.

PAUL'S APPEAL TO LOGIC

In his discussion of this question, one will note that first Paul spoke of subjection of a wife to her husband and hence to her God. But he goes further. He appeals not only to the fact of God's attitude, but he appeals to one's common sense and better judgement and also to nature itself. He says in verse 13,14,15, "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."

CAN WE NOT PLAINLY SEE in the light of scriptural teachings that it is just as disrespectful, disgraceful, and dishonors God and man for a woman to prophesy, or even stand up in church an sing with short hair: she has no covering. Note again carefully the basis of Paul's reasoning: (1) God tells us it is not proper. (2) Our better judgment tells us. Paul says judge in yourselves, is it comely. (3) And finally nature itself tells us. A three fold voice - God, conscience, and nature teaching us the shame of the matter.

BOBBED HAIR AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
I fear the average reader of the eleventh chapter of I Corinthians misses the full impact of Paul's teachings. Let us note that this entire chapter is dealing primarily with Christian Order and the Lords Supper. Doubtless, one of the most sobering instances in a Christian's life, or at least should be, is when he or she raises the cup of communion to their lips, realizing that this cup signifies the broken holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is time for heart searching, a time when motives and thoughts, and the secrets of one's heart and life should be weighed, and weighed carefully. You are standing on holy ground; a place of blessing if you are worthy, a place of cursing if you are unworthy. Paul says in verse 27 of this same chapter, "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." Then in verse 29, "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." Then in verse 30, Paul says, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

You ladies that insist on cutting your hair, think seriously just for a moment. Remember Paul mentions three voices are speaking to you warning you that cutting your hair is wrong: (1) The voice of God tells you. (2) Your conscience and better judgment tell you. (3) Even nature itself teaches you. And again remember that even the angelic host of heaven are affected because it WAS through this same sin of rebellion that many of their number fell.

IF ANY MAN SEEM TO BE CONTENTIOUS

And so we come to Paul's final statement on this question. And I quote verse 13 "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." No custom of what? What was the custom for the women's hair in the early New Testament churches? The answer can be plainly seen. The custom for women's hair in the early church was for them to wear it long, not to cut their hair. Bobbed hair as far as the world and fashion is concerned is very new, having become universally accepted only in the last thirty or forty years. No custom of short hair was allowed for women in New Testament churches. Such custom was never recognized. Short hair is unscriptural and an utter reproach to New Testament Christianity.

And last of all do you think for a moment that Paul would write fifteen verses of scriptures condemning the cutting of women's hair, telling of the shame and reproach of such a condition and then end his discussion by denying the whole matter. Such n\an interpretation is doing violence to God's word.

REASONS WHY GODLY WOMEN SHOULD HAVE LONG HAIR
(1) The first reason is that long hair is a woman's glory. Note I Corinthians 11(15). The word "glory" as given in the original Greek means dignity, honor, praise, worship.
(2) It marks her as of a woman with a meek and quiet spirit.
(3) Because it is a dishonor to her husband, her father, and her God to pray with uncovered head. (Note: her hair is her covering)
(4) Because it was the recognized custom of the New Testament church in Paul's day and of true Christians today.
(5) Because it is a shame for a woman to have short hair.
(6) Because of the angels. Some of them fell through the sins of PRIDE and REBELLION. They refused to occupy the place God ordained for them.
(7) God tells a woman that it is wrong to cut her hair.
(8) Woman's conscience tells her that it is wrong to cut her hair.
(9) Because the Bible teaches us not to conform to the image of this world but to be transformed.
(10) And last, in this day of spiritual peril, of lukewarmness when many are succumbing to the wiles of the world, when it seems that atomic destruction will be the earth's sad lot, when Jesus may appear in the clouds of glory at any moment, how can you afford to take chances? God's humble people do not have to be hounded to be made to live holy. They are glad to be obedient to His word. They love God.

QUESTIONS THAT ARE OFTEN ASKED

"What about my little girl, should I cut her hair?"
ANSWER: Little girls soon grow up to be young women. The training that you give your child now will determine in great measure, the kind of woman she will be, whether she will grow up to be a Christian or a modern twentieth century creature doomed to despair. You are the mother. That character will be molded by you. Your example and teaching will determine in a great measure the outcome of your child's life. Mother you will be responsible before God. For the child's sake, her future and eternal welfare, don't cut the child's hair.

"DOES God have a double standard, one for the young and one for the old?"
ANSWER: Surely no one should have to ask such a question. Common sense teaches us that God's standard is the same to all, young and old, rich or poor. Don't let the devil deceive you into believing that just because you are young that God has or will judge you by a different standard. Only a slight knowledge of the word of God teaches us the foolishness of such a contention.

"How shall I fix my hair?"
ANSWER: The Bible does not give specific instructions on how to fix or do up your hair, but it does tell you not to cut your hair. My answer would be that a woman's hair looks a lot better done up. And if allowed to grow to its full length, it will have to be done up. But let it be decent, sensible, modest as becometh a sincere Christian professing holiness.

"Is it wrong to thin my hair?"
ANSWER: Long hair is hair that has never been touched by any instrument. What is the difference between cutting or THINNING or shaving or shearing or burning or breaking or whatever method women use. You are cutting your hair are you not? Why seek a loophole? Why invite trouble? Why live so near the edge? Make the consecration and God will bless you.