Ever wonder why people think long hair constitutes a proper head covering? A cursory reading of 1 Cor 11 shows us that having a head uncovered “is even all one as if she were shaven.” Being that Paul can even make the comparison shows that having an uncovered head and being bald are two mutually exclusive things. Therefore, having long hair and having a covering likewise are two different things.
So, without going into bad historical arguments that proponents of “the long hair as the covering” people will get into, we can see on textual grounds that the traditional interpretation concerning head coverings is correct. Because the whole issue is so simple, it appears to me the only real reason people do not follow the Biblical custom of head covering is simply out of rebellion against God.
As evidence of this, my witnesses are all of the proponents of “long hair is the covering.” How are they my witnesses you may ask? Simply quiz them: can a woman go to church with short hair if she wants to?
“Sure,” they say, “That’s a Christian freedom.”
Can you use beer and grape soda for the Lord’s Supper?
“Well, no, it says use bread and wine.”
Can we give up on baptism?
“No, the apostles baptized.”
Then, can we give up on head covering?
“Well, we are head covering, you just have it all wrong, long hair is the covering.”
But, you just said a woman did not need long hair, so you are actually not intent on following head covering at all.
“Well, it’s a cultural thing…”
As we can see, the fact that the proponents of dumping head covering don’t actually believe in enforcing long hair is proof that none of them really believe long hair is the covering. So, they have no choice but to change their reasoning to either “historical context” or accusations of legalism.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think not fornicating, partaking in the Lord’s Supper, or doing anything else the Bible tells me to do is legalism. Doing these things in order to merit my salvation is legalism, not the things themselves. This is simple and important. If we cannot discern the difference between legalism and obedience, on what consistent basis can we follow anything the Bible says is right?
Obviously, there would be no consistent basis. This is why we know that the opponents of head covering are wrong.
Note: This article was written before my conversion to Orthodoxy.
Orthodox Christian Theology 
At the end of the day, however a woman chooses to wear her hair is a personal choice. Six days out of seven it makes no difference. You do realize that it is unenforceable? You cannot shave all women bald, or make all women wear something, or force them to be silent whether or not they are wearing something.
By the way, my church allows comunion to be milk and oreos because remembering Jesus is more important than bread and wine. To our way of thinking the OT had people who obeyed the rules but failed to honor its spirit. NT had Christians who made the same mistake. We are taught to honor the spirit above the letter of the law. Christ alone is the covering for us all.
While you are at it, your church should allow fornication and baptize people in turkey gravy, because apparently following the word of God is optional. It is one thing to disagree with headcovering on some sort of Scriptural and interpretive grounds. To say that, heck, we can do whatever we want how we want to do it is paganism and unchristian.
For the record, milk and oreos do kick butt.
Christianity is open to interpretation, from the most liberal to the most consevative schools of thought. To us, it is unchristian to ignore “love your neighbor as yourself” and “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” by these two principles, we’d totally use turkey gravy by sprinkle baptism if that is what was wanted. The words are open to interpretation but the truths endure. We just allow each of our members to discover their own truths. Mine is that Christ is the covering and Christ is the source of the covering. I totally believe he would not ignore anyone’s prayer.
The problem is that you have no standards for truth. If the Bible says to treat others as you would like to be treated, what consistent basis do you have to follow that but not follow other Biblical admonishments?
Jesus said that he’s the way, the truth, and the life. What better standard could there be than that? I’d have to say that depends on each situation. Jesus didn’t heal everyone the exact same way. He didn’t give everyone the exact same advice. He’s flexible, and so should we be. He also quote Hosea: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” When dealing with people it seems wise to be merciful. Next time you read through the Gospels, write down what rules Jesus quoted from the OT, how he interpreted them (literally, metaphorically, differently) and also which rules the Pharisees complained that he broke. Why are Christians bigger on rules than Jesus was? Seems like someone has forgotten their freedom in the savior.
It’s not a good idea to take verses you like and ignore the one;s you don’t. THe Bible is consistent throughout. Obviously, obedience does not save people or no one would be saved. However, God does desire obedience and obedience is the fruit of being faithful. Hence, you cannot claim to have faith in Jesus Christ but not follow what He, or the Holy Spirit in the Scripture, admonishes us to do.
Craig said – Obviously, obedience does not save people or no one would be saved. However, God does desire obedience and obedience is the fruit of being faithful.
Me – Actually God does demand obedience. There are several passages in the bible that point to what one must “do”. We will be judge based on what we did. Faith alone will not get you there. This of course must be done with God’s Grace as without it it profits nothing. Faith working through love.
You are conflating ideas that were not conflated in the early church. We are judged by works, but not saved by works We are saved by faith and justified by faith. However, true faith will have works.
Quoting Chrysostom:
For Abraham also, when he had stretched forth his affections towards God and set before Him his fixed resolution,what else had he need of? Nothing: but “he believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” ( Gen. xv. 6.) But Faith [comes] of a sincere will. He offered up his son, and though he did not slay him, he received a recompense as if he had slain him, and though the work was not done the reward was given (Homily 34 on Hebrews).
“But what is the ‘law of faith?’ It is, being saved by grace. Here he shows God’s power, in that He has not only saved, but has even justified, and led them to boasting, and this too without needing works, but looking for faith only. St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 3
“They said that he who adhered to faith alone was cursed; but he, Paul, shows that he who adhered to faith alone is blessed.” – St. John Chrysostom (Homily on Galatians 3)
I wrote an article of Faith Alone before Luther here: http://christianreformedtheology.com/2015/04/19/faith-alone-before-luther/
Craig said – We are saved by faith and justified by faith. However, true faith will have works.
Me – faith + love = true faith. It’s not faith alone. You need more than just faith.
Real faith does not lack love.
So you agree with my formula? In James the devil has faith alone (not a saving faith) but the Christian had faith formed in love ie. Faith + love (saving faith).
how would you express it as a mathematical formula?
faith is faith. Fake faith doesn’t have love.
Fake faith? Not sure I’ve seen this in scripture. It certainly isn’t discussed in the book of James.
Demons have faith and it’s not fake (I will stand corrected if you can point to scripture where it says otherwise). In James he tells us they ALSO have faith. He says nothing about “fake” faith. What demons lack is faith working through love.
So demons have faith but not love whereas Christians have have faith and love. That is why we say faith alone cannot save unless it formed by love (ie charity as we Catholics call it). It’s an essential ingredient that makes ones faith salvific.
Well, to be more accurate, the demons “believe” God is one and they know from first hand experience (He kicked them out of heaven). We believe, but not as a matter of knowledge but rather hope (Heb 11:2). However, James point is simply intellectually believing something does not save you, that sort of faith does not save. A faith that is true results in a life that evidences true convictions, which is why James uses Abraham and Rahab as example.
I would want you, and every Catholic, to affirm what the earlier, Orthodox Catholic Marius Victorinus said so long ago: For faith itself alone grants justification and sanctification. Thus any flesh whatsoever—Jews or those from the Gentiles—is justified on the basis of faith, not works or observance of the Jewish Law (Gal 2:16).
So, someone with that faith if he dies that very moment before baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or anything will be saved. Yet, if that man lives, he will do those things and more.
So, you want a mathematical equation of Salvation = Faith + Works
However it would be more accurate to say Faith = Salvation + Works. You have your works on the wrong side of the equation, because faith results in justification and it also results in subsequent good works.
God bless,
Craig
Craig – Well, to be more accurate, the demons “believe” God is one and they know from first hand experience (He kicked them out of heaven).
Me – like fake faith you are adding something that James does not consider:
James 2:19 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
He’s telling the Christians here that they believe belief (have faith) and demons also believe (have faith). James says nothing about their belief being different. They both assent intellectually.
Craig – We believe, but not as a matter of knowledge but rather hope (Heb 11:2).
Me – Yes, a Christians’ faith (formed faith) has hope. Without hope it’s is no different than a demon’s.
Craig – However, James point is simply intellectually believing something does not save you, that sort of faith does not save.
Me – oh my goodness we are in complete agreement here. The faith that James is talking about is intellectually assent in God and what His Son did for us. Jesus The demons have this faith (they believe) just like Christians do, but it’s not enough. You must do the good works of God’s grace which God chooses to reward.
Try reading James 2 again and replace the word faith and believing with intellectual assent and it will make more sense (not my idea, I got it from Jimmy Akin).
Craig – A faith that is true results in a life that evidences true convictions, which is why James uses Abraham and Rahab as example.
Me – I agree, but your faith must be formed by love. Faith working through love. God’s grace will tug at our heart but at the end of the day the individual must open up their hearts and minds to God. God does not force this on us.
To put it another way, God’s Grace moves us first, but we must
Craig – I would want you, and every Catholic, to affirm what the earlier, Orthodox Catholic Marius Victorinus said so long ago: For faith itself alone grants justification and sanctification. Thus any flesh whatsoever—Jews or those from the Gentiles—is justified on the basis of faith, not works or observance of the Jewish Law (Gal 2:16).
Me – Catholics agree with this, just as long as the faith he’s talking about has hope and charity. It can’t be alone because if it is it’s nothing more than intellectual assent. And we also know that
Craig – So, someone with that faith if he dies that very moment before baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or anything will be saved. Yet, if that man lives, he will do those things and more.
Me – I agree b/c someone with that faith will want to be baptized and receive the Lord’s Supper.
Craig – So, you want a mathematical equation of Salvation = Faith + Works
However it would be more accurate to say Faith = Salvation + Works. You have your works on the wrong side of the equation, because faith results in justification and it also results in subsequent good works.
Me – actually as we seen with James not all faith=Salvation + works, but ALL faith + charity = salvation. Where charity = love of God above all things for his own sake and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.
Craig – God bless,
Craig
Me – Go bless you also.
“like fake faith you are adding something that James does not consider:”
The most elementary student of the Scripture know that Satan was cast out of heaven (Is 14) and along with him his angels, so to say that James would have not known this and expected others to is a stretch.
“He’s telling the Christians here that they believe belief (have faith) and demons also believe (have faith). James says nothing about their belief being different. They both assent intellectually. ”
They both assent intellectually, but again that is not merely what faith is so you are conflating the two inaccurately. The Scripture defines faith as a hope in unseen thing, and elsewhere as something that works through love. So faith INCLUDES intellectual assent, but it is not merely intellectual assent. That’s why James call such faith “that faith” because “that faith” is not the faith that saves.
“Try reading James 2 again and replace the word faith and believing with intellectual assent and it will make more sense (not my idea, I got it from Jimmy Akin).”
I would be interested in your view of my exegesis of the passage: http://christianreformedtheology.com/2015/02/25/saved-by-works-and-not-by-faith-alone-james-2-and-a-response-to-shameless-popery/
“Catholics agree with this, just as long as the faith he’s talking about has hope and charity.”
Faith MUST have hope and charity. I would suppose the only issue is that only God knows whether the hope and charity is from real convictions. Further, hope and charity without faith cannot save.
“It can’t be alone because if it is it’s nothing more than intellectual assent.”
Well, for all practical purposes it can be if you die real soon afterwards.
“I agree b/c someone with that faith will want to be baptized and receive the Lord’s Supper.”
Agreed…plus not keep his head covered when praying if he’s a man 😉
You should read Gal 5, because good works are not an additional requirement needed for salvation, but a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Being that no one is sealed with the Spirit before believing, then the fruit all come subsequent to faith.
God bless,
Craig
Thank you Craig for grounding your responses in scripture. I completely agree with you. The other comments are in serious error and basing their ideas on their own interpretations; something we cannot do. There is only one interpretation and that is found in God’s word, not in our preferences, emotions, or conjectures. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in your truth: your word is truth.” Those who want to leave the pattern that God has prescribed are “promoting self-made religion” as Col. 2:23 describes.
Excellent article. I completely agree!