Pentecostal Holiness Teaching on Hair

1 Corinthians 11:3-16

Let's not be contentious (verse 16).

Question: Is it ok for women to cut their hair as long as it is not shaved off?

Answer: No, if you trim once why not trim 10 times in a row?

What the Bible (KJV) says comes first: I Corinthians 11:5-6 says:

⁵But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

⁶For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

    1. The Bible states a woman's head should be covered.
    2. It says the covering for humans is hair.
    3. The Bible says that cutting is the same as being shaved in God's eyes. (shorn or shaven)

Definitions:

Shorn - Greek word is keiðrw (a primary verb) to sheer: a sheep, to get or let be shorn, of shearing or cutting short the hair of the head. Modern definition from the NAS 1; cut, 2; hair cut off.

Shaven - Greek word is cura/w (from a derivative of the same as (meaning a razor)) to shear or to shave or to get one's self shaved.

How should the church help new members who have not been taught this scripture?

a. Love your neighbor as yourself. First we should not condemn the person. The Bible says they may be a potential pastor, teacher, prophet, apostle, government, or help.

b. We should teach the person privately and love them enough to not embarrass them.

c. We must be wise and love God enough to not accept or promote the behavior by putting the person in ministries of leadership, worship, teaching, or other public representation of the Church.

d. Let the person grow naturally. If a person is put in leadership, before they obey God’s word, they will not grow spiritually. Others will misread their participation to mean that the Church is condoning behavior contrary to the Bible. Actions (examples) speak louder than words.

e. New members who are honest-hearted will not be offended because they are seeking truth anyway. Include them in a new members class that includes seasoned members so that they can learn from the older – a Bible process.

f. When the new member sees the Bible way they will commit to not cutting their hair. It will grow out in 6 months to a year on ladies and it can be put up on the head to help avoid the appearance of being cut. They can then be added to more ministries. This helps all new members to grow in Christ and not be hindered or pressured.

g. New members will accept the word of God because of God’s goodness – give them time!

Verses	Scripture	Explanation
1.	Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.	Paul the Apostle is saying that even he cannot do just anything he wants – that is a cult.
2.	Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.	The rules of Christian living have been delivered.
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.	God set an authority structure in the family (head=leader). It has limits because another scripture says that no person stands between you and God.
4.	Every man praying or prophesying, having his head (scalp) covered, dishonoureth his head (God).	Verse 15 defines hair as the covering (of the scalp) that is being discussed.
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.	A woman can dishonor her husband (head) by uncovering her (scalp) head. Shaven means (Greek) – see above.
6.	For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.	“not covered” = shaven = shorn = shame. Shorn means (Greek) – see above.
7.	For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.	Man glorifies God – his head (leader). Ladies glorify the man – her head (leader). Feminists understand this and instinctively want to promote short hair on women as a “me too” act toward men.
8-10.	⁸ For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. ⁹ Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. ¹⁰ For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.	Proof of verse number 7 – it really is all about confirming God’s authority structure and obeying God’s commandments. The angels fell because they disobeyed God. Hair is a sign not just to man but to angels that the woman is following the laws of God. It is a witness in the earth and in the spirit.
11-12.	¹¹ Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. ¹² For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.	Men and women should show mutual respect to each other. God has purposely given each a role in his kingdom. Eve came from Adam. All men since creation came from the woman by birth. This is God’s plan.
13-15.	¹³ Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? ¹⁴ Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? ¹⁵ But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.	Paul summarizes and repeats his God inspired lesson to the spirit-filled believers. The covering being discussed is hair.
16.	But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.	The churches of God will not teach anything else.

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