Head Covering for Women

Head Covering for Women (1 Corinthians 11:5-15)

I decided to write on this topic in light the of the Head Covering Movement. It has been on my mind for sometime and writing helps me process my thoughts.  A head covering represents the order of God's ordained leadership in society.  A head covering is a sign that a husband is indeed the head of the wife and she is under his leadership. So I decided to search the Scriptures concerning my role as a wife when it comes to head coverings. When is it appropriate to wear one or should I wear one in public? I have heard various agruments against it, one being that this was a cultural thing. I decided that Scripture would be my guide and his Word tells me to rightly divide the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15). So I will begin by writing what I believe is my biblical role as a wife to my husband.

As a young lady I prayed for a husband. Hannah sought God for the desires of her heart and she asked God to give her a child. God heard her cry and went beyond her prayers, and granted her not one child but six children. She was my inspiration. I sought God for a husband with only one criterion in mind.  If I was to respect and submit to a man as Scripture commands, then for me, he must have this one quality. I didn't ask God for a man with great wealth, power, intellegence, or even good looks. I asked God for a man who would love Him with all his heart, soul and might. A man after God's own heart. I knew this was the type of man I could respect and submit to and no other.

I knew this was the type of man who according to Scripture would love me, protect me and provide for his family. I knew this was the type of man who would provide spiritual leadership and guidance that would have an impact on  my faith.  And I can honestly say, God granted me what I asked for and then some. I have the best husband in the world for me. He is gentlemanly, dilligent, handsome and has one of the greatest minds I've ever known. In truth, he fascinates me.  And most importantly my husband has a deep love for God and His Word and has taught me so much. Respect and submission to my husband is easy. He is the boss of me and I couldn't have asked for a better husband. I said all of this because Scripture is clear that husbands must love their wives, protect and provide for their homes; and that wives are to respect and submit to their own husbands (I Peter 3:1). One cannot claim to know God and love God while having a blatant disregard for His word (although we all struggle with sin).

As a young wife at 23, learning my role as a wife was difficult for me at times. I had been used to being responsible for myself since I was 18, when I moved out of my parent's home. I was accustomed to going wherever I pleased, I spent the night at my girlfriends' homes. I would pick up and leave for days at a time with friends and I enjoyed my freedom. I was free like the wind within my faith to God. I wasn't drinking and partying or sleeping around. I was usually hanging out with my Christian friends. Shortly after marriage I really struggled with submission to my husband and what it meant and why. Why had God established this order in society? Did God love men more than women? Over the years my husband earned my much-deserved respect and devotion, but not before God himself taught me as a wife why it is my duty to submit to my husband. Let me clarify: my submission to my husband should never come at the cost of disobedience to God or Scripture. So in essence my submission to my husband comes with qualifications. A good lesson in that is the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). In going along with Ananias, Sapphira submitted to her husband but not to God.

In reading Genesis 2:15-16, I came to understand that Eve's part that led to the fall of man was her failure to obey God through her husband. Verse 15 says that God took man and put him in the garden. Verse 16 says, "God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:" I can deduce from Scripture that Eve at this point was not yet created (Genesis 2:18). I can only assume it was through Adam that the command of God was relayed to Eve. Eve was fully aware of God's command to not partake of the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:2). I have often wondered why she did it. Was it her curiosity, or was it maybe her lack of trust in her God and husband that led to her disobedience?  Scripture tells us that Eve was deceived by the serpent and it led her to disobey and sin (1 Timothy 2:14). Adam, on the other hand, was not deceived; he knew fully well what he was doing when he partook of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis 3:12, Adam tries to cover up his sin by indirectly blaming God, who gave him the woman, and the woman, who gave him the forbidden fruit. Adam's part in the fall was that he failed to accept responsibility for his actions (Romans 5:12-14).

Fast-forward to the New Testament. In Scripture when women are commanded to submit to their husbands, it is always followed with a command for husbands to love their wives or honor them (Ephesians 5:22-25; 1 Peter 3:1 & 7). Why is that? I believe it all goes back to the Garden. As the wife submits to her husband, she absolves herself of anything that goes wrong. She is just obeying her husband, and he solely is responsible for what goes wrong. And he can no longer blame the woman, whom God gave to him, like Adam did in the garden. He must accept responsibility and accountability for his decisions and actions. As a wife submits, she is perfecting her husband for what Adam did wrong in the Garden.  As a husband loves his wife, he is teaching her to trust him, to follow his lead. He too is perfecting her for what Eve did wrong at the garden. A husband is teaching his wife to obey God through him. And so they compliment each other, teaching one another and perfecting one another and correcting one another's weaknesses. There is a reason for the love and submission between a husband and wife as it serves a purpose in God's infinite wisdom.

I mentioned all of this to lay the foundation for what I feel is truth according to Scripture concerning a woman wearing a head covering. There is a reason for a woman to wear a head covering. According to Scripture it is the job of the woman to submit. It is to be a willing submission in accordance to God's ordained leadership. It is never a man's job to dominate his wife. Husbands are to love their wives and wives are to submit to their authority.

According to Paul the Apostle, there are two instances in which a married woman must cover her head. One is in public prayer and the other is in publically prohesying. Why? According to Paul, it is because of the angels. I believe it is because when the people of God assemble themselves together, the angels are watching and they are under God's command. They submit to His will and carry out the orders from God. Therefore women cover their heads when they publicly pray or publicly prophesy. This shows they understand God's ordained leadership. In my understanding this is not a cultural thing but in respect to the angels watching. So for me it is a command I intend to obey when publicly praying or prophesying.

I searched throughout the Old Testament to see if I could find any Scriptures concerning head coverings for women, but I couldn't find anything. Perhaps I need to search some more, but I do know Paul the apostle studied under Gamaliel, a well-known and esteemed Pharisee in Jewish law. I have always been taught to never create a doctrine from a single obscure Scripture, so I aproach this belief cautiously. I can deduce that it is certainly not a sin to pray with my head uncovered; it only disqualifies me to prophesy or pray publicly at best. As for me personally, I hold to the conviction to cover my head when publicly praying or prophesying to honor God and the angels. Paul said that love covers a multitude of sins. It does me no good to cover my head if I do not have love. "He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). According to Scripture faith, justice and mercy are the weighter matters of the law (Matthew 23:23). I would much rather practice faith, justice and mercy than cover my head but live unrighteously.

I do not hold to the belief that God requires a woman to cover her head at all times. If that were true, then the countries where women are required to cover their heads would be most blessed. Instead it is the complete opposite. The countries where women cover their heads are the very same countries in the top ten with most violence against women. Men who demand that women cover their heads are also the men who tend to be the worst perpetrators of violence against women. These countries have the highest rates of female suicide and  child marriage, and the highest rates of domestic violence with few women's rights. So no, I can't say that covering their heads has alleviated discrimination, sexual harrassment and rape. In fact it is safe to say it has the very exact opposite affect to what I would call a blessed life as a woman. Why? 

I realize that I do not serve the same God that they do. My God is a good God. He created both male and female in his image (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 5:1-2). He called both male and female Adam in the day he created them. He is a God of equality; there is neither male nor female (Galatians 3:28). I may play a different role as a woman, but I have equal status in the eyes of God as my husband. God is a God of freedom, not oppression. "Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corithians 3:17).

I also believe that it rains on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). All of mankind is under the laws of God, whether they realize it or not, both the rich and poor. In this day and age money equals power, but soon a day is coming when righteousness will rule.

So when I see these countries where women are required to cover their heads it seems to me that there is a direct correlation between women's inequality and head coverings. In these countries women and young girls suffer. Some of the most egregious crimes against women and girls take place where women cover their heads. I asked myself why? There are no coincidences in this world. Everything under the sun serves a purpose.  According to Paul a woman covers her head while prophesying. I am reminded that throughout the Old Testament whenever God called a prophet to prophesy, for the most part it was to prophesy against: against Israel, against a king, etc. Perhaps inadvertantly these women are bearing witness or prophesying against the egregious crimes against women. God is slow to anger, but he will by no means clear the guilty. He will judge those who destroy females and children who are also created in His image.  He will rise up in anger and there are consequences for the evil actions perpetrated by evil men (Deuteronomy 9:8). Without repentance, eventually your sin catches up to you. Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.