Does 1 Corinthians 11 Teach That Women Must Wear Head Coverings?

First Corinthians 11 teach the women must wear head coverings best is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity wider and happy Friday Abdul Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and you can call us for the next 25 minutes or so with your question.

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There are a number of passages in the Bible in particular in the Old Testament that depicts Satan as this accuser. I think of Job, chapter 1, for example, Job chapters 1 and two. Actually where the evil when Satan comes before the Lord and brings Job up and accuses him essentially.

I also think of Zechariah 1 of the minor prophets in Zechariah chapter 3, beginning in verse one we read. Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, the Lord rebuke you, oh Satan, the Lord had the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you is not this a brand plucked from the fire. Now Joshua standing before the angel clothed with filthy garments and the angel said to those who were standing before him remove the filthy garments from him. The filthy garments.

There are a picture of sin, and so the way in which Satan accuses the brethren accuses believers is by pointing out their sin by pointing out the fact that their failures that they deserve judgment. He accuses us in it in that way now you need to understand that something is happened to the evil one definitively through the work of Jesus Christ so that he cannot accuse us as he once did. Now what took place as described in Revelation chapter 12 beginning in verse seven we read now war rose in heaven. Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought back and he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven and the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him and I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, now the salvation and the power in the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down to accuses them day and night before God, and they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death is right there. I think I do you have your your answer. How does the spirit help us well, it's through the blood of the Lamb. The fact that yes, you know, we do have these filthy garments.

Wheat we have sinned against the Lord and yet God is put away our sins we confess our sins. He forgives us and and John says in first John that we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. And so because of what Jesus is done, the accusations of Satan against the people of God no longer carry any weight is been cast out of out of heaven if you will and I and so you can be comforted with that reality now.

I think that there are times in our lives. Martha where the evil one. You know, evil spirits will will bring up you know that the past what we've done to give us the sense of condemnation to make us feel like were hopeless like things will never get better with how bad, how could God love you.

That kind of the thing is, I think there there are those kinds of accusations still and how do we overcome those accurately accusations again. It's through the blood of the Lamb is by fleeing to the cross of Jesus Christ and clinging to that cross and knowing yes I have sinned. I am a great sinner but I have a great Savior and he is washed away my sins. God bless you Martha some great words of assurance so much. I think your address so much for that.

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You can also leave us a voicemail 24 hours a day, and here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Anna why covering shorthaired, now I long to my hair falling out and more and more not want to be a boy like you. Now I'm struggling with out and I think that question let's say a quick prayer for Anna as she struggles with her health, gracious father. Would you be with our sister. We don't know exactly what what health issue is that she has but we know God that your son Jesus is the great healer, the great physician, and so we pray Jesus that you would bring healing in our sister's life that you would be with her that you would guide her that you would encourage her in her walk with you and grant strength her body. We asked these things to your father in Jesus name, amen. Get a great a great question and knowing that everything else is. I don't think that you need to be concerned that you shaving your head for for these reasons, we would be dishonoring to the Lord, that God would be upset with you.

There a lot of questions that are raised about first Corinthians 11 and Paul's discussion about head coverings there. It's important that we understand a couple of things.

The context here of first Corinthians, and then also just the cultural context what was going on there in Corinth so coupling just just in terms the context here in chapters 11 through 14. You have really a an extended discussion about.

I believe Christian worship and how things ought to be done in the worship assembly.

In fact, at the very end of chapter 14 verse 40 Paul said all things should be done decently and in order. This is coming off of the discussion you just hadn't chapter 14 about spiritual gifts and the worshiping assembly. Everything done decently and in order so there's there's this order to worship that is supposed to be maintained that is honoring to the Lord, and he begins in in chapter 11 verse two.

I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you miss it right there again this assertive idea of your your holding fast to the way I'd I told you to do things, but I want you to understand the head of every man is Christ, the head of the wife is her husband and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered, dishonors his head but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head.

Since it is the same as if her head were shaven and that that days for the shaving of the head could have been us a sign of a couple of things of grief or mourning work are also of disgrace. You see this in various places is in the Old Testament as well in places like Isaiah chapter 7 verse 20 you think about how individuals would be in mourning or sorrow, or when they were disgraced in some manner they would shave their head men would shave their beards at kind of the thing and so that there is that cultural element, there's also that the broader just sort of cultural historical context of Corinth.

Corinth happened to be a Roman colony. She had the furtive clash of Greek and Roman culture and Romans did things a certain way and Greeks did things a certain way, even when it came down to the way in which they worshiped in their own assemblies and I'm not. I'm just talking with Mr. pagan culture that the Romans. For example, were really keen on things like head head coverings in the way that they dressed in their their dress being symbolic of status and and so on and so forth and so in their assemblies and their religious assemblies. They would they would have these head coverings of the Greeks were not as keen on head coverings. It seems like this could have been just a cultural issue there in Corinth as well as has Greeks and Romans are coming to faith in Jesus Christ and their going into the church and in their thinking about you, what worship is supposed to look like this could have been an issue, and it seems like it was there in Corinth, which is why Paul brings this up, and he wants there to be order and he's highlighting here in particular that the relationship between God and his people. The relationship between man and cat and a woman and eat beef talking about Gina being being respectful being honorable. All things being done.

As I said in chapter 14 decently and in order, but I think that there's unit.

Some just as rooted in the historical background here in the context there, in particular in Corinth, so that you shaving your head today would not would not mean the same thing, necessarily that it meant there in that context, I wouldn't be a scandal lysing thing. It wouldn't be something that I think should cause you to feel like a man. I'm dishonoring God here know. May the Lord be with you and may the Lord bless you and as you continue to to want to pursue Jesus and honor him in everything that you do and may God also grant you healing with whatever it is that you're going through and so thank you for giving us a call. God bless thank you and I and thank you for listening to core Christianity. We appreciate you so much. We will continue to pray for you and that health issue that you mentioned this to score Christianity and our phone lines are open right now. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology. Here's the phone number to call its 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 will be taking calls for the next eight or nine minutes or so. So if you got a burning question for Pastor Israel, now is the time to call us at 833 the core. We also receive emails here at core Christianity. Here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com and it really is a real practical question from one of our listers named Perry.

He says I'm a believer in Christ and a CPA. I've asked the same question to many Christian financial talkshows. No one seems to want to touch it, since it's so countercultural. I appreciate how you don't back down on difficult questions. Can you explain first Timothy 58 specifically to a husband's role to provide for the family by having a single income home yeah well of the context here in first Timothy chapter 5, Paul is going to be discussing widows and caring for widows. He begins in verse three on oh honor widows who are truly widows, but if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and make some return to their parents for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

She who is truly a widow left all alone has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Man these things as well so that they may be without reproach, but if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever very strong words from the apostle Paul there in verse eight.

If you don't provide for your relatives, especially for those of your own household as if you denied the figure worse than a non-Christian. I'm caring for your own family, this is this is II think a sobering warning for all of us and thinking about how we care for each other how we care for our parents is as they age.

Should we care for our children, but it sounds to me like you're you're asking. Does this mean or necessitate that a couple in a married couple that they have to have it in a single family and from the husband. I has to have enough money be making enough money and that if he isn't. He somehow denied the faith. I don't think that I I I certainly would not go that far, so I don't believe that what Paul is saying here is that you know if you're if you're married husband.

If you're not making enough to to make ends meet for for the family then yeah and you're maybe your wife works part-time or she also works and you've denied the faith, you're worse than unbeliever. That's not actually what even the apostle Paul says I think is as as men we should strive to provide for our families to do the best that we can meant to work hard at the battle Paul is calling these individuals to the. The person that he has in mind here, someone who is abandoned his own family who has abandoned his relatives even you know they not caring for his own household.

Is this somebody was derelict in his duties and that way impulses. That's that's a very grievous sin.

It's is a denial of the faith. It's worse than being an unbeliever.

And so I think we just have to have to take Paul at his at his word there and I and I know that this is a complex issue and depending on where you live, you know, some places just that cost more money to live and so does it mean well you can't be there if you don't make ends meet all on your own on your own salary.

I don't think so that we have to exercise wisdom here as Christians and in particular as Christian couples to think about it. What does it mean for me to lead my family well and in a manner that's honoring to God not placing an intense burden on my family and my children of my spouse and in working in trusting that the Lord will supply the needs that we have, but being diligent to do the work that were called to do.

Also in caring for our families and so God bless you and the work that you do, brother. Thank you for reaching out to us and have a wonderful weekend. I was thinking Perry being a CPA Bing account. This is his busy time and the tax season. So would be praying for you. All of your fellow CPAs with all the work long hours should be putting in here over the next several weeks let's go back to the phones and we have Tim on the line from Edmond, Oklahoma. Tim what your question for Pastor Israel, good afternoon.

Hopefully you'll hear me okay I lost my beautiful angel of the wife was married to her for 35 years old age and postoperative heart valve replacement totally flawless and my family drive my daughter but I know she's a believer, I know she has a perfect heartfelt right now we want to honor my beautiful wife and I want to know she's doing right now in our daily lives. As we tried a hot water to my condolences to you brother him I'm sorry for the loss. II rejoice with you that as you said, you know she's in the presence of the Lord. She's in the presence of Jesus. Now the question is does she see you now. Is she aware of what is taking place in your life you knew she is she observing, watching. I mean, some of the places in the New Testament were where we might have something like that suggested we some people point to the story that Jesus tells of Lazarus and and we don't want to go back in and speak to his his family members.

The rich man it united that Scripture is not really clear on you and to what extent our loved ones who have gone before us are aware of, or watching us.

I think that their focus is on the Lord and we do have that beautiful picture that's painted for us in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 12 verses 22 and following of worship in heaven. Tim, the author, the Hebrew says you have come to mount Zion to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering into the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all into the spirits of the righteous made perfect those those's the spirits of the rice paper that's that's a reference to our loved ones who died in Christ and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant into the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. The author of Hebrews is saying when we gather on earth to worship the true and the living God.

We go to church on Sunday innovate. We don't we don't see all the things that are taking place in in the heavenly's if you will, but it's as if were going up to the heavenly mountains on the heavenly Jerusalem, and we are joining the choir of angels in festal attire and you know host who else were joining around the throne of God as it were our loved ones and the focus is on Jesus's glory, his blood, which saves us as I am prone to think that you know for those who have gone before us. I do believe that that maybe there is some awareness to others is perfect knowledge that we have in the presence of the Lord. Paul talks about this and in first Corinthians chapter 13 we see through a mirror dimly, now the only CC face-to-face really know even as we ourselves are notes.

I think there's this fullness of knowledge that were given. We don't know exactly what that's going to be like, but I think that the focus is on Christ on the Lord on worship in that heavenly gathering and and so it and in this, the sweet think but the wonderful thing is we are a part of this one church. The church militant here on earth now which are part of still striving to follow Jesus to walk with him Tim and also the church triumphant where your where your wife is right now in the presence of Jesus perfected in holiness and perfect peace in one body of Christ. One church in our eyes are all directed to the Lord to Christ in May Jesus lift his lift your eyes to him and continue to fill you with the spirit and comfort you in this time and I thank you for giving us a call to him, we do really a feel for you and your loss and will begin to pray for you and your family federal here's a related question coming in from Bruce in Oklahoma.

Ruth what your question for Pastor Israel.

I'm doing well Ruth how are you think you would give me a question on in the Bible verse that says I will going into him immediately after we die like I'm looking for that one exactly like you said, places, leaving heaven and so I don't know if there's that I can love to help you with this. Ruth and I was actually just reading from from one of the verses that I would go to in Hebrews chapter 12 where it talks about the heavenly's with the angels around the throne of God in their you have the spirits of the righteous made perfect. That's Hebrews chapter 12 verse 23, that is, those believers who have died and gone to be with the Lord. Other verses that you could go to if you want to you know get a pen to write this down. I think of the gospel of Luke in Luke chapter 23 verse 43 where Jesus says to the thief on the cross. Today you're going to be with me in paradise today on the day that you die to be with me in paradise. That is, I believe in heaven. You also have the words of the apostle Paul in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse eight where he says to be absent from the body.

When we die to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord one more verse that I oftentimes will go to is what the apostle Paul says in the book of Philippians in Philippians chapter 1 where he says if I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me yet which I shall choose I cannot tell another that an effeminate if him to be here for much longer. Paul says, is my desire is to dip parts and to be with Christ, for that is far better there that's flipping chapter 1 verse 23 is a he he says when I die and I'm departing from this earth for my body for a period of time, like my spirit is any go into the presence of the Lord I'm in a be with Christ, and that is far better than anything I've ever experienced here on this earth.

And so those are four passages of Scripture that I just gave you that I think indicate very clearly when a believer dies, they are immediately in the presence of the Lord, their souls are perfected in holiness and they wait for that glorious day, the day of the resurrection. When were reunited to our bodies to the work of Jesus Christ. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together