Head Coverings

1 Corinthians 11:4-5 says, Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

I was recently asked: Why don't we obey this command? Isn't it picking and choosing to obey some verses and not others? Here's my answer...I understand this verse to be specific advice to the church in Corinth in light of the unique Eastern culture they lived in.

Concerning the men not covering their heads - once Jesus died, the veil in the Temple was torn in two, showing that nothing separated people from God any longer. The covering on the head represented a degree of separation from God. Unlike in Bible times, if someone wears a hat in church today, they certainly aren't doing so to represent a barrier between them and God. It's simply a fashion statement, not a theological one. Concerning the women making sure they covered their heads - Proper women in Eastern culture would wear a veil over their head. Prostitutes would go around with their head uncovered. So if a woman was sitting in a church service without a veil, it would do three things:

1. It would dishonor her husband because she would send out the message that instead of being his beautiful bride, she was a harlot.
2. It would distract the men. What does a prostitute remind you of? Answer: Sex! At church you're there to focus on God, not sexual temptation.
3. It would distract the women. One of the married women might ask herself "Who's this woman sitting next to my husband?"

Now, just because the advice was specific to the church in Corinth, doesn't mean there's no application for us today. One possible application for today would be to come to church dressed in a way as to not cause other people to be distracted by what you're wearing. If ladies come to church dressed too revealing, it could do thing things:

1. It could dishonor her husband. Instead of sharing her body only with her husband, in a low cut blouse, she could be sharing with every man what is supposed to be reserved for her husband.
2. It could distract the men. The person sitting behind you in church should be focused on God during worship. He should have to struggle with sexual temptation because of a woman's immodest dress.
3. It could distract the ladies. One of the married women might be thinking "I should move us to another seat. I don't want my husband seeing her!"

And while women usually aren't as visual as men, men also ought to dress modestly as well, just to be on the safe side.