Submitting To God’s Order And Plan (Part 1)

Dear Bethelites,

Some churches emphasize that all their women would have to place a veil on their head when they come to church for worship services.  Some years back, someone called up our church and enquired about our worship services, and she seemed to be quite happy to visit our church until she asked me the question whether our church practised head coverings for women.  When I said, “No,” she hung up, and she did not visit our church after that.

Is it necessary for women today to put on head coverings?  What is this head covering, is it referring to the veil, or is it referring to the woman’s hair?  What is the significance of head coverings?  Is this passage really about head coverings?  From this passage in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we want to learn not only about the significance of head covering, but the more important spiritual lesson of submitting to God’s order and plan.  We will divide this passage into two parts vv.2-7 and vv.8-16.

I. The Problem

1 Corinthians 11:2, Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Though the Corinthians were problematic and immature, yet they respected the authority and wisdom of Paul.  The word ordinances means traditions or teachings that were passed on from one person to another.  The traditions of men should be avoided, but the traditions that are given in the Word of God, e.g. the apostolic traditions must be observed.  The Corinthians remembered the truths of God’s Word, but the problem was that they did not apply those truths into their lives.  Likewise today there are many people who are like the Corinthians with a head puffed up with knowledge, but their lives show no evidence of godliness.  Believers must never behave like that!

II. The Example

Verse 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.  It is good to understand the situation back then in the Corinthian church.  In those days, as mainly a male chauvinistic society, women would often live in the background.  But all of a sudden, the gospel of Christ gave them much dignity and honour, and somehow, many women became so outspoken that they rebelled against the God-given authority of the men.  Thus, it was important for Paul to stress to them the roles of men and women in God’s order and plan.

The word head refers to the one who has the ruling authority.  Notice, here Paul made three important statements.

Firstly, the head of every man is Christ.  Christ is uniquely the head of the church; He is our Saviour and Lord, and He has redeemed and bought us by His precious blood.  Christ is also the head of every human being, believers and unbelievers alike, though the unbelievers would never acknowledge His headship.  But the Bible tells us that one day, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).  In other words, ultimately one either bows before Christ as his Saviour or as his Judge!

Secondly, the head of every woman is the man.  It does not mean that the man is any better than the woman, or the woman is any less than the man.  But God has chosen the man to be the leader and the woman must submit to the authority that God has designed. It is His order, will and plan that the man is to be the leader.  As far as personal worth, abilities, intellect or spirituality are concerned, the woman is completely equal to the man.  In fact, some women are even more superior to some men in terms of abilities, maturity and spirituality.  But God has ordained the man as the authority and the woman as the subordination in His order and plan for mankind.  Women must never usurp that God-ordained authority (1 Timothy 2:11-12)!

Thirdly, the head of Christ is God.  Christ has never been, in any way, inferior to the Father in His essence, for He is the eternal Almighty God.  Yet in His incarnation, He willingly subjected Himself to the Father, to be our Saviour and Redeemer because He loves us so much.  He willingly subjected Himself completely to His Father’s will as an act of humble obedience to fulfil the divine purpose of saving His people.

In essence, Paul was saying, “Just as Christ is submissive to the Father, Christians are to be submissive to Christ, and women are to be submissive to men!”  One cannot accept one part and reject the other part; for they are all ordained by God.

Consider this — If Christ had not submitted to the will of God, redemption for mankind would be impossible and we will forever be doomed and lost.  If we do not submit to Christ as our Saviour and Lord, we will forever be doomed and lost.  And if women do not submit to men, or wives to their own husbands, then the family and society as a whole will be dysfunctional and destroyed.  So whether on a divine or human scale, submission and authority are the indispensable elements in God’s order and plan.

III. The Application

Having established the principle of God’s order and plan, Paul went on to speak on the application.  Verse 4, Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.  Here, Paul was speaking about the public ministry before the Lord and the people (like in the worship service), whereby one’s testimony was very important.  The word prophesying means to declare God’s truth as recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

The phrase, having his head covered, literally means “having down from head.”  Some theologians believed that this was not a reference to having the head covered with a veil because the Jewish men did not do that, but rather it was referring to men having long hair like a covering.  Women ought to have long hair like a covering, and men ought not to have long hair like a covering.  But whether this was a reference to long hair or some kind of a veil, the principle is the same; the roles of men and women must not be reversed!

For a man to pray and preach without his head covered was a sign of his authority over the women.  But for a man to pray and preach with his head covered would suggest a reversal of the God-given roles which means he was taking on the role of the woman instead.  That would be an abomination unto God!

In our modern context, we may not have the practice of putting on head coverings.  But the principle is the same; for the man to play the role of the woman, or for the father to play the role of the mother, or for the husband to play the role of the wife, it is a dishonour to Christ!

Verse 5, But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishnoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.  Here, it does not mean that the Apostle Paul approved of women teaching, preaching and leading in a church worship service.  Women are allowed to pray and preach, but the Bible is consistent, and we have to consider all the other scripture passages.  The New Testament has no restrictions on the woman teaching children and other women (c.f. Titus 2:4-5).  But women should not pray and preach in the meetings of the church where men are present, because this would contradict the other Bible verses like usurping the authority of men.

For a Corinthian woman to pray and preach with her head uncovered, she would dishonour her head which was the man which means she did not regard her devotion and submission to husband as something important.  Ultimately her action was a disregard for the God-ordained authority!

When such women were allowed to teach children and other women, they were actually teaching them to rebel and disobey God’s order and plan!  Therefore, Paul went on to say in verse 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.

In those days, only the prostitute would shave her head.  The church father Chrysostom wrote in his writings that women guilty of adultery had their hair shaved off and were marked as prostitutes.  No woman would want to be branded as a prostitute.  In a sense, Paul was saying, “If you want to uncover your head, you might as well go all the way, and have your head shaved.  If you are unwilling to look like a prostitute, then do not pray or teach with your head uncovered.”

Though head covering was a cultural thing and practised during the Corinthian times, the principle being taught is about the God-ordained authority and submission.  This matter of God’s order and plan should never be compromised.

The head covering was a sign of subordination.  Verse 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 was uniquely created to bear the image of God.  Adam was created as ruler, and God gave him dominion over all the created world.  Both man and woman were created in God’s image, but as far as the original creation was concerned, it was only Adam who was created from the dust of the ground.  Eve was created later from one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:22-23).  It was in this sense that man was made in the image and glory of God, and woman was made in the image of God but in the glory of the man.

Through the man, God shows how magnificent a creature He could create for Himself.  Through the woman, God shows how magnificent a creature He could create out of or from man.  But as far as saving and sanctifying grace is concerned, the woman and man share in the same communion with God.  They are both saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and they will both be like Jesus when they see Him face to face.

With love in Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng

(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)

1 CORINTHIANS 11

Called to Be Saints

Called to Be Saints

1 Corinthians 1:1

The Church at Corinth

The Church at Corinth

1 Corinthians 1:2-3

The Believer’s Spiritual Blessings

The Believer’s Spiritual Blessings

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Divisiveness Calls For Strong Actions

Divisiveness Calls For Strong Actions

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

The Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men (Part 1)

The Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 1:18-21

The Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men (Part 2)

The Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 1:22-25

In Performance or In Demonstration?

In Performance or In Demonstration?

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

The Wisdom of God (Part 2)

The Wisdom of God (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 2:6

The Wisdom of God (Part 3)

The Wisdom of God (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 2:7-10

The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man (Part 1)

The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 2:10-13

The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man (Part 2)

The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 1)

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 3:1

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 2)

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 3:2

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 3)

Are Ye Not Carnal? (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 3:3

Glorify God, Not Men

Glorify God, Not Men

1 Corinthians 3:4-8

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 1)

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 3:10-11

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 2)

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 3:12-13

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 3)

A Biblical View of the Ministry (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 3:14-16

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 1)

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 2)

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 3)

The Remedy to Church Division (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

A Biblical View of the Minister

A Biblical View of the Minister

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Whose Evaluation Really Matters?

Whose Evaluation Really Matters?

1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 1)

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 4:6

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 2)

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 4:7

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 3)

Dealing with Pride in the Church (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 4:8

Beware of Spiritual Immaturity (Part 1)

Beware of Spiritual Immaturity (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 4:9-10

Beware of Spiritual Immaturity (Part 2)

Beware of Spiritual Immaturity (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 4:11-13

Marks of a Spiritual Father

Marks of a Spiritual Father

1 Corinthians 4:14-15

Be Ye Followers Of Me (Part 1)

Be Ye Followers Of Me (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 4:16-17

Be Ye Followers Of Me (Part 2)

Be Ye Followers Of Me (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 4:18-20

Dealing with Sin in the Church

Dealing with Sin in the Church

1 Corinthians 5:1-5

A Little Leaven Leaveneth the Whole Lump (Part 1)

A Little Leaven Leaveneth the Whole Lump (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

A Little Leaven Leaveneth The Whole Lump (Part 2)

A Little Leaven Leaveneth The Whole Lump (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 5:8-11

Can Believers Sue One Another? (Part 1)

Can Believers Sue One Another? (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 6:1

Can Believers Sue One Another? (Part 2)

Can Believers Sue One Another? (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 6:2-8

Such Were Some of You (Part 1)

Such Were Some of You (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Such Were Some of You (Part 2)

Such Were Some of You (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 6:11

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 1)

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 6:12a

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 2)

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 6:12b

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 3)

Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 6:13

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 1)

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 6:14-15

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 2)

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 6:16-18

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 3)

The Temple of the Holy Spirit (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 6:19

Singleness Or Marriage (Part 1)

Singleness Or Marriage (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 7:1, 6-7

Singleness Or Marriage (Part 2)

Singleness Or Marriage (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 7:2-5

Divorce and Remarriage (Part 1)

Divorce and Remarriage (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

Divorce and Remarriage (Part 2)

Divorce and Remarriage (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 7:12-16, 39

Be Faithful to Your Calling (Part 1)

Be Faithful to Your Calling (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 7:17-19, 21-23

Be Faithful to Your Calling (Part 2)

Be Faithful to Your Calling (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 7:20, 24

Should I Remain Single (Part 1)

Should I Remain Single (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 7:25-28

Should I Remain Single (Part 2)

Should I Remain Single (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

An Undivided Devotion To The Lord (Part 2)

An Undivided Devotion To The Lord (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 7:36-40

An Undivided Devotion To The Lord (Part 1)

An Undivided Devotion To The Lord (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 7:36-40

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 1)

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 8:1-4, 8

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 2)

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 8:2

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 3)

Knowledge Alone is Not Enough (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 8:3

Love and Christian Liberty (Part 1)

Love and Christian Liberty (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Love and Christian Liberty (Part 2)

Love and Christian Liberty (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 8:7-13

Are You Willing To Give Up Your Rights? (Part 1)

Are You Willing To Give Up Your Rights? (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 9:1-6

Are You Willing To Give Up Your Rights? (Part 2)

Are You Willing To Give Up Your Rights? (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 9:7-11

Having To Pay To Hear The Gospel?

Having To Pay To Hear The Gospel?

1 Corinthians 9:15-19

All Things To All Men

All Things To All Men

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 1)

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 9:24

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 3)

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 3)

1 Corinthians 9:25b

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 2)

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 9:25a

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 4)

How To Run The Race Faithfully (Part 4)

1 Corinthians 9:27

The Danger Of Overconfidence — Lesson From History

The Danger Of Overconfidence — Lesson From History

1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Encouragement in Times of Temptation (Part 2)

Encouragement in Times of Temptation (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 10:13

Encouragement In Times Of Temptation (Part 1)

Encouragement In Times Of Temptation (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 10:13

Flee From Idolatry (Part 1)

Flee From Idolatry (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 10:14-18

Flee From Idolatry (Part 2)

Flee From Idolatry (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 10:19-22

All Things Are Lawful, But All Things Are Not Expedient

All Things Are Lawful, But All Things Are Not Expedient

1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Submitting To God’s Order And Plan (Part 1)

Submitting To God’s Order And Plan (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 11:2-7

Submitting To God’s Order And Plan (Part 2)

Submitting To God’s Order And Plan (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 11:8-16

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Perversion

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Perversion

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Purpose

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Purpose

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Preparation

The Significance Of The Lord’s Supper — The Preparation

1 Corinthians 11:27-34

A Right Understanding Of Spiritual Gifts

A Right Understanding Of Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-3

The Wisdom of God (Part 1)

The Wisdom of God (Part 1)

Selected Scriptures

TEMPLATE: 1 Corinthians

TEMPLATE: 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians