WOMEN’S USE OF WORSHIP VEIL IN THE CHURCH:

WOMEN’S WORSHIP VEIL, FASHION AND THE SCRIPTURE?

By Ven Dr I. U. Ibeme

Websites: http://www.scribd.com/ifeogo

http://priscaquila.6te.net ; http://priscaquila.t35.com

Comment on The Chapel of Grace Web Blog: http://thechapelofgrace.wordpress.com

What should we follow as authentic guide for the Church’s standards in such matters as fashion, worship veil, marriage and sexual morality, women ordination to the Presbyterate and Episcopacy? Should we follow the Apostolic revelation in the Scripture? Or follow cultural modernity, ecclesiastical innovations and media bandwagon statistics of today?

TEXT: 1CORINTHIANS 11:1-16 (ASV)

(1) Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

(2) Now I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.

(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.

(4) Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.

(5) But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if she were shaven.

(6) For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn: but if it is a shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.

(7) For a man indeed ought not to have his head veiled, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

(8) For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man:

(9) for neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man:

(10) for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

(11) Nevertheless, neither is the woman without the man, nor the man without the woman, in the Lord.

(12) For as the woman is of the man, so is the man also by the woman; but all things are of God.

(13) Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled?

(14) Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

(15) But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

(16) But if any man seemeth to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

INTRODUCTION:

This portion of Scripture (as any other) must be approached with devotion in order to have insight into its true and plain meaning.

There are multifaceted, futile efforts by secularist media and anti-Christian modernists in collaboration with innovative liberal Christians who give no damn about imitating any tradition, custom or ordinance delivered and commanded to the Church by the Apostles. They revise the text and twist the meaning of this and other Scriptures to bring the Church into error (2Pet 3:16-17). Attempt has been made to even completely retranslate this portion of the Scripture in the NIV footnote! We are in the age of the Holy Spirit, but we are also in the age of the antichrist spirits of error who twist Scriptures to lead some to destruction (2Pet 2:1-3; 1Jon 4:1; 2John 1:7-10). These frantic but contradictory approaches to mislead the Church are propagated under slogans such as:

(i) “The woman needs no worship veil since her hair is her head covering”. This is the textual revisionist slogan, which has been found to be erroneous absurdity, mistaking covering for veiling. If women’s hair replaces the veil then men must be totally shorn for even short hair covers the head too! Besides, verse 6 would make no sense with the phrase “let her ALSO (Grk= kai) be shorn” as additional action apart from not veiling.

(ii) “There was no custom of worship veil in the Apostolic Church”. This is the historical denial slogan, which has been shown to be total fallacy on the evidence of ancient coins, murals, paintings and sculptures. If verse 16 meant that there was NOT ANY (instead of NO OTHER) custom of worship veil, which TRADITIONS then was St Paul talking about in verse 2, to have been held fast by the Corinthians as delivered to them by St Paul? And what would really be the sense of wasting all the effort in writing the whole passage?

(iii) “Worship veil was a cultural prescription for ancient Corinth but now overtaken in today’s modern culture”. This is the cultural revisionist slogan, which is a mere supposition with neither historical nor Scriptural basis. Modern culture no longer regards dressing and clothing as shamefaced decency to cover nakedness (Gen 3:7-10, 21) but as shameless fashion to exhibit the body especially for sex appeal. Women who pursue modern culture are already coming to Church half-naked and fashionably sexy or crazy with no regard for reasonable modesty or decency, just as they unveil their head with no regard for spiritual decency and dignity (Isa 3:16-24; Rom 12:1-2; 1Tim 2:9-10; 1Pet 3:3-5). St Paul as a Jewish man, worshiped with veil on his head in the Synagogue (same applied to all Jewish men and women till this day, due to some historical reasons different from Apostolic ecclesiology 2Cor 3:7-17), but when in Church, he removed his veil together with other Jewish Christian men. Like the Jews, the Romans worshipped in their shrines with head covering for both men and women, based on some philosophies. Corinthian Greek women adorned and flaunted their hair décor in the streets and in their shrines, but when in Church veiled their head.

(iv) “There is no difference between male and female in Christ”. This is the unisex or homosex slogan, which is the favourite for proponents of solemnized homosexual union and ordained overseer women ministry. Males and females are saved by the same means into the same body of Christ (Gal 3:28-28), yet in Christ, our sexual natures and relational roles are different in this life (Rom 1:24-28; Eph 5:22-25), as reiterated here in verses 3-5.

For the place of women ministry in the Church visit: http://www.scribd.com/doc/30395601/Apostolic-Teaching-on-Women-Ministry-Gifts-Order or http://priscaquila.t35.com/seminars/women_veil.html

WORSHIP VEIL IS NOT MEANT FOR ANY CULTURE, BUT IS AN APOSTOLIC SPIRITUAL TRADITION AND CUSTOM FOR THE CHURCH

The ancient Church (including the Corinthian Church), had some uniform Apostolic Customs or Traditions which were received from Christ and delivered to the Church (1Cor 11:2, 16, 22-23; 1Cor 15:3; 2Thes 2:15; 2Thes 3:6; 2Pet 3:2). These traditions and ordinances superseded all cultures and preferences during worship. One of such was that women veiled their heads during public worship as conducive to Angelic presence and in consonance with the inter-relational order of divine ontology (1Cor 11:10; 1Tim 5:21; Heb 1:13-14; Heb 12:22; 1Pet 1:12), while men kept their heads open in consonance with Christ’s presence, ontological order and covenant inter-relation (1Cor 11:3-4; 1Tim 5:21; Heb 1:13-14; Heb 12:23-24; 1Pet 1:12). Also in the society, Christian women maintained long hair as glorious covering over inglorious baldness (1Cor 11:3-7, 15); while men maintained short hair or baldness as honourable exposure of divine glory (1Cor 11:3-7, 14). This ordinance ever since practiced by the Corinthian Church (1Cor 11:2), was not just written by Paul and mailed but was also explained by Timothy who personally came with the epistle to put them through (1Cor 4:14-17).

Certainly, these Christian practices of:

1. unveiled head demanded in Church with short hair or baldhead permitted in society for men, as well as

2. worship veil demanded in Church with long-hair permitted in the society for women,

were neither to conform to Jewish, Roman or even Greek culture nor was it to prevent distraction by women’s braids. Rather, it was peculiar Apostolic Ecclesiological Custom already in practice at Corinthian Church (1Cor 11:2 and 16). Today some manipulate this portion of the Scripture in order to violate it to their own detriment and deception of those under delusion (2Thes 2:9-17; 2Pet 3:16-17). These presumptuous textual revisionists and cultural speculators must be ignored (1Cor 14:36-38) and countered with sound biblical truth (Tit 1:9-11). The Church of today no longer cares about imitating and obeying the heavenly counter-culture of Christ (1Cor 11:1-2); they now succumb to pressures and worldly cultures of modern “civilization”, so called. Technologically, modernity may claim civilization but morally speaking, there is no civilization but rather demonization.

It is important to note that the Church’s societal rule in any society is to follow the moderation and modesty of the respective communities that befits godliness (1Tim 2:9-10; Tit 2:3). The Church’s missionary strategy is to constrain to be all things lawful to all people when necessary, in order to gain some to Christ (1Cor 9:19-22). Yet for those already won into the Church, our fellowship rule is to insist on the ordinances, traditions and customs ordained by Christ through the Apostles (1Cor 11:2, 16; 14:33-40; 2Thes 2:15; 3:6, 14).

CHRISTIANS MUST SHUN VOGUE AND VANITY TO UPHOLD MODESTY AND DIGNITY

FASHION is a preference trend or popular bandwagon with the MOTIVES of either revolt against certain detested values or pursuit of certain desired values. The new skimpy-hippy culture is a protest against shamefaced temperance and a pursuit for shameless exhibitionism. It is part of the antichrist new age movement of rebellious godlessness, shamelessness and lawlessness. The Bible calls this the “MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS” of perilous end times (2Thes 2:3-12; 2Tim 3:1-5). What is the motive of your attire?

Today’s culture of fashionable nudeness must never be brought into the Church fellowship and worship services. Even in the society, fashionable nudity is not the shamefaced modesty, sobriety and reverence that Christians should be known for (1Tim 2:9-10; Tit 2:11-13; 1Pet 3:3-4). THE PURPOSE OF DRESSING IS DIGNITY AND DECENCY NOT NUDITY AND OBSCENITY.

Adornment is meant for godly beauty and dignity (Exo 28:40-43; Job 40:10) not for dissipation and dishonour. Beauty and adornment are of two types:

1. inward moral and spiritual beauty of virtue and holiness (2Chr 20:21; Isa 61:10; 1Pet 3:4), ADORNED WITH SUPERNATURAL GRACE AND GLORY (1Tim 2:10; 1Pet 3:5; Rev 21:2) and

2. outward physical and superficial beauty of figures and looks (Gen 6:1-4; 29:17), ADORNED WITH SYNTHETIC CLOTHING AND COSMETICS (2Kin 9:30; Isa 3:16-24; 1Tim 2:9; 1Pet 3:3).

While maximizing the inward adornment, Christians should purpose in their hearts to agree with the Apostles (1Tim 2:9-10; 1Pet 3:3-5) by insisting that their outward adornment must be done soberly not seductively, for respectable decency and dignity not for fashionable nudity and discourtesy, with shamefaced modesty WHICH COVERS NAKEDNESS not with shameless madness WHICH FLAUNTS NAKEDNESS. Our outward beautification must be guided by our inward motives. THE CHURCH SHOULD REGULATE AND PUBLICISE ITS TOLERABLE MODERATION (Php 4:5). Whatever you wear matters always: it is either a manifestation or a manifesto, a portrayal or a proposal. What is the motive of your attire?

Today’s couture is fast getting dominated by crazy (indecent) fashion designers and sexy (seductive) fashion models, through ready-made junks, aggressive marketing and militant licentiousness. The modest clients and their seasoned tailors are getting compelled to join the trend of crazy disarray rather than godly array, with intemperance fast overriding decency. The mass media hypes the notion that costly and crazy fashion is trendy and cool, while decency and dignity is mocked and jettisoned. Christians must not allow themselves to be pressured into the sexy fashion craze nor the ostentatious glamour vogue, but boldly insist on decency and moderation. Our calling is to do God’s will on earth as it is done in heaven and so bring His Kingdom’s counter-culture to bear on earth.

EXPOSITION:

1. There was a tradition or ordinance which the Corinthian Church had kept as delivered by the Apostle Paul. But now they wanted to know why, having obeyed first (1Cor 11:2). So Paul gives an intelligible explanation to make them understand (1Cor 11:3a).

2. In accordance with His divine nature and the nature of His creation, God has set the ORDER OF HEADSHIP (or Inter-relation of beings) in both divinity and humanity as follows: -

First: God (the Father, non-begotten and non-proceeding),

Next: Christ (begotten of the Father, but non-proceeding),

NOTE: The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son alike (Joh 14:23-26; 15:26), and given unto men and women alike (Rom 8:11-17), to regenerate and authorise them equally as sons irrespective of sex or gender (Joh 1:12-14; Gal 3:26-29), for kingdom co-heritage with Christ (Rom 8:14-17).

Thirdly: The man (made in the image of God and redeemed in Christ),

Then: The woman (made in the image of God and redeemed in Christ, but also made from the man) (1Cor 11:3, 7-9).

3. The reason for this ontological inter-relation is to avoid confusion and maintain order, decorum and peace (1Cor 14:33), to avoid strife and evil work (Jas. 3:16).

4. No Church has the right to disobey or challenge apostolic customs to suit their convenience (1Cor 11:16), whatever their culture (1Cor 14:36). Apostolic order must rule in the Church (1Cor 14:33, 27, 40), because such ordinances are the Lord’s commandments (1Cor 14:37).

5. In every covenant gathering of the saints in the name of Christ, God is present with covenant blessings and His ministering (liturgical service) Angels are in attendance to minister (diaconal service) to the saints (Heb 1:14; 12:12-14). This divine covenant presence confers certain symbolic spiritual significance on some physical things in the assembly. For instance each spirit-indwelled worshipper (1Cor 6:19) becomes a lively stone (1Pet 2:5) and together they become a dwelling place for God (1Cor 3:16-17; 2Cor 6:16; Eph 2:20-22). THIS IS APOSTOLIC ECCLESIOLOGY. In accordance with this divine order for every covenant worship assembly, God has set signs and symbols such that in Church assemblies:

The Man and the Woman are both equal as the Images of God (Gen 1:27) indwelled and inspired by the Holy Spirit of worship and SONSHIP, irrespective of sex (Rom 8:14-17; Gal 4:5-7);

The Man’s head symbolizes God’s Glory (i.e. Christ) 1Cor 11:3;

The Woman’s bald head symbolizes man’s Glory (1Cor 11:7);

The Woman’s long hair symbolizes woman’s Glory (1Cor 11:15);

The Woman’s veil covers all human glories (i.e. her head and long hair) and symbolizes her authority before the Angels (1Cor 11:10).

6. In public worship (1Cor 11:4; 1Cor 14:23, 26), which evokes God’s covenant presence attended by His Angels (1Cor 11:10; 1Tim 5:21; Heb 1:13-14; Heb 12:22) and even unbelievers (1Cor 14:23), believers should all endeavour to conform to the spiritual symbolism of this divine order and covenant inter-relation. This is one of the ways we OUGHT to conduct ourselves in the Church of God (1Tim 3:15). For this reason Men should leave their heads unveiled (to keep the glory of God and Christ open). On the other hand, women should veil their heads. Veiling covers the symbol of human fallen glory with the symbol of authority and dignity respected by the Angels and agreeable to the Apostles in the Church (1Cor 11:1-2, 4-7, 10).

WORSHIP VEIL IS A VESTMENT WITH SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM OF AUTHORITY AND DIGNITY NOT INFERIORITY AND SUBORDINATION

Token/symbol of authority and dignity never meant token/symbol of submission, as many have erroneously postulated. When a royalty puts on his/her paraphernalia of authority, it does not mean submission to the people but exhibition of dignity that commands respect from the people. If the veil connoted subjection, then the men would also have needed to wear it in submission to Christ. The veil is a covering of the spiritual shame of human ‘glory’ (represented by the woman’s head and long hair during Church worship meetings) in order to commend and communicate our spiritual dignity to the Angels and spiritual principalities.

The way we keep our heads in worship is symbolic language to angels and spiritual principalities who gladly and keenly look to learn the manifold mystery of our salvation (Eph 3:9-10; 1Pet 1:12) and are sent by God to minister to us as the heirs of His salvation (Heb 1:13-14). My beloved Sisters, let no one deceive you; put on your worship veil: it is your prophetic mantle of dignity and authority before Angels and principalities.

Spiritually speaking, veiling of the head could NOT have been for submission to the Angels (as some insinuate), BUT for respect from them (Col 2:18; Heb 1:14). Many Christians quickly conclude that worship veil symbolizes woman’s submission to men/husbands but neither the Apostle nor any Scripture EVER said so. For the issue here is the woman’s authority before Angels (1Cor 11:10) and honour before God and men (1Cor 11:5-6). Shaved or bald woman’s head does NOT mean insubordination to men/husbands but social disgrace before all people. Similarly unveiled woman’s head does NOT mean insubordination to any Angel but spiritual disgrace before all Angels and even demons. The point St Paul is making here is this: THE VEIL IS SPIRITUAL SYMBOL OF DIGNITY BEFORE ANGELS (1COR 11:7-10); JUST AS THE LONG HAIR IS SOCIAL SYMBOL OF DIGNITY BEFORE HUMANS (1COR 11:13-15). Women submission to their own husbands, which has nothing to do with veiling, is dealt with in other Scriptures (Eph 5:22-24; 1Pet 3:1-6), but not here. A woman who veils her head in Church recognizes and covers off the spiritual shame of human glory (symbolised by her head and long hair) which she carries along naturally.

Socially speaking clothing oneself in public is NOT for submission to the public BUT for respect from them (Gen 3:7-11; Gen 9:20-23), because nakedness is social (and even spiritual) disgrace (Ezek 16:37; Nah 3:5). Dressing up recognizes and covers off the carnal shame of our naked bodies which we carry along naturally. Today however, dresses are no longer decently tailored to cover naked shame (Gen 3:7, 21) but fashionably designed to obscenely and crazily show off the carnal shame of exposed bodies and figures.

7. The worship veil had nothing to do with husbands and wives, adults and minors, slaves and masters; nothing to do with Greek, Roman or Jewish cultures (as some try to conjecture). It rather had to do ONLY with spiritually respectable manners ordained by the Apostles with regard to Angels, Women, Men, Christ and God for Church worship (Heb 12:22-24). WOMEN’S WORSHIP VEIL COMMANDS RESPECT FROM ANGELS AND HARMONIZES WITH DIVINE PRESENCE AND THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS IN THE CHURCH (1Cor 11:10 Heb 1:6-7, 13-14). IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT DEMONS MANIPULATE TODAY’S UNVEILED WOMEN AND CHURCHES EASIER THAN THE VEILED WOMEN AND CHURCHES OF YESTER YEARS, DESPITE THE MUCH CLAIMED MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY. THIS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. An unveiled woman in Church degrades herself and subjugates herself under Angels and even demons too (Col 2:). A Church that teaches such is discordant with God’s order of headship and spiritual dignity in the Church; such women and Churches are responsible for their fate (Col 2:8, 18, 19; Heb 1:13-14).

“Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!” (Mat 18:7 ASV)

8. Veiling does NOT make a woman inferior, it only serves as a RESPECTABLE TOKEN or symbol to communicate her Authority or Power amongst Angels as set by God (1Cor 11:10). OR IT SIMPLY SHOWS THAT SHE RECOGNIZES WHAT SYMBOLIC TOKENS HER HEAD AND HAIR STAND FOR. After all, though the woman was MADE FROM the man, yet the man is BORN OF the woman (1Cor 11:11-12).

9. God had already instilled aesthetic instincts in the society, which appreciates dignity in covering the fallen glory of the man (which is the woman’s shameful baldhead) with the symbol of woman’s glory (which is her long hair) 1Cor 11:13-14. The point here is this: As the glory of the man (i.e. the woman’s baldhead) is socially shameful in the physical nature of street aesthetics, so is the glory of the woman (i.e. her long hair) also spiritually shameful in the angelic realm of Church worship aesthetics and so, should be veiled (1Cor 11:5-6)

10. The woman is OF and FOR the man (1Cor 11:8-9).

The man is BY the woman (1Cor 11:12).

The long hair is TO and FOR the woman (1Cor 11:15).

All things are FOR, OF, TO and BY God (1Cor 8:6).

11. Whoever thinks or judges otherwise should know that the Church is not ready to entertain any other custom, ordinances or decorum contrary to that apostolically laid out here (1Cor 11:2, 16; 14:36-38).

CULTURE MUST BOW TO THE SCRIPTURE IN ALL THINGS; THE SCRIPTURE DOES NOT BOW TO CULTURE.

Cultural surrender is Christian, but cultural pride and insistence is unchristian (Mar 7:8-9; Gal 2:11-14; Phil 3:7-8). Christ was ready to part ways with the Jewish culture of His day in order to keep faith with God’s Word (Mar 7:8-9; Luk 13:10-17; 14:1-6; John 9:13-16). Paul was ready to resist, oppose and even anathematise any cultural compliance that was contrary to God’s Word (Gal 1:6-17; 2:1-14). Even this portion of the Scripture was legislated in contravention to the Jewish and Gentile cultures of Paul’s day (2Cor 3:12-18; see (iii) above). The rebellious rejection of scripturally Apostolic tradition and custom in preference to modern culture is totally incongruous with Biblical Christianity. Teaching, preaching and prophecy should not subject God’s Word to private opinions and cultural interpretations (2Pet 1:20-21). Christ severely condemned rationalising and overriding God’s commandment with human culture and tradition (Mat 15:2-3; Mar 7:8-9). TRUE CHRISTIANITY HAS ROOM ONLY FOR FAITHFUL TRANSMISSION OF APOSTOLIC TRADITION AND NOT POPULAR SECULAR CONFORMISM OR INNOVATIVE PRIVATE SPECULATION (1Cor 14:36-38; Col 2:6-8, 18-23; 2Tim 2:2).

“TAKE HEED TO THYSELF…” (1Tim 4:16).

Updated November 22, 2010

by Ven. Dr. I. U. Ibeme

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