“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. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered [Christ], dishonors his head. But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head [man]: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if a woman be not covered [in subjection to man in church and home], let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered [in subjection].”
If it is a shame for a woman to act like a man, then let our women be women in subjection to God.
The order in the family and church are of God. This doesn’t mean that the man is a brute who uses authority to serve himself; it means that God gave order to be followed. And, since it is a shame for a man to act like a woman and a woman to act like a man, let us assume the FULL responsibility He gives us (I Cor 11:13-15).
Be what He’s called you to be and don’t draw back. His glory and your happiness are connected, and the best thing for us is experiencing what He says. In obedience, we have green pastures, still waters, and the results of obeying God. We spare ourselves shame.
God’s given us order, “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman” (vs11-12). The man is not without the woman, so we NEED, depend on, and are helpful to one another. Each part plays its function in the good of the whole, and we don’t despise what He gives. He has made the man the head, and yet the man comes from the woman. The woman is subject, and yet she is the mother of every man. God established a MUTUALLY beneficial RELATIONSHIP whereby man and woman help EACH OTHER for good, and He gave ORDER as to how this is done. It is like READING the owner’s
manual, except you and I can’t figure this out another way, and we can’t do it any other way and succeed.
It is shameful for men to behave as women, even as it is wrong for women to think themselves and behave as men, “Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him” (vs13-14).
Let men be manly, not in a macho superficial human bravado, but in the REAL sense of OBEDIENCE to the Son of God, taking the position and responsibilities God gave you seriously. Be no tyrant, live for God’s glory, and if the wife obeys too, then great. If not, DO NOT let her unbelief keep you from serving Christ in any way.
If you want membership in God’s church, then you must follow God’s way, “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God” (I Cor 11:16). You can’t do things how you see fit and call it grace. Christ says, “I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not”, and FORNICATION is the same as rebellion because we WORSHIP our way, rather than how prescribed by God (Rev 2:21). But, people who say, “Saved to live as I see fit” have no membership in the church. You can’t be IN Christ and be your own boss. Christ SAVES us to obedience, and this is salvation, the only one.
