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....For the man is not of the
woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman
for the man (1 Cor. 11:3,8,9).
Herein is revealed a truth to which very few are willing to submit. We
live in a day in which the equality of the sexes has become a testing ground for so-called
"bigotry and narrow-mindedness." Never mind the fact that God has designed a
special order since the day of creation, man has set his own standards and our culture
refuses to accept that which is taught in the Word of God. We no longer believe in
creation; therefore, it is no surprise that we reject God’s order that was
established at creation and ought to be exhibited in the church. The church is able to be
a living testimony to our belief in God’s creation by practicing the headship order
established by the Creator..
God most certainly could have created the woman out of dust in the same
manner and at the same time that He created the man. Instead He created the woman out of
the rib of the man after He had created the man. "And the Lord God caused a deep
sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the
flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a
woman, because she was taken out of man." (Gen. 2:21,22) Thus God began an order from
which He has never deviated during the history of mankind. The fall of man into sin at the
garden of Eden, illustrated the consequences of not following this order. "Let the
woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to
usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1
Tim. 2:11-14).
A distinguishing mark of a New Testament church is that God’s
order of headship is practiced in the public gatherings of the church. This order is
demonstrated in two ways: (1) The woman is silent; that is, she does not orally
participate in the public gatherings of the church. "Let your women keep silence in
the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be
under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask
their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (1 Cor.
14:34,35) (2) The woman wears a head covering in the public gatherings of the church. She
does this to demonstrate her submission to the man in God’s order. "But every
woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head; for that
is even all one as if she were shaven. 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. 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." (1 Cor. 11:5-7)
The questions then to be asked in looking for a New Testament church
are: Do the women remain in silence and the men willingly accept the role of leadership at
the public gatherings? Do the women cover their heads at public gatherings with a hat,
veil, or appropriate head covering in order to show submission to the man?
Many women and wives would refuse to fellowship at a church where these
truths are being practiced, yet the Word of God is very clear and explicit. It is in
direct contradiction to our society and thus we try to avoid the truth by making
allowances which are in direct contradiction to the Scriptures. Centuries ago, it was not
as difficult for women to accept these truths because our culture was different. Today it
stands as a real challenge to obedience. God will honor those men and women who seek to
live by His precepts and those churches who seek to practice His order.