This is my 800th post for my Reformed Doctrine blog, and I don’t remember a more difficult one to write. Certainly, the practice in most churches is that almost all (if not all) women do not wear any covering on their head (like hats or scarves) during the worship service. Yet, today’s Scripture seems to clearly and repeatedly teach that women should wear covering on their head “while praying or prophesying” which would seem to identify the time of the worship service.
The “About me” tag at the top of my Reformed Doctrine blog states: “In conclusion, I will expressly state the obvious. Although I do my best to present true teachings, these are my teachings (by a layman) unless otherwise attributed. Moreover, these teachings are not necessarily the teachings of the Protestant Reformed Churches, the Presbyterian Churches of America, the Christian Reformed Churches, or any other denomination. The reader is advised to follow the example set forth in Acts 17:11: “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”
Reformed believers are generally so eager to apply in the abstract the principle of “always reforming”. Namely, we must continue to reform our doctrine and practices so that our doctrine and practices conform to God’s Word. But then we come to Scriptures like I Corinthians 11:1-16. And, we are resistant to reform. Instead, we try to reform God’s Word so it conforms to our current practice.
In writing this devotion, I thought about searching for loopholes by which I could justify the current practice. Maybe, even more, there is broad sound doctrine (that would not constitute a narrow loophole) why women are not required to wear covering on their head during worship service. Maybe, taking it even one step further beyond just liberty, there is some sound doctrine that not only are women not required to wear covering on their head, they definitely should not wear any covering on their head during a worship service.
But, at the very least, today’s Scripture presents this general point. We must continue to reform our doctrine and practices so that our doctrine and our practices conform to God’s Word.
Should we worry more about offending men than God? Should we worry more about defending our current doctrine and practices than complying with God’s Word?
Romans 3:4
“May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”
And even if this is a gray area and an area of liberty, what is to prevent women from feeling individual conviction and from wearing covering on their head during the worship service? It may help.
We use symbols in church: wine and bread and water. These symbols help us remember. Why can’t a covering on a woman’s head be a symbol to remind us that there is a difference between the role of sexes in the worship service?
Many denominations struggle with the issues of whether women can be deacons, elders, and pastors. Why can’t a covering on a woman’s head be a symbol to remind us that there is a difference between the role of sexes in the worship service?
And does not a covering on a woman’s head, although not expressly commanded in 1 Timothy 2:9-15, at least seem consistent with this following teaching which emphasizes modesty, submission, and proper clothing for women?
“9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.” 1 Timothy 2:9-15.
Why can’t a covering on a woman’s head be a symbol to remind us of this teaching of modesty, submission, and proper clothing for women?
In summary, we should obey God not just when it is convenient, not just when we are accustomed to the practice, not just when it makes perfect sense to us, and not just when we want to obey God. We should obey God not just because it may have secondary benefits.
We should diligently obey the LORD our God, being careful to do all His commandments.
“1 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God:
3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
4 “Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.
5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
7 “The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways. 8 The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you. 9 The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you. 11 The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 