1. “Judge this in your own selves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray uncovered to God? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, because her long hair has been given to her for a covering” (1 Cor. 11:13-15).
The preceding four points of the apostle’s teaching concerning head covering are extremely important, but they are based on matters outside of us. However, he also provides a fifth basis for this teaching, which is the human nature inside of us. Our inward human nature tells us that males and females are different; males should bare their heads, and females should hide theirs. I believe that within each one of us there is the feeling that men should be more exposed and women should be more hidden. Therefore, if we are willing to judge according to our inward feeling, our nature will instruct us that it is proper for men to bare their heads and for women to cover theirs.
Our nature was created by God. God’s creation is according to His arrangement. His arrangement is for men to be the head and for women to cover their heads. Thus, He created men and women with different natures. These natures cause men to bare their heads, to be the head, and women to cover their heads in submission. This is not a matter of men and women being unequal; rather, it is a matter of men and women having different natures. Since their natures are different, their functions are also different; since their functions are different, their positions are also different. We should not bring in the thought of inequality simply because there are different positions. The stones and wood used in building a house have different natures and thus have different functions and different positions in the building. We should not say that simply because wood is on top of the stones, the two materials are unequal. May we see that our nature causes us to have a different function and position and that we must remain in our own position to exercise our own function for the sake of expressing God’s authority and glory.
The points upon which the apostle bases his teaching of head covering are both weighty and deep. These points are not comparable to human ordinances or the customs of a certain time period. God being the head is an honorable and glorious matter. God’s arrangement for men and women and His order in creation are holy and eternal. For the sake of angels it is important. The instruction from human nature is deep and intrinsic. These are the bases for the apostle’s teaching of head covering and for our practice of head covering.
1. “Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head” (1 Cor. 11:5).
Women who are praying or prophesying need to practice head covering because a woman represents submission to authority on the one hand and touches a spiritual matter by praying or prophesying on the other hand. Thus, in the spiritual realm she needs to portray her role in our confession that God is the head and in our submission to His authority.
1. “Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head” (1 Cor. 11:5).
Because head covering is for the sake of the angels and influences the spiritual realm, it should be practiced when touching spiritual matters. Praying and prophesying are matters that touch the spiritual realm, so when the sisters pray or prophesy, they should cover their heads. According to this principle, even when the sisters are prophesying or fellowshipping with each other, they should have their heads covered because these matters touch the spiritual realm.
The more the sisters touch spiritual things, the more they will feel the need to cover their heads. The more they pray, or the more thoroughly they pray, the more they will feel that they need to cover their heads. When sisters truly pray, their inward parts beg them to cover their head. Especially in the matter of casting out demons, sisters will inwardly feel the need for head covering because they are touching a spiritual realm. When sisters follow their inward feeling and enter into genuine prayer, they will come to a point at which they must cover their heads. When their prayer touches the spiritual realm, it will cause them to cover their heads. Every woman who prays or prophesies—touching the spiritual realm—should cover her head; this shows that the matter of head covering is not so much before humans and for the sake of humans but before God and the angels and for the sake of the spiritual realm.