Tag Archives: long hair. men

Long as I can grow it! My Hair! (Big Fat Hairy Deal)

A golden oldie: (circa 1995) — this really is no longer an issue, but it was back then

1 Cor -11:14,15 is what your looking for on long hair. I will quote it for you here and then give you some wisdom.

1 Cor 11:11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (NIV)

1 Cor 11:14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, (NIV)

1 Cor 11:15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice– nor do the churches of God. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. (NIV)

1 Cor 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? (KJV)

1 Cor 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (KJV)

1 Cor 11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (KJV)

Strong’s # 2863 komao (kom-ah’-o); from 2864; to wear
tresses of hair: KJV– have long hair. (DIC)

Strong’s # 2864 kome (kom’-ay); apparently from the same as 2865; the hair of the head (locks, as ornamental, and thus differing from 2359; which properly denotes merely the scalp): KJV– hair. (DIC)

Okay, we have to look at the greek here some to understand what’s going on. Everybody quotes these out of context. Do NOT feel condemned, you are not sinning, but rather, her mother is mis-guided, as are a lot of Christian’s regarding long hair on guy’s.

The greek word used for BOTH LONG and HAIR in verse 14 is komao. Yup, same greek word for both long and hair. But what does it say: It says wear tresses in the hair. BTW this is the only place in the greek NT that these words are used!

Now look at verse 15 for a moment. The words translated LONG and HAIR in this verse, is our familiar komao. However, later in the “for her hair” part of the verse, another greek word is used, and that is kome, which means ornamental locks, etc.

What these verses really say, is NOT that men should NOT have long hair, BUT that they shouldn’t have hair that makes them look like a woman or effeminate. That’s is what those verses really say!

What does it say in verse 16, we have no practice or teaching regarding this matter, for those who are contentious or want to stir strife. In other words, it is a NON-issue. I wish everyone who quotes this out of context would read the whole passage, and some of the other things I will share with you.

Some people (Christian’s) will talk about the Nazerite vow, of never cutting their hair. Well that’s fine, but the guy better have a pretty long beard to match that long hair! He must also refrain from eating grape products (grapes, raisins, grape juice, wine, and never touch a dead body! — See Numbers 6:2-8!)

Long hair can be, in some cases, a sign of rebellion, or it can be a covenant between man and God. We need to be careful, that it doesn’t become an idol!

I may be faced with cutting my hair now, I don’t know. It would be tough. I’ve no covenant with the Lord, I just like long hair. But that may be short lived, as I began searching for a job.

Umm, dude, I got some bad news for you. I don’t know how to break it to you. BUT your hair definitely does NOT make you look like a woman!

What does John-3:16 say:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Did it say, I have to do something to be saved? Yeah, believe.

Let’s look at Ephesians for a moment:

Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– (NIV)

Eph 2:9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV)

Eph 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

Oops! You mean I can’t earn my way into heaven by doing some good work! (Cutting my hair?) Afraid not. It’s a gift of God.

What about Romans:

Rom 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NIV)

Rom 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (NIV)

Rom 10:11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (NIV)

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile– the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, (NIV)

Rom 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NIV)

Guess what, all I got to do is confess and believe. Did it say I need to clean up my act first? NO. That is the ONLY condition put upon salvation. That song “Just as I am” doesn’t say, “Just as I will be” — Just as we are. God doesn’t tell us to clean up our act, nor to cut our hair to show that we are Christian’s. He loves us just as we are. He
told us just to believe in him, NOT to do a work to earn or prove my salvation. We can’t earn our salvation. The only thing we earn for our sins is DEATH!

“For the wages of sin, is death, BUT the gift of God is Eternal Life, through Jesus Christ.” (ROM-6:23)

What God’s gift? Eternal life. Did he tell me I had to do something other than believe? Sure didn’t! Did he tell me I had to cut my hair? No he didn’t. He didn’t tell me to do anything, except confess and believe (ROM-10:9,10)

Sorry this is so long, BUT you sorta put me into soapbox mode dude. Hope this helps. Let me know. It took me an about an hour and half to put this together, so it’s not as well researched as it could be.

One point I would like to make, and it’s a feeling, (again I would need more time to research this to prove this point so don’t quote me on this please) is that in those days, male prostitutes grew there hair long (to look like a woman), and female prostitutes cut their hair short (to look like men).

That, I feel is why those scriptures MAY have been written. Clearly, as I understand it, men are NOT to have hair or ornamentation in them, that make them look like a woman. The important thing, is that it was a non-issue for them.

Wayno Guerrini

12/3/91 @ 7:15 am