September 19, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -- I realize that long hair is not convenient.

I realize that long hair is not fashionable (just look at the posters in a beauty salon).

I realize that long hair is not popular (just look around in the average church).

I realize that long hair is not "cute."

I realize that most preachers will not preach against short hair or praise long hair on the women; as a result, those who do, appear to be extremists.

I realize that by mentioning hair at all I am opening myself up to be a laughing stock and to be accused of legalism and judgmentalism and holier than thouism. I have printed an article on hair exactly three, maybe four, times in the 14 years that we have published O Timothy magazine, but there are those who charge me with hobby horsing the issue.

I realize the a woman can be spiritual and have short hair (at least that is what I am constantly told, and I PARTLY believe it!).

EVEN SO, the Bible still says it is a shame for a man to have long hair, but that LONG hair is given by God to the woman for her glory and covering as a sign of submission to authority.

"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. ... Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering" (1 Corinthians 11:7,13-15).

WHY I CUT MY LONG WOMANISH HAIR

Standing on this passage, I can say without fear of displeasing the Lord that a woman has no more authority to wear her hair short than I have to wear my hair long. In the summer of 1973 I was a long-haired man. I had been in jail, had hitch hiked more than 6,000 miles across the entire length of America. My hair was long because I was a rebel. When the Lord saved me that summer, I began to have a new attitude! I knew instinctively that my long womanish hair was improper, so I had it cut--but not too short! I decided to try a "happy medium," not really long, not really short. I reasoned that I didn't want to "turn off" my old hippie friends I was trying to win to the Lord by causing them to think I had turned COMPLETELY weird. I wanted to remain somewhat fashionable. Is that so unreasonable, I thought. I remained in that condition for a few weeks, then one evening I went soul winning with a brother who was older in the Lord and who was discipling me. We were invited into the home of an elderly lady in Bartow, Florida (in the center of the state), and the other brother began to witness to her about trusting Jesus Christ as her Savior. She was quiet for a few moments, then turned to me and said, "I will not listen to you fellows preach the Bible to me when one of you has that old long hair which the Bible forbids." I was momentarily dumb struck, but regaining my composure, I apologized to the woman and told her that I would go to the barber the very next day and have it cut properly AND UNQUESTIONABLY short. And that is exactly what I did. It was a happy day. No more compromise with the issue. No more "beating around the bush." No more excuse making. No more defensiveness. If I remember correctly, I was less than four months old in the Lord, and I am thankful for the lady's boldness.

The same passage of Scripture which has challenged me to keep my hair unquestionably short for 24 years challenges the woman to keep her hair unquestionably long all her Christian life. The Bible says the woman's LONG hair is her glory and is a covering God has given her as a sign of her submission to authority. I don't believe God would write that and then ignore it.

See "How Long Is Long" for Follow-up to this article.