"TO LET THE HAIR GROW
LONG"
By Jerry Dickinson
I, like many of you I presume, recently received a 22-page article by email
on the subject of long hair. I offer the following observations in response to what I believe is a false doctrine being taught publicly via the Internet.
1. After reading the 22-page article, it seems to me the whole point the
author is making is that long hair is hair that looks long. Length is all that
matters. If it looks long, it is long. If it does not look long, it is
not long. The way the author of the article would translate I Corinthians 11:14,15
is:
"Doth not even nature teach you that if a man's hair looks long it is a shame to him? But if a woman's hair looks long it is a glory to her: for her hair that looks long is given her for a covering."
The problem is that the Greek word for long hair is "koma" and is defined,
even by the lexicographers the author of the article cites, as "to let the hair grow long, to have long hair, to wear long hair."
The act of letting the hair grow long is inherent in the meaning of the word.
In fact, Thayer defines the word "kome" in verse 16 as "hair, head of hair" and then
indicates that the "notion of length is secondary and suggested." The primary thing under consideration, then, is the fact that a woman is letting
her hair grow long, and not the actual length.
2. Do not misunderstand. Length is under consideration, but only
secondarily. If a woman stops cutting her hair and begins to let it grow long, it will eventually look
longer. But, when she begins to let the hair grow, she is then complying with the words
of the Holy Spirit. For example, a young Christian woman, after reading the 22-page article on the Internet,
decides it is permissible to cut off her hair. She thinks she would look better if she had bangs and her hair was cut up to her
ears. Even though she has been taught otherwise and previously had a conscience against cutting
her hair, the article persuades her and she gets a haircut. Later, however,
she realizes she has done wrong and confesses the wrong, vowing to let her hair grow
long. At this point, she is obeying the words of the Holy Spirit through Paul.
"But her hair does not look long," is the argument. Remember, length is only
secondary and suggested. The important thing is she is letting her hair grow
long by vowing not to cut it or even trim it any more. "But," it is again argued,
"how can you say
that woman with hair at her ears has hair longer than a woman with hair down to her shoulders just because the latter woman
continues to trim her hair?" I am not saying, and Paul did not say, that one woman's hair is longer in
length. Length is secondary and suggested! The woman who is letting her hair grow (not cutting it) is the woman who is
complying with Paul's instructions. That is the point!
3. "If Paul meant for us to understand that a woman cannot cut her hair at
all," the author asks again and again, "why did he not just use a Greek word that meant
uncut. Why did he not just plainly say that it is a sin for a woman to cut her hair?'' Well,
why doesn't the Bible say, "Thou shalt not use individual cups or thou shalt not use a piano?" We understand that when
the Lord tells us what to do, he does not have to specifically tell us what not to
do. In I Corinthians 11, Paul says the woman is to let her hair grow long.
Surely the Lord does not have to specify every way a woman could stop her hair from growing
long. Does he? Are we that spiritually dwarfed? Let the hair grow long means exactly what it says!
4. How long is long? If a woman cuts her hair at or above her ears, is that
long hair? "I think it is obvious," some reply, "that if a woman cuts her hair at her ears that is not long hair."
Obvious? Obvious to whom? Many women I work with at school believe their hair is too long the minute it
starts touching their ears, and they are off to the beauty shop to get another
haircut. Is that the scenario we want to see in the church? When I was a boy, preachers in the digressive churches of Christ started
advocating the same thing the author of the article is advocating. Women started cutting
their hair and today if you walk into any digressive church you will find women with hair at or even above their
ears. May the Lord help us not to follow in their footsteps. May the Lord help our women to resist the
fallacious reasoning and pernicious doctrine that will lead us precisely where the
digressives have gone!
5. At least, I have been thinking of late, one good thing may come out of this 22-page bulk
email. I really have not heard much preaching or teaching on this subject
of late, but perhaps this article will cause us to realize
the danger of neglecting any doctrinal truth. I personally have not preached
much on this subject in my meetings. I will now! The obsessive compulsion
of some to spread their views by creating websites, writing 22-page articles, and spending countless hours corresponding with
people in an effort to convince them the Bible allows women to cut off their hair
may turn out to be
a blessing in disguise. It will be a blessing, that is, if it causes us to
take a firmer stand for the truth and a more vocal stance against those who would rebel against the old tried and true teachings of the church.
6. Lastly, let me say that I know how much trouble it is for women to let their hair grow
long. That long hair is hard to wash, hard to manage, and time consuming.
God bless our sisters who let their hair grow long and refuse to go along with the worldly trends, not to mention
what would be more convenient for them personally.
It is your glory! God sees and knows, as do all those who read and understand the words of the Holy Spirit.
Jerry Dickinson
13803 Crosshaven
Houston, TX 77015
MISTERJLD@aol.com