Are you on the fence?
Are you on the fence about head coverings? I once was. But God only has to say something once for it to be true. We acknowledge that and yet, even though there are more verses devoted to head coverings than to the virgin birth, we accept the virgin birth as true (as we absolutely ought to) while denying that Scripture teaches that women are to cover in corporate worship.
If you are on the fence about whether you ought to cover in worship, please do research. So many reject head coverings as old-fashioned or cultural. Did you know that the church fathers, the Reformers, and the Puritans taught that women are to cover their heads in worship? Men like RC Sproul, Gavin Beers, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones, to name just a few, taught that, because the practice of head coverings are ground in creation order, that it is still meant to be practiced today.
I once was there
I wasn’t raised practicing covering. It took me several years and much study to come to the conclusion that, yes, God means for women to cover in corporate worship. I’d heard and believed that it was cultural. I bought into that misconception for years. Then when I started studying head coverings, I found myself on the fence–are they for today? Or are they not?
It’s my goal to help you wade through the murky waters many have stirred up concerning this subject. Most Christians would argue that head coverings aren’t necessary. If they are correct, there’s no problem if we do not cover. But if they are wrong we have a lot to answer to the Lord for if we continue not to cover when He’s commanded us to do so.
Sermons and encouragement
Below are my–to date–three of my favorite sermons on head coverings. One thing I’d like to address here, sister: If you are concerned about covering because you are the only woman who would be, don’t worry about standing out or drawing attention to yourself. By being faithful to God, you are actually drawing attention to Him. If no one but you is covering, you are glorifying God by believing and obeying Him when nobody else is. He will bless you for your faithfulness.
Head Coverings – History, Context, and Exegesis by Dr. Carlton C. McLeod
Misconceptions Regarding Headcoverings by Dr. Richard Bacon
The Headcovering by Gavin Beers
Photo by Tuấn Kiệt Jr. from Pexels
I cannot nor will I support this idea of women having to “wear” a head covering. Just because someone supports something doesn’t mean they’re right. Men are fallible…I’ll point you to R.C Sproul of whom I greatly respect as a teacher of Gods word…often got things wrong..infant baptism and tithing for instance. Clearly wrong in both instances. Be careful that we don’t obsess over something that is not made abundantly clear in scripture…wear a head covering, don’t wear one…let YOUR conscious be clear on this, don’t push it on others who believe differently. Have a look at what John Macarthur teaches on head coverings. https://www.gracebiblebaptistds.org/HeadCovering-MacArthur.html
I understand, brother, and I used to not wear them. I believed what you believe. Then I started studying and what I found amazed and humbled me. As you point out, men are fallible and can be wrong. John MacArthur is wrong on dispensationalism and on this. I’m not pushing anyone. I’m putting forth that which I firmly believe is true. Headcoverings were the practice for most of church history. Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, Sproul, Lloyd-Jones, Beers, and so many, many, many others who were wiser and more studied than I taught it. I believe that headcoverings testify to the headship of man and thus the devil and feminists hate it because it points to God’s created order. I can’t help but speak to that which I believe is a forgotten doctrine.