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Last Updated on : Saturday, October 11, 2014

 

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"Let Her be Covered ..."
THE HATS OF CHRISTADELPHIAN SISTERS
A BIBLICAL CONSIDERATION

Ron Abel

 

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THE HEADSHIP OF THE HUSBAND


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Believers travelling inter-ecclesially have often noticed widespread differences in attitudes to the hair length of brethren and the head covering of sisters. The lack of regard for Scripture teaching on these issues is part of an over-all problem of "shriveling Bible roots." It is difficult for a sister to respect her husband as a spiritual head when his own interests are the TV and a Saturday's golf "with the boys" ---- when to suggest that a Saturday or Sunday afternoon be spent in Bible Study together is to be regarded as having an "extreme view" of living the Truth.
The practice of working wives is now so well established in society, that the wife who does not work risks being considered "odd," "domestic," "unintentional" or impervious to boredom, The practice, however, is now recognized to be harmful even by educators and social workers. It has been a factor In the breakdown of many marriages and families. The divine instruction is especially relevant:
----- "Bid the older women likewise to be reverent in behaviour ... : they are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, : 'keepers at home.· A.V.       kind, submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited." (Titus 2:3, 4, 5, R.S.V.)
While times of economic necessity because of extreme financial difficulties or spouse illness may require a temporary acceptance of something less than the ideal, brethren who choose to "let the wife work" as the "thing to do these days" are making decisions often fraught with unforeseen side effects. Not only is his own headship as the provider of the house likely to be eroded by such an arrangement, but since both work the husband must devote more of his valuable study time to the domestic sphere. Bible Class attendance often suffers since "we are too tired to attend." The children may seldom do the readings as a family, and even the Sunday School lessons may be hastily prepared. Under such circumstances, "the headship" ideal set out for the man in Scripture may have little effect in practice.
Subordination and subjection are the role of the woman established by an all-wise Heavenly Father. She best functions in this role. Her complement is her husband, to whom God has given the responsibility of headship (of which the head covering is the token). He best functions in this role of headship. By wise and sympathetic leadership on his part, the husband can assist his wife to overcome the evil pressures of a Godless world and to avoid the disastrous precedents set by the churches of Christendom.

 


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Forward Question: Is her hair the covering?
The head covering: the background Question : If any man seem to be contentious?
Question: Social custom? A woman's position has changed since Paul's day Question: A veil or a hat?
Question: When should a sister wear a headcovering? The headship of the husband
Question: Because of the angels?  

 

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