Holiness For Today - Part 2 (Continued)

On your way in, you guys should have picked up a couple of handouts. The reason that there were two is we didn't finish last week. So, if you got the handout physical copy, you'll probably notice the one that has answers already filled in on half of that. That's the one we're going to be starting with tonight. and we'll be picking up where [cough and clears throat] you see the first blank answer, I believe, under the title of attitude. For those that are taking digital notes, if you're on the Centerpoint app, notes for part two are there and then also for part three, which we're going to get into tonight. So, if you prefer the digital method, they are available for you as well there on the app. I don't know if you know this or not, but with the digital method, you can fill it in on the app and then there's an option that you can email it to yourself when it's done and it puts all the answers in for you. So, if you like that, it's pretty neat. Appreciate Jeff and all his hard work putting all that together for us. Good to see you here and excited to dive back into our study. tonight we have continuing in to what we have been looking at which is holiness for today. I feel it's important that as apostolics we get our minds wrapped around what does the word of God have to say and once we see what it has to say, how does that apply to my life today?

Because I believe the word of God still applies. So my goal as your guide, as your teacher, as your pastor, is to present to you what the word has to say and not my opinion because my opinion doesn't matter at all. And don't take this the wrong way. Neither does your opinion because your opinion and my opinion are not going to be what we're weighed against. We're going to be weighed against the word of God and what we did with that. And we collectively all of us [cough] are in the process of being sanctified. Sanctification, which is another word we can think about that is we are being discipled. We're following after God. And though we all may be similar in age in the room, we are all at different places in our spiritual walk with God. And because of that, I'm a big believer in making sure that where you are spiritually that you understand what's what is being required of you at your level of spirituality. And I talked last week about how in inside of family dynamics, you don't expect the 2-year-old in your family, you don't hold them to the same standard that you would hold your 16-year-old or your 20-year-old. Obviously, there's a maturing process and as they are maturing, you expect different things from them because they're older and they're more mature. In the same respect, we all are maturing in our spiritual walk.

We should be. All of us should be. None of us have arrived yet. And the reason we haven't arrived is because we're still here. To say we've arrived means we're there. There being heaven, we're not. We're still here. So all of us, me included, all of us are still in the process of maturing. And you should have a hunger and a desire in your heart to want to know more about God, to constantly drawing closer to him. And what I have realized in my personal walk with God is in order for me to get closer to him, more of me has to die off. I'm wrapped in flesh just like you are. and I fight my flesh every day just like you do. And it's a process in order for me to maintain the life that I feel like God has for me to live. And it's being submitted to God. It's being obedient to what I know his word requires of me. It's having an active prayer life. It's studying in the word. It requires all these things. And what I want you to know is that's a never- ending process. As long as you're drawing breath here on this earth, you should be constantly digging. There is no end to God. In fact, what I have discovered in my many years of study is that the more I find out about him, the more I realize how much more there is to know.

It it's unsearchable the depths of God. Now, I want to say this because there's been chatter and talk, and I'm okay with chatter and talk. it it's a part of the process. But anytime we come in and we take a stand scripturally and it tends to go against our flesh sometimes, you know, it can be a little bit abrasive. I'm okay with that because I'm just bringing you the word of God. I don't have to defend it. It's done real well all by itself. It didn't need me and it doesn't need you either. It's his forever settled word of God. Now, having said that, sometimes when we talk about our lifestyle convictions or holiness standards, if you prefer that term, whatever it is, sometimes people will come at us and say that we're being legalistic. Now, I don't like that because we're not being legalistic. Legalistic by its purest definition means that you have to be saved by works. I don't believe in that at all. You can't be saved by works. It's impossible. you can't earn your way into heaven. You can't buy your way into heaven. It's an it's impossibility. Jesus Christ paid that price at Calvary. So there there's no works. There's no merit badges that you earn. That's not what our lifestyle convictions are about. This isn't a you it's a it's not a checklist in order for you to be saved.

And if you have viewed your lifestyle convictions that way, then I'll tell you, you viewed them wrong. That is not what this is about. you've misunderstood it. I go back to Ephesians 2, Paul writing to the church at Ephesus. He said this in verse number eight, and I didn't give them this verse, so it's not their fault. But I felt this in prayer before service to say this. It says in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God." Verse 9, "Not of works." Why? Because you'd boast about it. Look how good I've been. So Paul is telling you it's not you don't earn your way in. But I want you don't stop there. You got to go on to verse number 10 because verse 10 says we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for what? >> Unto good works. So I'll tell you this. If salvation is alive working inside of you, it causes you to do good things. >> Part of the process of sanctification is it's pulling you in to him. It's always pulling you into him. It's always pulling you into him. And the closer you get to him, the less like this world you look, >> the less like this world you think, the less like this world you behave. That is a fact. That is a truth.

>> It's impossible to get closer to him and not get further away from the world. You guys okay? So, we're not legalistic in what we do because I do not believe in salvation by works. I do believe that we are called unto good works. And that's what we're about is the good thing. In your notes there, we're picking up where we left off talking about attitude. The first couple of answers are coming up right off the bat. The attitude is an inward feeling expressed by an outward behavior. That is why attitude can be seen without a word being said. How many know that you have experienced that before? Your mama didn't have to say a thing. She just looked at you and you knew. You may not have known what you've done, but you know you did something. It may not have been evident to you, but by mama's face, you have messed up. Anybody know what I'm talking about? So, you can see an attitude without a word being spoken. So what attitude do we behave do we have in our life? The attitude of many today is how much do I have to do to be saved? And you know how frustrated pastor gets with that question because that expresses what I desire is to do the minimum to get into heaven. What I desire is just I just want to get in by the skin of my teeth.

Just whatever the minimum is. And I don't like that because I don't believe that expresses true love. True love is never about the minimum requirements. True love is always about what whatever I can do to make you happy, God. Whatever I can do to come at you. So that's where we come from. The standpoint of what I do in my life, I want to do to make my God happy. How much can I do to make my savior pleased with my life? I want him to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." So let me ask you a very convicting question. Do you feel as though you live your life on a regular daily basis to the point that he's going to say, "Well done." That should be a very convicting thing to think about is that on a daily basis, you and I are living because we should live that way because that's the end goal is to hear him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." >> Which means there's something required out of me. And I'll put it even plainer. There's something more required out of me besides just accepting that he did a good work at Calvary. All right, that that's part of faith. And don't misunderstand me. And I'm not trying to come after you in any specific way about what you may believe or not believe about salvation.

But I don't know how you can read this book in its entirety because you got to take it as a whole. Not a part, not a piece. Don't you abandon orphan scripture. Put it in there the way it was intended to be. If you read this and see that God's not always desiring more from you, again, he said, you're not earning your way into heaven. We're not, none of us can do that. But as you grow in your walk with God, there should be a desire for you to do all that you can for him. Your life is no longer me centric. It's Christ centric. >> That's what the life's about. And that's tough because we fight flesh and left into our default setting. We are all very selfish individuals. That is our default mode is to be about selfpreservation. But he comes onto the scene and he was not about self-preservation. He was about restoration of the what has been lost. And then as we come in and receive what he has for us, our life should be in us that we would desire to live a life for him. If you live by your by the attitude of what can I do, you're not going to have any issue with lifestyle convictions of holiness. These [clears throat and cough] examples in the Bible that we're and again we're wrapping up talking about things that are specific to women.

Sometimes that there can be a struggle with attitude and the scriptures spell some things out. If you go to 1 Peter 3 and4, Peter writing says, "Bet it let bet let it be the hidden man of the heart and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God a great price." There's something about meekness and having a quiet spirit. There's something about submission that seems to be an ugly word in our day. Something that seems to be resisted. That's not nothing news under the sun. It's been that way. Ephesians 5:22. Wives, submit yourself unto your own husband as unto the Lord. Now, husbands, we're going to get on you in just a minute. Don't think you get to escape this. There's your requirements, too. We're going to get there. The Bible or the biblical requirements for an attitude for our ladies. They're not because she is inferior to the man. All right? Man is not better. Man is not viewed in a higher regard with God. When God created Eve, he took her out of the side of man for her to be beside him, for them to partner in this life together. All right? So, we're not in this chauvinistic standpoint and bringing scriptures to going to put a woman in her place. That's not what we're doing. Every one of us have a creative order.

If you don't like the order, talk to God about it. It's his order. But there is a creative order. We'll get in that in just a few minutes. The holiness standard that perhaps best exemplifies what can be an acceptance in her God-given role is one that's in a very controversial subject even in the apostolic ranks. And I know without a doubt, no matter what I do and how much I tell you I love you and how much I tell you, I'm here just to present the word of God to you because that is my goal. No matter no matter about any of those things, I am going to ruffle feathers tonight. I'm not meaning to ruffle feathers, but we're going to talk about the subject that's in 1 Corinthians 11, and that is the subject of hair. The headship issue goes all the way back to creation. 1 Corinthians 11 verse number three, Paul again writing here. And I will tell you this, okay? There's not enough time for me tonight to go into a fully fully fully deep dive in this because what happens is we can go through a chapter in 1 Corinthians 11. We're going through a chapter. But you got to remember when Paul is writing this letter, he didn't put chapters in it. Okay? It was a letter. Now, as it was being translated out from the original Greek, the writers put chapters in there to make it easier for us to read and reference and come back on.

But originally Paul wasn't writing like all right chapter 1 and in chapter 2. So I say that for a reason because he is addressing a multitude of issues and concerns that were going on inside the church. Where was it? Where was the concerns going on at? >> In the church. This is a letter to the church at Corenth. So I'm saying this to you on your own time. And I'm I always encourage you go back on your own and read this word for yourself. Okay? And I'm going to give you a little sidebar note. We may not get finished in three months if I keep doing this. Sidebar note. Okay. You can you I don't care what you're for or what you're against. In the wonderful world of the internet, you can search and find something to support your crazy idea. I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole. But whatever it is for you, you can find somebody out there that's like, I'm with you. All right. So, I'm going to say this. If you go in and you just want to do your Google search on it and why I knew I have to do this or why do I have to do this, you're going to find answers on one side of the fence and on the other side of the fence. So, I'm going to say this to you. Why don't you take your word of God and why don't you take a good oldfashioned concordance and why don't you sit down with a cup of coffee or a Coca-Cola, whatever your preference is there, and you just do a word study yourself.

Don't get out there and say is it necessary for today because you'll find a multitude of people to say it's no longer there and they're legalistic and they're wrong and you don't blah d you and you can find something on other side that's absolutely you're going to go to hell and blah d you that's how it's all there. I'm telling you whatever you want it's there and you can print it off and you can storm into my office and you can slap it on my desk and I'll be like I know it's there. But I didn't do that. What I did is I took my Bible and I took my concordance and I took my little Greek study Bible and I went down word for word and I went down and I'm bringing to you what I found that way >> because guess what? When Paul wrote this, there was not Google. Al Gore had not invented the internet yet. They didn't have those things. You guys okay? >> So, I'm encouraging you. Don't take my word for it. I'm going to present you some things. You take good notes and then go study this yourself and come to your conclusion. And whatever your conclusion is, I want you to know this. You're still welcome here. >> You're still We don't You don't have to come in here and tell me that I'm some barbarian.

I'm not beating you up with this. I'm not telling you that we don't love you. And I'm sure not putting you in hell. And I'm not going to put you in heaven either. >> I'm just telling you, I have spent hours pouring over this. And my sole purpose is to present to you what I feel like God wants you to have from this. But you determine what you do with it. And whatever you want to do with it, I still love you. And come to church >> because I know the presence of God is here. And he can do more in two seconds than I can do in 200 years. We Okay. >> All right. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 11 and get your feathers out. Verse number three. But I would have you know that the head of every verse one and two it just says follow me as I follow Christ. So I'm just for sake of time. Verse number three. But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ. So where's who's the head of man? The head of every woman is the If you got an issue with that, take it up with Paul and God. The head of Christ is every man praying or prophesying. What's What are they doing? Praying and prophesying, having his head covered dishonorth his head. But every woman that prayth and prophesying.

So, I'm just going to say this to you because I know I brought up I I'm never going to finish this series. I brought up in Timothy Paul talking about the woman adorning themselves with gold peril and all that stuff. The next verse it goes into let woman learn in silence and not speak. And I know some of you like where you at on that. Y'all noticed how you skimmed right over that verse. Oh yeah, I'm married. Just I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I am married. But no, that but let me just let me just say this, okay? I we have wonderful ladies who minister in this church in powerful ways. I don't know how you can look at the ministry of Jesus Christ and not see that he allowed women around him to minister in powerful ways. This was going on because this very verse, what is it saying? >> Okay, so they're in ministry. >> You guys catch that? Now I know that there are some individuals in the apostolic ranks who are like a woman be quiet and I'm not calling names and I'm not pointing any fingers. All I can tell you is when I study it out, they were used mighty in the scriptures. And what I will tell you in the UPC, which is the organization we're a part of, they are used mighty in our day.

and we ordain them and license them and we send them out to do powerful things. You want to talk more about it, we can talk more about it. But I want you to know we got a whole lot of Bible for it. >> And I I'm just a big believer if I got a whole lot of Bible for it, we ought to be for it, too. >> Everybody okay? >> All right. I'm never going to finish. Back to verse number four. Five. But everyone that prayth and prophesy with her head uncovered that her head for that is even all as one as if she were shaven. Now, before he gives an admonition to the Corinthian woman about their appearance, it's an answer for you. Paul shows them how they should be under authority. I'm going to tell you this, okay? God operates under authority. He wants you to be under authority. That's why Paul is writing and he begins to tell you how things are to be. The head of man is Christ. The head of the woman is the man. The head of the head of Christ is God. He he's laying out a very distinctive order of how things work. Now, here's the deal. When you get things out of order, you begin to operate out of jurisdiction. There's something powerful about being submitted to the authority in your life. That's why it makes me very nervous when some of my contemporaries who pastor churches find themselves with no pastor in their life.

I fully believe that if you are going to do effective things for the kingdom of God, if you are going to make it to heaven, there's going to be a pastor's fingerprints all over you. >> You need somebody in your life who has the right to speak hard things to you. >> I don't care how far along your spiritual walk you are, you need a man of God in your life. So we see here before Paul ever addresses anything with their appearance, he talks about the authority, this submissive heart that you need to have, it's always going to be demonstrated by the submissive demeanor on the outside. You cannot see submission. What's the universal sign of submission? Right? Otherwise, you don't know because if you're just standing like this, nobody knows if you're submitted. But the universal sign of submission is raise up. It goes across any country line, any barrier, any language, you know. Yeah, that's a sign of submission. Sign of surrender. God's talking about something that's going on aside specifically of a woman and he's saying that you need to have a submission heart. So, he's going to give you a physical example of submission. The problem that was going on in the Corinthian church was not that with Christian women cutting their hair, but every reputable Bible scholar, every one of them emphatically states that moral women in all cultures in Paul's day didn't do that.

Brother David Kernard, Dr. Bernard, who is our superintendent and organization, has an excellent book that he's put out just a couple years ago called the Apostolic Church in the 21st century, has three chapters talking about this. It's a great resource amongst his many resources that man pumps out continually. Wonderful. I love him. He's been a gift to our movement. He also has a wonderful podcast called Apostolic Life in 21st century. If you like podcasts and they're all 15 to 20 minutes long and he talks about all kind of relevant issues about living this apostolic life in today's climate. I encourage you if you like this kind of thing and you want to know more about it, go listen to that podcast. It is so good and I'm indebted to a lot of these notes come from him and a lot of these notes come from another man that I love and respect, brother Raymond Woodward, which I believe is another gift into our movement and his excellent study in this is the reason I'm able to teach you today. The problem was that the Christian women were enamored with their new found freedom in Christ. They were no longer wearing their veils as the culture of the day demanded. But because of this in the culture they're in, I'm going to talk about culture because some people come back and say it was a culture thing of the day.

Let me give me don't get ahead of me. Look at your neighbor and say, "Don't get ahead. Don't get ahead of me." The first problem though is culture of the day demanded that they have a veil on. And for them to be unveiled was for them to be automatically identified with temple prostitutes that were there. But they are having their newfound freedom and Christ decided they no longer have to do that. And Paul's coming back and saying culturally you're not doing the right thing. you're automatically being associated with the wrong side of things because of your refusal to follow the protocol of the day. Now, there are still protocols in our do in our day that we still adhere ourselves to. This is part of life. There's a there now I know our society is eroding at a at a rapid rate. It is it it's just crazy how much stuff. But I still believe that there are certain ways that you should behave yourself in society that are universal or universal and he's coming in this issue in this moment and that's how he starts this conversation off that was the problem that was there but as he's addressing the problem he reveals a scriptural truth that's universal and still applicable today. So it was a cultural issue, but in the cultural issue, he begins to explain a scriptural foundational truth. You guys okay with me?

So this is where we're going. They were intentionally identified with the heathen in this. This is why Paul tells them in this in the same epistle in one chapter before that 1 Corinthians 10:23, all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all not all things edify not. He's saying there's a lot you could do, but it doesn't make it right. There's a lot of things that our society today says are okay, but I'm telling you, God's not okay with it. Just because society says it's all right, doesn't mean that God says it's all right. That's where you have to go back to what are we going to say is the absolute truth in our life. What are you going to live by at the end of the day? What is the final decision? Is it going to be God's law or is it going to be the law of man? That's why when things get pushed to a certain point and we didn't know that we were going to be experiencing some of the stuff we've experienced in the last 3 to four years. But we find that society is pushing back on us. And that's why I'm telling you there comes a point you got to have enough word in you that when it goes against the word you can say if you're going to arrest me then arrest me.

But I am not going to go against the word of God. I feel like, and this is just me, I feel like the pandemic revealed a whole lot of weakness inside Christianity. That's another subject for another day because if I get off on that, we are definitely never going to finish this. Paul teaches the Corinthians that the man should not worship with his head covered, but while the woman should wear a veil. This is still something that I feel is not proper for a man, not for the woman to wear a veil, but for a man to wear a hat in the sanctuary during worship service. I don't think it's right. I don't feel like it's right. Feel like you come into the house of God, you come in for the time of worship, you should take your hat off. Now, ladies sometimes wear hat and that's okay because scripturally that's okay. Their heads been covered. But for a man to do so, I don't feel like it's right. Now, you can call me old school. You can tell me I was raised a long time ago. You know what? I realize I am getting older. But I think there's something about being respectful when you enter into the house of God. But I still think there's something respectful about tipping your hat to a lady and opening a car door, standing for somebody who's an elder.

I think these things are all right. In fact, they're actually scriptural. Here is Paul addressing this. The customs indicate the modesty of the Corinthian culture. But if a woman refuses to wear her veil, Paul says she might as well, and this is where we get to the principle. He's talking about not wearing the veil, but he gets to the principle that was there that was universal. He says she might as well cut her hair or even go to the extreme of shaving her head because she's already bringing shame to herself and to her husbands. Scholars agree you can study this out. Again, I encourage you study this out. Again, you can get online and find whatever camp you want to get in. That's why I encourage you do some stuff yourself. You find a camp. But scholars agree that these women would never even think about doing that. Paul's making a point here because rebellion, even in a minor area, is still rebellion. Let's go back to 11 verse number six. Okay, it's about the veil. That was the problem. But he's going to a truth. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. Interesting that we have two words here, shorn and shaven. They are two distinctively different Greek words. Why did he say that?

Why is he going down this path? Is it a sin or just a shame for a woman to cut her hair? This word shame comes from the Greek word assurion which refers to something that is a disgrace. It is from the neuter form which translates even to the actual word filthy that which is opposed to modesty or purity. Now again I want you to know I'm talking about some stuff here today and for those that have been with us a short amount of time I want you to know I want you to study this again. I hope this comes across in love. I'm just presenting to you the word of God that I've studied and you take this in and pray about it yourself. What whatever you choose to do, we love you and you are welcome here. Okay. But here here's what we see here. Why is he using these words? It to me this begs to ask the question, why didn't you just say if it was shaven? Because many people take say that he's just talking about shaving your head. But if you go to the actual transliteration, the actual word by word there, there is two distinctive words that Paul wrote. Why did he do two words when one word would have done? You have to ask that question. At least I do. What was he doing? Paul, why did you use two words when one word would have done?

The word shaven to me is self-explanatory. If we say shave, most everybody gets it. But why is the Greek word shorn there? Most scholars and translators see the meaning as to cut with shears or to remove by cutting without specifying the amount. It seems that the hair is shorn if it's cut at all. However, to be sure, we need to look beyond the verse to further explanation. Okay, let's go from six to verse number seven. For if a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is in the image and the glory of God, but the woman is in the glory of man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Verse number nine. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. When a woman enters into God's presence with her hair cut, she removes herself from God's order. Again, I talked you got to take it in a whole take the chapter as a whole. Beginning he starts off with saying, "Follow me as I follow Christ." And then begins to lay out an order that is there. And then as he's dealing with the issue of them not wearing the veil, he begins to talk about the truth that's behind it. To say for you not to wear the veil is the same as you cutting or shaving your head.

And then he begins to explain where the glory is, why it's there. Again, if you struggle with this, I simply say take it back to God and say, "God, why did you do this?" Because I promise you, ladies and gentlemen, it would be so amazing if this chapter wasn't there. But it is. And you have to take the Bible all or nothing. I can't pick and choose. I can't take it out. I can't do away with it. I can't say that doesn't no longer apply because I either got to come from the standpoint of God. You've given me. You've preserved this word. You said it's forever settled. You said every jot and tit every piece of it is there for a reason. So God, why is it there? I got to deal with it. Trust me, I wish it wasn't there. It would be a lot easier on pastor, but it's there. So, I have to do my due diligence to unpack it and present it to you and then tell you, you need to pray about it and you need to figure out what you need to do with what I'm bringing to you. And I hope you feel my love when I say that. In creation, God gave man and woman certain unchangeable physical characteristics to distinguish them. But he allowed them both to process one changeable phys physical characteristic which is their hair.

Both men and women can manipulate their hair. Men can grow their hair long. Women can grow their hair short or cut it by conforming to any standard God standard. They demonstrate their willingness to accept God's authority. Verse number 10. Okay, we were in nine. Verse number 10, continuing on with his thought. For this cause ought women to have power on her head because of the angels. Okay? He didn't say men had power on their head, right? He didn't say men. He said women. For this cause, for what cause? For how God designed things to be. The woman can have power on her head. And because there's a very good reason that godly women choose to be under authority because a submitted woman has blank answer power on her head because of a unique place in God's creation. Unique place in God's creation. That word there is exusia. I'm going to tell you right now, I have been born and raised in this my whole life. I have not always lived that. I'm ashamed to say that. In my teenage years, I did not always do all the things I should have done. That's a testimony for another day. But I will say this. I have been around some powerful powerful moments when there have been women who have been submitted to God and submitted to their authority who have prayed and I'm telling you what the place was shaken because there's something about and see I feel like God does this for a reason because he understands that there are going to be times when a woman when a mother is going to need to call on God and going to need to intercede in that moment because maybe her covering's not around.

Maybe her husband's away or in a case when she's not married, her father's away. And in that moment, she needs to take authority and use the name of Jesus. And she can do this if she is submitted and following. God can use her in a very powerful way. The word exusia means liberty of action. Basically, that she has permission, she has authority or influence, delegated power, she has jurisdiction. And it pictures the woman exercising her God-given right to guard her home, her husband, her children, and her church. A godly woman is the mark of her authority and presence when she is submitted to these things. Both the angels and the demons recognize the spiritual authority, and they know when it's not present. And there's something powerful about being submitted to these things. And I know some individuals who have struggled with some stuff. And a lot of that simply comes down to the fact that they know what is there and they simply refuse to be obedient. Again, I hope you pray about this. Please, it's something that should be very near and dear to you. Why did Paul write it the way he did? Why is the power there? What was he talking about? Let's keep going. Verse number 11. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman.

But all things are of God. All right. talking about God and things that God likes. Verse number 13, judge in yourselves, okay? If it is comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Verse 14, does not even nature itself teach you that if a man hath long hair is a shame unto him? But if a woman hath long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given for a covering. So Paul moves to the crux of the matter by exhorting the Corinthians to judge in yourselves. He says, look, let's come to the only logical conclusion that's there. Let's think about nature of again. There's always exceptions to the rules. Okay? Always. But just because there's an exception to the rule does not negate the rule. Nature itself, men are 10 times more likely to go bald over women. Trust me. 10 times more likely. Now, does that mean that some ladies do not struggle with baldness? No, there are some. Again, there's always exceptions. But as a whole, as a whole, women typically don't struggle with it anywhere in the way, shape, form, or fashion that a man does. But when we see a bald man, we don't really think much about it. Thank goodness because I'm going that direction. It's just like, oh, bless him. He's kind of losing his hair. It's just a part of life, isn't it, Brother McClean?

Brian's my buddy. But let me ask you this. When you see a lady, and this is not meant to hurt anybody's feelings. I'm just asking for you to think with me. If you see a lady who's experiencing those similar things, there's something about that stands out that's just not the way it should be. >> You feel that, don't you? So Paul is saying, "Does not nature itself teach you that this is how it's supposed to be." Then he says, "You judge yourself." So he's already said these things are of God. So this is God's way. God put it and then nature puts it away there. But then he says he moves on and says there at the end have long as glory is given to her for a covering. Judge yourself. What's the logical conclusion? It's not comely. It's not becoming for a woman to worship if she's unwilling to submit to the authority by wearing the veil. Nature teaches us. God clears off for a man, but it's not a sickness. It's a part of life. But often times with a lady, it's some part of something that's not going right. So when we see in your next blank here, God has a good opinion of her. The word also express how a woman's submission is to have long hair reflects God's glory. So let me ask you, how long is long? How long?

I mean, what what's long? You know, that's like when you go to the place where when Sweet Cece's first open up in Murphersboro, we took our girls over there. So, you got the cup. And if you never been to Sweet Cece, they you go over there and you pull the handle yourself to put however much ice cream you want. And then you go down the topping bar and you put all the toppings you want. And you don't realize what you've done to yourself until you get to the end and they weigh your bowl. So, the first time we took our girls there, my sweet KK, who loves sweets, she got ahead of us. And her idea of how much was enough and my idea of how much was enough in her bowl was two different ideas. Yeah. I think we paid $19 for her bowl. Yeah. So, how long is long? Who do and I say this because I don't this is maybe blows some of y'all's mind that there are some churches who have tape measures and rulers. Okay, I just I'm just going to say that. I'm not just don't let you have that on your own. I'm going to tell you, if somebody pulls out a tape measure on you, here, you have my permission to take said tape measure and do whatever you would like to do with it from pastor.

I'm not going to catch you at the door and pull a tape measure on you. Hey, that's not what we do here. You come. I want you to come. I want you to be comfortable. My job is to bring you the word of God. Your job is to digest it and come up with your conclusion. >> You okay? Everybody okay? That that's what I'm coming here to say. We have to do something with it. What are we going to do with it? Is it really 748? Oh my goodness. I'm The word coma or comei translated long in verses 14- 15 means uncut or to simply your blank is let the hair grow. The verb implies a condition which remains to be seen. If man continues to have short hair or regularly cuts it, he maintains his authority in the presence of God and it is not shamed. Similarly, if a woman continues to have uncut, therefore long hair, it's a glory to her and she maintains her authority in the presence of God. Do Christian women have to veil today? Not according to Paul. As he concludes his teaching on the authority and the culture necessity of wearing a veil, he reminds the women of the long hair is for the that the long hair is the real covering. The phrase in verse 15 for a covering is translated basically verbatim. A literal translation is instead of covering.

That's what Young's literal translation puts it out to serve as a covering. The only time a veil is needed is when the cultural demands it of modest women. I know we have individuals who are going over into Access Challenge countries. Missionaries are going over there and some of our ladies are going over there and doing some amazing things. But culturally, they have to be covered. And if you're in a cultural situation like that to where you're trying to be effective for the kingdom, then by all means culturally adapt in that moment. If it does not go, you know, God's not going to be happy if you cover up too much. But he does have things about uncovering too much. Christian women need to do to have uncut hair because of this. Here's the list on the back. It demonstrates her acceptance and her God-given role. It demonstrates her submission to her husband or her father if she's unmarried. It brings permission, influence, and jurisdiction in the spiritual realm. The power on her head because of her submission. The holy angels observe a woman's submission to God's authority. Is a disgrace or a shame before God for her to cut her hair. Nature instincts teaches us these principles. It maintains a definite line of distinction between the sexes. It's her glory. God has a good opinion over her and reflects his glory. Her submission is a type of the church's submission to Christ and God requested.

Verse number 16. Okay, look at this. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom. So he's already said in verse 14 or 15 that it was these things are from God. And then he says, does nature itself not teach you this? And then he goes further. If anybody wants to be contentious, if anybody wants to quarrel about this, anybody wants to fight, we don't have a custom. We have no custom, neither do the churches of God. There were other churches, not just in Corinth. He's talking about all the churches that were there. There's no custom different from this. Because someone want to come in and say this was a cultural thing. And I want to say to you, yes, it was a cultural thing. The veil was the cultural thing. That's what they were dealing with. It wasn't that he used what was a standard to define what was wrong with the cultural issue. The standard was long uncut hair is what a woman should have in her life. And he brings it up because he's saying if you don't wear your veil, you might as well shave or cut your head. It's a shame either way. >> So the issue was the veil. That's the cultural issue. So you're part truth when you say 1 Corinthians 11. That's just dealing with a cultural thing. It was. Yes, it was.

Good answer. Cherry for you. But don't stop there because if you take this away and say it's not necessary, then you also have to take away communion because the chapter ends talking about the Lord's supper. Are you going to take away the Lord's supper? Was that a cultural issue? No. And again, I encourage you, there was more things being addressed here. He's reflecting back to stuff that was going on and even in chapter six when he's dealing with effeminite men and what was that was bringing us out. There was a lot of stuff there. That's why I'm saying go back yourself, take the time and read the letter as a whole. Remember, there was not chapter markers there. This was a letter that Paul's writing to deal with the issues. 1 Corinthians 14:37, "If any man think himself to be a prophet or a spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write unto you are what?" Because some people want to say, "Well, this is Paul written letter." That's not God's commandments. Okay. Okay. What do you do with that? Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, I've tried my best to come at this from every angle possible to bring it to you to say I wish I do wish at times that I could explain this away. But I can't. I can't because the more I studied out, the more it proves that it was exactly how God intended it to be.

Paul as he's addressing all these things says, "If any of you think you're spiritual, look, I'm telling you that I write unto you, what I'd write to you are the commandments of the Lord." You might say, "But I'm not convinced by holiness standards." I don't mean this to sound harsh, but your lack of conviction doesn't give you permission to ignore what God's word says. This is what I would say to you. And I say this I say this humbly. I say this with love. I if you've never seen this before, if this is maybe new to you, if maybe you've read this but you haven't seen it presented this way, then let me say please spend time in prayer. Please take your time and study this out yourself and see what conclusion you come to. But when you're studying out, when you're praying it, let me encourage you. Please spend some time praying first. God, please help me see what it is I need to see when I'm here. And I realize I'm not going to get to that second handout, so sorry. Let let me wrap up by saying this. It was about 2010. I was on staff here at the church and Bishop's Parkinson's was advancing and 2010 2011 began to start talking about my future role with his church. Now, I've been in this church since I was 5 years old. Before that, I was in my grandfather's church where he pastored.

I've been around this my whole life. I never really thought to question what was going on, but I had this little check going on inside of me that number one, I had at that time I had two beautiful little girls that God had blessed Chasse and I with. And then now what seemed to be lining up as this possibility for me to be the pastor of this great church. So, I started thinking to myself, man, I feel like I'm pretty good about this stuff, but maybe I need to go back and spend some time in the word just to know that I know that I know that I know. And my primary motivating factor is because you two. I wanted to look at you one day and I wanted to be able to explain that this isn't some kind of crazy cookie cult that this is what the word of God says that we're supposed to do. And I wanted to be able to give you a good answer. What I didn't want to do ever I never wanted to do this was to say, "Girls, we do this because I say so." Because I'm gonna be honest with you, I hated that answer. So, I dove down in the word of God and I prayed and I studied things out and some things were, man, they just came in. I'm like, "Oh, yep. Got it.

Yep. Got it. Yep. Got it. Yep. Got it. I got it. Got it. Got it. I got it." I got to First Corinthians 11. I'm like, "Oh, hang on. I don't know if I got this." I spent a few weeks just in 1 Corinthians 11 because I was struggling with this. I needed to know that I knew it was right. and pastor. Then he was still pastor, brother, priest. I went into pastor and whether you can believe this or not, he and I had some intense discussions over 1 Corinthians 11 and a few other things. He sent me some stuff to chew on and I chewed on it. And through prayer one night, God just opened my understanding and all of a sudden some things begin to unlock for me in my mind. I begin to see and it just became settled. And I'm saying this for a reason because there's something about settling the matter. >> If you can just settle the matter, that's part of the maturing process that you settle the matter and then you move on. And I was able to settle the matter. And I wanted it because I don't know if you believe this or not, but I would have never ever accepted the pastor of this church if I could not have settled the holiness issue matter. >> I thought too much of this. I seen God do too many things and I had too much respect for my predecessors than to be willing to say, "You know what?

Just let my name run because as soon as you do, boy, we're going to let some things go. I'll grow this church. It has never been about how many people I can pack into this room. That is not my calling. My calling is to take those that God brings here and to do my best to present you what his word says and hope that you realize that those are the things that you should be thinking about and hopefully bringing the obedience into your life because my goal is to get you to heaven. I can't save you with my best efforts on the best day. There's nothing I can do to save you. >> Only he can save you. >> But there's something about understanding this life is a process of sanctification. Okay, that doesn't take away Calvary. Calvary that's there. Salvation you need. Salvation is about the death, burial, and resurrection. And I can explain it to you if you don't understand that and we can talk more about that. But you got to you got to look at what he did and you got to apply that to your life. Calvary is all they you don't earn your way in. But I will say this, you can sure misbehave your way into hell. >> Here's what I know, and this is my final thing. I love teaching. I could do this all night. >> This is what you need to know.

Jesus tells the parable of the seed. It should actually be the parable of the ground, but it's the parable of the seed. Parable of the sewer. Here's what I know. The sewer's responsibility was to take the seed and cast it. My responsibility is to take the word of God and to present it to you, to teach it to you. You have the soil. I hope it falls on fow ground because I know there's a lot of things that can choke it out. They can push it out. They can starve it out. That's why I tell you, you have a responsibility now to do something with what I've given you. I hope and I hope you feel my love in this. As you stand with me, if you stand, I'll stop talking. I hope you feel my love in this because I want you to know if this is hard, this is stuff. Maybe you got questions. I'm quite sure in the room this size there's questions. I I'm never afraid of questions. Bring me your questions. We'll talk with them. I'll do my best to answer any question you have. I love talking about this. I love diving in. I love studying it out. I'll tell you guys, if I didn't believe this was necessary, there's no way I'd be teaching it because it's a whole lot easier if I don't. But it's there. What do I do with it for me?

I had to pray about it. Had to ask him, "What do you want me to do?" And he's beginning to reveal to me that he's still looking for you and I to be mature enough to make the changes in our life. And I'm coming to you saying, I hope you're mature enough to make these changes in your life. If you choose to pay no heed and no attention to what I got, it's okay. You're still welcome at this church. Please come. We're not kicking you out. I'm not telling you can't be here. I'm not even telling you you can't be involved in some ministries around. You can't. I want you to get played. I want this to be your church. But I would not be any pastor at all if I didn't bring the convictions I know God's laid in my heart for the church. Not my personal convictions. I have personal conviction. I'm not going to preach you a personal conviction. Those are for me. But I will bring you what I feel God has for us. And then I hope and pray that you'll receive it as it's intended to be received. And that you will make the decision that you need to make to draw closer to him. He's an amazing God and he has so much for us. And what I do love is when people realize that a lot of what God's doing is pulling you closer in.

But if you get closer into him, there has to be less world. There has to be less world. You can't bring the world to him. That ain't going to work. He's separated from that. Amen. Anyway, you got your hand out for next week. So, come back and y'all pray for Jeff. He does a lot of hard work and he probably three papers back there when I told him we were going to finish tonight. But let's pray. Jesus, I love you so much. I'm so thankful for our time together and our study in this word. I pray God that we would come before you with honesty. We would come before you with sincerity asking Lord, is this what you desire of me? That we would search out the truths that are in your word and in your scriptures. We would determine for oursel Lord what it is that you desire for us to do. God, I pray if anyone has been offended tonight, Lord, that they would they wouldn't walk away offended. they would feel your presence near and know that we love them. God, keep us as we leave this place and watch over us. Bring us back this weekend. Move in a mighty way. In Jesus' name we pray and amen.