Question:
My sister and I were discussing about women having their hair cut. She said that women cannot cut their hair or wear makeup or jewelry. Is this true?
Answer:
I Corinthians 11:14,15 says, “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.” These verses show that a man’s hair is to be clearly short, and a woman’s hair is to be clearly long. There is to be a definite distinction between the looks of men and women. If a woman’s hair is anywhere near the length of a man’s short hair, then she is disobeying this command (actually, disobeying a principle which God has built in to men and women, “Doth not even NATURE ITSELF TEACH YOU…”)
There is much discussion over what is “long” hair, and over what is “short” hair. What you will find is that people are trying to justify their unscriptural appearance. Everyone really knows what short hair is: hair cut up around the ears; off the collar; and hair that lays flat on the head. From that point on, what you have is “longer hair.” A man’s hair is to be unquestionably short, and a woman’s hair is to be unquestionably long. When people start arguing about lengths, it is usually because they are trying to see how far away they can get from God’s standard without incurring His wrath. By seeking such, they are disobeying the true spirit of the Law. Why not see HOW CLOSE we can get to God’s perfect will, instead of HOW FAR AWAY we can go without God judging us?
The Bible never says that a woman cannot cut her hair. It just says that her hair is to be long.
In regard to jewelry, I Peter 3:1-4 says, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
Some have tried to use the above verses to say that a woman should not do anything with her hair (like putting any barrettes in it, braiding it, putting any clips in it, etc.). And they have also used the above passage to try and teach that a woman should not wear any gold jewelry. But please notice that portion of the passage again, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, OR OF PUTTING ON OF APPAREL.” If they are going to say that passage teaches a woman should not do anything with her hair or put anything in it; and that it teaches a woman should not wear any gold jewelry; then you must interpret the third phrase the same way — that it also teaches that a woman should not wear any clothes! (“or of putting on of apparel”). Obviously, that is not the proper interpretation!
That passage teaches “moderation” or “balance.” The most striking thing about a woman is NOT to be her hair, or her jewelry, or her clothes. Because if any of those things do stand out, then she is drawing attention to herself, which is no doubt causing lust in those who see her. The most striking thing about a married woman is to be her husband. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be THE HIDDEN MAN OF THE HEART…” When people see a wife, they should notice a woman devoted to her husband. Nothing about her should be a show to gain other people’s attention to herself, personally.
As to the matter of makeup, there are some references to it in Scripture, but none of them seem to be favorable toward the use of it. II Kings 9:30 says, “And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and SHE PAINTED HER FACE, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.” Jezebel was one woman who used it, and she was a very wicked woman. Jeremiah 4:30 says, “And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, THOUGH THOU RENTEST THY FACE WITH PAINTING, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.”
Often, makeup is used to make the eyes stand out and look bigger than they really are. We are warned about being taken by the immoral woman’s eyes. Proverbs 6:24,25 says, “To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; NEITHER LET HER TAKE THEE WITH HER EYELIDS.” Eye shadow is very common today, and is painted on the eyelids. According to Scripture, a man is warned to stay away from women who do things to their eyelids to attract their attention. That being the case, a Christian woman should not paint her eyelids, lest she be placed in the same category as the flirty, immoral woman.
When you consider the above matters, it is no wonder that so many marriages break up, including Christian homes. The wife gets up in the morning with no jewelry on, no fancy hairdo, and no makeup. She normally only gets all fixed up like that if she is going out in public (to church, to the store, to a party, or to a job, etc.). Now stop and think. The husband is normally only seeing his wife around the house the way God made her — natural. Who is getting to see her with all of these “attention-getting things?” All of the men everywhere she goes. It should be just the opposite. If she wants to get fixed up nice like that to please someone, it ought to be for her husband, and him alone. That would mean that most women would have to do just the opposite of what they practice. Instead of putting on all of these attention-getting things when they go out in public, they would only wear them around the home. And when they got ready to go out in public, they would actually remove attention-getting things, not put on more of them.
Christian homes and marriages experience a lot of the same problems that the world’s homes and marriages experience. Why? Because we seem so prone to follow their worldly errors, like as seen above.