Obvious Still Irritates
Good Morning,
The more we insist on the Bible being our guide, the more trouble we get into with those who value public opinion and personal feelings above the teachings of the Bible.
Consider the “gender” issues of our society. The Bible speaks of hair being associated with gender:
Revelation 9:8 “And they had hair as the hair of women….”
God was not trying to start a culture war; He simply worded a description using terms everyone understands. We could describe a person by making statements such as: someone with olive skin, skinny as a rail, or hair like a woman. Hair does tie in with gender. In 1 Corinthians 11:14, Paul makes a divisive statement: “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
vs.15 “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”
These statements are simple truths and observations. God is the Creator, and as such, His opinion matters on all subjects. God continues in 1 Corinthians 11 that we ought not get in a fight over the hair issue because nature teaches the obvious, but do not get too upset about it if someone differs.
I Corinthians 11:16 “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”
This era of long hair on guys, as it was in my high school days, is obviously not right, even nature shows us that simple truth, but do not hate anyone over the issue.
The same is true about how a lady looks. Solomon described a lady and said she was dressed like a harlot. It was an obvious, simple description, and any normal man could have made the same observation.
Proverbs 7:10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot…”
This verse simply states that some clothing makes a lady look like she is for sale. Our society panics over obvious, simple statements like that.
God addresses this again in Deuteronomy as Moses sets up the rules for a civil society. God had Moses write that men should not dress like women and women should not dress like men. It is simple and obvious, but it brings emotional panic to many people in our world.
Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment:”
Whatever this confused culture wants to pretend is acceptable, some things are obvious to any clear-thinking person. Some clothing “pertains” to men and other to women. Why any parent would allow their children to attend a school where someone dresses up as something they are not, (worse yet, where they are not even sure what they are) I do not understand, but it is their call. God says the fact is obvious, no matter what the world around us screams. Men and woman should not dress like the opposite. Some clothing is female and other is male.
That leads us to the conclusion that some people are female and some are male. (This is where we will lose a lot of readers, sorry, but it is obvious, even God treats it so.)
As you determine if God’s Word takes precedence over culture and public opinion, it might be good to count the cost; for our society does not do well having their foolishness pointed out, even if we do not make a big deal about it. “This little light of mine…” shines in a dark world, no matter how little that light might be.
Pastor