Preface

Why do you wear that thing on your head?", is a question which many a faithful sister has been asked, and one which we want to address in this study. The fact that so many Christians don't know the reason for the wearing of the head veiling is a sad commentary on the state of the church in this late day, especially when the inquirer claims to be a Bible believing and following Christian. With the 'religion' of humanism infiltrating every segment of society and the church, with its inverted doctrines and egocentric mentality, it is no small wonder that many foundational biblical principles have been lost sight of and therefore their applications explained away. Survey a host of Bible commentaries on 1 Corinthians 11 and you will find that generally only since the beginning of this century has the practice of wearing the veiling been interpreted away by liberal scholars, and the church has followed their lead. Woe to the shepherds and leaders who are alluded to in Song of Solomon 5:7:

"The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil away from me."

Through the influence of humanistic theories of equality, which haze over God's governmental distinction of the sexes, women are cast or enticed out of their God-given, honorable roles and positions into those of man. In this process, women step out from under their spiritual covering and head, man, and are much more exposed to the onslaughts of the enemy. Satan, who was, as Eze. 28:14 points out, "the anointed cherub who covers" (the word cover here literally means "entwines") can then more easily employ his covering power over them. The results are seen in the havoc that he is causing in her sometimes deserted sphere, the home, with the alarming divorce rate, careers at the expense of mother-child relationships, reversed husband-wife roles, and all the competition, jealousy, bitterness, etc. which comes with any such disruption in God's governmental arrangement.

The woman's head veiling is not some antiquated cultural or denominational momento from another era; nor is it a relic with sacramental power in and of itself. But the veiled woman does exert authority and power in the spiritual realms if she is a submissive saint of God in her rightful position before Him. Rather, the veiling of women and what it represents, stands alongside of other essential apostolic doctrines from the earliest days of the church. It was none other than the Holy Spirit of God who inspired both the principles and their application, and who moved Paul to write of them in order that with full scriptural authority this teaching could be established and practiced until the Lord's return.

We have undertaken this study not in order to major in a 'minor' doctrine. Our goal in doing such an exhaustive study as this is to reveal, in the process, some of the foundational biblical principles which the woman's veiling represent, principles which the church is tragically losing sight of. The church is God's building, and must be according to His design. When man rejects some of it divine building blocks, then the enemy has easy access through the gap. Our prayer in sending this study forth is that it will end up in the hands of God's faithful remnant, for it will speak only to them—those who have a heart to be submissive to and obey God's Word. To such saints alone has God promised the endless riches of His Son and the glory of living in His eternal presence.

Tom Shank

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