Bible Soap

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 11-12

Selected verses: “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. … In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.”

Observation:

Between and around these verses Paul presents some seemingly antiquated and almost certainly culture-specific teaching about long and short hair, and covering or not covering the head for men and women. But the frame and the context in the passage is the understanding that whether male or female, we all ultimately depend on God entirely, and need to seek to follow His directions. Paul’s hierarchy is clear: God – Christ – man – woman, which presents a challenge to both men and women. How do we find our place in that chain in the most appropriate way, following God’s ultimate direction as embodied in the person above us in the chain?

Application:

For me, seeking to hear God’s voice and follow His will as a husband and father is not easy, especially when the wife I love is coming to trust less and less in the truth of God. I certainly haven’t lived up to that call faultlessly in the past, but I am absolutely committed to doing God’s will to the best of my ability. Knowing what it is would be a good place to start, and when we ‘see in part’, we have to go on our faith in Him on that score too.

Prayer:

Father, help me to seek your will more regularly for myself and my family, and increase my faith, Lord.