Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 12/10/2009

Question
I was just wondering if a women cuts her hair (say up near the ear lobes) is she sinning. What grace/freedom did Jesus's death give us in reguards to being free from certain standards?

Answer
Michelle, while there is great freedom in grace there are still standards for a Christian.  Law was not graceless and grace is not lawless.  While some go overboard and make rules like a woman should not wear a blue jean skirt others go to the other extreme and say anything goes for we are under grace.  I heard recently that one pastor requires all men to have the same style of haircut.  That is also extreme.  Because of extremes like that people often reject the truth of an issue rather than research and see the answer.

Some teach that the requirement for women to have long hair and men short is a cultural thing and not meant for today.  However when you see Paul using eternal things like the relationship between man and God, God and angels and man and woman, in I Cor 11, it is hard to see it as a cultural thing.  True, back then female prostitutes cut thier hair short and male prostitutes grew theirs long. Also,women who had to choose between giving their virginity to the temple priest or cutting their hair and appearing as a prostitute sometimes opted for replaceable hair and temporary shame versus losing their nonreplaceable virginity but that does not mean that such things only happened in that culture.  You can find similar things today.

A woman's long hair was to be a glory to her and in the OT a woman was required to let her hair down if she was accused of adultery by a jealous husband.  To let it down it had to be of enough length to put up.  Her hair was given to her for a veil.  A woman veiled her face in prayer as an act of submission to God.  When she knelt her long dress would cover her feet and if you look at Isa 6 that is how the angels worship with face and feet covered.  Is it not curious that one of the reasons in 1 Cor 11 for doing these things was for the angel's sake?  As the angels were made for God and worship Him in humility so also the woman who was made for man was to worship God in a similar manner.  

Many things about women's attire and hair started not as just a fashion statement or for comfort or utility but as a rebellion against God's role for women. Marlene Dietrich started wearing men's suits because she was tired of men having all the fun.  Pants became a symbol of the authority of the man hence, "Who wears the pants in your family" meaning who is in charge.  So, she was not wearing the suits for ease of toileting or for modesty in riding horses or climbing trees but as a flag of rebellion of her God given role.

In the 1920's, Mary Garden, a singer, first "bobbed" her hair as removing the final vestiage of man's authority.  Again, it was not for fashion or ease of care but in rebellion.  Thus the culture affected the Church versus the Church affecting the culture.  

Grace is sometimes more strict than law.  A person need only look at someone in lust under grace to commit adultery verus having to actually do the deed.  That God would require certain hair lengths for men and women as a sign of submission to Him and to the roles He assigned is not unjust. From a human perspective, what does it matter?  From His perspective it does matter even if we do not totally understand it. His ways are not our ways nor His thought ours. So, to be obedient, we should follow it whether we understand it or not.  Paul said that the churches had no other custom or rule but as he had laid out in 1 Cor 11.  In other words, all Christians at the time were to follow it, there was no individual or soul liberty in this matter. It was not a gray area or the conviction of some and others were not convicted.  It was how it was to be done and that was that. I do not see any way to say it has changed.  It is tied to too many things that never change or are affected by culture. In fact, you will find that it has been that way for almost every culture of man around the world for recorded history until the last 100 years when we entered into an age of apostasy and rebellion towards God.

Therefore if a man grows his hair too long or a woman cuts hers too short then indeed they would be sinning.  How long is long and how short is short is the usual question.  That can be determined merely by looking at the hair styles of the day.  Romans wore the "helmet" style haircut and certainly would not have been considered too long.  Jews believed that if a man showed his ears he was vain.  So anywhere from a crew cut to covering the ears would be short for a man.  So your example of a woman no matter how she styled it would be considered masculine or shorned and Paul would have said she might as well be shaven. Mary washed Jesus' feet with her hair.  

When you consider the fact that Jesus wrapped a towel around Him to wash the disciples feet what remained had to be long enough to do the job.  Ear lobe length would be tough and Mary washed Jesus' feet with her hair.  Looking at the paintings and statues you can see that women's hair was quite long as they had complex hairstyle with lots of twists and braids.  If you really want to know what Paul was talking about it is easy to find out and if you want to be obedient but are unsure then would you try to get as close as possible or err towards "too long" instead of "too short?"  There is probably not a too long as most people's hair will stop growing at a certain length.  Certainly if you can't grow it any longer you are not too short.  

Paul even mentions nature and from one aspect of looking to nature you see that the fine feathers and elegant plumage in nature belongs to the male and females are drab.  Humans are not beasts or evolved from them and hence He requires the opposite of what is in animals for humans.  Long hair is the glory of a woman.  That being the case,does it not stand to reason the longer the hair the more the glory?  

Now, can you comb it or pin it up? Sure, in fact,it maybe should be up except at night when you let it down for your husband.  Long hair is desirable to most men. Many will lie to save a fight or trouble but if you get them to be honest they will tell you that a woman with long hair is far more sexy than one with short hair.  I believe men are wired to be that way by God.  So to keep it up during the day might keep men from being overly aroused and hitting on the lady though in this day and age men will hit on any woman from 18-80 because of the amount of sensuous stimulation provided by the media and porn.

Anyway, study the Word and seek His face.  May He grant you wisdom and discernment!  Blessings to you!!!