³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

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Why can’t we have one unified church in Christ? There are so many Christian-based religions that it makes my head spin.

This scripture makes me stop and think. The Apostle Paul is giving the early Christians guidance on whom to follow. He advises not to follow human beings, we’re all supposed to follow Christ. Christ’s laws are built upon a strong foundation – a foundation that will stand the test of time – surviving forever.

When I look at various supposedly Christ-based religions, seeing the differences in beliefs, some differences causing divisions between households and families, I wonder why can’t we all be unified in the body of Christ.

Why do you think we can’t be unified into one body under Jesus Christ? Is it due to the fact that we’re human – and it’s virtually impossible to unify all Christian humans into one body? Is it because there are supposedly Christ-based churches out there who neglect Paul’s advice and follow other men, instead of following Christ? Is it all of the above, in addition to other factors?

Please comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What’s your opinion about a woman’s head covering? Should a woman cover her head during worship?

When I was involved with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, decades ago, if a woman was leading a Bible study, and a man was present, she always covered her head in deference to him. The three of us (my Bible study leader, her husband, and myself) were at the Kingdom Hall, and when we took out our study books, she glanced at her husband and said, “Oh, I guess, I need to wear this since you’re here.”

She opened her purse and pulled out a scarf and she tied it on her head. I laughed (I was young, only 18) because I didn’t understand what she was doing. I thought she was kidding. She then pulled out her Bible and we read 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 (quoted at the end of this blog post) – this was their basis for their head-covering convention.

She then further explained that when the sisters of the congregation would go out in service, or pray together, they would cover their heads since there was no man present.

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So, should a woman cover her head while praying? Should she cover her head in church, or while praying with a man? Verse 15 states that a woman’s long hair is her covering – does this mean that a woman should not cut her hair? Does this verse mean that a woman’s hair has already been provided as a covering for her head?

Or, is this scripture cultural – something that was only applied to the church during the Apostle Paul’s time? Do you recall being taught about women’s head covering when you were growing up in the church?

Please leave a comment about this thought-provoking subject!

11 ¹ Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

² I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. ³ But 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. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

⁷ A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; ⁹ neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. ¹⁰ It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.