Proposition: So often we define ourselves and others based on faulty views of status and importance. The most devout Christian is not immune to this problem. Christian families have suffered because well meaning men and women have not lived their lives according to God's will. The solution is for one to be defined by God's views of status and importance.

Part A (Verse 3) chain of command

Introduction: The Head of Our Lives

When I first started study of this portion of scripture my mind went to an image I have seen many times in church services. Both morning and evening services alike have had some well dressed person stand before the congregation and give some variation of a simple quote:

“I want to give honor to God, who is the head of my life.”

I have seen both men and women alike claim to strangers, friends, and loved ones that God is the head of “my life”. Singers, preachers, deacons, ushers, trusties, and mothers have made the claim that God is the head of their lives.

If we were able to take a close look at these lives, would we come to the same conclusion? If we were not told that God is the head of a life, would we look at that life and say, “You know, I think God is the head of this person’s life.”

Would we examine some of the music, television, and movies digested and come to another conclusion?

I can’t (nor do I attempt to) tell whether one is genuine in his walk before God, but sometimes I have to do a double take when certain ones claim that God is the head of their life. I’m pretty certain that when I claim that God is the head of my life, some may take a double look at me to. To put it mildly, some who say, “God is the head of my life” leave us wondering a couple of things.

Who is their god?

What do they mean by head?

The confusion in reconciling a lifestyle, that we think we understand to be anything but godly, and the claim that God is the head of it, boils down to understanding two concepts: The Nature of God and Headship. When either concept is misunderstood, then problems in our Christian walk will occur.

I. Understanding the Nature of God.

A. Misconceptions About God's Judgment and Mercy

I remember a statement from a theologian named R.C. Sproul. He was talking about the controversy over a statement during the 911 attacks. The controversial statement involved the opinion that the attacks were from God as a judgment on the United States. What R.C. was commenting on was the attitude of disgust over the thought that some one would even suggest that God would ever do something that harsh to judge a people. What R.C. thought that was interesting is the fact that immediately after the attacks the phrase “God bless America” was everywhere. He asked a valid question. How can you ask for God’s blessings with out the possibility of God’s cursing?

These are two sides of the same coin. Job understood this concept. We often want the good from knowing God, but don’t want the bad. We want to have our cake and eat it to.

This is how some can live a devilish life and still claim that God is the head of their life.

B. Misconceptions About the Trinity

1. What The Trinity is not

There are two misconceptions about the trinity that are the most common. Both try to deal with the formula that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God. The first leans heavy on the “One God” aspect of the trinity, and it goes as follows:

There is one God, the Father, and Jesus is his son, but Jesus is not God. The Holy Spirit is not a person but merely a force that flows out from the Father. The problem with this is that we see in scriptures that Jesus is given certain attributes of God, and He makes statements that only would be proper if He indeed were God. Another problem is the fact that the Holy Spirit is given feelings and personhood in the Holy Scriptures.

The second misconception leans heavy on the three person aspect of the trinity. It states that there is one God, and this God was the Father in creation, the Son in redemption, and the Holy Spirit in sanctification. The problem with this way of thinking is that it breaks down when the Godhead communes within it self. How can God the Son cry to God the Father from the cross if they indeed are one person?

2. Correct View of the Trinity

The correct view of the trinity is that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct from one another, but all are one God. We do not believe that They are three Gods that make one God, but three Persons and one God. (Three Who-s, and on What) All are God. All are made up of the same essence (or stuff), But have distinct personhood (or consciences).

II. Headship

A. The Word Itself

1. Means simply the head, top, source, beginnig.

(fig. means cheif, master, lord, or a person of athourity)

B. The Chain of Command

1. God, Christ, Man, then Woman

2. Should word be translated lit. or fig?

In a literal sense we could interpret this verse to mean that man is the source of woman. This could be the interpretation, but also this could be interpreted to mean that man is lord or master of woman. Both are valid and explained elsewhere in scripture.

3. Are All Men Head Over All Women?

This is an important distinction. The text itself is clear that no mater how you interpret it; man is at least head of woman in the marital relationship. What is not clearly spelled out is whether or not all men are head of all women.

Conclusion: Let this Mind Be in You. Philippians 2:5-11

Submission is something that is given not forced. When submission is forced it is by definition oppression. God’s chain of command has submission at its core. God does not force anyone into submission. We come to him by free will. Even those who believe that God chose us before we chose him do not believe that God Forces us to come to Him, but they believe that God touches our hearts and the choice is made by us. In Jesus we have an example of God’s plan being fulfilled by the act of submission. Jesus (while in the form of God) gladly submitted to God the Father and became obedient to the point of death by crucifixion. Are you willing to submit in order for God’s will to be done?

Part B Verses 4-6 attitude

Introduction: WNBA Allstar Game

Either this year or last year I saw footage of the all star game for the WNBA. At the end of the game a pseudo 3 point competition broke out. Woman after woman tried their best to dunk the ball with no success. I remember one of the commentators make the statement, “This is not part of the woman’s game.”

Woman’s basketball is not a game that’s played above the rim; it’s more of a traditional game of basketball. Position, footwork, and passes are more important to the game than high flying acrobats.

If the WNBA were to abandon what makes it unique, it would be a poor imitation of the men’s game at best. There is no need to change the game that is played. Those who support them support the game that’s played.

In the city of Corinth something similar was going on.

I. Literal Probem (Then) -Women Removing Head Dressings

After women had become to be Christians they began to take off the head coverings of the day. In many Middle Eastern countries women wear some form of head dress even today. In Corinth this was also the case, but women were removing their head coverings.

These women also removed their head covering during times of prayer and prophesy. What made it a problem is the climate of the times.

II. Priciple Dealt with (Timeless) -Disrespect of Authority

The problem was not with the head dress per se, but with the attitude that it symbolized. A woman’s liberation movement was going on even in the first century Roman Empire. Women wanted to be just like men in every way. One way they carried it out was to dress and act like men. From the rest of the subject matter in the letters to the Corinthian church it is not a far leap to say that this attitude would have crept in to the church. Paul was dealing with a blatant disrespect for authority.

III. Application (Today)

Contrary to a popular belief that this means that women ought to have their head covered when praying, that is not the application for our church today. That's not to say that in some paticular church body that this would not be an acceptable application if that were the dress deemed by the authorities that be. It's one of attitude and witness.

A. Authority Is A Concern Of God.

Any time we cary out our duties in the church of God we need to be mindful of any form of disrespect to the powers that be. If you are disrespectful to any link in the chain of command you are to the whole chain. If you disrespect the supervisor on you job you are dispecting God's authority.

B. How Does Out Attitude Make Us Look?

Another problem with being contentious is that others are wathching. Paul tells the women that their act of removeing their head dresses makes them look like the prostitutes of the day. When we get involved in some of the movement of the day (weather fashion, music, or phylosophical) we may actually fight the cause of Christ.

Conclusion: God's Knows What's Best

Finaly we have to ask our selves, "Does God know how to run this world?"

Don't make the same mistake that satan and Eve made when they disrespected the chain of command that God has spelled out.

Part C (Verses 7-12) Explanation

Introduction: Review and Preview

The last two weeks we have been dealing what is meant by a woman having her head covered. We have even looked what problems were caused in the first century by women not having their heads covered, but today we look at the, “Why?” Why should a man not have his head covered? Why should a woman have her head covered? Paul looks at the word of God and gives us a concise explanation of –why? I wish it were more exhaustive, but we have enough to understand God’s position on this matter.

I. Reason #1: Image and Glory (verse 7)

It has become evident that our text is not talking about clothing, but ones attitude towards authority. If it were just about dress code, then there might be some disagreement; there would be little controversy, though. The question is not why must women be covered? The question on most people lips is: Why must women be submissive? We could live with putting on certain hats or veils, but “bowing down to a man!” Why does a man have authority over a woman and not vice versa? First we will develop two concepts: that of image and that of glory.

A. Image

What is meant by “in the image of God”? God is not a physical being, but God is spirit. We are not a reproduction of God, but rather we resemble God. We don’t resemble God physically but in a non physical sense. We have the ability to think, reason, and do as we want. While there are no limits to God’s abilities ours are within certain boundaries.

At first glance it appears that the text is stating that man (the male) is the only one made is God’s image. We know from Genesis 1:26-27 that this is not the case, but both male and female were made in the image of God. There is another qualification that must be dealt with, in regards to image. Adam was formed in the image of God, and Adam was perfect. After Adam sinned, he became marred. All of humanity has inherited this problem from Adam (Rom 5:12).

In 1 Corinthians 15: 42-49 resurrection is in discussion, but a line of reason is beneficial to our discussion today. We are introduced to the concept of the first Adam and the last Adam. The Adam we read of in the book of Genesis is the first Adam, of course. Jesus Christ is the last Adam. Today it appears that we bear the image of the first Adam (earthy), and indirectly we bear the image of God (Gen 5:3, 9:6). In Christ Jesus’ resurrection we have hope that we shall bear an image that is a perfect image of God.

B. Glory

Our text doesn’t contrast in what image man and woman were created, but it contrasts the glory of each. What is meant by glory in the text? How one is known. What is thought of someone, and what is one’s reputation. This is what is conveyed in our text as the glory of each. The word glory has the added connotation of a positive opinion of someone.

 We are told that man is the glory of God, and woman is the glory of man. What man does is a direct reflection on God’s creativeness. When man does wonderful things, it’s not because of man’s greatness, but it’s because he is the workmanship of a great God. Man is the clay. God is the Potter. When God make a spectacular vase that’s breath taking, God gets the glory, not us.

Woman is the glory of man. The only application that I can see this making sense is in the context of marriage. Women in general act in various ways, but only one woman’s behavior will reflect directly on me as a good man, my wife’s behavior. I guess in general that all of my children’s behavior (including my daughters) will reflect on me as a father, but only my wife’s behavior will reflect on me as a man.

A woman's glory is in her covering (respecting authority), symbolized in her hair (verse 15). When a woman is contentious an argumentative it causes all kinds of problems in her household. (Proverbs 14:1, 21:9, 19, 27:15) (1 Corinthians 11:16). When the chain of command is respected, then everyone will receive glory.

Reason #2: Creation (Order and Reason for)

A. Order of Creation (verse 8)

Adam was create first. Eve was created second.

B. Reason for Creation (verse 9)

Eve was created because Adam needed help. Eve was created to fulfill the needs of Adam.

III. Explanations not fully developed

A. Angels (verse 10)

The bible is no clear on what is meant. I don't know for sure what the point of this verse is. one that is given by commentators is that women should respect authority, because the angels respect authority and are watching. Another possible reason that is given uses a view of nephilim. This view states that the nephilim were fallen angels who mated with women, but this doubtful at best as an interpretation of our text. We simply don't know. What we do know is that in some way, women respecting authority affects angels in some way.

B. Nature (verse 14)

There is not enough information given to interpret this passage either. It could mean look at the animal kindom, but it's not specific. It could mean human nature in general or the customs at that time. I simply don't know.

Conclusion: Message of Balance (verse 11, 12)

We learn a balance view of what is being taught. Men are not to get the idea that because women are to be subordinate to men that women are somehow less important. Woman was created from man, but every man after Adam has had a mother. When you downgrade and disrepect women you do the same to your own mother. When I am dealing with my wife, I ask myself, "how would I feel if someone were to treat my mother the same way?"