...For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:7

You have just read one of the most misunderstood and misapplied scriptures in the entire Bible. I cannot tell you how many times this scripture has been quoted (or misquoted) to me to prove that God does not care the snap of His finger for the externals of holiness.

This verse has been lifted completely out of its context to imply that God does not care how a man or woman looks in regard to hair, clothes, etc., when in reality it is an instruction to Samuel not to anoint a man to be king because he is tall or good looking.

The children of Israel were no doubt impressed with their first king, Saul, because he was a big man physically (I Samuel 9:2). God was conveying the message to Samuel in I Samuel 16:7 that he was not impressed with men because of their physical stature, as he was looking at the heart, or spiritual stature of a man. God does care how His people look on the outside.

One of the devil's tactics today is to cause people to look hideous. For proof of that, go to your local music sales counter and view the pictures of the rock music stars. They make themselves look hideous. Why? Man was created in the image of God. The devil does not want people to look good. Demons have no body and they hate the body we have. When they look at us, they're reminded that Jesus Christ came in the form of a man, (Romans 8:3, Philippians 2:5-8), hence they want to cause us to look as far removed from what God wants us to appear as possible.

"Too many people major on minors." Have you ever heard a statement like that?

Is God interested in even the smallest way in how people look? Isn't it true that to preach and teach that God requires certain standards of dress is to keep believers under the law? Let us now take a few moments to find out what the New Testament teaches about externals of holiness.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

We notice here that to perfect holiness as God requires means there must be a conscious cleansing effort made by us as individuals, without as well as within.

We can also readily see that God's Word mentions the flesh before the spirit. There is good reason for this. If we cannot cleanse that which we and others can see, then it will be even harder to cleanse that which no one can see. The word flesh here is taken from a Greek word which means, in this case, the body as opposed to the soul, or spirit, or as the symbol of what is external as opposed to internal. Keep this in mind: if people are willing to compromise what you can see, then it is probable they are compromising even more that which you cannot see.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

I want to zero in on the word, effeminate. The dictionary definition of effeminate means having unsuitable feminine qualities: unmanly. The Greek word that is translated effeminate means of uncertain affinity, soft. God hates anything that destroys the distinction between the sexes.

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 22:5

The great argument today is that slacks have been made feminine by putting the buttons or zippers on the sides or the rear of the garment. That is as ridiculous as saying a dress could be a man's dress because it buttons or zippers around the waist instead of the front, back, or side.

This perversion of clothing started with idol worshippers. Men wore the dress of women when they presented themselves before the star of Venus. Women wore men's clothing when they presented themselves before the star of Mars. Idols were frequently represented with the features of one sex, but the dress of another. The worshippers of these idols wanted to appear as their gods did. Notice the description of monsters given in the Bible.

...And their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women... Revelation 9:7-8

Is it any wonder why God hates that which destroys the distinction of the sexes? It is easy then to see the importance of the following instructions.

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 1 Corinthians 11:14-15

I knew it was coming. How long is long and how short is short? To find out how long long is, it would be helpful to read the entire context dealing with hair. I Corinthians 11:4-16. Long is long as long as it isn't cut. Most men knew what short was until they began to fashion themselves after the rock and roll stars, hippies and drug addicts. Most women knew what long was until they patterned themselves after Hollywood. The World Book Encyclopedia explains the advent of short hair for American ladies:

Short hair styles became popular in the 1920's. Irene Castle, a famous ballroom dancer, started a fashion of bobbed (short) hair for women. (50th Anniversary, page 11.)

Only a few years ago, to insist that a woman's hair was her glory would not have been thought strange, regardless of a person's denominational affiliation or lack of it.

For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 1 Corinthians 11:6

The New International Version of the Bible has an interesting footnote offering an alternative translation of I Corinthians 11:6.

Nowhere in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, will you find any mention of the cutting of women's hair in a complimentary manner or a favorable light. Women did not cut their hair except as a sign of disgrace.

I have attended churches where the pastor standing behind the pulpit had longer hair than his wife who was sitting at the organ. His short was longer than her long and her long was shorter than his short.

"But Jesus had long hair." Surely that statement has been made thousands of times.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Would Jesus violate himself? Contrary to the artwork handed down from the dark ages, men at the time of Christ did not have long hair. Because of artwork in the dark ages, we picture Jesus with long hair, the devil with horns, and a pitchfork, all dressed up in a red suit, and female angels. All of this is foolish and unscriptural.

Some will say that Jesus was a Nazarite and therefore had long hair. He was not a Nazarite, He was a Nazarene. Even if He were a Nazarite, they did not vow not to cut their hair. They vowed not to shave their heads. Read Judges 16:15-22.

Contrary to misguided opinions, the men in the days of Christ did not have long hair. A great number of them kept their heads shaved.

Some will try to make void the teachings of Paul in I Corinthians 11:4-16 by saying this does not apply to us today. If we will not obey the teachings of the Bible, then we must also stop using the promises of the Bible. The instruction found in I Corinthians 11:4-16 is valid as long as there are angels. (See verse 10).

Others will use verse 16 to void the rest of the passage. If you do, you are not being wise. Paul laid out the rules in the first fifteen verses. Then he sealed it by telling the people that the churches of God did not have a custom of being argumentative or contentious.

We see men today with long hair and women with short hair. Sissy men and masculine women are the goal of a Communist plot to destroy America! I read of this plot many years ago in our newspapers.