Off with the beard!

Throughout history in the church, there has always been a genuine concern about worldliness. In fact, this is probably the first generation where that concern is almost non-existent, and it is a sign of spiritual immaturity.

There was a day when facial hair was more than a covering. It was a social statement, and often that social statement was unbiblical. So people, in good faith, said some things that were well-meaning applications of the biblical text, but overreached.

Today, we have a very spiritually immature and undiscerning church at large. They don't understand the historical underpinnings that have brought us to this day. So they mock things like facial hair because they don't understand history. I won't defend those who said that beards were sin. I disagree with them. But it would be wise to understand people in the time in which they lived, rather than judging them by a day which they never lived to see.

There are real issues of worldliness in our society. And the church should be avoiding them by the understanding and application of biblical teaching. It's not a time for mockery, even when you differ with the application.

But furthermore, and perhaps most important, it's needful to note that those who slam fundamentalists for their position on facial hair are historically uninformed. Other people banned (and still ban) facial hair. And there are fundamentalists that never banned facial hair. It wasn't just a fundamentalist thing.

I would also caution against the use of "adding to the word." Any 21st (or 20th) century application could be accused of adding to the word by its very nature. I reject the idea that an application is adding to the word. Of course, it depends on how that application is made, and that is a conversation too thoughtful to be appreciated here in the sound-byte world of the BB. But it is worth considering on our own how exactly something is declared to be added to the Word.

 

In the mid-70's I pastored a church that sponsored a missionary to a northwestern state. After a year he returned to the church on furlough. He was sporting a full beard! Horrors!! The deacons went through the roof.

Seems that the pastor who preceeded me had taught that facial hair (other than a small strip above the lip, which I had and another staff person had!!) was sinful. This pastor had strong fundamentalist leanings.

It actually got so bad that I asked the missionary to speak to the church and explain that he had developed a facial rash that was aggravated by shaving. Most of the members accepted his truthful explanation, but some of the deacons never got over it. Sad, sad.

 

But Father Christmas has a beard and even long hair, and many celebrate Christmas,,,,,

ho, ho, ho!

Cheers,

Jim

 

You can't trust Father Christmas, he steals milk and cookies from little kids.

 

The woman that runs our local Christian bookstore has a mustache, and she's quite the fundamenalist.

 

:laugh:

Facial hair today is more for looks than anything. If wearing a goatee makes a social statement, then I wish someone would have told me 15 years ago :laugh:. Since then I guess I have been making a statement I was completely unaware of.

But when I shave it off, the "statement" made to me very loudly is to grow it back :laugh:.

 

For years, I've been the only youth minister in Alabama without a gotee.

Lonely club, it is...

 

How do you know that Jesus did not have a beard?

 

He couldn't have...it would have clashed with his blue eyes.






whaddaya mean "that wasn't really footage of Him?"

 

Crabby, I'm pretty sure that Salty was making a joke. My Granny used to tell me that men could not have long hair because Jesus didn't. It still makes me chuckle. Her strict holiness leanings were more of where she got this precept than the Bible.

 

These are some good points that I haven't heard made before.

Though I wonder how the principle that Jesus spoke of to the Pharisees, that if the inside is clean, the outward will be clean, applies to issues like this. I would suspect that mature Christians wouldn't be as susceptible to worldiness as would babes in Christ. So instead of preaching against a particular worldly practice, wouldn't it be better to just focus on discipling Christians?

 

To that I can add:

Playing cards is a sin.
Drinking coffee is a sin.

I had a cousin when I was a teen who believed those--including believing that the TV was sinful, and that was in the 60's before they added so much profanity.

I knew a young man who believed that ANY game using cards was sinful.

Some more are:

Dancing is a sin.
Sex for any reason other procreating is a sin.
Anything enjoyable is a sin.

It's too easy to put more of a burden on people that God intends, and too often Christians put a heavier burden of sin on people than was already there.

 

I've heard that nearly all my life and would never put anything on top of mine. I've changed that in the last few years since I've become less legalistic.

 

I know from personal experience how judgmental and condemning deacons can be, and how they like to think their position in the church is one of great authority when that was not the original purpose of deacons. They were originally meant to be servants of the people--not rulers as they think they are today.

 

I know some believe that, but does anyone know that for sure? There is a verse in Isaiah 50:6 that says, "I gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I had not hid my face from shame and spitting."

Is that a prophetic verse concerning Jesus as many believe? if so, then it says He had facial hair, and it had to be long enough to pull it out.

A pastor once told me that a man told him Jesus only had a day's growth of hair, and that was what they plucked out. The pastor asled, "What did they use to pluck it out--tweezers?"

 

I was told by someone last year that having a Wii game system in your house is a sin.

Come to think of it, the guy had no facial hair. :O

 

I'll not pass that one along to my 12 year old son. If he goes mor that a day or two without playing his he starts go go through Wiitox.

 

Jon-Marc, I forgot about cards and coffee. If drinking coffee is sinful I am in deep trouble!