When Ezra read the Book of the Law to the people, they all stood and wept. They wept because they thought they were doing pretty good. Then they heard the Law CLEARLY. They UNDERSTOOD IT PLAINLY. They had disobeyed God without even knowing it. (Nehemiah 8:9)

When Josiah the king heard the Law read to him, he rent his clothes and started making some changes in his kingdom. He, too, thought he was doing pretty good. Then he heard exactly what the Book said; exactly what God expected of him. (2 Kings 22:11)

I've a feeling that in the near future, when we stand before God and THE BOOKS are opened, we, too, will weep and be sorry for some things we've missed in the Word of God.

We don't always miss things by accident, though. We are so steeped in our traditions and opinions that many times we are blinded to the mind of God. It could be said truthfully that we don't see some things because we don't want to see them. We are WILLFULLY ignorant!

Those who call themselves Bible believers are generally very good at that. We are real sticklers about some things and so slack on others. You know, the Pharisees were that way, too. The Word of God should be our guide--NOT THE OPINIONS OF MEN. The Pharisees also "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God". You say, "But I DO consider God's Word to be my guide and I DON'T care about the opinions of men."

If that is really true you shouldn't have any problem with what you are about to read, because it is strictly a Biblical argument about something that everyone seems to have an OPINION about — beards.

It is just one of many things that seem to be ignored by all good Baptists today. I have never heard a Biblical argument against a man having a beard. All the arguments I've ever heard are entirely based on the opinions of men. No one seems to care what God thinks or says about the subject.

Let me say from the beginning that my opinion doesn't count for anything any more than anyone else's. This is not me against you, or my opinion against yours. We are talking here about what God says about the subject. Each man must decide for himself whether he will obey God or not. But why would a man call him Lord, Lord, and not do the things He says?

It matters not whether I like a beard or not. Whether it is comfortable or not. It matters not what others think of me. But it matters a lot what God thinks of me. When I was first saved and started dedicating my life to the Lord I faced a lot of opposition from people who didn't like the fact that I was separating myself from this world and it's wickedness. They were always people who didn't know God, and they didn't understand that I was trying to please God. A true child of God has no problem with someone who truly wants to please the Lord.

Why don't we just take a look at what He says and then you can decide whether you want to obey Him or bow to the opinions of men. If you are REALLY interested in doing the Will of the Lord, read on. If not, then close the book right now because it is better to not know the truth, than to know it and not obey it.

A BEARD IS NOT A SIGN OF REBELLION

Many people use this as an argument against beards. But it is entirely un-scriptural. Long hair IS a sign of rebellion. That can be proven with scripture. Long hair IS a shame to a man. We have ONE verse in the Bible that teaches us that and we press that one, don't we? I believe it, too. But the point is there is only one verse on that subject and dozens on the subject of the hair that grows only four inches away. I've never heard anyone get on that, though. I don't believe a woman should cut her hair off short. There is ONE verse in the Bible on that subject, also. It is the next verse after the one that talks about long hair on men being a shame. But one verse makes it applicable and valid. If a man will preach that a man should keep his hair cut short, then why won't he preach that women should NOT cut their hair? Long hair on a woman is her glory. Men should have short hair, so they don't look like women. That should be the logical conclusion. Why else would it be a shame? Why does hair grow on a man's face and not on a woman's face? Could it be possible that God put it there for the same reason — say to mark the difference between the sexes? God did make man in His image, didn't He? It would seem to be rebellion to mar the image of God. Those who are truly submitted to the Lord would want to be more and more like Him, it seems to me. A rebellious son does everything he can to NOT look like his parents or show any resemblance whatsoever. One who truly loves his parents is not ashamed to be identified with them.

The world should have no influence over us in our obedience to the Word of God. Yet it seems that the world does order us in this matter. Just because a bunch of hippies wear beards, Christians have discarded what the Bible says about the subject. We should "abstain from all appearance of evil", but the constant in our life should be obedience to the Bible. It matters not what the world does; they are not our guide to live by. Our main goal should be to please the Lord--not necessarily to be different from the world. The world changes constantly with their fads and fashions, but the God's Word never changes. If the world suddenly decides it is fashionable for women to wear dresses, should our ladies start wearing pants to be different? Of course not! Just because some of the world's low-life people let their beards grow doesn't mean God's men should shave to be different either.

It really is strange how people who say they know and love God can have such a mind-set. So many of the doctrines that are hammered home today in our churches are based on so little scripture. Yet there are many subjects, such as this one, where the Bible is crystal-clear on the mind of God and no one will preach these things. Why? The influence of the world, and wanting to please men instead of God. Like it or not, that is the bottom line here.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE WORLD

There should always be a noticeable difference between the children of God and the world. The Hebrews had circumcision, but that was something hidden. Likewise, we have something hidden that is very different from the world. They can't see "the hidden man of the heart", which is the Lord who lives in us. The Hebrews had another mark. It was the beard on their face. How many times have you seen a picture of Abraham without a beard? It is very clear that David had a beard. Also, Amasa, Aaron, and Mephibosheth. Likewise, all the major historical enemies of the people of God have almost always been clean-shaven. How many Egyptians have you seen portrayed with a beard? Did you ever think about that? They were the enemies of God, were they not? Here we have Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh with beards. Clean-shaven Pharaoh says, "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?" From a distance, who do you look more like?

How many Roman soldiers have you seen portrayed with a beard? They are the ones who nailed Jesus to the cross. There is no doubt whatsoever that Jesus wore a beard. He could no more disobey the Bible in that than He could in any other matter. We also have the prophesy in Isaiah 5O:6 to prove this. Here we have the Savior nailed to the cross. He has a beard. The Roman soldiers who are crucifying him are shaven. Who do you want to identify with?

The enemies of God in our day are mostly clean-shaven. the Russelites (Jehovah's Witness), Mormons, Catholics are all obligated to shave their faces. The Catholic priests will be shaven be force if necessary. A man on visitation with a Bible in his hand and a beard on his face will never be mistaken for one of these cults.

But someone would think I was a dirty hippie! That's as ridiculous an argument as women put up about wearing pants. How many Amish men have you seen who look like hippies? We are not talking about just letting it go wild and being unclean and sloppy.

But someone would think I was Amish then! There you go again. "Someone would think..." I don't agree with the Amish doctrine, either. But they are much more respected by the world than we are. Really now, during the week when you go to the store dressed in everyday clothes, can people tell at a glance that you are a Christian? A Christian lady can be picked out easily if she is dressed right and wears her hair right. But we men? What about us? We dress just like the world with our jeans and tennis shoes. There is not much way to pick out a Christian man in a crowd, except on Sunday. The great sin of the priests in Israel was failing to put a difference between the clean and the unclean; between the holy and the profane.

Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. (Leviticus 19:27)

That is a command to every Hebrew man, not just the priests. It is listed with some other commandments from God. The verses preceding and following this one talk about prostituting your daughter, using enchantments, observing times, eating blood, wizards and familiar spirits, and making cuttings in your flesh. We have no problem with these other things. I've heard them mentioned in sermons many times. But, verse 27? Why doesn't someone say something about that? Deuteronomy 22:5 is preached a lot, or at least it used to be. It is a basis for teaching that women should not wear pants and men should not wear dresses. I believe it that way. But I also believe Leviticus 19:27. See what I mean about people picking through the Bible and getting what they want. Bible BELIEVER, huh? The real Bible believers are not those who say they are, but those who prove they are by obeying EVERYTHING the Bible says when they are confronted with it.

THE PRIESTS

They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, [and] the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy. (Leviticus 21:5-6)

The priests had an extra command to let their beards grow. Notice how He connected it with profaning the name of the Lord and holiness. That's pretty serious business. Shaving off your beard profanes and distorts the image of God.

Many are confused about this matter and think that God only commanded the priests to let their beards grow. We saw in Leviticus 19:27 that every man was commanded to not mar the corners of his beard. That is, not to trim it into shapes and make designs in it. The heathen do that today. It was to be left natural and not to be distorted in any way. That doesn't mean that it isn't to be trimmed and taken care of. The priests then were given an extra command not to do such things. As the New Testament emphasizes that the bishops and deacons must be holy men, who set the right example before God's people, so did the Old Testament with the priests. It was expected of everyone, but especially the priests, for they were before the people.

SIGN OF SHAME TO HAVE THE BEARD CUT OFF

Having your beard shaved off was always a sign of shame in the Bible.

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. (2 Samuel 1O: 4-5)

The first thing mentioned is that the children of Ammon shaved off the one half of the beards of David's men. They also cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks. But they weren't as ashamed about that as they were about their beards being shaved off. David said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return."

Here are some other verses in the Bible that show it was a shame to cut the beard. By the way, isn't that the same word used in 1 Corinthians 11:14?

Isaiah 7:2O; Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 48:37; Ezekiel 5:1

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SEXES

One of the most wicked things of our day is the uni-sex movement. Feminine men and masculine women are an abomination to God. The Bible is very clear on this matter. The Bible even goes so far as to say that effeminate men are not going to Heaven. (1 Cor. 6:9)

The breakdown between the sexes also precedes widespread homosexuality. History proves this over and over. The Christian who knows his Bible and knows God is troubled in his spirit when he sees a woman with bobbed hair and dressed like a man. It is against nature and against God. We have the same feeling about a man who acts and talks like a woman and dresses in a feminine way. God meant for men to be masculine and women to be feminine. It is a very important thing. It is not an option or matter of preference. The difference in the sexes has to do with Christ and his Church. It is a very wicked sin to fail to put a noticeable difference between masculine and feminine.

Now let me ask you a question. What is the one and only difference between the sexes that shows no matter what kind of clothes you have on? God himself put it there when he created man. It is right there where you look when you are speaking to a person. It shows from a great distance, and it is an un-mistakable mark of the masculine gender. You're right! The beard.

You could never mistake a person with a beard for a woman. You could not say he looks feminine, either. Now if he has long hair, he is violating the Word of God. But don't you see how the world has influenced us? Because hippies wore long hair and beards, we now connect the two and if a beard is mentioned it is always associated with long hair. So we refuse to wear a beard because of that association. The Bible is clear in both matters. Long hair on a man is a sin. It is feminine or a sign of rebellion. We cut our hair short because we want to please God. By the same token, how do you feel when you read Leviticus 19:27?

Another thing to think about is this: Women are to be shamefaced. Men are commanded no such thing. Women have always had to cover their faces. Tamar, Leah, these are examples in the Bible. Men have never covered their faces. They have a natural covering. When it is shaved off it is always associated with shame and disgrace or disease. Men look more feminine with a shaven face. You just can't argue against the fact that a beard is THE mark of masculinity in outward appearance. A man can have a beard and still be effeminate, but that is not the argument here. A beard doesn't make you a man, but it is THE outward mark that God put there to distinguish the difference between the sexes.

So go ahead and shave it off every morning if you think God is pleased with you for doing so. But if you do, quit being so hard on the women for their rebellion in wearing pants and cutting their hair like men, because you are doing the same thing — maybe worse. The Bible is clear on BOTH matters.

THE GREAT MEN OF GOD THROUGH HISTORY

If a beard is un-godly, how did God bless all the great men of God throughout history who wore beards. This is not an argument based on Scripture, except for the fact that God will not use an unclean vessel and He DID use many men who wore beards. In fact, the shaven man of God is very much the exception, and not the rule throughout history. We've already mentioned a few of those in the Old Testament who are plainly mentioned as having a beard. We know Jesus and John the Baptist were bearded. We can start through church history and it is pretty hard to find a clean-shaven man who was well-known and used by God until you get to the twentieth century. Of course, the great progress the church has made in winning and influencing the world in this century is evidence that we are more enlightened than our predecessors, isn't it? The early church fathers are depicted with beards. Then there is Spurgeon, Finney, and Moody who we hear spoken of very often. They all wore beards and God seemed to bless their labor much more than He does ours today. The argument that they lived in a different time doesn't hold water. God never changes, neither does His Word or what He expects out of us. The fads and fashions of the world should not affect us either way. We should strive not to have the appearance of evil. Surely we should be careful not to wear things that identify us with the world. There should always be a marked difference in our appearance and that of the world, but the beard is not one of those things we can discard in order to be accepted by them or by the brethren that are so influenced by the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As a missionary, it is difficult to deal with people sometimes about this matter. It is beyond the reasoning of so many to consider that a man would stop shaving out of conviction rather than to be worldly. Then there is the influence of women in the church. Almost always a rebellious woman wants to keep the men clean-shaven. That beard somehow seems to intimidate or offend those kinds of women. They will wield all the influence they have against a man who looks like a man. Just as they want to put on their pants and bob their hair off in rebellion against God and their husband, they want to keep the men around them as feminine as possible. There are also the "old hats" in the church who are steeped in their traditions and opinions which are not based on the Bible. This is just one of those things that many simply refuse to consider.

One reason people are so reluctant to consider this matter with an honest heart is because they know that it is a reproach in our day to wear a beard. The world doesn't care what you do, but the people in churches are very quick to criticize someone. For a man to have a beard and be a preacher or missionary, he has to endure a lot of criticism and persecution. He will not be welcome in many churches. He will be looked upon as strange or rebellious. Therefore if he is doing it for any other reason than Bible conviction, he won't be able to stick with it. I've noticed that in many churches it is perfectly acceptable for the men to grow their beards for hunting season and then shave them off as soon as it is over, just like so many of the world do. But those same churches will not allow a preacher or a missionary with a beard to preach in their pulpit. Others have gotten themselves into a predicament with their "zeal without knowledge" by making such rules for the speakers they have in their schools or their pulpit. They have backed themselves into a corner from which they can't easily escape. The solution is as simple as what you preach to lost sinners: repent and turn from your error. Admit you made a mistake and correct it.

We must be consistent in our message if we hope to influence our children and others to serve God. Anyone with an honest heart can see the inconsistency of the mainline teaching on this subject in Baptist churches today. If we preach that women ought to be lady-like and dress accordingly, then we should apply the same standard to men and manliness. There is abundant Scripture to back up this argument, the problem is simply obedience. It costs a person to separate themselves unto God, and many are willing to go only so far. To really walk with God we must bear his reproach "outside the camp," and that doesn't mean only outside the beer joints and pool halls — it means outside the camp of the brethren many times. All history and the Scripture proves that only those who are willing to die to the opinions of men are the ones who have that special relationship with God and those special blessings on their life and work.

M. Miller
Missionary to Mexico