I believe the verse you are referring to is 1 Corinthians 11:14, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man indeed have long hair, a dishonour it is to him?” (Young’s Literal Translation). This verse was given in comparison to what we read in verse 15, “And a woman, if she have long hair, a glory it is to her, because the hair instead of a covering hath been given to her.”

Although at different times in different cultures, men have worn long hair, this verse became greatly used in the 1960’s and 1970’s when men began to let their hair grow long. Notice that the verse simply notes that it is natural for a man’s hair to be shorter. It is a mark in distinguishing the genders. I have noticed in watching documentaries about different undeveloped tribal people, that the men’s hair is usually kept much shorter that the women’s. To me, without all the influence of ‘culture’ and changing fads, it is natural for these people to do so. Nature teaches them that this is a proper way to distinguish between men and women.

We may want to argue the point that the length of a man’s hair is no concern to anyone other than himself. For that, I can just point a person to this verse and ask him to pray about this. Over the years, we have seen men take on many of the cosmetic traits of women. Men wear their hair longer, they wear earrings, they use nail polish, etc. These are things normally associated with women. Perhaps there is a desire to erase the differences between the two sexes. Is this natural? This is possibly the influence of Satan in the world to rebel against what the Lord wants from His children…that men be men and women be women. However, you may say:

NAZARITES HAD LONG HAIR! Yes they did, as the Nazarite vow forbid them from cutting their hair. If nature teaches us that it is a dishonor to have long hair, why then did the Nazarites have long hair? In Numbers, chapter 6, we have the three distinct pieces of the Nazarite vow.

Verse 3, “He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink…”

Verse 5, “…there shall no rasor come upon his head…”

Verse 6, “…he shall come at no dead body.”

All three of these vows have a spiritual lesson for us. Psalm 104:15 says that wine maketh the heart glad. Wine would speak of joy found in the world. The Nazarite was to receive his joy from the Lord, not from the world. Long hair would speak of humiliation and shame. The true believer in Christ will suffer humiliation and shame from the world for righteousness’ sake. 1 Peter 4:14 tells us, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” Being in close contact with a dead body speaks of defilement. The Lord wants us to live lives that are undefiled as we read in 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” So, even though Nazarites did have long hair, it was given for a type for all believers to suffer the shame and humiliation that comes from being a godly Christian.

ABSOLOM HAD LONG HAIR! He did have very long hair, but he also rebelled against his father, David. He sought to kill him and take his position as king. We read in 2 Samuel 15:4, “Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land…” It is probable that it was Absalom’s hair that caught him. 2 Samuel 18:9 says, “And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.”

Some have said that the teaching of 1 Corinthian 11:14 was for that time in that place. However, we read in 1 Corinthians 14:37, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD.” This word from the Lord was not limited by location or time. Consider these words, pray about them, and may the Lord guide you into obedience of His Word. (264.10)