Ok...so im an 18 year old male. I converted to Christ two years ago so am still quite new to all this. So I don't know much in terms of general theological knowledge. With that being said, I need some help.
Ive always had super short hair, but my Girlfriend said I should grow it out, so I have been. It's currently at my shoulderblades, and I was going to go to mid back. I must admit my GF was right, I look the best I ever have. But then I read 1 Corinth 11:14. Where Paul says it's against God for a man to have long hair??? I know it's a sin for a man to look feminine, but I certainly don't. And long hair has nothing to do with that. So I'm confused.
Ive done research and I've found that nobody really knows. Some scholars say that it's fine and others say it's sinful. I don't have a pastor I can ask as I don't go to church yet (my parents are atheists) so I'm kinda stuck and just need help. Please. Someone!
What a great question! I would say you have hit upon one of the great fork in the roads for all Christians.
The question is "do you want to look like a Christian or be a Christian"?
This was the temptation that Eve had at the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree will make you wise so you can be like a man of God whereas the tree of life will fill you with the life of God so you are in fact a man of God from within.
So not only does the post hit this topic but also hits the fundamental topic of who should we be listening to? Your GF tells you one thing and it is good advice, it does make you look better, but then you are bothered by some verse in the Bible, what does it mean? Once again, this is the kind of issue Christians have every day for their entire Christian life.
So then what is the answer?
If you want to be a Christian in reality and not simply an actor playing the part and looking the part you must have a relationship with Jesus where you can ask Him these questions. (I am not downplaying the importance of fellowship, but that comes second, not first). Many people pray and pray and never get an answer, so let's address that.
When I was a teenager my brother and I were putting a sound system in our car. We had followed the directions meticulously and yet no sound. After about two hours of this frustrating failure I asked my brother again "You have followed the directions exactly?" He said yes, except for the ground wire, didn't think that made any difference! So we hooked up the ground wire and poof, everything worked beautifully. The Bible is the ground wire. You can't simply pray, you have to pray and read the word both. Think of yourself as a priest wearing the priestly garments which include the breastplate with the stones on it that God shines on. The word of God is on your heart, the saints of God are on your heart, and to answer your prayers God can shine on them.
However, you must be properly attired to be a priest, it may be that before God will answer your prayers He may point out sins and trespasses that must be dealt with first. If you bypass this you are near a curse. Think of the Christian life as a continuum from a person who is unsaved, in darkness, in sin, and death all the way to the Christian like Elijah whose prayers are effectual. When he prays people are healed, the rain doesn't fall and God's fire will fall. This continuum looks like a bell curve with most Christians in the middle. Halfway between the curse and the blessed hope.
But here is the amazing thing! It is exactly the same God dealing with every single one the same when they pray. When you pray, standing on the blood of Jesus God hears and God answers. He may say that you need to first deal with something. He may respond through another person. The fact is that many people don't believe, that is the biggest insult to God. You came to Him, you prayed, He answered and yet you ignored that answer.
I learned this lesson when I was a very new Christian. The church selected a number of young brothers and sisters to share the message the next week. We were all assigned a paragraph to share. As soon as I went home I got down on my knees and I prayed over that paragraph. I prayed the Lord would make it real to me, that I would have an experience that would illuminate that paragraph in the coming week. I prayed that God would make that word experiential to me. I thoroughly prayed over this so that God would give me the message to speak. Then I said thank you and went about my business. A week later, it is Saturday night, I go before the Lord and I am angry. God, I prayed, how come You didn't answer? He responded "I did"! I was shocked, when? So I began to think on the week and nothing big stood out but there was one little experience I can't even remember that did keep bothering me. Imagine the week is before you like a big mural on the wall and a little pen light keeps pointing at one little experience. So I thought about that and the paragraph and I got it, I saw how that was relevant and that was my message. When you pray you must believe that God hears and that God will answer.