1 Corinthians 11
[16] But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Contention doesn't mean that it was only his opinion, it means to argue about it. So what he was saying that is if somebody comes to argue about what he said about hair, then he would say that we have no such custom and neither do the churches of God; showing that it is not a rule of the church, but the opinion of himself and some others.
In regards to Paul's views about woman being silent in church, I don't agree with it. The people who should be silent in church are those that are just starting to learn and should humble themself until they rise to a level of more Iverstanding. This applies to both man and woman.
Here is a quote from Paul that many men like to repeat
Ephesians 5
[22] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
[23] For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
[24] Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
But they never pay much attention to what is said next.
Ephesians 5
[25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
[26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
[27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
[28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
[30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
[31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
If the I them look at how Christ loved the church, the I them would see that if man treated a woman the same way as Christ was to the church, then they would trod as One.
Matthew 20
[25] But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
[26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
[27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
[28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Even though Christ is the Head of the Church, he trod as a servant. He ministered unto the church and served the church.
If the I them look at Paul's statement again. It should be seen that both man and woman should treat each other the same.
It seems like Paul was didn't want to offend people, so he said things that could be interpreted in a way where the people would not be offended, but if you look closer, the truth that people would not want to hear or accept is hidden in his words. It is the same as when he spoke of faith and works, making it sound like it is faith without works if read piece by piece, but when it is all put together, he shows that faith will bring forth works, and if there is no works, there is no faith.
I wonder if Paul spoke the way he did because his mission was to spread Christ's Word throughout the world, even if people didn't really follow it; so that the Word of Christ would grow and spread and cover the earth and that in the future, those with Iverstanding would have easy access to the Word.
If he pushed the strict Word of Christ, the leaders might have refused Christ Word early on and it might not have spread the way it has.
Ark I
Itinual Praises unto Jah RasTafarI Haile Selassie I
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