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Thou Shalt Not Grow A Beard.......


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Lev 21:5

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.

 

Psa 133:1-3
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

 

1Ch 19:5
Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

 

So, my 'sweet' mother inllaw, guest in my home, is sitting at my table and blurts out "I don't like Wayne's Beard" Well. I was already aware of that since the last two times she told me. 

 The only command I can find in the Word of God concerning "beards" is that God Himself forbid the priests to "shave off the corners" of theirs. Then there is Psalm 133 with it's Holy and beautiful words comparing "unity" of "brethren" to the precious ointment running down Aaron's beard,, and then in I Chronicles we find the account of some manly Jewish men being ashamed because their beards were cut off. So why does my IFB mother in law chide me for having a goatee? And why have I heard  IFB preachers stand up and say things like "BLESS GOD, I think you need to shave the hair off here, here. and here, glory to God, that won't const youi a thing" (pointing to his lower jaw). Tell me, someone: since God made facial hair on men, not women (well most anyway :) ) and since Jesus had a beard too (Isaiah 50:6) why the fuss? For those who don't want a beard, shave it off, but how can you judge some else's spirituality for having something that God designed in the first place? And remember, those clean-shaven busts and statues from around the first century, were of  the ungodly .https://www.google.com/search?q=roman+bust&biw=1645&bih=935&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZXqtVKW8GcOogwTLyYDABQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ I would tell all this (again) to my mother in law, but, you know.......      I'm glad the holidays are over.  :clapping:

Edited by heartstrings
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Ya know... they didn't like Jesus' beard either.  They that persecuted Him plucked His out.

The Bible does not condemn beards, so I won't let anyone condemn me for having one... even though it is imposible for me to keep mine looking half-way decent due to my inability to see to trim it properly.  Mine makes me look like a mountain man.  LoL


The Apostle Paul once wrote,

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

That said, two questions must be asked... 

Does that also apply to mother-in-law's?
Is it within you to shave the beard off?


Not in my nature. 

LoL

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"Live peaceably with all mother in laws"  ..."If it be possible" HAHA  :hide:

With God all things are possible.....increase our faith...

 

 

 

I do consider myself a mountain man, I like mountain people and mountain music; my sheep are mountain critters, give me the mountains any day. Joshua 14:12

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Ya could liven things up a bit and the next she chides you for a beard, tell her...

"Mom, I've decided that to subject you to having to see my beard offends you so greatly, And so, I've bought you this blindfold."  :runforhills:

Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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To me, the most sad part of this matter is the lack of Biblical discernment among independent fundamental Baptists (even among the leadership thereof).

 

PrOBably, the anti-facial hair movement began around the time of the rebellious, ungodly hippy movement, in order that godly men might not be equated with this rebellious, ungodly movement in society through the "facial-hair" symbol that they portrayed (as a point of counter-culture against the "clean-shaven" business men and "official" men).  For that time, in order to appear separate from that ungodly movement in society, I would grant that the anti-facial hair movement among independent Baptists was founded upon the ground of spiritual wisdom and even Biblical principle. 

 

However, the hippy movement is now long dead as a strong societal movement; and facial hair upon a man no longer relates that man to that ungodly movement in society.  So then, why have independent fundamental Baptists retained their anti-facial hair position?  I believe that it is because they turned this application of spiritual wisdom and Biblical principle into an absolute standard of spirituality, founded upon the commandment of man.  This then is my burden of sadness -- Where is the Biblical discernment concerning spiritual righteousness (as opposed to a man-made standard of supposed righteousness)?

 

(Note: Do I myself have facial hair?  No, I remain clean shaven.  My wife would prefer that have facial hair, but I cannot get past the itching stage.)

Edited by Pastor Scott Markle
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I would say the clean shaven stuff began shortly after the end of the War Between the States. Military men had beards then but, I don't think too many did in WW1.

Ever since then, as far as I know, soldiers have been clean-shaven. My mother-in-law is from the WW2 generation and I think it was a big thing then.. I do agree that the Hippies were doing what they did in defiance, rebellion, protest, whatever and I do think that a lot of the "clergy" shunned facial hair in the spirit of "not conforming to the world". But actually, not to minimize the more OBvious outward manifestations of "conforming", most of the "conforming" which goes on is the not so OBvious stuff we are guilty of every day.

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My beard had grey in it when I was seventeen.  It is totally white now.  My mustache, however, while 99.9% white, has a few black whiskers scattered throughout.

Yes, Pastor Scott, they do tend to itch from time to time when first growing them.  But, after a while, the itch either goes away or it is still there and you have learned to ignore it.  LoL

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I've tried growing a goatee and mustache...let them grow for months but kept them trimmed. However, the mustache was too sparse on one side...so I shaved them off. I considered keeping the goatee, but I didn't want to be mistaken for an Amish.  :nuts:

 

Reading this thread is making me want to try again.  :scratchchin:

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For years I wore just a mustache, then, when working for the prison, I wore a goatee and shaved my head to look tough, cuz I tend to have a babyface. After becoming a pastor, I grew a full beard, my first ever, and later I grew the amish-type, and have kept that since, because my wife likes me to keep my lips clear for her. It seems to do well in this agricultural area.

 

I'd say, for a pastor, to seek discernment on how best to look for your area. I can see in city areas, where there are more professional types, being clean shaven is more comforting for those in a church, while in more rural areas, facial hair would be more perferable.

 

I had a froiend, a pastor, who went from San Diego to a remote town in Alaska. he had been a Marine, so always kept his face shaved and hair high and tight. After a year he couldn't figure out why no one attended his church-they were all very friendly with him, but no one went. After prayer and being attentive, it dawned on him that he was the only man there without a beard, so he grew one, and people began to come. They had seen him as an outside, temporary, not a part of the community. When he grew the beard, they began to see him as someone who wanted to be a permanent part, and it made the difference.

 

So, kind of, When in Rome...

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For years I wore just a mustache, then, when working for the prison, I wore a goatee and shaved my head to look tough, cuz I tend to have a babyface. After becoming a pastor, I grew a full beard, my first ever, and later I grew the amish-type, and have kept that since, because my wife likes me to keep my lips clear for her. It seems to do well in this agricultural area.

 

I'd say, for a pastor, to seek discernment on how best to look for your area. I can see in city areas, where there are more professional types, being clean shaven is more comforting for those in a church, while in more rural areas, facial hair would be more perferable.

 

I had a froiend, a pastor, who went from San Diego to a remote town in Alaska. he had been a Marine, so always kept his face shaved and hair high and tight. After a year he couldn't figure out why no one attended his church-they were all very friendly with him, but no one went. After prayer and being attentive, it dawned on him that he was the only man there without a beard, so he grew one, and people began to come. They had seen him as an outside, temporary, not a part of the community. When he grew the beard, they began to see him as someone who wanted to be a permanent part, and it made the difference.

 

So, kind of, When in Rome...

Or maybe that should be, "When in Nome".

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