The unchanging word of God
I had a conversation with someone about Scripture and something she said that confused me was that since since society changes, God's laws and His Scripture changes - meaning also that the things God calls sin are now acceptable parts of society, so they are no longer sins. For example, now it is no longer a sin for people to have children without being married first because it has become a normal part of our society. She mentioned how the Bible says it is a sin for women to have their heads uncovered and how now most women don't follow that. Does God's word change with societal changes and if not, how is the example of the women wearing head coverings explained?
God’s word does not change with societal changes. God does not change with societal changes. Consider what God says about himself and his word.
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind” (Numbers 23:19). “But you [God] remain the same, and your years will never end” (Psalm 102:27). “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
People do not change what God calls sin by their consensus of words or actions. If that were the case, the flood of Noah’s day would never have taken place. The truth of the matter is that people’s sins brought down God’s punishment: “The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5).
If ending the lives of the unborn in the womb has become an “acceptable part of society,” it does not mean that that murder is no longer a sin. The unchanging word of God says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). If having children without first being married has become an “acceptable part of society,” it does not mean that sexual relations outside the marriage bond is no longer sinful. The unchanging word of God says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4). People do not determine morality, or right or wrong. God does.
You want to correct your friend’s understanding of what the Bible says about women’s head coverings. In 1 Corinthians 11:16, the apostle Paul identifies the head coverings of the Christian women in Corinth as a “practice” or custom. A local practice or custom is far different from a universal principle from God, binding all women of all time to do the same. Because the Bible limits the instruction of head coverings to the women of Corinth in the first century by calling this a “practice,” women of other places and times are not bound to that instruction.
It is dangerous when people think they can undo God’s law. Similarly, it is dangerous when people think they can undo and replace God’s way of salvation. If the majority of people think they can save themselves by being good and trying hard, that does not undo what God says about salvation (Mark 16:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7).
You could help the person who spoke to you the best by sharing some of these Bible passages with her. God bless such a conversation.