Speaking with tongue firmly planted in my parody cheek, many today are departing from the truth of God’s Word and becoming callous about a clearly taught principle of Scripture. I want to make two points about the importance of having a beard. The biblical doctrine of beards is found clearly in the Word of God, and 2) this principle relates to stewardship, charity, frugality, sexuality, marriage enrichment, our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit and practical wisdom.

The Bible teaches all men are to sport beards.

• When David’s men were disgraced by having half of their beards cut off, they were told to hide in Jericho and grow their full beards back instead of cutting the remaining uncut whiskers (2 Sam. 10:4-5). Clearly, if having half a beard shaved off was a disgrace, then having the entire beard shaved off would be doubly disgraceful.
• A beard clearly indicated that a man was not a leper (Lev. 13:29-33. Lev. 14:9, where lepers were to shave their beards off). Since leprosy is a symbol of sin in the Bible, having a beard today would reflect a man who has a clear conscience before God. Being beardless is symbolic of unconfessed sin. Thus, if a man is clean-shaven, it would only be natural to suppose that he has sin in his life. Conversely, a full beard would indicate a man fully rejoicing that he has nothing to be ashamed of.
• No clearer commandment can be found than in Leviticus 19:27 “You shall not … harm the edges of your beard.” Only the Lord knows the untold damage done to masculinity today because of the violation of this one simple yet clear command of God. In a recent testimony, one brother boldly admitted what many have secretly hidden. When he shaved off his God-given facial hair, he noticed a distinct diminishing of his ability as a man to be the head of his household. He repented to God for his admittedly rebellious heart, and God graciously returned him to the position of being the head of his family and, in fact, blessed him with more children (over which his leadership could now be exercised).
• Facial hair is a means of God-given physical strength. Samson lost his strength when Delilah shaved off all his hair. Some scholars understand that the word used for hair refers to “hair on the head,” including facial hair.
• The priests were later told not to “harm the edges of your beard” (Lev. 21:5). Are we not believer-priests today? (I Peter 2:9)
• Even nature teaches us that a man should have a beard. Take the lion, for example, the king of the beasts. This stately creation has a beard. Yet are we not greater as the pinnacle of God’s creation than a lion? This is substantiated by the fact that David cut off a lion’s beard (1 Sam. 17:35) to show that only man has the right to wear such a crown!
• When righteously angered, a man can show his fury more vehemently by pulling out his beard (Ezra 9:3). Thus, facial hair becomes a valuable tool in the hands of a righteous man. We err in thinking we can improve on God’s appointed way of expressing strong emotion.
• A beard, especially if it is oily, signifies brotherly unity (Psalm 133:2). Another biblical symbol is slowly bowing to liberal theology.
• A shaved face is a sign of judgment “In that same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, (namely, by them beyond the river, by the King of Assyria), the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard.” (Isa. 7:20, see also Jer .48:37). Although it may sound far-fetched, shaving the beard off may be just the tip of the iceberg. When run its full course, this worldly fashion will end up with men shaving their feet hair as well. May this never be!
• A shaved face is a sign that one is the enemy of Israel (Isa. 15:2).
• Conclusion: Clearly, even the most simple-minded can see the biblical truth and the suitability of a Scriptural beard for Christian men. The overwhelming evidence is plain, and faithful hearts must submit and restore this long-lost scriptural teaching.

The wisdom of beards in relationship to other biblical principles

• Stewardship of our time: Shaving the whole face takes approximately 10 minutes a day—time which could be spent more wisely in other ways. For example, since the average person invests about 10 minutes daily in devotions, adding another 10 minutes would mean a 100 percent increase in our dedication to the Lord. Thus, we not only become more spiritual but also the world and the church would benefit by our increased desire to serve the Lord. (Eph 5:16 “Redeem the time for the days are evil…”)
• Stewardship of our money: Razors, shaving cream, tissues (to blot up the blood from nicking oneself) and aftershave cost about $10/month. This money could be used for the poor, to help pay off the church mortgage or to otherwise support God’s work. Think of the millions of dollars washed down the sink, all while the world desperately needs the washing of the water of the Word.
• Stewardship of material possessions: Vast amounts of money are spent on ties, scarves, turtleneck sweaters and coats with extra material around the neck to keep our necks warm in cold weather. A well-maintained and ample beard removes the “necessity” of such extraneous apparel. Indeed, what we are accustomed to calling necessary is nothing more than giving in to the whimsical desires of the flesh.
• Stewardship of our bodies: With the blood we’d save each morning (from the nicks and scrapes caused by a razor), we could each give a unit of blood per month at the blood bank or Red Cross. “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” (Matt 25:40). Blood loss significantly contributes to death in North America. Yet, many Christian men ignore the plain teaching of Scripture about sacrificing self for the sake of others. Why? Callous vanity of appearance! (It is interesting to note that, almost without exception, most men shave their beards off for appearance’s sake—this is the height of vanity.) Is this not sufficient evidence that shaving is motivated by selfishness rather than a heart committed to helping others?
• Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit: A well-trimmed beard improves a man’s appearance and honors the temple of the Spirit—especially if one has a weak chin.
• Affirming God-given sexuality: Because of the blurring distinctions between women and men today, a beard would certainly help clear up some of the confusion (unless, of course, one spends inordinate time lingering around a circus.)
• Avoidance of self-inflicted injury: Bleeding is painful. Suffering has value in the Christian life, but not when it is self-inflicted.
• Marriage enrichment: Many wives like their husbands in beards, thus strengthening marriages. Many spiritually minded wives have found greater confidence in their newly-bearded husband’s ability and desire to protect them from all harm. It has been demonstrated that a more manly-looking man has a higher probability of deterring would-be assailants simply by his manly looks.
• Natural maturity in manhood: The Apostle Paul says, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (I Cor 13:11). Indeed, biblical manhood includes putting away the childishness of a clean-shaven face, that is, one without hair. Every young man knows the delight of seeing the signs of manliness begin to appear as the first few whiskers sprout at puberty.
• Imitation of Christ: In our endeavor to be like Christ, we should be selective. He wore a beard, so we should likewise (notice that the great painters through the ages have all depicted Jesus with a beard).

Conclusion

• It is obvious, from a simple reading of Scripture, that the Bible teaches plainly that it is a sin for a man to have a beardless face.
• There are many other Biblical principles that form an unassailable weight of conviction on this vital subject for today.
• Beards affect life at its very core. We shouldn’t let modern philosophies and “religious” leaders weave the “wisdom of men” to cloud the clear teaching of Scripture. Many men all over the world have seen this truth and have grown their beards back. And there are reports of great revival in many quarters.
• You, too, can have revival if you turn a repentant heart to the Lord.

P.S. This entire essay is a parody, an example of how convincing anything can be made to sound. The statement that a teaching “is based on Scripture” can be used to give “credibility” to just about any idea under the sun. This often happens today in Christian circles to the damage of many believers. False reasoning through faulty hermeneutics (i.e. methods of interpretation) can be made to sound “biblical” by the clever use of words, cliches, references to so-called authorities (even science) and personal testimonies. Yet, as is evident from above, though it may sound convincing, the conclusions are sometimes ludicrous at worst or are, at best, dubious and not founded on a clear and accurate interpretation of the biblical revelation. I pray I haven’t offended anyone with this illustration, but I trust that this has disturbed the reader enough to become a more discerning student of the Word of God and of those who claim to be His messengers. (C. R. Gianotti, originally published September 2001, revised February 2023, adapted from an unknown author’s smaller, unpublished article.)