Question:

40.6—In 1 Corinthians 11 the apostle talks about how it is dishonoring for men to have long hair (“even nature itself teaches”), but in Numbers 6 when one took up the Nazarite vow, no razor was to come upon his head. When one took this vow, I assume it was pleasing to the Lord. What is the seeming contradiction?

Answer:

40.6—The vow of a Nazarite in Numbers 6 is of one who takes the outward place of separation unto the Lord.  It was wholly a voluntary thing to do but when it was done it was obligatory to submit to its conditions for the time of the vow.  The law was clear as to this.

For the believer today, we are separated unto God by the work of Christ.  For the man the uncovered head and the short hair are God-given outward signs of the place of leadership in which He has put the man.  For the woman, the covered head and the long hair are the God-given outward signs of the place of subjection in which He has put the woman. 

When one understands the position of the Israelite as under law and the position of the believer as under grace, there is no contradiction.  Long hair for the male believer today outwardly contradicts his God-given place of leadership.  On the other hand, if the Nazarite cut his hair he was in rebellion against the Lord because he broke the law.   Consider Samson who was a Nazarite from birth.  He broke all three points of the law of the Nazarite.

It is wholly a question of what God’s order is for His people, whether under law or under grace.