a woman and the service for GOD

[Born4Jesus]

Beloved,

The Holy Scriptures let us that a woman cannot preach neither teach the Gospel as it is written in 1 Timothy 2:11-15:

[kittylover0991]

"But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to asurp authority over the man"...

The term suffer means "allow" and if you go back to the Greek, the word teach in this passage means preach. Women are allowed to teach... they are just not allowed to preach.... The bible has this thing where God is in authority over the man, the man over the woman, and the woman over the children. In a church, women are not to be pastors as based on this passage. There are many theories as to why this is, but I fear it will only upset people if I were to state them(I myself am a lady).

God says what he means and means what he says. God says no...

[ElijahSK]

It's important to remember that Pauls first letter to Timothy in a big part was setting up the churches of the cities. We also see in 1 Corinthians 14 that women should be silent when the believers come together. Paul writes the verse 2 verses after that if any man be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things he wrote unto them were commandments of the Lord.

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

[Candi770]

In the book of Acts Priscilla and Aquilla are faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla's name came first- maybe because she was more prominent in ministry than her husband. They brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately Acts 18:26

In Romans 16:1 Phoebe is considered a deaconess instead of a servant.

Deborah, she was the only female judge among 13 male judges. Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens of male prophets. (prophecy mean exhorting and preaching)

The bible doesn't restrict women from exercising the gifts of the Spirit.1 Cor 12

Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22-23. The bible also does not restrict women from proclaiming the Gospel to the Lost.

God ordained men into positions in the church in authority. Could a Prophetess(female Prophet) Preach???

[buckthesystem]

I have often heard "but there were no women apostles". But there was Junia who, it would seem, didn't walk with Jesus in his earthly ministry but she is recognised by most of the church fathers, as an apostle.

Then there is Mary Magdalene who is considered an apostle by the early church because she is the first person that Jesus revealed himself to, after the resurrection, and he sent her to tell the deciples of the news.

So Mary Magdalene was a "sent one".

I think it is important to remember that a woman (Mary Magdalene) was the first person to see the risen Lord, and yet we are told "women should be silent".

I'm not arguing that peoples' interpretation of scripture is wrong. I could well be the one who is wrong. But, for me anyway, this raises questions.

[ElijahSK]

I would first like to point out, I'm just talking about doing things the way the early church did them. I don't really keep in mind what we do today, I see it as altogether fallen short and very close to being apostate. I hope this in itself will solve most of the disagreement. Most people don't care for the apostlic traditions we're commanded to follow. Ie. meeting daily house to house, coming together to eat a meal, meetings with only believers, the entire church of any particular city associating with all the other churches, every man bringing a teaching, a song, a prophecy, an tongue with interpretation to the fellowship, everything someone says judged by the believers, overcoming sin, the people with this world's good selling everything they had and giving to the poor, etc. When you say church, that isn't what you mean at least give me that much.

Now if you are trying to have a Bible-based church following the New Testament pattern we are commanded three times to follow, be assured no one can be spiritual or a prophet is they don't recognize women's role in the church. For such is the practice of all the churches we has evidence of in scripture. Phebe was a servant. She cannot be considered a deaconess because she was not the husband of one wife as Paul mentioned twice to be a requirement for a deacon. Priscilla is never mentioned apart from Aquila. The only time we see them both teaching someone was Apollos in a synagogue not a church meeting. Deborah is obviously not in the church, but still we can find many valuable lessons from this example. First, her head is mentioned in Judges 4:4. The same principle that Paul speaks of by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That is speaking of God being the head of Christ, Christ of man, and man of women. And women needing to have their heads covered while prophecying because of the angels. A sign that they speak under the covering of and in submission to their husband. Thus submitting to the divine order which God set into place. Secondly, even in the new testament women are prophetesses. Deborah, Miriam, Huldah, Anna, and Isaiah's wives were all prophetesses. But 1 Cor 12 is not refering to the gathering of the believers. Rather 1 Cor 14:26-end is. The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. And women should remain silent. If any of you be spiritual or a prophet, you must recognize that women's silence is a command of the Lord.

To get around this you must just say (in your own wording of course) I don't think God inspired this portion of scripture and Paul was lying about it being God's commandment. You have to throw out divine order, and you must never come to a complete understand that while Christ is God He still has the Father as His head. If you did, that would make you understand why man is head over women.

At any rate, I don't seek to destroy any of your hopes however misguided I may believe them. God will show you why you can't be considered spiritual or a prophet until you believe this doctrine. And it doesn't make me any better than anyone else reguardless of sex, it just gives me a different role. One I must answer for before God, so I will not let any person spot me with the world. Sorry if this post comes out harsh. If you disagree just please remember it is probably because we are talking about two different churches. The New Testament pattern of the church and what is today called the church. I would consider any "pastor" an evangelist and not an elder or deacon or an active teaching member of the church. Rather just someone sharing the gospel with a mixed group of believers and not in a building they decided to name after the body of Christ.

Edited April 2, 2006 by ElijahSK

[50_Cent's_dog]

I once told my friend's wife that women are not supposed to preach. She got very mad. I told her that the Apostal Paul said so. She yelled and said that Paul was just a male shovanistic pig. That was the end of that conversation. She apparently didn't believe that the Bible is the word of God. She said that the Bible was written 2000 years ago and things are different now. I thank God that He never changes.

[Candi770]

ElijahSK,

But everything is ok with teaching, exhorting, spreading the gospel outside the boundries of the church walls-Correct??

(Believe me I don't believe in an unbalance church-just curious)

[rfw]

But everything is ok with teaching, exhorting, spreading the gospel outside the boundries of the church walls-Correct??

When I first started reading this post, I was thinking along those lines. Then I remembered that the church is not a building of brick and stone, but men, women, and children who have received Christ as Lord. When I read 1 Tim. 2:12, I see the 2 verbs "teach" and "have authority" modified by the phrase "over a man", and I see that as the important connection. It doesn't say that women are not to exercise their gifts, but they are not to exercise them outside the authority of God. There are certainly instances where God spoke through and used women, as mentioned in other posts here. But I believe those are exceptions, and His norm is laid down in Scripture. We don't have to understand the "why" behind it to obey it.

[Ovedya]

Women are so bueatifull. I bet noone can argue that. AMEN.

What's that got to do with anything?