It is crystal clear in Scripture that pastors must be men. It is totally unequivocal. Yet we still hear folks attempting to get around this:
1) Objection: The Scriptures are Culturally Conditioned
The reason given for women not teaching in the church goes back to the garden of Eden. That's not something culturally conditioned.
2) Objection: What if the woman is really edifying?
Given that Scripture clearly prohibits it, the answer is still "no," even if the woman is the best preacher since Spurgeon or Whitfield. We don't break God's commands because we think it's practical.
If one would permit one's wife or daughter to be a preacher on that ground, one might as well permit one's wife or daughter to be a harlot on the ground that it will permit her to evangelize more men that desperately need it. Surely there are few folks with consciences so seared that think that an acceptable mode of proceeding. The only reason then that people find Objection 2 persuasive is because they don't take God's prohibition on women pastors as seriously as they take the 7th commandment.
3) Objection: Not enough Bible verses say it!
How many times does God have to tell you something for you to believe it? All the objections are bad, but this one has to be the worst.
-TurretinFan
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
4 comments:
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There is another objection that is prevalent. That there were many women among Jesus' disciples, like Martha, Mary Magdalene and seemingly more. There seem to have been many women involved in the events surrounding Jesus' death, burial and the discovery of his empty tomb. That might provide some legitimate ground for women's ministering role in christendom. From that on, it is only one more step to allow them to serve as preachers. I don't think this is legitimate, but the outstanding reality of female discipleship in early christianity is surely an argument served up by feminists today. Some go so far as to draw on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of the Last Supper, where one disciple at the table looks conspicuously female and contend that obviously Jesus must have had female apostles! Crazy, but I've actually heard that argument!
ReplyDeleteMar 3:31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.
ReplyDeleteMar 3:32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you."
Mar 3:33 And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"
Mar 3:34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
Mar 3:35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."
For me, I don't see anything wrong with embracing the "Will of God"!
For me, I do not see that these things are wrong, especially this "no women pastors" complaint that says it is ok when God's Order is clearly written that women do not rule over men.
What can I say? It simply is not God's Will to have women teach men in the Public Discourse or in the private ones too.
I give you a hearty AMEN to this word today, TF! "amen"!!
I do not demean the women personalities clearly expressed in writing in the Bible the Holy Ghost authored that we use as the Written Guide in this life.
The issue is not men or women in the next life. It is an issue only in this one.
It is time for "men" of God to rise up with the high praises of God in their mouth and the two-edged Sword in their hand and execute the vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples:::>
Psa 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
Psa 149:7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,
Psa 149:8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,
Psa 149:9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the LORD!
This is an interesting conclusion that has separated my past faith practice from my present desire to wrestle with, and submit to scripture. In the past, other believers say that 1 Cor. 14:33-35 spoke to a real problem of new believers disrupting church. Even though the women had culturally been deprived of learning and social speaking, these women began speaking out in ignorance with their new found freedom in Christ. It is a possible story--- I realize that you testify it is just made up to take the sting out of scripture.
ReplyDeleteGoing from the other end, there does seem to be models for men to behave as different from women.
My mind and heart are affected with sin--- How will I ever know the truth? Right now I put it on the back burner and enjoy a church that agrees with you. This is hard.
Rob.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteActually, the Martha and Mary Magdalene information in Scripture shows us that the Scriptural prohibition was not against a backdrop of a women-hatred, but simply against a backdrop of separate and distinct roles for men and women.
The Leonardo da Vinci painting argument is quite absurd, given the fact that Leonardo had no historical connection with the events.