Bible Study: Women In Church Leadership • Part 5
Read about my personal journey that led me to this study:
" The Woman Sexist Against Women"
Correct doctrine found in God’s Word about women and men / husbands and wives...Much prayer and research went into this Bible study. Even against my own tradition, upbringing, and opinion, the Lord God through His Spirit led me to this conclusion, and I am convinced it is His heart on the matter. God does not look at the appearance, but at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). We too must learn to stop limiting people by their flesh suits and free each to be what they were created to be in Christ!
• Men & Women in the body of Christ are equal. They are both “sons” of the living God and both can be qualified by God to become whatever He wills. Women are not, in general, subordinate nor superior to men in spiritual authority or church ministry as well as in all other areas of life, both men and women (even husbands and wives) have various individual strengths, gifts, and callings (Judges 2:16-18; 4 & 5; Romans 16; I Corinthians 1:11; 11:4-5; 12:18; Ephesians 4:11-13). God is an equal opportunity Employer - He is just and gives out giftings and callings and creates each of us with a purpose to fulfill in Him.
• Husbands & Wives, however, are unequal in spiritual authority in their home. Husbands are given a spiritual authority (only spiritual authority, not physical, legal or intellectual authority, nor superiority) over their own wives and children. A husband isn't a leader or ruler over his wife, like he is over his children, but he is to share management over the home with his wife. The spiritual authority appointed to husbands is for the purpose of adoring, protecting, romancing, and encouraging their wife, to lay their lives down for her, as Christ does for the Church. The spiritual authority a husband and father has in his home is not the role of priest, for all in Christ only has One High Priest and King – Jesus. But it is based in laying his life down for his family in prayer, responsibility, and love (Ephesians 5:23-28; Colossians 3:19). Wives are called to submit to that authority given to believing husbands in Christ. Wives are appointed and purposed to admire, respect, care for, and support their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; Genesis 2:18). Both are purposed to love, serve, and give their bodies wholly to one another only, in unity (I Corinthians 7:3-5; I Peter 3:7:8; Genesis 2:24-25). The key is unity and love and serving one another. A marriage and family is an image that shows to the world Christ Jesus and His Church, of the Father's love and devotion to His children, and a children of obedience being blessed, protected, and provided for by their Father.
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This may be old hat teaching to some of you, and brand new to others. As time gets closer and closer to Christ's return, the church will merge into two distinct branches and only one will be the true Bride of Christ, who has grown up refined and into the perfect image of Christ, and has broken away from religion, the traditions of mankind, and the world system to follow after God's own heart. It isn't about what we want, or what makes us comfortable anymore - it's all about Him and bringing glory to His name! I pray that all believers in Christ will grow up to full maturity, freedom, and unity of faith and love. That we would make room for each other under His authority and grace to be what He designs us to be in His Body!
4 Comments:
I had been looking for this series, but found it only this weekend because of the date on the articles. I really enjoyed the backgrounds you gave, as well as the summaries of translation goofs. More people need to know about this, that's for sure.
One thing that caught my attention: Are you sure about Junius/Junia being a woman? (See ISBE and compare to Textus Receptus, Iounias. Sorry, I don't have a more reliable Greek text.)
Blessings!
Thanks - I'm glad you found it helpful!
Yes - I'm quite sure that "Junia" (Iounián or Iounia) found in Romans 16:7 is a woman's name in the original Greek manuscript. An "s" was added in the Textus Receptus publication to change the name into Junius (Iounias) - a man's name, just because of the dominant sexist attitudes of the day. I'm sure they thought that Paul (and all those who copied his letter after him) must have made a spelling error. :) Some translations today have that name corrected or at least mentioned in their footnotes of that passage. Paul himself (as Saul, before his conversion) dragged off both men and women and put them into prison (Acts 8:3), so it wasn't unheard of for both men and women to be put in prison for the name of Christ. It was the prejudice against women contrasting with the high esteem given to apostles during that time that compelled the printers to make that "minor" change.
Cool. I did some more reading on the subject and found it interesting how most of the early church fathers through at least the twelfth century understood it to be a woman. I also found the facts of the occurence of the name as a man or woman to be enlightening. (Daniel B. Wallace, Th.M., Ph.D. at Bible.org)
However, Wallace's working hypothesis on whether she was an apostle or merely known by the apostles is that she is not an apostle. But he does say that is not the end of the matter.
That was a very complicated article. I'll bet if the name "Junia(s)" wouldn't have been found out to be a woman, that no one would have gone to too much extra trouble to see if those two people listed were well known "among" the apostles or "to" the apostles! :) It certainly isn't the end of the matter - but that's a safe place for Dr. Wallace to stop short without being wrong. Here's where the end of the matter concludes:
It's true, the word "among" could also be translated "to" or "by", also "in" and "of".
In II Peter 2:1, this same word is also used twice: "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves".
The false prophets and teachers are some of the people. If the wording means "to" or "by" - then Paul wouldn't have to warn them, the people would already see the false teachers and false prophets and recognize them. "...there will be false teachers TO you...", or the people would have made those select ones false, "...false prophets arose BY the people..."
This issue is in debate (and seemingly needs to be explained, and even over explained according to that article) because of the male superiority influence that is felt worldwide. When each person resolves the conflict in their own mind, the truth can be clearly seen. It's not that complicated.
Thanks so much for your comments.
God bless!
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