The Word This Week

1 Timothy 2:8…

Paul is writing to his protege Timothy about the essentials of faith and practice in the church at Ephesus - and therefore The Church in general.

These are such important instructions, because they are the instructions of Christ for His Church.

One thing we must note, the instructions for the essentials of faith and practice in The Church are not culturally or morally relative. They are not subject to changing winds of time or location.

There is one true Church. It belongs to Jesus Christ. He is the Head, and His Church is to submit willingly and lovingly to His instruction - which is here authored by the apostle Paul. These instructions are for The Church for all time, and not specific to or for the church at Ephesus in 64AD.

The Word of God never changes. It is eternal. It is consistent, and it is insistent no matter the time or the culture of the time. The basis of all Christ’s instruction for His Church - no matter the instruction - is love. It is His design for our very best life. It is not to set a burdensome limit upon those in His Church, it is to set us free to function in the manner we are designed to accomplish our greatest service to Christ and to the world.

The little corner of God’s Word covered by 1 Timothy 2:8-15 has become one of the most controversial passages in the world today. But I emphasize the word ‘today,’ because it has not always been that way.

With the onset of the expansion of political equality for women, it has become culturally acceptable to say or to think this passage of scripture sets unacceptable limits upon the role of women in The Church.

It has been said the church that follows these instructions is ‘old-fashioned.’ It has even been said by the enemies of The Church that Christianity harms the cause of equality for women, and some even use these kinds of arguments as an excuse to avoid the Gospel, since it is perceived therefore to be a Gospel which invites inequality among men and women.

Of course, all these claims are false. The Church of Jesus Christ has done more to advance the equality of men and women than any other entity known to man.

In world cultures that have regarded and still do regard women as second-class citizens or even possessions, it is The Church of Jesus Christ which has been completely counter-culture, and it has been The Church alone which has elevated the status of women to full equality.

Pastor Bill