The Ghouls Among Us: Babies BORN ALIVE and Killed.....

The irony and deception of planned parenthood should be evident; except for those blinded by the god of this world- Satan- (Ephesians 2:1-3, 2 Corinthians 4:4).

• Planned Parenthood/The Pro-Murder crowd want to convince you that a baby in the mother's womb is just a blob of cells- Yet in two previous videos they are talking about harvesting tissues human organs from babies that they allow to be born partially and then crush the skull.

• In this video, we hear this 'doctor' proclaim "its a boy" - the same she and her cohorts claim is just a 'fetus'

• The president of PP, The president of the US, and all his liberal cronies in congress ignore the fact that this is happening, claiming that planned parenthood is a needed thing providing health services to the underprivileged. Since when does health care involve murder? 

Abortion at its root comes from a denial of God as creator, which devalues human life as simply a product of a host of changes over time. Evolution says that we are animals, and actually we have a lower value than some animals (see the uproar over Cecil the Lion).  Denial of what all humans know about God and His creative power leads to ungodliness, which leads to unrighteousness, which eventually turns into a depraved mind. 

Romans 1:18-32 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Are you giving approval through silence? 

     This leads to lack of conscience, which is evidenced in our country's continued support of 'a woman's right to choose'. You would think these videos would be enough to stop abortion in our country all together, but our nation is under the wrath of God (see above) evidenced by the society's blindness to this evil. Even professing christians are apathetic to this and other societal evidence that God is removing His hand of grace from our country as His wrath is being poured out.  Abortion is worse than the holocaust, and yet many who call themselves Christians continue to remain silent on the issue. They refuse to be 'one issue voters' and vote for people who will actually address the human justice issue of our time. They believe that if they make a stand for righteousness, they will be seen as unloving and judgmental. 

Though liberals deny it, the comparison to the holocaust is not that far off; Hitler was a negative eugenist, which has to do with the breeding of a 'master race' and ultimately included the murder of over 6,000,000 Jews. 

Nazi eugenics were Nazi Germany's racially based social policies that placed the biological improvement of the Aryan race or Germanic "Übermenschen" master race through eugenics at the center of Nazi ideology.^[1] Those humans targeted were largely living in private and state-operated institutions, identified as "life unworthy of life" (German: Lebensunwertes Leben), including but not limited to prisoners, degenerate, dissident, people with congenital cognitive and physical disabilities (including feebleminded, epileptic, schizophrenic, manic-depressive, cerebral palsy, neuroatypicals, muscular dystrophy, deaf, blind) (German: erbkranken), homosexual, idle, insane, and the weak, for elimination from the chain of heredity. More than 400,000 people were sterilized against their will, while more than 300,000 were killed under Action T4, a euthanasia program.^{[2][3][4] --Wikipedia}

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, came before Hitler, as did the U.S. eugenics program. Have you ever wondered why a disproportionate amount of Planned Parenthood clinics murder mills are in communities dominated by people of color?  It is because Margaret Sanger (hero of Hilary Clinton) was also a negative eugenist. Check out these quotes from the one who Planned Parenthood says "Sanger’s early efforts remain the hallmark of Planned Parenthood’s mission.”

1) “[Our objective is] unlimited sexual gratification without the burden of unwanted children… [Women must have the right] to live … to love… to be lazy … to be an unmarried mother … to create… to destroy… The marriage bed is the most degenerative influence in the social order… The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” – Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922 

2) “We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population. And the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”– Margaret Sanger’s December 19, 1939 letter to Dr. Clarence Gamble, 255 Adams Street, Milton, Massachusetts. Original source: Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, North Hampton, Massachusetts. Also described in Linda Gordon’s Woman’s Body, Woman’s Right: A Social History of Birth Control in America. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1976 

3) “Today eugenics is suggested by the most diverse minds as the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems.

“I think you must agree… that the campaign for birth control is not merely of eugenic value, but is practically identical with the final aims of eugenics… Birth control propaganda is thus the entering wedge for the eugenic educator.

“As an advocate of birth control I wish… to point out that the unbalance between the birth rate of the ‘unfit’ and the ‘fit,’ admittedly the greatest present menace to civilization, can never be rectified by the inauguration of a cradle competition between these two classes. In this matter, the example of the inferior classes, the fertility of the feeble-minded, the mentally defective, the poverty-stricken classes, should not be held up for emulation.

“On the contrary, the most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.”– Margaret Sanger. “The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda.” Birth Control Review, October 1921, page 5 

4) “Our failure to segregate morons who are increasing and multiplying… demonstrates our foolhardy and extravagant sentimentalism…

“[Philanthropists] encourage the healthier and more normal sections of the world to shoulder the burden of unthinking and indiscriminate fecundity of others; which brings with it, as I think the reader must agree, a dead weight of human waste. 

“Instead of decreasing and aiming to eliminate the stocks that are most detrimental to the future of the race and the world, it tends to render them to a menacing degree dominant…

“We are paying for, and even submitting to, the dictates of an ever-increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all.” – Margaret Sanger. The Pivot of Civilization, 1922, pages 116, 122, and 189. Swarthmore College Library edition 

5)  “Birth control must lead ultimately to a cleaner race.” – Margaret Sanger. Woman, Morality, and Birth Control. New York: New York Publishing Company, 1922, page 12 

6) “One fundamental fact alone, however, indicates the necessity of Birth Control if eugenics is to accomplish its purpose…

“Before eugenists and others who are laboring for racial betterment can succeed, they must first clear the way for Birth Control. Like the advocates of Birth Control, the eugenists, for instance, are seeking to assist the race toward the elimination of the unfit. Both are seeking a single end but they lay emphasis upon different methods.”– Margaret Sanger. “Birth Control and Racial Betterment,” Feb 1919 

7) The government ought to “apply a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is tainted, or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring.”

And the government should “give certain dysgenic groups (those with ‘bad genes’) in our population their choice of segregation or sterilization.” – Margaret Sanger, “A Plan for Peace.” Birth Control Review, April 1932, pages 107-108 

8) “The third group [of society] are those irresponsible and reckless ones having little regard for the consequences of their acts, or whose religious scruples prevent their exercising control over their numbers. Many of this group are diseased, feeble-minded, and are of the pauper element dependent upon the normal and fit members of society for their support. There is no doubt in the minds of all thinking people that the procreation of this group should be stopped.” – Margaret Sanger. Speech quoted in Birth Control: What It Is, How It Works, What It Will Do. The Proceedings of the First American Birth Control Conference. Held at the Hotel Plaza, New York City, November 11-12, 1921. Published by the Birth Control Review, pages 172 and 174 .

9) “There is only one reply to a request for a higher birthrate among the intelligent, and that is to ask the government to first take the burden of the insane and feeble-minded from your back. [Mandatory] sterilization for these is the answer.” – Margaret Sanger, “The Function of Sterilization.” Birth Control Review, October 1926.

10) “In passing, we should here recognize the difficulties presented by the idea of ‘fit’ and ‘unfit.’ Who is to decide this question? The grosser, the more obvious, the undeniably feeble-minded should, indeed, not only be discouraged but prevented from propagating their kind. But among the writings of the representative Eugenists [sic], one cannot ignore the distinct middle-class bias that prevails.”– Margaret Sanger, quoted in Charles Valenza. “Was Margaret Sanger a Racist?” Family Planning Perspectives, January-February 1985, page 44 .

11) Birth control: “To create a race of thoroughbreds.”– Margaret Sanger, “Unity.” The Birth Control Review, Nov 1921.

12) “Hordes of people [are] born, who live, yet who have done absolutely nothing to advance the race one iota. Their lives are hopeless repetitions… Such human weeds clog up the path, drain up the energies and the resources of this little earth. We must clear the way for a better world; we must cultivate our garden.”– Margaret Sanger. Birth Control: Facts and Responsibilities, 1925. 

     Not only are people who murder babies heartless, they are also racist at the core. Margaret Sanger is the founder of Planned Parenthood, and still seen as a 'hero' of that movement. One of her goals, like Hitler's, was to make a master race that looked like her. Again, however, the communities of color are blinded to this fact. Again, when one denies what they know about God, their understanding becomes darkened.

     What should we do about this? Speak up. Make people aware of the evils of abortion Gospel. Repentance and faith, and the ensuing change of character and nature is the only thing that will change a person's mind about life. It is the change of individuals that changes cultures. If you are a Christian, proclaim the Gospel far and wide so that people will be converted and immediately see the value of life.

The Work of Regeneration, Conversion, and Sanctification

The Ghouls among Us: Planned Parenthood Uses Partial-Birth Abortions to Sell Baby Parts **Updated**

There are ghouls among us. Dr. Deborah Nucatola of Planned Parenthood is one of them. 


On this video, she eats salad and drinks wine as she casually describes tearing infants as old as 24 weeks old out of his mothers womb in such a manner as to preserve body parts for sale. She describes the illegal procedure of partial birth abortion- murder even according to the federal code- so as to preserve organs and muscles to sell off to the highest bidder.

“A lot of people want intact hearts these days, because they’re looking for specific nodes,” explained Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Senior Director of Medical Services, to investigators who were posing as a Fetal Tissue Procurement Company last year.

Perhaps most disturbing was the fact that Nucatola calmly discussed the sale of babies’ body parts over lunch. “Like I said, always as many intact livers as possible. People just want – some people want lower extremities too, which, that’s simple. I mean that’s easy,” she said, right before taking a bite of her salad.

Nucatola said each “specimen” could range anywhere from $30 to $100, so abortionists are very careful to try and keep the most lucrative parts intact.

“We’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part. I’m going to basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact.”

Another bite of salad.

Nucatola then offered some advice to buyers, who she said should contact abortionists before a procedure so the latter knows what the “endgame” is (which body parts they want), for they can then change their techniques accordingly to increase “success.”  HT townhall.com

She then goes on to justify her actions, saying that laws are up to interpretation. Further, she details a 'clearinghouse' run by Planned Parenthood so that the 'healthcare providers (murderers) would be held harmless from any kind of lawsuit coming from these actions. In other words, this clearinghouse would take the fall for all of the healthcare providers murderers. 

I do not know how you hold the law below to interpretation...

Oh, I guess I do see how they justify it: 

 Actually it is simple. We live in a world that is run by Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3), and people in the world, demonstrated by their wicked ways, show that they are controlled and energized by Satan.  We should not be surprised that those who are controlled by Satan and are of a depraved mind (Romans 1:28) could come up with schemes like this and justify them. 

What are the takeaways for believers? I can think of a few. 

• We need to redouble our efforts in our churches and households to train and disciple people as to the value of life as well as the connection between obedience and loving God.
• Whether you spend time ministering at Abortion Clinics, or in the coffee shop on the corner- we need to win people to Christ. It is the only way that this evil can be done away with in our time by changing the very character and nature of those who support abortion and other wicked practices.
• Abortion is a modern holocaust- we must speak up for life. How and when you do it is up to you, doing it is no longer an option. 
• Talk to those you have spoken to before that disagree about abortion, and see if they still feel the same way after this news. Then share the gospel with them. 
• Look up- Jesus is coming soon! 
• This is an issue that can be dealt with by our government, as there are laws. Contact your congressman, senator, and legislature and DEMAND that the law is enforced in this case and defund Planned Parenthood. 

This is an issue of justice in our time, and I believe the church is largely asleep and silent on the issue. We must wake up- and take action to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Their blood comes from the ground and accuses us in our inaction and apathy. It is in part because of our inaction and silence that the atrocity of abortion continues in our country. 

Rise up Church! 


UPDATE!

A second video has surfaced.....this woman wants a Lamborghini

Should She Preach? Part 4a: What does silence mean?

As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 

     There has been many times on the street which I have been preaching and I have quite a few good hecklers. I also have bad hecklers who barrage me with different questions before I can answer the previous question. More often than not I can use some simple teaching techniques I learned in my first career to be able to get the questions done in order.

     As I was studying today in this passage, I envisioned the same going on in a church. While the preacher is opening up God’s Word, exhorting and instructing the saints, a bunch of people stand up with their own things to say. They may be valid points, they may be good things, but none the less they are a distraction to what should be going on in the church meeting: saints being built up and equipped by the preaching of the Word. 

     What is appropriate and acceptable on the streets for the purpose of Evangelism is not acceptable in the house of worship. I also imagine that this was what was going on in Corinth with both men and women. Everybody was so excited about the use of their gifts of the Spirit that utter chaos ensued. Everybody wanted to manifest their gift at once and no one could be built up or equipped because of the chaos that was happening. Throughout the book, we see a bunch of former pagans that have been converted, but they bring their old pagan manners and pagan practices into the church. When it comes to the Lords Table, it is a free-for-all. When it comes to prophesy and tongues, everybody wanted to do it at once. There was no sense of order, no sense of propriety, indeed no sense of worship.

     For the purpose of this current discussion, however, there are those who would want to pull this verse right out of the direct context in which it appears. They do this to their peril, and do damage to the Word of God in the process. There are some things that we can agree on that the scripture teaches: In the context of the church and church government the line of authority is

Jesus Christ~>Elder/Pastor~>Husband~>Wife.

Single women simply replace husband with father, or have direct authority under the Pastor/Elder. In the Home, we have

Jesus Christ ~> Husband~>Wife~>Children.

     Wives are under the authority of their own husbands. From the time of the curse, women have had desire for the position of their husband, that is, his God-given authority. This can cause problems in the church as well as in the home. This is likely what was happening in the church at Corinth. The relationship of authority outside of the church is that a married woman is under her husbands authority, protection, and care wherever she goes. She is not under the direct authority of any other man once she is married.

     One more thing that we can make very clear from the Pastoral epistles and from the created order is that in the context of the church and the home women are not to be in the position of Eldership/Leadership within the church. While Paul clearly allows a woman to prophesy (teach, refute, reprove, admonish, and comfort) within the church, he does not allow her to be the authority. I believe that this means that a woman can minister in the context of the church while she is under headship of the Elder/Pastor and her husband. The greatest downfall of a woman in this position is the desire to usurp authority, so the Elder/Pastor and Husband must help her to keep this desire in check.

     Being careful to understand that Paul goes further into church hierarchy and roles in 1 Timothy and in Titus, we will take these verses in their context to understand what the instruction is. That being said, this verse is a clear and shocking verse if you pull it out of context. It seems clear by pulling it out of context that Paul is restricting the speaking of women at any time under any circumstances in the context of the church. First, what is the church? The Greek term ἐκκλησία ekklēsia means either (i) The entire community of all who are called by and to Christ. (ii) The NT Churches as confined to particular places; every church in which the character of the church as a whole is repeated. We must assume (ii) in this context. Paul is speaking about the churches as confined to particular places, in this case, Corinth. He is also giving a principle to the larger church. The principle is to be found in verse 40:

40But all things should be done decently and in order.

That is not what was happening in Corinth. Let us look to the entire passage so that we can get context.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.

(1 Corinthians 14:26-40, ESV)

     The issue here that Paul was addressing was the gifts of the Spirit and their use within the church. He was even discussing the more excellent way- that of love. In the manifesting of the gifts in Corinth, it seems, there was a bit of pride and one-upmanship as there was also at the Lord’s table. It was not just a Pastor or an elder at the front giving a sermon; everyone who had a hymn, or a tongue, or a prophesy seemed to want to share simultaneously. What transpired was confusion. People were not being edified or built up, they were being confused. This was not of God. ( we see the same ridiculous behavior in many charismatic churches today). What Paul suggested here was that people would go one at a time, and that the prophets who were not speaking would measure what the others were saying. If one got a clear word from God, the others were to defer. That if one wanted to speak in tongues that there had to be an interpreter or the tongue speaker was to remain silent. In other words, it is not just the women that were to remain silent. All things decently and in order.

     There was another spirit at work here; there were women who were asking questions aloud and in doing so were being disruptive. In the direct context, they may have been speaking up and judge prophecies. Both activities were done in a way that seemed to subvert male headship, specifically questioning prophesies. This command was to be followed for the service of worship. Note again Paul is talking about the meeting together of the local church fellowship. This principle of submission to the God- ordained authority in the fellowship and/or to her husband was required.

     So does this supersede the instruction in 11:5 and 13? Did God through Paul change his mind? Certainly not. The key is location and authority. In the formal meeting of the church, in the service of worship as it were, the woman is not to speak. The men are to speak, but decently and in order- submitting one to another out of love for Jesus. Does this idea preclude the woman teaching Sunday School? Many good God-honoring and Bible-believing people fall on both sides of this issue. Should women be restricted to teaching other women and children? Each local church should decide according to their reading of the scripture. However it is clear that in the main meeting of the church there is not to be women speaking. If they want clarification on what is being said, she should ask her husband at home. This means, husbands, that your job is not done when you walk out of church on Sunday. You are the minister of the home and responsible for the spiritual education of your wife and children.

     This scripture has nothing to do with women evangelizing – even if that means preaching in the open air. This is written to the assembly of local believers- the church manifested locally. When the word of God is proclaimed in the church, it is meant for the edification and the building up and equipping of the saints. The reason for being done decently and in order- with the women remaining silent- is that this is the food of those who are born-again and are walking in the Spirit. All the gifts are to be used for the glory of God, in love, for the building up and equipping of the saints. In the open air, there is a different audience and a different purpose. The gospel call is a command for lost people to repent and to trust Jesus. It is a call for all Christians to go, and in our going, go- with the goal of fulfilling the great commission by making converts that become disciples that are baptized (immersed) into Christ, and taught all things that Jesus has commanded us. This commission is for all Christians, regardless of sex, age, race- regardless. There is no prohibition in scripture for anyone to evangelize.

Women in Ministry Part 4: The Question of Authority

     The problem with the way that many people handle the Bible is that they bring their biases and opinions to the test, and try to bring the text in line with what they think. There are many people who do this in their personal study, even famous preachers-(See Joel Osteen,  Rick Warren, and Rob Bell) – to their own peril.

     When approaching scripture, it is always best to come without bias, as an empty vessel waiting to be filled with God’s Word. It helps also to have some basic framework for Bible Study. I am a trained theologian, but for those who just want a better understanding of hermeneutics I recommend Herman Who from Wretched Radio/Todd Friel. It is about an hour long, and it is a great way to learn how to interpret and apply scripture rightly.

     In the recent discussion concerning women and ministry, specifically women in open-air evangelism, there has been a huge elephant in the room concerning the scriptures that have been used to justify the position that women should not preach in the open air. Many of the scriptures that are used in direct context come from 1 Corinthians, Timothy, and Titus. The first point of hermeneutics is that we need to examine who these are written to. 1 Corinthians is written to the church at Corinth specifically. Its purpose is clear in that Paul is correcting error that he sees happening within the church fellowship, and to a larger extent to the people who made up the church as it addresses marriage as well.  Titus and Timothy are written in context as instructions to young men to whom Paul has given responsibilities as overseers within specific churches. All three books address specific roles within the church fellowship. All three books to some extent address qualifications for the people who must fulfill the roles within the church fellowship.  You have to do some interpretive gymnastics to draw the principles to be applied outside the church fellowship.  Let us take a few passages that folks have done these gymnastics with to not only lord authority over them in the home inappropriately but also the movement to silence women in the open air.

Should a woman be doing this in the streets?

The Question of Authority

1 Corinthians 11:1-15 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

Even a casual reader of scripture understands that there is a created order. Man was created first, and out of women, man. There is an emphasis for Paul in 1 Corinthians of doing things properly and in order within the church in order to bring glory to God. In fact, later in this passage he warns about the disorganized chaos around the celebration of Lord’s table.  This is about submitting to the divine structure of authority as a Christian. Every woman is under her Husband’s authority, every man is under Christ’s authority, as Christ is under God’s authority. Apparently, when a wife would uncover her head in this context she was rebelling against authority. This was causing a level of disorder in the services of worship. Paul was not placing a blanket statement on women praying or prophesying, in fact, quite the opposite. In verse 5, Paul could have addressed the praying or the prophesying of wives by saying that a woman who prays or prophesies dishonors herself.  Instead, he addressed the symbol of authority on their head, stating that for a wife to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered was disgraceful.

The word for prophesy in verse 4 is from the Greek  προφήτης,  and it means to to teach, refute, reprove, admonish, comfort others – under the prompting of the Spirit.  It seems clear that Paul, in this passage, has no opinion regarding women openly praying and prophesying in the context of church as long as she does it under submission! This is the check for women- are they doing things with the attitude of usurping authority, or are they doing them to the glory of God?

So, if Paul is stating here that as long as a woman is under authority, and is in submission to that authority she can προφήτης- that is teach, refute, reprove, admonish, and comfort others in the context of the church under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, why can’t she do it in the street under the same authority and protection? If a married woman is sent to Evangelize- to prophesy (teach, refute, reprove, admonish, and comfort) in the open air by her church, and her husband sends her as well (or even participates!) Then there is no one outside of that fellowship that can say that they are doing the wrong thing.

In the next article, we will attempt to look at 1 Corinthians 14. What does it mean for a woman to be silent in the church?

Women in Ministry- Where to Draw The Line- Part 3- The Woman at the Well

Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Why didn’t Jesus stop the woman and send his disciples to command the men in the town?

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word.42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Jesus never told women that they could not share the Gospel. If that was Jesus’ intent, he would have told his disciples to stop the woman at the well from going and telling the entire town, filled with women, kids, and – gasp – men.

No, Jesus, the Son of God, fully God and fully man, was on a perfect time table. God sent Him to this place. He walked through Samaria when a ‘good’ Jew would avoid it. He spoke with a woman who was a Samaritan- for a ‘good’ Jew this was a shocking break of tradition- to speak with a woman and a Samaritan was shocking- even his disciples marveled that this was happening. But despite the fact that there were disciples there, Jesus- knowing that the woman would go and tell the town- allowed her to go. And she SAID

λέγω (legō 3004) 1. say -ing, -est; said, -st; saith. to lay, lay together, to collect; then, to lay before, relate, differing from the words below in that it refers to the purport or sentiment of what is said and the connection of the words; it denotes the collecting of words in a sentence or oration; in reference to the scripture it denotes the statement of the scriptures (while λαλέω (laleō 2980) is the utterance or speaking of that statement.) When λέγω(legō 3004) seems to be put for εἶπον (eipon), it has reference, not to the meaning of speaking but of thinking, feeling, commanding. When used in connection withεἶπον (eipon) the speaking is an additional notion (when used alone the idea of speaking already exists.)

The command to the men was COME see a man who told me everything I ever did.

gets the force of an interjection, come! come now!

The men came…and believed…

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

μαρτυρέω (martureō) to be a witness, to bear witness, that is to say to attest anything that one knows, and therefore to state with a certain degree of authority, usually for something, and hence, to confirm or prove.

     Now at the time this was written, women were not to be a witness at trial. They were not 

considered reliable. However Jesus let this woman witness and testify to what she knew- 

that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah that they were waiting for. Her testimony, 

her command was to come and see- and the townspeople did just that.

     She did not go to the synagogue. She did not go to the temple. She went to the town and 

proclaimed what she saw and heard. It is blasphemous to suppose that Jesus did not have

 

this planned from the beginning. It is blasphemous not to suppose that Jesus knew that the 

woman would testify, that the woman would speak . And she did- she said- she commanded- 

she TESTIFIED as to what Jesus did and said. And that is evangelism. And that is what this 

woman did. It was not one to one. It was not handing out tracts. It was a verbal 

proclamation to the people of the town the truth of the Gospel.

     And many believed.

Women in Ministry- Where to Draw the Line? Part 2: Spiritual Gifts

     When examining any question that concerns the Word of God, one must examine Himself and use sound hermeneutic principles. This is especially important when it is a man examining the roles of women within the Body of Christ. As an example, too many men have used Ephesians 5 to inappropriately dominate their wives and treat them poorly because the command to the women  is to submit and respect. I have heard many a sermon that practically gives license to a man to beat his wife verbally, emotionally, and physically- and many a counselor say to a woman she has to take it and ‘submit’. All this while neglecting the command a few lines later to love his wife as Christ loves the church- and forgetting what that looked like when He did. The same problem was illustrated by the many in 19th century America using the scripture wrongly to justify slavery.

     The problem has gone the opposite way as well; there are many from the more liberal bias towards scripture that use culture as a lens to interpret scripture. They believe, for example, that the clear roles laid out in scripture were only for that culture at that time. This has opened up the floodgates- we have genderless scriptures, genderless hymns, women who are Pastors and elders in churches- and now we have homosexual ministers as well as blessing and approval of homosexual marriage. What does that have to do with gender? When you break down gender roles while interpreting scripture through the lens of current culture, these types of errors become rampant. Every church that has negated clear biblical gender roles eventually must- and usually does- compromise on homosexual sin. And allow me to clarify- any church that allows a woman to have a eldership role over men- whether it be a pastor or the head of the board- has ceased to be a biblical New Testament church.

10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. (1 Timothy 2:10-14, ESV)

12γυναικι δε διδασκειν ουκ επιτρεπω ουδε αυθεντειν ανδρος αλλ ειναι εν ησυχια

     So for many, this is an emotionally charged topic, and it may cause them to throw away sound principles of hermeneutics and submit to their gender pride. This can happen on both sides of the sexes. One of the principles we must examine is the historical context as well as the ecclesiological context of the commands. I submit to you that within the scripture that there are gender roles laid out for both church life and everyday life. The command above is in context with specific instructions for the assembly of the church. Verse 12, in English and in Greek, is misinterpreted by laymen and pastors alike that hold gender bias. It is in the contest of the church. There is the pesky word or (GR oude) between teach and exercise authority- that shows two separate activities within the body of Christ, and the role in the church. This has been properly interpreted that a woman is not to be a preacher over an assembled congregation. It does not mean that a woman cannot teach authoritatively on scripture in the proper context- outside of the context of the church and church governance. She cannot hold the role of pastor or teaching elder within the church. But I submit to you that there is a boundary there. There are rules that apply differently in the church and in the home- and there are rules that cross all of those boundaries. The challenge is to put off our pride and our opinions- and especially our gender bias- and honestly look at what those boundaries and roles are.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4-13, ESV)

     The one shocking thing about this list of gifts in terms of this topic is that there is no gender differentiation in the gifts. There is no announcement from the Apostle Paul that these gifts are for men, these other ones are for women. In other words, shocking as it may be, women can have the gift of prophesy! You say, if she has that gift, then why can’t she use it?  She absolutely can- just not in a position of headship over a man (the pastors, the elders) in the context of the church. The question really is, in this context, where can she use that gift of forth-telling or proclamation of the word of God?

 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5, ESV)

     Herein lies the rub for so many people-the scripture states clearly the roles of wives, husbands, older men, older women, younger men, younger women etc. in the context of home and church. It does not speak clearly to the in between time- the time at work, the time at school, the time in the temple. Many people here on both sides of this question allow the scripture to speak from silence. In the example above, Older women have a role within the body of Christ, stated very clearly. It is a role of teaching and training younger women. But what of outside the body of Christ? Can a woman with children hold a job? Can she be a CEO? Can a woman be the head of a Christian organization that trains men and women to preach the Gospel? Can a woman proclaim the Gospel and the Word of God publicly on a street corner to non believers in the presence of male believers? The scripture is silent on these activities. We cannot stretch the principles made for the ecclesia- the church into life outside the context and scope of authority of the local church.

     What this means, quite simply, is that if a woman who is single, begins a ministry outside the church, but under the authority of the church/Pastor/Elders this is not a usurping of authority, nor is it in rebellion to the Word of God. If the church leadership recognizes a gift of teaching and, under the authority of the elders, a woman teaches Sunday School, this is not against the Word of God. She is under authority- the authority of the man- the head elder. If she goes to the Super Bowl- or any other evangelistic outreach- to preach- having been sent by the local church, under the approval of her husband (if she is married) or with her husband- and if with a ministry under submission to the leadership of that ministry- then she ought to be able to preach if she has that gift.

In Part 3- we will attempt to break down what the Bible does say about the roles of women and men inside the church and outside the church.

Posted in Adventures in Christianity, Bible, Change Collegian Network, College Ministry, Evangelism, Theology