submission to authority

As we continue in our series on how to behave in the house of God, the Apostle Paul in (1 Tim. 2:9-15) now turns his instruction to the women in the church. His instruction is that they learn to profess the godliness of Christ by their submission to authority, and by their ministry only to other women and children. It’s sad in our day that so many churches have embraced this false doctrine, and have allowed women to hold positions of authority in the church, despite the following truth. “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” This verse teaches us that women are not allowed to instruct men or dominate in a position that is over men. I have heard some female pastors say that this text was written for just the women of that day, and yet others justify their position by saying that fewer and fewer men today are going into the ministry, and so that makes it OK..  Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but if they truly believe these things, aren’t they still disobeying the above verse. There is no excuse, nor argument that negates the Word of God. Either it’s true or it’s not, and if they say it’s not, then they are disobeying the very God that they are supposed to preaching about. “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

Learn to Pray

(2 Tim. 2:1) “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;” One of the greatest privileges we have as Christians is the privelege of prayer. In the above verse, the Apostle Paul is reminding us that we need to first of all to learn to pray. 1) Learn the importance of prayer. Little prayer = little power, and no prayer = no power. The Early church learned that when they prayed God answered, and the more they prayed the more powerful and unified they became. 2) Learn the importunity of prayer. Importunity means persistence. That is precisely what Paul meant by supplication. We need to learn that God loves it when we are persistent in prayer, and the more we pray the more He is persuaded to answer. This is what God meant by His command to A-S-K, (Ask, Seek, Knock). A Christian that is determined to get an answer from God is promised that he will, if he keeps asking. 1) Learn the imperativeness of prayer. This is the urgency of prayer. In the above verse Paul wants us to learn to practice intercession. To pray for the souls and lives of others,  for leadership and authority, and to learn to give thanks more than we complain. The more we begin to pray for others and see God work, the more we will begin see how imperative intercession is.

“To war a good warfare.”

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” In (1 Tim. 1: 18) The Apostle Paul also instructed Timothy, “To war a good warfare.”  Paul wanted Timothy to understand that the Christian life is a battle. After we’re saved we go to war with Sin, with Satan, and with Self, which by the way is our most dangerous adversary. If we can learn how to control the flesh, Satan cannot harm us. Satan doesn’t bother Christians who are undisciplined in the Word, he knows that their lack of self-control and disobedience will destroy them sooner or later. Therefore we must learn two important things. 1) Faith.  Faith demands that we hold God’s Word up like a shield. It’s not enough to just believe it, we must learn to stand upon it and hide behind it.  When our flesh operates independent of God’s Word there is no protection, but when in submission to it, there is. 2) Good Conscience. When the conscience is tender toward the things of God, that’s good, but when it’s not, that’s bad. An undisciplined Christian doesn’t feel guilty when in disobedience, but a disciplined Christian does.  So discipline your flesh, obey the Word, and develop a good conscience !

Accountability is every bit a part of a strong church body.

The church is a called out assembly of believers, but also the pillar & ground of truth. Therefore, we must 1) Practice solid doctrine. (2 Tim. 1:13)”Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me...” Why? Because men will try to turn the truth of God’s Word, into fables. The church must be careful not to stray from the truth. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” 2) Practice “discipleship.” The gospel message is more than just getting people saved. It’s also a command to teach others what we have been taught about Christ. (1Ti 1:16) “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 3) Practice “discipline” “that thou… mightest war a good warfare, Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” Accountability is every bit a part of a strong church body. Sin within must not be tolerated, or it will corrupt and defile the whole body. Therefore we must practice the purging of sin to maintain a healthy church.

How important is good behavior in the Church of God?

“…that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. How important is good behavior in the Church of God? According to the above verse, very! Why? 1) Because it is God’s house, and therefore God has ordained its order, organization, authority, and intended reverence. 2) It’s the Church of the living God. We are the “called out assembly.” Living testimonies of His grace, called out of the world to serve a living God by being living sacrifices. We are the bride of Christ, His body,   and active participants, whereby we are to strive to be constantly growing, and constantly reproducing Christ in ourselves and others. 3) It’s the pillar of truth.  The Church is to be a support system holding up the truth of God’s Word in a world that is constantly trying to tear it down. We the church are to elevate it by our  love and obedience to it. We may not be the most popular people in town, but we ought to be the most honest, the hardest working, and the most godly. 4) It’s the ground of truth. A place of refuge, fellowship,   and nurture, where by all who come to Christ are nourished by the fruit of God’s vineyard.

So what happened to them ?

 (Gal. 1:6) “ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:” It’s interesting that when Paul penned these words concerning apostasy in his day,  little did he realize how  accurately he would describe the future state of the church in America. History has shown us that once a church or a school’s leadership compromises the fundamental doctrines of the faith, there is little or no chance of it ever righting itself. Eighty-eight of the first 100 colleges founded in America were organized to train men for the purpose of the gospel ministry. So what happened to them ? Harvard who previously graduated about 52% ministry students, began to allow a freedom of theology policy for its faculty. Yale decided to emphasize academics over theology, Dartmouth and Columbia repealed their strong statement of faith due to denominational pressure, and Princeton dropped its strict policy of insisting on only a saved faculty. Columbia University opened in 1754  with this news advertisement,  “The chief thing that is aimed at in this college, is to teach and engage children to know God in Jesus Christ.” Harvard also emphasized “Christ and The Church.”  So how needful today is it for us to earnestly contend for the faith?    Very!