Christians dating site Forums is not a " Church building"
Posted : 23 May, 2023 12:21 PM
Why does GotQuestions.org allow women to answer questions from men?
For some (albeit a small minority), this is a problem. They claim that since 1 Timothy 2:11-12 says women should not teach or exercise authority over men, women should not be answering questions submitted by men. Answering a question is, in their minds, teaching, and therefore a violation of 1 Timothy 2:11-12. At GotQuestions.org, we don't see it that way. Here's why:
We view 1 Timothy 2:11-12 as primarily describing the pastoral/shepherding role. For a detailed explanation, please see this article: "Women pastors / preachers? What does the Bible say about women in ministry?"
Teaching and exercising spiritual authority are the primary functions of a pastor/shepherd. Further, the book of 1 Timothy is a letter from the apostle Paul to Timothy, who was serving as the pastor of a church. The context, then, of 1 Timothy 2:11-12, is the church. Women are not to serve in the pastor/shepherd role over men in local churches.
GotQuestions.org is not a church. While our question answerers definitely do teach in their answers, in no sense do they exercise spiritual authority over the questioners. A person submitting a question to us and us providing an answer is nothing more than one person seeking to assist another person in understanding what the Bible says about a spiritually-related issue. Are women not allowed to give men advice? Are women not allowed to help men understand what a certain Bible verse means or what the next strange cult believes?
Some would probably say yes. To that we would respond with the biblical example of Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos in Acts 18:24-26. The passage says that "they," referring to both Priscilla and Aquila, taught Apollos. Priscilla taught Apollos, and she did so in a way that did not contradict what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:11-12. Men and women are one and equal in Christ (Galatians 3:28). None of the spiritual gifts are restricted to men, and the Bible nowhere restricts women from using their spiritual gifts for the benefit of men. To say that 50 percent of the body of Christ has no need of ministry from the other 50 percent is foolish, and more importantly, blatantly unbiblical (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11, 14-26).
Some of our female question answerers only want to answer questions from women. If a questioner wants his/her question answered by a man/woman, all he/she has to do is indicate that in his/her question. Generally speaking, we try to have questions submitted by men answered by men, especially if the question is counseling related.
At the same time, we absolutely reject the idea that a woman answering a question submitted by a man in any way violates 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
The millennial kingdom is the future reign of Jesus Christ on earth as He sits on Davidâs throne in Jerusalem. Everyone who enters that kingdom will be redeemed by God and therefore righteous (see Isaiah 35:8â10). Among those redeemed will be two distinct groups of people: those with glorified physical bodies and those with natural, earthly bodies.
Those who occupy the millennial kingdom with glorified bodies can be divided into three subgroups: the church, whose bodies were either resurrected or changed at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13â18; 1 Corinthians 15:21â23, 51â53); tribulation martyrs, who are resurrected after Christ returns to earth (Revelation 20:4â6); and the Old Testament saints, who we assume are resurrected at the same time (see Daniel 12:2). Those who occupy the kingdom with earthly bodies have survived the tribulation and can be subdivided into two groups: believing Gentiles and believing Jews.
Revelation 19:11â16 describes the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is distinct from the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13â18; 1 Corinthians 15:51â53), which is an earlier appearing of Christ in the air. (There is no mention in Revelation 19â20 of any kind of rapture event. This implies that saints who are on earth when Christ returns will remain on earth to enter the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies.)
Part of Jesusâ setting up the kingdom will be His judgment of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31â46). The âsheepâ are the righteous Gentiles, who showed their faith by their good works toward Godâs people; the âgoatsâ are the unrighteous Gentiles, who failed to aid Godâs children. Christ will cast the unrighteous into the lake of fire for eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). Because of this judgment, and because all Israel will believe at that time (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25â32), no unbeliever will enter the millennial kingdom (also see Matthew 13:24â30, 36â43).
So, those who occupy the millennial kingdom, at the start, will be the righteous of all previous dispensations: believing Gentiles in earthly bodies, redeemed Israel in earthly bodies, and resurrected/raptured believers in glorified bodies. Those who occupy the millennial kingdom will be from âmany nations,â but the knowledge of the Lord Jesus will be universal: âThe earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the seaâ (Habakkuk 2:14). It will be standard practice for those who occupy the millennial kingdom to travel to Jerusalem and worship the Lord in person: âMany nations will come and say, âCome, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.â The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalemâ (Micah 4:2).
Those who occupy the millennial kingdom will see the nation of Israel exalted to its fullest glory. All will be restored spiritually and physically: ââIn that day,â declares the Lord, âI will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my remnant, those driven away a strong nationââ (Micah 4:6â7).
During the millennial kingdom, the saints in earthly, natural bodies will enjoy long lives (Isaiah 65:20), and they will produce children. By the end of the thousand years, the world is fully populated, and there are manyââin number they are like the sand on the seashoreââwho rebel against the Lord (Revelation 20:7â8).
Children born during the millennial kingdom will have the responsibility to exercise faith in Christ, the same as all people of past ages. Some of those born during the millennial kingdom will choose to not believe. That is why Scripture speaks of those who die under a curse (Isaiah 65:20) and why the Lord lays out consequences for nations that do not worship Him: âIf any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rainâ (Zechariah 14:17).
For a further look at who will live in the millennial kingdom, see these passages: Isaiah 2:2â4; Zechariah 14:8â21; Ezekiel 34:17â24; Daniel 7:13â14; Micah 4:1â5.
God is omniscientâHe knows everything. We also see in Scripture where God asks questions. In the Garden of Eden, God asks Adam where he is and what he had done (Genesis 3:9, 11). In heaven, He asks Satan where he has been (Job 1:7). In the wilderness, God asks Moses what he holds in his hand (Exodus 4:2). In the crowd on the way to Jariusâs house, Jesus asks who touched Him (Mark 5:30). Being omniscient, God already knew the answers to these questions. âHe knows the secrets of the heartâ (Psalm 44:21). So why does He ask?
The questions God asks always serve a purpose. He does not ask to obtain information, since He already possesses all information; His questions serve a different purpose, and that purpose varies based on the context of the question and the needs of the one to whom the question is directed.
After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and hid themselves from God, God called out, âWhere are you?â (Genesis 3:9). Of course, God knew Adamâs physical location; that wasnât the point of the question. The question was designed to draw Adam out of hiding. God could have approached His sinful creation in anger, with harsh words of condemnation and instant judgment, but He did not. Instead, God approached Adam with a question and so showed His grace, gentleness, and desire for reconciliation.
When teaching a young student basic arithmetic, a teacher might ask, âWhat is 2 + 2?â The teacher does not ask this because she doesnât know the answer but because she wants to focus the studentâs thinking on the problem at hand. When God asked Adam, âWhere are you?â the questionâs purpose was, in part, to focus Adam on the problem he and his wife were tangled in.
Other questions of God in Scripture may have other purposes. In Job 38 â 41, God questions Job relentlessly about everything from Jobâs absence when the foundations of the earth were set (Job 38:4) to Jobâs inability to fish for sea monsters (Job 41:1). Here, itâs obvious God is using questions as an instructional tool to emphasize His own power and sovereignty.
Godâs repeated question to Jonah, âIs it right for you to be angry?â (Jonah 4:4, 9) was designed to stir self-examination on Jonahâs part. Godâs question to Elijah, âWhat are you doing here?â (1 Kings 19:9) pointed out how Elijah was straying from Godâs purpose for him. Godâs question in Isaiahâs presence, âWhom shall I send? And who will go for us?â (Isaiah 6:8) had the effect of prompting the prophet to volunteer.
During Jesusâ ministry on earth, He often asked questions. A good teacher will use strategic questions to facilitate the learning process, and Jesus was the Master Teacher. Jesus at times asked questions in order to set up an opportunity for learning: âWho do people say I am?â (Mark 8:27). Or to focus His hearersâ attention on something significant: âWhat is written in the Law? . . . How do you read it?â (Luke 10:26). Or to prompt introspection: âDo you want to get well?â (John 5:6). Or to prod deeper thinking: âWhat is the meaning of that which is written: âThe stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstoneâ?â (Luke 20:17). Or to bring faith to light: âWho touched me?â (Luke 8:45). Or to set up a big revelation: âWhy are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?â (John 20:15).
God is a Father who uses language to teach within the context of relationship. He is a Teacher who uses questions to involve His students, force them to think, and point them to the truth. When He asks a question, itâs not because He doesnât know the answer but because He wants us to know.
