I was looking at the Genesis passage and the word ezer sometime back. One man I enjoy reading considers the woman as an "underling." He didn't use that word but that is the general idea. Thanks for posting this article.
The word co-worker or fellow worker is used of both males and females in the New testament. People like timothy and Titus and also the women at philippi, euodia and syntyche, share this description (philippians 4:3).
Phoebe(romans 16:1-2) is called a deacon of the church in cenchreae. Paul, timothy and tychicus are also called deacons.
Historically, the church has done a great disservice to women by treating them as underlings, rather than as co-workers.
Remember Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead
Posted : 8 Apr, 2023 08:06 AM
Certainly when Paul tells Timothy to remember Christ, especially in his resurrection, Paul doesn't mean once a year. But that isn't where I am going with this post. Paul is telling Timothy to continually remember Christ as the resurrected one.
As Christians the death and resurrection of Christ are the foundation of our faith. Paul writes to the Corinthians about this. As lost gentiles, their situation and beliefs were much like the lost world today. Some said there was no resurrection (1 Corinth. 15:12). Paul writes that if you believe that, then Christ has not been raised. If that is the case, paul says our message is empty and vain. To the Corinthians he writes, your faith is meaningless(15:13-14). He concludes the section(15:19) by saying we are the most miserable of all people.
But we have this hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, we have the confident expectation that God will raise the dead(1 these. 4:14).
But there is another aspect to resurrection. That is the spiritual resurrection. Paul wants the Philippians and us to know Christ and the power of his resurrection (3:10). When we look at romans 6:1-11, we find that we were crucified together with Christ by being joined together with him in his death. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, so also we should live in newness of life. Colossians 2:12 says we were raised together with him.
So, yes, God wants us to remember continuously Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead.
I am aware of the normative and regulative principles. There is really an overlap between the two. The normative principle generally says anything not forbidden by Scripture is allowed. The regulative principle lines up with the ceni acronym used by some churches. That would include commands, examples and necessary inference.
The example and necessary inference principles are where Christians go astray. As I indicated in the previous post, the examples are usually taken from israel under the law. The necessary inference is very subjective.
If it doesn't violate any command of Scripture, Christians are free to do anything.
We already see this attitude in various church institutions throughout church history. They only ended up making new commands to further their institutions. It wasn't enough for them to follow the Scriptures. They set in stone these non biblical practices.
If there is an example in Scripture, a doctrine or practice was built on it. Israel had sacred clothing for the priesthood. So churches said our priests/ministers must wear special clothing. Israel had sacred days and times and years. Churches have made liturgical calendars. Israel had an altar and sacrifices. Some churches have to have altars and sacrifices.
In general, when Christianity takes israel under the law as its example, the message of the gospel is watered down and Christians practice a christianized pharasaism.
THREE KINDS OF ACCURSED GOSPELS (Frontload, Backload, Galatian Error)
Posted : 5 Apr, 2023 06:18 PM
Amen!
In our Wednesday study we were talking about similar things. In romans 5:8 God commends his love for us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God didn't wait for us to be good enough to love us. Christ didn't wait for us to stop sinning to die for us. In fact, romans 4:5 says to the one who doesn't work but believes on the one justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
There are all kinds of "judaizing christians." Some want to keep the sabbath and the food laws. Some, like Rushdoony, want to physically punish people for their sins. There isn't one bit of difference between Rushdoony's view and the Inquisition. Augustine would be proud.
the following has nothing to do with the gospel of the grace of God.
"In the magisterial, 619-page explication of Reconstructionist theonomy (Theonomy in Christian Ethics), Greg Bahnsen argues that Old Testament Law applies today in “exhaustive” and “minutial” detail. “Every single stroke of the law must be seen by the Christian as applicable to this very age between the advents of Christ.”
Reformed Christians understand law as a compatible servant of the gospel and look for the enduringly valid, underlying moral purposes of Old Testament Law. But Reconstructionists take this several steps further. While they believe Christ’s coming altered ceremonial law, ending the need for animal sacrifice, they do not see ancient Israel as a unique theocratic state. It is a “blueprint” for the theocracy all nations should be. And that leads to the most controversial feature of Reconstruction.
Rushdoony, Bahnsen, and their peers anticipate a day when Christians will govern, using the Old Testament as their lawbook. True to the letter of Old Testament Law, homosexuals, incorrigible children, adulterers, blasphemers, astrologers, and others will be executed."
I agree that when any American is charged with a crime and held prisoner by another country, we should investigate it. But if they did commit the crime, what do we do?
We charge citizens of other countries with crimes all the time. Do we deport them back to their home countries? Do we use them as bargaining chips? That is one of the issues that has been raised. Will other countries start finding reasons to arrest Americans so they can use them to get something?
My concern was with our giving the Russians a king to get back a pawn. It wasn't a fair trade and we got the short end of the deal.
And I was equally surprised that Richardson called her "glamorous." I didn't mean that as a knock against her. Richardson seemed to indicate she is a celebrity. Should that make her more important than someone who is a virtual nobody held captive for four years? I don't think so.
The prime negotiator, former governor Richardson, used the term "glamourous" to describe Griner. Even though she had only been held for several months, because of her celebrity status she was given priority over Whelan. Whelan has been held for several years. That was very disappointing. I see this as a great mistake.
The prisoner the USA released was in a different category than Griner. The seriousness of the crimes that the Russian prisoner committed are over the top. Griner had what our system considers a minor drug offense. Since Whelan was charged with espionage, the trade would have been more equitable.
Our government gets a photo op with some celebrity while Whelan stays in prison.
1Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not consider the burning among you as strange, which is happening to you for a testing, as though something strange is happening to you,
13 but even as you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, in order that in the revelation of his glory also you will rejoice, being overjoyed.
For the last two thousand years the Body of Christ has suffered persecution. For the first generation of believers, suffering came as something of a shock.
1Thess. 3:3 so that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this,
4 for also, when we were with you, we told you beforehand we are about to suffer affliction, and as you know, that is what happened
Romans 5:3 And not only that, but we also boast in afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance
The modern "church" acts as though nothing bad could ever happen to it. I heard the story of the saints in China who suffered when the Japanese came in. They suffered again when the Chinese "civil war" took place at the conclusion of WWII.
Of course, suffering was inflicted on everyone. But there were those who suffered for their faith. It can happen anywhere, in any generation, just as it has for the last two thousand years. We should be better prepared. We have the examples of those who have suffered before us.
1Pet 4:15 Let none of you suffer indeed as murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a disturber of the peace (a general all around lawbreaker
16 but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God in this name.
