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Friday, December 4, 2009

Women preachers

It’s common nowadays, that women, as part of the feminist movement, can become preachers and pastors. Many people do not care, because they haven’t heard the Bible’s opinion on the subject. Other people deny the Bible. And the minority stand up for what God actually has to say.
For on this subject, the Bible is clear. Citing 1 Timothy 2:11-14:
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. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
What does that mean? I’m positive it means that the woman should not teach in a church. She shouldn’t usurp authority over the man. Paul gives a reason for saying so too: the woman came after the man, and the woman was deceived in the Garden of Eden. How much clearer does it get?
And then we have 1 Corinthians 14:34-35:
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Again, this is clear as crystal. The Bible mostly is. The woman should submit to the man, and not teach.
Women should preach the Gospel to the unsaved, that’s one of the clearest commands in the Bible, we should all preach God’s wonderful news, but when believers are gathered, the woman shouldn’t take control.
Another issue is that women very often cut their hair. The Bible says that women should keep their hair long:
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (1Cor 11:15)
Men shouldn’t have long hair, as the preceding verse says (1Cor 11:14).

Also, there are certain rules concerning head coverings as well:

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. (1Cor 11:4-6)
So, if you're a man, and pray with a cap on, you dishonour your head. If you're a woman, on the other hand, you dishonour your head by not wearing a head covering whilst praying. You might as well be shaved.

Sadly, there aren't many who keep these commands. These modern times with their feminism and liberalism have had their impact on even the Church of Christ. Regardless of year and age, women should submit and be in silence, because the eternal and unchanging Word of God says so. It’s not an issue about worth or inferiority; God is no respector of persons, and loves men and women alike. But as followers of Christ, let us honour His Word, and obey it.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Hell – The just punishment from God

Hell is one of the most controversial topics in the world today. A place where the wicked are eternally tormented, is something many people have trouble with accepting. There are people that profess to be Christian, who don’t accept the biblical fact of Hell. They couldn’t imagine a loving God who would do such a thing. So they totally disregard what the Bible says about it, not to mention God’s other perfect and appraisable attributes like His holiness (Psa 99:5, Isa 6:3) and His righteous judgment (2Pe 3:7, Psa 9:8). They design their own fantasy god, who only has their conception of “love”. An unholy God, however, is no God worthy of praise. The Holy Lord of Hosts has to judge sin, and in righteousness he makes judgment; for He cannot let unrighteousness enter His kingdom. A quick peek at the 10 Commandments reveals we have all sinned, nobody has ever lived a sinless life (except the Lord Jesus Christ) (Rom 3:23, 1 Pet 2:22, Heb 4:15).
Hell is a horrible place. The Lord Jesus said Hell is a place of unquenchable fire (Mark 9:46). Pretty much every moment in Hell is spent wishing you never were born. If you ever think about something else than that in Hell, you’d wish you made the torment slightly lesser by not stealing those cookies when you were six. Even not telling that small lie to your mother that you didn’t steal the cookies would have had an eternal  significance. You’d wish you didn’t wake up even one morning, to avoid doing the sins and mistakes you did. But the gravest mistake you’d ever done, was that you didn’t accept Christ, and take refuge in Him, as your Saviour. The torment of Hell is as terrible as the bliss of Heaven is joyful. We, as mere humans, cannot speak our opinion on the grade of torment which is an appropriate punishment for sin, for God alone is the Judge. Sin is a terrible wrongdoing against the Holy One. Jesus said we should fear God, because He has the power to cast you into Hell (Luk 12:5). The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Psa 111:10, Pro 1:7, Pro 9:10). Jesus died in place of sinners in order to reconcile them to God, and He took their punishment, so they don't have to.
You must ultimately address the question of where you want to spend eternity. If you don’t make a direct choice, you’ve chosen nonetheless. We are lost in our sins unless the blood of Christ has washed them away. Jesus will confess you at Judgment Day if you through the grace of God believe in Him (Mat 10:32). If you don’t believe, He will damn you to Hell for your iniquities (Mat 25:41, 10:33). God loves His elect, those who call upon His Name, and in an act most holy and loving, He placed our sins upon the Perfect Sacrificial Lamb, so that we receive the remission of sins. Ultimately you’re going to confess Jesus as Lord, whether you want it or not (Rom 14:11). I hope and pray you’ll do that before you die, because you’ve only got a chance of salvation in this life, for your judgment comes after death (Heb 9:27). Amen.
If you get saved by the will of God as a result of reading this, or you’re already saved, God bless.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

The Bible is crystal clear on the subject of the Way to Heaven. In John 14:6, Jesus said he was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that nobody comes to Heaven but through Him. Unless we go through Him, we are subject to God’s holy punishment of everlasting fire. The way to Heaven is not through good works, nor through sacraments or any religion. Many do not know this. A billion Catholics believe they come to Heaven through their sacraments and good works, but by not trusting in Christ solely, they are doomed (Gal 5:4). They consider themselves Christians, but they do not fit the biblical description of being a Christian. You must turn to the Lord to be saved, for He is the Way.

There’s only one Way to Heaven. So all other paths than the Lord Jesus are false and leads to Hell. Satan is truly a great deceiver, who invents lots of religions and philosophies which are not based on God’s Word (Col 2:8). Religion is the main tool Satan uses to lead people astray. Neither Buddhism, nor Islam, nor Catholicism, nor any other religion leads you to Heaven. They all have one common destination: the lake of fire. It is sad to see so many people being deceived by Satan to believe their religion is the right one. Their religions are all based on the father of lies’ lies.

There are many cultures and people who have never heard about Christ, so what about them?  Are they doomed?  Yes, they are. That’s a sad truth for many, but according to God's eternal decree, they weren't among His elect. God knows better than any sinful man, so we can rest assure that the best thing is being accomplished. They won’t escape God’s wrath, because, like everybody else, they have sinned (Rom 3:23). God has to punish sin. Therefore, God has also provided for us a way to be freed from our sins, by becoming man Himself, and shedding His blood on the cross 2000 years ago (Heb 9:22). Those who trust in His sacrifice’s sufficiency, are saved, and are on their way to Heaven. We must reach all people in the world with this great news, to tell God's sheep about it, so that they will believe. Remember Matthew 28:19: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”.

God bless.