 |
 |
Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Women's Rights?
Augusta, Georgia is the epicenter of an intriguing political controversy. This is the weekend of one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, the Masters Tournament, and Tiger Woods is going for his third straight victory. But the Augusta National Golf Club has another fire burning because they have refused to admit women to their membership.
This is hardly a new issue, but it makes us aware of the fact that there really are some areas of inequality between males and females in our world. I have no jurisdiction in the political fray, but some have charged that similar injustices are seen in the church. In that area I have an obligation and right to speak up.
To say the least, the Bible has been a major factor in any society—in which it is respected—to bring about justice and equality. Especially in the area of women’s rights has the Bible been effective. But that is not to say that God cannot assign specific roles to men and women. Certain limitations have been placed upon both men and women pertaining to some activities. Children, both male and female, are given a role in the family (Colossians 3:20). Fathers are given a role in the family (Ephesians 6:4). Wives and husbands are given specific roles (Ephesians 5:21-33). Both employers and employees are given specific directions in our culture (Colossians 3:22-4:1).
There are times when both men and women are restricted in their speech and actions (1 Timothy 2:8-15, 1 Corinthians 14:28-34). These restrictions are not related to superiority or inferiority, but as in any institution, someone must be responsible for order and oversight. God’s authority arrangement is:
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God,” 1 Corinthians 11:3.
The roots of this arrangement are not found in the culture of Corinth [is Christ inferior to the Father?]. It is merely God’s way of assigning responsibility, and is not subject to modification by anyone, anywhere.
There is, therefore, no authority for women to be given positions of leadership over men in the church of the Lord. Again, this is not because women have no skills in speaking, organization or leadership, but because God has given that responsibility to men, not to women. The Holy Spirit said it this way:
“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to have authority over a man, but to be in silence,” 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
When the qualifications for serving as an elder or deacon were given in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, it is clear that these roles are to be filled by males. In both passages, one requirement is that these positions are to be filled by one who is “husband of one wife.” The term “husband” is aner, referring to a male. It is obvious that the Holy Spirit placed responsibility for the leadership of the church in men who are willing to lead, to oversee, instruct and feed spiritually, and who are “of one wife the husband.”
But, someone may ask, “Is it fair for God to refuse women the use of their talents for leadership?” I can only answer that no book has ever had a more positive impact on the equality of men and women than the Bible. Some cultures are known to mistreat women both physically and emotionally, and do so categorically and intentionally. But the Bible has been and is a force for liberating women, not mistreating them. God is the epitome of justice, Genesis 18:25. Moses, who was anticipating the application of God’s decree that he would not lead Israel into the land of promise, knew and declared that God is just:
“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are justice: a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is he,” Deuteronomy 32:4.
If anyone could feel justified in denouncing God as lacking in justice, Moses would qualify. But he did not rail against God, rather he praised him for His justice. We would do well to respect God’s sovereignty and authority, refusing to question His ways on the basis of modern thought. We can expect to experience opposition and controversy on this subject. This issue will not go away, nor will the passing of time or the changing of cultural norms modify God’s will and way.
I have no objection to Augusta National Golf Club admitting women to their membership. Politically, that is to be settled in the courts. But God’s authority arrangement is neither political nor subject to the courts of men. It is immutable.
|
|
|
|
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies”
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
|
|
|
|
|
Is Dancing a Work of the Flesh?
Each year there seems to arise the need to give scriptural teaching concerning dancing and its evils. Parents must meet the questions of their young people; young people must have answers for themselves and their friends on the question.
It is very important that we know what the works of the flesh are, as well as “such like”, things that are mentioned in God’s Word. Because, “they that which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” Galatians 5:21. The words “world” and “flesh” are often used in the Bible to mean evil or worldliness, and thus it does in Galatians 5:19-21.
Is dancing a work of the flesh? The list of words that show us the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 are: uncleanness, lasciviousness and revellings. There are other words given, but these apply directly to the subject of dancing.
- Uncleanness is from the Greek word akatharsia, which is defined: “lewdness, impurity of motive, the impurity of lustful, luxurious profligate living.” This word is also found in Romans 1:24; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Ephesians 4:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (Thayer’s Lexicon).
- Lasciviousness is from the Greek word aselgeia, which is defined: “intemperance, lasciviousness, licentiousness, wantonness; indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females” (Thayer’s Lexicon).
- Revellings is from the Greek word komoi, which is defined: “a jovial feast with music and dancing; a carousal, a festive lascivious feasting” (Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon).
We should not need scholars to explain to us that the modern dance is included in the three words defined above. We can see that the “such like” of Galatians 5:21 does include the dance. No Christian, striving to live so as to please his heavenly Father, should participate nor allow those under his care and guidance to be a participant in the modern dance. The Bible condemns it as wrong.
Yet, if there were no such book as the Bible, it seems one should be convinced of the destructive and dangerous nature of the dance simply by studying the reports of sociologists on the evil results of dancing. The fondling and embracing in dancing is proven to do great damage. Certainly no good thought or noble thing has ever come from dancing.
Christians cannot dance and abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), for dancing is evil! Neither can we keep ourselves unspotted from the world and dance, for dancing is worldliness (James 1:27; 1 Peter 2:11). Christians cannot dance and deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, for ungodliness and worldly lusts are found in the dance (Titus 2:11-12).
Dancing belongs to the world. The Christian belongs to Christ. Let us not then jeopardize our own soul’s salvation and the salvation of those we might influence by participating in the modern dance! May God help each of us to so live that Heaven may be our home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
