Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
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La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.
First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.
Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.
Manna Minutes en español:
Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:
Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
I Suffer Not a Woman to Teach: The Bible Shows Women Teaching in the Church!
There are prominent preachers and evangelists of both genders who claim understanding of the biblical Scripture of 1 Timothy 2:12 in which the apostle Paul says, "I suffer not a woman to teach." Some even brag that they're not afraid to remind churches of what 1 Timothy 2:12 says, regardless of who gets upset. First, if Christians would get understanding of the apostle's words instead of basing their statements on their own personal opinions, there would be much less getting upset. Let's quickly examine the ludicrous teachings of one prominent preacher who claims to have the knowledge to write a commentary on 1 Timothy 2:12. He says that because there are men who are cowards, God raises up women. And he explains that rather than raise up stones when men are cowards, God prefers to raise up brave women. Nevertheless, women are not to teach. The pastor points out that Deborah was raised up over all of Israel, because the king at that time was a coward in telling the female judge that he would not go into battle unless she went with him. But how does this translate into calling the king a coward? At what point did he say he expected Deborah to protect him in battle?
The same pastor who claims understanding of "I suffer not a woman to teach" then cites Queen Esther whom God used to deliver Israel. But where was the male coward in this story that caused God to use Esther? Remember the bravery of Mordecai who refused to bow to Haman? He was obviously not a coward, yet God used Esther, not him. This shows us God raises up a particular woman, because her service to Him is within His will? Why did God choose Deborah and Esther for such important tasks? We don't know. Why did He chose the men He chose? For the same reason: He does His will with whomever He chooses. And was Huldah the prophetess chosen by God to prophesy, and to be consulted even by men, because there were no brave men? In every age, there have always been brave men...even mighty men such as those who served in David's army (23rd chapter of the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel). There is not one single Scripture that that pastor can use to support his erroneous teaching that God raises up women only when men are cowards. He then attempts to use the Scripture about the stones crying out. He says God sees it is better to raise up brave women rather than resort to raising up stones. He has taken this Scripture out of context. The Bible says if the people didn't praise the Lord Jesus as King, the stones would cry out (St. Luke 19:40). The pastor twists his own opinion into the Scripture. Giving praise and being a coward are two entirely different things. And the stones crying out have absolutely nothing to do with Paul saying, "I suffer not a woman to teach." You can cry out without teaching. And you can teach without crying out.
So, Should Women teach the Bible in Church in Light of 1 Timothy 2:12?
If women are allowed to teach the Bible in church, one of two things is taking place: Either Christians are not being obedient to 1 Timothy 2:12, and we are wrong for not doing so. Or, "I suffer not a woman to teach" has been taken out of context. We cannot be smug and say there's nothing hard to understand about "I suffer not a woman to teach," when we plainly see God using women as teachers within the church today, and within the congregation of believers in Scripture. This truth should cause an intelligent believer in Jesus to look closer at what the apostle meant, knowing that God is not going to use female teachers if He is the One who forbids women from teaching in His house.
Indeed, God is using women as teachers within the church. What's more is that women taught in the temple (church) in New Testament times! Therefore, enough with silly statements such as, "Women can prophesy and preach, but they cannot teach." First, true preaching involves teaching the Word. You cannot do one without the other. But do the Scriptures of both Testaments actually reveal that women spoke and TAUGHT in the church? Yes, they do.
The biblical passage of Colossians 3:16, which is clearly directed to ALL Christians of both genders, plainly says ALL believers are to TEACH one another. Are not women included in ALL believers? There is absolutely no restriction against women teaching other believers within the congregation. Do we so easily forget the Scripture of Galatians 3:28, which reminds us that there is no more male or female in Christ?
Finally, St. Luke 2:36-38 tells of a woman named Hannah who was always in the temple, and who spoke to the people about the baby Jesus. What do you think she was doing when she opened her mouth to speak about the Redeemer? She was teaching, plain and simple. You can't explain about the Redeemer without teaching. We are told that she spoke IN THE TEMPLE to people who were waiting on redemption. Again, we see this in St. Luke 2:36-38.
When Paul says, "I suffer not a woman to teach," obviously he is not speaking in general terms, but rather he is addressing a specific congregation and its problems. How do we know that for sure? We know, because the Bible does not contradict itself. If women are not to teach in the church, we shouldn't see them getting away with teaching in the church in Scripture. It is long overdo for believers to stop teaching and believing what they don't understand about "I suffer not a woman to teach." The pastor mentioned above explains that women can teach if a man gives her permission to do so. How can that be? If women are not to teach, they are not to teach, period. No man can give permission to do what is truly forbidden by God...not and remain in right standing with God. And where do we read that Deborah's husband gave her permission to judge Israel? And what about queen Esther? She didn't even have a husband at the time she was used to deliver Israel. Believers in Jesus, stop believing everything a preacher or pastor tells you, just because he has truly been used by God. There is only one perfect Teacher who is not flawed like even the greatest man of God. That Teacher is Christ. And if you have a Bible, you have direct access to His teachings for yourself.
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Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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