Does Scripture Forbid a Woman From Teaching or Ruling a Church Congregation?

DOES SCRIPTURE FORBID A WOMAN FROM TEACHING OR RULING A CHURCH CONGREGATION?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Before the turn of the 20th Century this question was perhaps not even contemplated among Christian traditions because churches across all denominations were unquestioningly led by men at the time. Today, the ecclesiological topologies have radically changed so that even among orthodox or conservative church traditions such as Anglicans and Presbyterians, women have been ordained as church ministers.

Some Evangelical traditions have approached the issue of female ordination with utmost caution while others have flatly rejected the clamor for reforms to this end. I am aware that the issue of female ordination is quite divisive. I intend to approach my reflection on the above question purely on what I can discern from my study of the Scriptures. This article therefore conveys my personal view on this question.  

BIBLICAL ANALYSIS

Let us begin by examining one of the leading passages of Scripture that perhaps holds the crux of the question. 

1 Timothy 2:12 (NKJV) states  "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence." The NAB translation is similar to the NKJV but concludes with an emphatic "....she must be quiet."  The YLT contextualizes this text to the marriage setting, saying "and a woman I do not suffer [permit] to teach or to rule a husband, but to be in quietness."

My view is that there are two notable grounds that underlie the interpretation of this Scripture text. Either Scripture does not permit women believers to teach or rule church congregations or that married women should not teach or rule a church congregation if their husbands are present with them. Some consider the latter position as a basis for excluding single or widowed women from the restriction.

One cardinal rule of Scripture interpretation is to first examine the context of the Scripture passage before embarking on the interpretation task. Our passage of context lies in 1 Timothy 2:1-15 where Paul was giving the Ephesian believers instructions on appropriate decorum in congregational worship gatherings. A brief survey through this passage would therefore be appropriate.

Paul first emphasizes on the significance of prayer in the Christian community (vv. 1-5). He observes that prayer should be offered for all men generally and specifically for those in authority (v. 2). He then marks out the pivotal position that Christ occupies in God's divine order. Jesus is described as the mediator [High Priest] between man and God. The ultimate purpose of prayer is to connect or reconcile sinful men to a holy God (vv. 5-6). Paul observes that this mediation resonates with his calling as an apostle to the Gentiles (v. 7). Notice the three key offices that Paul occupied as preacher, apostle, and teacher.

One may perhaps consider the opening statement as Paul's justification for the critical instruction that he was about to convey. Some may also construe it as a defense of his apostolic authority that some had doubted or questioned. Both persuasions are valid. 

The mention of two heretics in the preceding passage of 1 Tim. 1:19-20 is perhaps significant to the passage context. It appears that Hymenaeus and Alexander taught that the resurrection of believers had already taken place (cf. 2 Timothy 2:17). Alexander [if he was the same teacher mentioned in both texts of Scripture] had resisted Paul's ministry on another occasion (2 Timothy 4:14). Both heretics were excommunicated by Paul.

1 Timothy 2:12 therefore lies at the heart of Paul's emphasis on sound doctrine in a Christian congregational gathering. This can perhaps be understood as the apostolic setting for what he was about to convey. 

Now back to our passage of context.

The next section of the Scripture passage provides specific guidelines on worship in the New Testament church (1 Timothy 2:8-12). This is consistent with Paul's various instructions on the appointment of church leaders which he later outlines in greater detail (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

By raising holy hands, men are to worship God with purity of hearts and in faith (1 Timothy 2:9). The word "everywhere" suggests that all congregations in Ephesus or all churches in Paul's apostolic see were contemplated in this context. If we consider that this context applied to all New Testament churches, Paul's instructions would hinge on the universality of the application of the teachings of this passage.

The next address is directed to Christian women. This teaching concludes the passage (1 Timothy 2:9-12). Women are instructed on modest or seemly dressing (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The negations are spelt out in detail. Some scholars say that temple prostitutes dedicated to the worship of goddess Diana (Greek: Artemis) in Ephesus dressed expensively to attract men and there was fear that Christian women would be sending confusing signals to men if they adopted the pattern.

This "dress-code" instruction has been cited by some as evidence of the local application context of the teaching given its cultural import. 

The second instruction to women is perhaps the most controversial of all Paul's teachings in the passage. 1 Timothy 2:11-13 says: 

"Let a woman learn in silence with all submersion. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self control." (NKJV).  

Paul exhorts that the believing woman should learn in silence or quietness and with all subjection or obedience. The Greek word ἡσυχία [hesychios] for "silence" or "quietness" in v.12 describes a state of stillness, quiet or tranquility. No distinction is drawn on the marital status of the woman at this point. However, a cross reference to the Corinthian instructions suggests that married women were contemplated in both contexts (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35).

The next verse carries the famous prohibition. It appears to forbid Christian women from teaching or ruling the congregation. It is instructive that the Greek word γυνή [goo-nay] for "woman" can also refer to "wife".  Instead, apostle Paul teaches that women should be in quietness. Some have attempted to water down the theological implications of this text by arguing that only Christian husbands were contemplated by Paul. They insist that not all male believers were the subject of the exhortation in this context. My view is that it perhaps matters little whether we translate the ancient Greek male noun ἀνήρ [aner] as "man" or "husband". The Greek word ἄνθρωπος [anthropos] can also refer to a person or mankind in general. The context of Paul's exhortation suggests that male believers were in contemplation in either case. I am therefore hesitant to resort to splitting hairs in this context!

The second passage that speaks into this theological question is 1 Timothy 3:1-7: 

"This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not [d]covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (NKJV). 

This passage should be consolidated and read together with the preceding passage of 1 Timothy 2:8-14 which we earlier examined. The two texts are inextricably intertwined in theological essence. Under the former passage, Paul was building his theological thesis on leadership structure and authority in the church. In the latter case, he provides explicit instructions on the constitution of two critical church offices - bishop, elder or overseer. The qualifications for the office of deacon are spelt out in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. In both cases, Scripture reveals that these offices are reserved for spiritually mature married Christian men. Women are therefore excluded from the nomination lists for these two church leadership positions. 

Some Pauline critics have argued that these instructions were informed by Paul's personal prejudice against women! Others claim that this passage is descriptive rather than prescriptive and is skewed in favor of male leadership in a primitive society in which women were subjugated by a patriarchal culture. They insist that where women leadership is recognized, the contemporary Christian society should be at liberty to prescribe qualifications for women leadership in line with the above passage. Terran Williams, a leading Christian feminism advocate argues thus:

"It is possible for discoveries and advances in society to challenge a long-held interpretation of Scripture…As the industrial revolution and the first waves of what would become the Woman’s Liberation Movement swept through the West, for the first time ever women were given a chance to show their comparable intelligence and capacity to men. Instead of seeing this as a threat, this is in fact an opportunity for us to revisit Scripture itself with the question: what have we been missing all along" [1]

Tom Sculthorpe in his critical review of Terran Williams' writing notably identifies what he describes as the deep eisegesis that informs Williams' authorship of the liberal works. He marks out Williams' use of women liberation literature as the cultural lense through which he interprets Scripture in a manner that contradicts the text. [2]. Scripture however should be construed in its holistic divine essence as God's voice to His covenant people in all ages of human civilization. Scripture writers were simply vessels at God's disposal. The text of Scripture is an inspired piece of literature that should be revered by Christian communities in all ages. 

The use of the Greek male singular pronoun αὐτός for "he" in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 is unmistakable. This rules out any doubts on the intended gender of the candidates for the church offices. This does not however suggest or imply that Scripture places any doubts on the intelligence and leadership capacity of Christian women. It simply prescribes God's divine order for the church. Thomas Schreiner succinctly opines that "the ministries women do become involved in...should be complimentary and supportive of the male leadership of the church." [3]. 

LOCAL VERSUS UNIVERSAL APPLICATION OF THE RULES

The above Scripture passages raise a number of fundamental questions. Did Paul intend a local or universal application for his teaching? Were Paul's instructions exclusively intended for the Ephesian, Corinthian, and Cretan believers in their respective contexts? Is the local application context consistent with the holistic teaching of Scripture? 

Local application proponents insist that the issues addressed by Paul were specific to the respective Christian communities within their first century cultural contexts. They argue that Paul was simply dealing with "disorder" problems in Corinth and Ephesus and did not intend that the restrictions on women should apply to all churches in all ages. They further argue that the Ephesus problem was similar in a number of respects to the "disorder" in Corinth. They are however unable to explain the genesis of Paul's exclusion of women in church leadership in Titus 1:6-7 since no theological or cultural context was supplied by Paul in this case. 

The universal application proponents hold that the instructions of Scripture are of universal and timeless application and should not be dismissed at the altar of cultural exigency. They argue that Paul's apostolic pronouncements relating to the three churches are theologically prescriptive and should inform the constitution of church leadership and governance structures in all ages since Calvary. They consider the statement in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 as evidence of the universal validity of the instructions. This text says, "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church." (NKJV). 

Some conservative Christian traditions have taken this text as evidence of the exclusion of married women from speaking in a church congregation. Others consider the silence prohibition to be of local application since it contradicts 1 Corinthians 11:5 which contemplates that women can pray and prophesy in the plenary gathering of a Christian community. Besides, the administration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 14 does not contemplate gender distinctions. 

Denny Burk observes a notable contradiction on the universal application of the silence prohibition. He opines:

For starters, it would create a hopeless contradiction with what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:5, which indicates that women were “praying and prophesying” in the church. Paul doesn’t rebuke their praying and prophesying in church. On the contrary, he gives them instructions on how to do it in the right way—in a way that allows them to speak but that at the same time honors male headship. [4]

Burk acknowledges the universal implications of the prophecy in the Book of Joel which is quoted in Acts 2:17. Besides, an absolute prohibition in 1 Corinthians 14:34 would openly contradict 1 Corinthians 11, 12, and 14. 

Richard B. Hays observes that a theological contradiction would stand out between 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 if the silence prohibition is elevated to a universal caveat. He notes: 

With respect to the issue of women’s public leadership, there are good theological reasons to insist that we should be guided by Paul’s vision of Christian worship in which the gifts of the Spirit are given to all members of the church, men and women alike, for the building up of the community. The few New Testament texts that seek to silence women (such as 1 Cor. 14:34–35, and 1 Tim. 2:11–15) should not be allowed to override this vision. [5]

Denny Burk observes that Hays' egalitarian approach violates the inspiration of the two texts since it implies that the reader should choose which between the two texts rightly conveys the mind of God in this context. Hays' observation nevertheless brings to the fore the open contradiction that would arise from the implications of a literal treatment of the "absolute prohibition" on the silence of women in the church. God cannot assign spiritual gifts to women and silence them at the same time! 

D. A. Carson in advocating against a woman teaching in the church argues that Paul's instruction on the silence of women implies that while women may prophecy, they may not participate in the judgment of prophecies. [6]. Carson's argument is however informed by the Complementarian view - that women should exercise the gift of prophecy with utmost care lest they contradict male authority in the church. It is intended to assert the male headship principle in the strictest sense. 

It is difficult to comprehend how this violation would arise given that unlike the New Testament church situation, the sealed cannon of Scripture became available to the church following its canonization by the Council of Carthage in 397 AD. Besides, Evangelical traditions generally agree that prophetic foretelling was effectively closed and the congregational exhortation, admonition, and edification of God's people through the word of God constitutes prophetic forth-telling  - speaking the truth of God for the present moments rather than predicting future events. The preacher therefore reveals the mind of God to his hearers in each particular context based on the revelation and authority of Scripture. Scripture cautions that believers are to judge every preaching or teaching in line with the Berea principle. 

My view is that this noble task falls on all believers without gender distinctions. 

The text of Scripture therefore remains the exclusive tool for the objective evaluation of the faithfulness of any teaching in the church. Having dispensed with the theological implications of the "silence" prohibition, we shall now examine Paul's arguments on God's divine order for leadership in the church.

How should we interpret the leadership command in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 when read together with 1 Timothy 2:8-14 and 1 Corinthians 11:1-16? 

This is a critical question that seeks to address the theological foundation of Christian governance and ministry service rolled together. There are three theological implications that naturally arise from the study of the above texts. 

First, Paul appeals to the law in 1 Corinthians 14:34. Which law is this? Some scholars have suggested that Paul was making reference to the Jewish law in general to provide a precedent or justification for its application within the cultural context. Others tie Paul's instruction to the Roman law under which women had limited public roles. They argue that Paul sought to align the church to existing social customs in order to preserve order. 

Should this legal precedence apply to every generation and culture through the church ages? 

Some scholars suggest that the instructions conveyed were intended to bind the Ephesian Christian community. The fact that the man is head over the woman in the same manner that Christ is head over the church is therefore an established tradition with a divine footing in Scripture (1 Corinthians 11:3). Most Christian traditions agree that the teaching on head coverings conveyed in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 lies within the local application context. Some traditions have attempted to enforce it with little success given the contemporary cultural dynamics on liberal dressing.  

Secondly, Paul's reference to the creation order in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 is replicated in the Ephesian context. Notice that Paul appeals to the order of creation in the concluding section of our passage of context. 1 Timothy 2:13 says in part: "...For Adam was formed then Eve..." 

Does Paul's reference to the creation order suggest that the restriction in 1 Timothy 2:12 is of universal application? We should keep this question in mind as we delve through the relevant texts. 

Paul goes a step further to appeal to the order of the fall of man saying "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in transgression" (1 Timothy 2:14, NKJV). Some consider this analogy as a second blow to the local application context on male headship. They insist that the ramifications of the fall of Adam and Eve are universal in scope and cannot be limited to the Ephesian, Cretan or Corinthian Christian community contexts. 

Thirdly, Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 11:16 suggests that his instructions were intended for universal application. He argues that it was a universal custom in all churches that women are to be subject to male authority. The teaching on covering the head was simply a confirmation of God's order of rule. It is further evident in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 that women were not eligible for appointment to the offices of elder and deacon. This is also amplified in Titus 1:6-9, a text originally intended for the Christian community in the Island of Crete.

It is instructive that the three Epistles conveying the above apostolic instructions were written to distinct first century ethnic societies in different geographical and cultural dynamics. While some may consider the Corinthian case to mirror on a "local-incident" context in view of Paul's response to the Corinthian conflict, the Cretan and Ephesian contexts are not informed by any known conflict cases that warranted apostolic intervention. Their cultural setups cannot therefore be conflated. 

Besides, the three societies were geographically separated by hundreds of miles! The distance between Corinth and Ephesus is estimated at 478km while Crete to Ephesus covers about 730km. The Island of Crete is approximately 468km from the port city of Corinth. 

The city of Ephesus was located in Asia Minor in present day Turkey while Crete is an Island on the Mediterranean Sea that retains its name. The city of Corinth was located in southern Greece in the region of Achaia. It is difficult to conclude that the three societies were culturally synonymous in the first century A.D.  

It is undeniable that the cultural topologies in contemporary African Christianity are heavily influenced by Western libertarian philosophies. Some orthodox church traditions have been compelled to revise their liturgy and practices to conform to modern cultural exigencies. Others continue to face sustained onslaught and are on the verge of collapse. 

What should inform our Christian traditions and practice? 

My view is that the word of God in the sealed cannon of Scripture should be the sole instrument for addressing church leadership and governance issues. 

CONCLUSION

Back to our question...

Does the Bible forbid women from teaching and ruling a church congregation? This concluding section conveys my personal reflection drawn from my study of the relevant passages of Scripture. I wish to break down my response to this question as follows:

1) Should women rule or preside over a church congregation?

My view is that a church congregation ought to be ruled by spiritually mature male believers as proclaimed in Scripture. Novices or recent converts are not permitted to exercise spiritual authority in the church (1 Timothy 3:6).  However, if peradventure no mature male believers are available, or those present are unwilling to lead, my view is that mature Christian women with leadership skills may hold brief until the incapacity is rectified. They should disciple men and equip them to lead. I can distill this principle from Acts 18:24-28 where Apollos was mentored by a faithful Christian couple called Priscilla and Aquila. Some scholars consider the prominence of Priscilla to have been asserted by Luke, given the order of names in some Bible translations. 

This approach can perhaps be labelled as the Deborah principle because Deborah, the only female judge and prophetess, was compelled to step into battle when Barak was reluctant to lead Israel to battle without Deborah accompanying him (Judges 4:8-9). The pair sung a beautiful doxology recorded in Judges 5 in celebration of their teamwork. Barak is however mentioned in the hall of heroes in Hebrews 11.

2) Should women speak or preach in a church congregation?

My view is that since women can proclaim the mind of Christ in the same way that men can, nothing in Scripture forbids a woman from speaking or preaching in a church congregation or exercising her spiritual gifts provided that she does not rule the congregation (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). This interpretation has been accepted by some Evangelical traditions as a compromise position under which women can serve as pastors in churches without violating 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9 and other relevant passages of Scripture that exclude women from serving as elders or overseers. 

Other traditions identify Matthew 28:19-20 as a composite command for all believers irrespective of gender. Still others consider Mary Magdalene's encounter with the Risen Christ at the tomb as evidence that women are empowered to proclaim the gospel unhindered (John 20:11-18).  

I am persuaded that gifted women should be permitted to serve in the church provided that they submit to male oversight authority in accordance with Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-7). Their pastoral ordination or licensing certificates should, in my view, contain a submission clause conveying this caveat. In this way, female pastors will faithfully serve Christ without violating Scripture. I am aware that sections of conservative Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions will sharply disagree with this view.

3) Should women be ordained as overseers or bishops of a church congregation or communion?

While each denomination or tradition has its set of regulations by which they run their churches, my view is that it is unbiblical to install a woman as bishop or principal overseer of a Christian congregation or communion. This would violate several texts and passages of Scripture (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:23; 1 Timothy 2:12-14: Titus 1:6-9). My view is that it is difficult to relegate express commands of Scripture to obscurity and silence under the quest of gender inclusivity. Again, I am aware that some Christian traditions would sharply disagree with this view. 

4) Can a woman serve as a church elder or Bishop?

Scripture expressly disqualifies a Christian woman from serving as a church elder (Titus 1:6-7; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). Christian women, whether single or married, are therefore not eligible to serve in that capacity. Some churches consider the wives of elders as deacons because they minister to elders. This discretion however appears to violate the restrictions outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

In conclusion, my view is that Christian women can and should prophecy, speak, preach, and witness for Christ in the church space. They should participate in worship and church activities with the exception that they cannot rule the church congregation. They can speak the mind of God in the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the same manner that men should. They cannot however preside over or rule a church congregation in the capacity of church elders, bishops, or overseers because this would expressly violate Scripture. 

This summarizes my theological view on this question. 

Shalom

REFERENCES

[1] Terran Williams, How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy, (Cape Town, South Africa, The Spiritual Bakery, 2022).  

[2] Tom Sculthorpe, "Book Review on Terran Williams, How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy" in Eikon: A Journal for Biblical Anthropology, in The Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, https://cbmw.org/journal/book-review-terran-williams-how-god-sees-women-the-end-of-patriarchy/

[3] Thomas Schreiner, "The Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership," in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006), 222.

[4] Denny Burk, "Must Women Be Silent in Churches? (1 Corinthians 14:34)" in 9marks.org, https://www.9marks.org/article/must-women-be-silent-in-churches/ accessed 10 September 2025 at 1025 GMT. 

[5] Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, Interpretation (Louisville, KY: John Knox, 1997), 249.

[6] D. A Carson, “‘Silent in the Churches’: On the Role of Women in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1991), 140–53.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

What Does It Mean That The Wicked Shall Not Inhabit The Earth?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT THE WICKED SHALL NOT INHABIT THE EARTH? (Proverbs 10:30)

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Before I respond to this question, allow me to say that whenever we study wisdom literature in the Bible, we should be careful to acknowledge and integrate the wider body of present truth that is taught in the New Testament Scripture.

The Book of Proverbs contains a consolidation of teachings attributed that are largely attributed to King Solomon and a few other writers.

Solomon is also credited with the authorship of the Book of Ecclesiastes (see Eccl. 1:1). Bible scholars say this book reveals that Solomon returned to the LORD later in his sunset years and this explains his regret on the avarice and wasteful living that defined his youth as a young monarch.

The second issue to appreciate in the study of wisdom literature is the influence of Hebrew thought and worldview in the writing of these wisdom books. Hebrew theology is founded on divine justice in which God punishes the wicked and upholds the righteous.

Psalm 37:28-29 says "For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever."

In Hebrew thought, human longevity is evidence of godly living. Psalm 2:22 says "But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it."

Job, a faithful man who feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:8) lived 140 years in all and saw his children and grandchildren upto four generations (Job 42:16-17). This is an endorsement of his godly life.

Looking at Israel's monarchy, we notice that evil kings had short reigns. Faithful kings ruled longer and Scripture bears tribute to their faithfulness.

INTERPRETATION

Proverbs 10:30 says "The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth."

Does this imply that godly people cannot leave this world?

The Jehovah's Witnesses, which is one of the largest Christian cults, think so! They take a literal interpretation of this Scripture to teach that the righteous will inherit the earth. We shall reserve their heresy for a separate treatment.

Now back to our issue of context...

It is instructive that the Scripture of Proverbs 10:30 is part of a series of words of wisdom attributed to king Solomon (see Proverbs 10:1).

The passage of Proverbs 10 draws a contrast between the wicked and the righteous. The writer employs figures of speech including metaphors in an effort to demonstrate that God hates evil or wickedness and that the fate of the wicked is sealed by God.

On the flipside, the righteous or godly people are blessed and preserved by God. Notice the Hebrew parallelism in several verses in this chapter.

Proverbs 10:2-5 celebrates the wisdom of the diligent man even as it scorns at the foolish and the wicked.

Having examined the principles that underpin the interpretation of wisdom literature, we can conclude that Proverbs 10:30 teaches that God preserves the righteous on earth and prolongs their years as part of His blessings for their faithfulness.

The wicked are not so lucky. They live under God's condemnation and their lives are often cut short by God as evidence of His displeasure with them.

This does not however suggest that those who die at a young age are necessarily wicked or are under God's judgement.

We learn from our study of Genesis 4 that Abel died young yet he was more righteous than his brother Cain who killed him. He was possibly not married. Cain's generation was finally destroyed by the flood of Noah, leaving the lineage of Seth as the source of succeeding human civilizations.

This story teaches us that God may sovereignly determine to take away godly people for His divine purposes.


Here is why...

God snatched away Enoch, a righteous man, to heaven because he, by his godly living, pleased God. Genesis 5:21-24 says that Enoch walked with God for 300 years after he begot sons and daughters and finally God took him.

Looking at the general longevity in his day, Enoch lived the shortest at 365 years yet his father Jared lived 962 years. Enoch's son Methuselah lived for 969 years, the longest span of human life in Biblical history.

This implies that God cut short the life of Enoch on earth and took him to heaven where we believe his soul dwells. Some say that God sought a closer fellowship with Enoch in heaven!

There was nothing unpleasant in the life of Enoch that could have justified his early departure from the earth. It was all about God's divine wisdom and the exercise of His sovereign grace.

Elsewhere in the Old Testament Scripture, we learn that the righteous may die young but God will preserve their souls. God has a special place for His faithful people. Even in their death, the righteous are treasured by God. Psalm116:15 says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE

In the New Testament Scripture, we notice that the idea of human longevity may not necessarily be tied to wickedness or evil in all cases. There are several cases where godly people die. Lazarus, a righteous saint, died ahead of the wicked rich man who neglected him (Luke 16:19-31).

Jesus, who came to Earth as God incarnate and who was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), lived a short life on Earth before He was crucified for our sins. He served God's will on earth and accomplished His divine mission.

We also learn that some of the apostles of Jesus were killed by Herod and other Roman authorities for preaching the word of God (Acts 12:1-2).

Earlier in Acts 6-7, Stephen was martyred for proclaiming the gospel under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He was definitely not full of age!

Before his martyrdom, Stephen saw heaven opened and the Risen Christ standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55-56).

This was evidence that Jesus had divinely permitted his martyrdom for His glory and that Stephen's soul was received into the glorious presence of Jesus Christ in heaven (Acts 7:59-60).

We can see that God can and does permit some believers to suffer death for the gospel. This may sound scary to some but we must remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25 which says "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

In some predominantly Muslim Arab countries, Christians are routinely tortured and imprisoned while some are killed for proclaiming Christ. Their shortened lives cannot be attributed to ungodliness or evil. The death of these saints serves a higher purpose that agrees with God's sovereign will. Tertullian, an Early Church theologian wrote "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." How true!

It is therefore upon every person living on earth to make peace with God while the window of God's grace remains open. We do not know about tomorrow. Only God knows the beginning from the end. Christ is Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8).

If faithful Christians die young, we should celebrate their faith and consider that they had concluded their mission on Earth and that God had permitted their departure.

Paul proclaims in Philippians 1:21-24 "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you."



Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Do Some Dreams Come From Satan?

CAN DREAMS COME FROM THE DEVIL?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

My view is that God does not ordinarily permit Satan to send evil dreams to His covenant people and even if by any chance that truly happened, then God has some purpose to fulfill. We need to appreciate that God always seeks our good, even in unpleasant circumstances.

Yes Satan always seeks to influence our minds using lies and deception. He is the Father of lies (John 8:44) and always attempts to mislead us into disobedience. He used false imagination to lead the woman into disobedience (Genesis 3:1-6).

He also tempted Jesus but failed (Matthew 4:1-11).

However, I believe that Satan has no access to our dreams and visions as children of God unless God specifically permits it.

The Bible exhorts in Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

I believe that the Holy Spirit who dwells in us protects us from satanic mental influence and that since we are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), no satanic powers can operate in our minds.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

If for any reason a believer experiences any disturbing dreams, they should get into prayer and intercede. God is faithful to intervene and give us good sleep.

Proverbs 3:24-26 says "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught."

BIBLICAL FACTS ON GODLY DREAMS

If we look at the dreams and visions that God gave to His servants, we can see the following common features:

1) They were meant to serve God's divine purposes only. They were not meant to serve the interests of the prophet.

Joseph's dreams in Egypt were meant to safeguard the lives of people in Egypt, including members of his immediate family (Genesis 41-42).

2) God used them to reveal the future events affecting God's people, including the immediate and distant future ( cf. Daniel 9-12).

3) These dreams and visions all came true. Dreams from God unfold with divine precision.

False dreams never materialized. The prophecy by Hananiah in Jeremiah 28 was false. Jeremiah rebuked him and later God revealed through Jeremiah that Hananiah would die for misleading God's people.



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

How can we tell if a Vision is from God

BQ NO 88 - HOW CAN WE TELL IF A DREAM OR VISION IS FROM GOD?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

How can we tell or determine if a dream is truly from God?

In a world where self declared prophets claim that God directly spoke to them concerning all manner of things in visions and dreams, many are left in confusion regarding the validity of such dreams or visions. Many well meaning Christians have lost their money to conmen who purport to speak the mind of God yet they are self seekers who are out to enrich themselves in the name of God.

Does God use dreams and visions to reveal important information concerning the church today? Should we expect God to constantly employ dreams and visions to reveal His mind to believers?

Whereas I do not wish to doubt or limit the power of God in revealing His mind by whatever means at His disposal, I must admit that I seek to be guided by the truths of Scripture and nothing more.

Yes, God regularly does speak to us, His elect in Christ, and to the world at large.

How does He speak to us?

Evangelical tradition holds that the teaching of Hebrews 1:1-2 is the conclusive evidence that God spoke to us through the prophets in the past but NOW, in the Dispensation of Grace, His voice is exclusively heard through His Son whose message is recorded in the Bible.

The authority of Scripture in revealing the full and final counsel of God is the cornerstone of Evangelical theology.

Evangelical Christianity therefore firmly holds that God cannot speak to His people by any other means than by what is written in the biblical Scriptures (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Finally, Evangelical theology proclaims that the Holy Spirit affirms the truths of the word of God and will by no means add to or reduce from the canon of Scripture.

Sections of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movements on the other hand claim that God speaks to the Church through the word of God and by the Holy Spirit and that new revelation can be given by God from time to time IN ADDITION to what is taught in the Scriptures.

This claim fails the test of Scripture. My conviction is that we cannot add to or subtract from what is sealed in the 66 Books of the Bible. The Bible forbids it (Rev 22:18-19).

The Bible further teaches in 1 John 4:1-2  that we should test every spirit or prophecy to determine if they are from God.  It further warns that many false prophets have gone out into the world. Their mission is to deceive many and to attempt to dissuade the people of God from the path of truth.

1 John 4:2-6 describes the doctrinal basis for validating prophetic truth in that it should be consistent with the revelation of God in Christ which is recorded in the Bible.

How then can we tell if a prophecy, dream or vision is not from God?

The first sign of false prophecy which is common with trinitarian cults is the denial of the incarnate coming of Christ and His humanity (1 John 4:2-3). Many false teachers misrepresent the fundamental truths of the word of God. They deny the divinity of Jesus and the efficacy of His finished works of the cross.

Secondly, false teachers and their followers do not obey the message of the gospel. They often follow doctrines and teachings of their founders which are often held to be equal to or above the authority of the word of God.

This is the obedience test. False teachers are often rebellious and obstinate in upholding and teaching error and in rejecting legitimate biblical correction! (1 John 4:5-6).

Many Christian cults are identified with this kind of cultic rebellion.

CONCLUSION

In the light of the forgoing, I wish to return to the question: How do we tell if a dream, vision or prophecy is from God?

If someone claims that God spoke to them through a dream or vision, the first thing to do is to confirm if the vision is consistent with the truths Scripture. This is the Berea test.

We need to examine the vision against what is expressly taught or implied in the word of God. Where the dream and its objects is materially inconsistent with or contradicts established truth, it should be rejected forthwith

Secondly, we need to test the moral character of the claimant or vision bearer.

If a person claiming the vision does not walk in a manner that is consistent with the moral principles of the word of God, we should reject their prophetic utterances. They are possibly self seekers who are targeting our wallets!

Finally, we should establish if the vision glorifies God. If the dream is intended to draw the attention of men to the preacher or prophet rather than to God, then the vision is decidedly false! The claimant is possibly a fortune seeker!

Notice that the angel who spoke to John in Rev 22 disclaimed any glory for the revelation. He was merely an agent of God. He warned John never to bow and worship him because God alone is worthy of worship.

Rev 22:9 says "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant and your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

Here is my closing statement:

True followers of Jesus should worship no other but God and through no other but Christ and by the leading of no other but the Holy Spirit and submit to the knowledge of His eternal word in the Bible.


©Ezekiel Kimosop 2018

Not All Things are Beneficial

NOT ALL THINGS ARE BENEFICIAL OR EXPEDIENT FOR BELIEVERS

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Is it permissible for a believer to indulge in alcoholic beverages or gambling? I have repeatedly come across this question on Facebook.

We have also extensively discussed on this forum in the past about dangers of addictive substances and ungodly practices.

Gambling is definitely not listed in the Bible as sin. However we can discern from our study of Scripture that its practice is ungodly. Those who choose to indulge in the practice are inviting Mammon, the god of money, to rule them. God expects us to earn our living from the work of our hands (cf. 1 Thess. 4:9-12). Someone said that the only place where success comes before work is in the English dictionary. How true!

My view is that gambling is decidedly evil. Every child of God should keep away from this addictive habits!

Now turning to alcohol and narcotics...

My view is that the consumption of any addiction substances is ungodly. They ultimately destroy our bodies which God gifted us and which are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:12-20).

I would classify alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics in the same range.

I know someone will quickly cite several passages of Scripture to defend alcoholic consumption but that would amount to sheer proof texting rather than a faithful interpretation of Scripture. The illustrations of drunken people in the Bible are nothing to be proud about.

Noah drunk wine and in his drunken stupor he was unaware that he was naked! This is utterly shameful!

Elsewhere in Scripture, the daughters of Lot used strong wine to get their father into a drunken state and we all know what followed thereafter (Genesis 19).

The Bible condemns the brewer of wine because of the consequence of the business. It is a cursed trade. This condemnation extends to all ungodly businesses including sports companies that are daily luring young people into gambling addiction.

CONCLUSION

There are several practices we can observe from Scripture which should be avoided by believers.

For instance, the practice of polygamy is identified with some key biblical characters including Lamech, David and Solomon. Does this justify its practice? Of course not! God's idea of marriage is one man and one woman. Period. (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:6).

The Bible admonishes us to judge all things and to cling to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21). Paul taught that not all things are beneficial for our spiritual well-being. He chides "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food but God will destroy both" (1 Cor. 6:13).

Any substance or practice that results in addiction is therefore evil. It does not matter how appealing it is.

Think again...


Shalom





© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Does the Bible forbid Christians from Eating Pork?

DOES THE BIBLE FORBID CHRISTIANS FROM EATING PORK?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The Old Testament Scriptures contain several dietary regulations which God prescribed for His covenant people.

Under Levitical law, the Jews were forbidden from, among other things, eating pork or unclean animals. They were also required to abstain from consuming animal blood.

In the New Testament Scripture, these regulations are not replicated by Jesus or by any of the New Testament writers. I find no foundation for establishing a Christian doctrine on dietary regulations.

The Jewish believers however continued to observe the ritual dietary laws. One of the resolutions of the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 touched on the demand by the Jerusalem Church that Gentile believers should abstain from food offered to idols and from blood.

Acts 15:19-20 says "Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood."

Notice that no mention was made of pork or unclean animals in this resolution.

Elsewhere in the New Testament, the Bible proclaims the liberty of the believer in that we are no longer bound by Jewish ritual laws.

Gentile believers cannot however ignore the significance of Jewish moral law in our Christian faith and practice.

Colossians 2:16-23 says "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (NKJV). 

CONCLUSION

My view is that nothing in the New Testament Scriptures forbids believers from eating or trading in pork. No dietary restrictions apply to Christians the world over in so far as the item is not harmful to human health.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be preserved and nourished to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 6:12-14 says "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them.

Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power." (NKJV). 



Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Redeemed by Grace: Lessons from the Study of Romans 5

THE POWER OF CHRIST'S ATONEMENT: LESSONS FROM THE STUDY OF ROMANS 5:6-11

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Today we study the passage of Romans 5:6-11 where Paul continues His portrayal of the efficacy of the finished works of the cross which Christ accomplished by His atoning death at Calvary.

It is my hope that we shall be blessed together. Here we go...

BIBLICAL ANALYSIS

Romans 5:6-11 says:

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." (NKJV)

This passage is drawn from a section of Paul's Letter to the Romans where the Apostle articulates the redemption works of Christ by which God graciously saved sinful men.

GOD'S IMMEASURABLE GRACE IN CHRIST

Romans 5:6 says "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

Without God's unmerited grace, we would forever have been lost in sinful disobedience.

By the grace of God, and at God's appointed time, Christ was revealed to us, coming in the form of man by means of His incarnate birth and dying on the cross for us (cf. Philippians 2:1-8).

In Hebrew thought, the ungodly do not deserve God's mercy. Only the righteous do. Psalm 1:6 says "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish."

It was unfathomable in Hebrew theology that God would overlook the wicked. His punishment was just.

Moving on to the next two verses, we discover the mystery in God's amazing grace.

Romans 5:7-8 says "For  scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

In these two verses, Paul reveals that God's act of mercy towards sinful man defeats human logic. It was an incomprehensible act of divine intervention.

It was inconceivable that God would act the way He did. He took humanity by great surprise and by this God demonstrated His infinite mercy and grace.

He chose to reach out to us in Christ, undeserving as we were. This should be a reason for our deep gratitude to God.

JUSTIFICATION BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

Romans 5:9-10 says "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

What does it mean to be justified by the blood of Jesus Christ?

Biblical justification is the act of God declaring the guilty innocent by virtue of the penalty or ransom that Christ paid for us by His sinless blood.

This does not imply or suggest that we were innocent or sinless or that we did not deserve to die! The justification was purely an act of grace by God. We did absolutely nothing to deserve it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith and that salvation is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.

Our reconciliation with God has a historical foundation. Following Adam's transgression, man was spiritually separated from God. We all lost our fellowship with Him and suffered spiritual death in our disobedience in line with God's decree.

This is what theological scholars describe as federal headship theology under which the paternity of Adam in his transgression was cascaded into the entire human race. We were all declared guilty in Adam.

This is the reason that Scripture proclaims in Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

Again Scripture teaches in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 " But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

Here is where it all began...

Genesis 2:16-17 says "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

When Adam disobeyed God, he and his offspring died spiritually. They lost their fellowship with God and were eternally separated from God until Christ.

When Christ died on the cross, He alone appeased the wrath of God and paid the ransom demanded by God for our forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

Those who have come to Christ have escaped God's condemnation in Adam.

Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

CONCLUSION

We learn from our passage of Romans 5:6-11 that any man who is in Christ Jesus is free from sinful condemnation now and in the ages to come.

When God pours His wrath on the wicked in Revelation 16, He will preserve the righteous who have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Most Bible scholars agree that during the futuristic incident described in Revelation 16, the church will have been snatched away by Jesus Christ.

The redeemed of God in Christ will therefore no longer be open to condemnation but will be part of the great gathering of saints who will sing praises before the throne of God in heaven (see Rev. 7:9, 19:1-6).

Will you be part of this great congregation of saints?

Turn to Jesus now for He alone is the Way the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

If you are already in Christ, guard your garments lest they be stained by the enemy!

Jesus proclaims in Revelation 16:15: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."


Shalom



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020