Women Ministers:

Sept. 2003 I recently reviewed your Q & A about Women Minister's. But, what about the scripture in Titus that tell the older women to teach the younger women... It specifically says "teach" My question is about preaching...Are women suppose to be preaching? This is a question that has been left up to interpretation I think. I have grew up in the Pentecostal view that a women is not suppose to preach. Why? I haven't found any convincing evidence to substantiate this..Nothing that directly addresses this issue...I need to study more and ask for the truth.. I need to know the right/true interpretation..I will continue my study and research regarding this issue but need direction. I will also start with your What does the Bible say about.........answer that is posted online, concerning this matter. Thanks.... Terri Terri; Thanks for viewing my web site and taking the time to write. If I understand your question correctly, you are asking about verses 1 Tim. 2:12 in comparison to the verse Titus 2:4. I'll list them both so that we can have a closer look at them: 1 Tim 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, The verse in Titus is not the only verse in the Bible that tells women they are to "teach." We know that women are to teach their children God's word. So, the verse in Timothy must not be a restriction against women teaching altogether. If you look at the whole passage (verses 9-15) you see that Paul is dealing with women's behavior in church, and in relationship to the men. Verse 12 is telling women that they shouldn't have authority over men, that they shouldn't be teaching men. Just to get my point across, let me reword the sentence: 'But I suffer not a woman to teach men, nor have authority over men'. (please keep in mind that I am not changing the Word of God, just trying to show you how I understand that sentence to read.) I see it not as a restriction against women teaching, but a restriction against women teaching men. Paul goes on to tell us in verse 13 and 14 why the women aren't to have authority over men: 1 Tim 2:13-14 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Apparently, there is something in the makeup of women in general that makes us more susceptible to being deceived. Maybe it's the fact that women are more trusting as a rule than men. I'm not sure why, but that is what the Bible says. Additionally, if you look at the passage in Titus that talks about women teaching the younger women (notice that Paul is specific that they teach other women), there is also a verse that tells women to be under the authority of her husband. So again, there is that authority issue. Here is the whole passage: Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. So, I think the issue is not so much the "teaching" as it is the "authority." Preachers, pastors, ministers, or what ever term you call the leader of your church, have authority over the people that are members. God has called them to lead the church. You can't LEAD if you don't have authority. That is why I believe that God is telling us in Timothy that women are not to be the leaders of a church. I hope this answers your question. God Bless you.

Second Coming of Christ:

Aug. 2003 hello~ I have some questions regarding the Bible and i was wondering if you could help me... What does the Bible say about the second coming of Christ? will the belivers be here for the tribulation? will christians be taken before the tribulation happens? what verses do you have to support your answers? where can i find more about this subject? thanks for your time and help. In His love, Liz Dear Liz; Thank you for viewing my web site. Your question is a good one and Biblical scholars have been debating this issue for centuries. There are many fine Christians that will strongly disagree on this issue. But since you asked me, I'll give you the conclusions I've drawn from my study of the Bible (with the understanding that there are others that will disagree with me). There are several sections on this web site that deal with the End Times: ...the End Times ...Signs of ...Rapture ...Tribulation ...Second Coming ...Judgment ...Kingdom If you click on these pages, you will find hundreds of verses dealing with this topic. However, I'll give you a quick outline of events: The Rapture This is not the Second Coming of Christ. The rapture refers to an event where Jesus will bodily remove believers from earth.   The Tribulation This is a seven year period of time where God is pouring out his wrath upon the earth   The Second Coming At the end of the tribulation, Jesus will return to earth and defeat the Anti-Christ and all those that follow him   The Millennium After Jesus returns to earth, He will reign on earth for a thousand years (with all believers).   The Rebellion At the end of 1,000 years, Satan will rise up (with human followers) and rebel against the Lord once again. Jesus will put down this rebellion and Satan will be forever cast into the lake of fire.   The Judgment Everyone that has ever lived will stand before Jesus and be judged. Those that have received forgiveness of their sins through the Blood of Jesus, will spend eternity with the Lord. Those that have rejected the free gift of forgiveness, will spend eternity in the lake of fire with Satan. That is the basic chain of events. Now, for the scriptures to back up my statements. Please keep in mind that this if a VERY brief discussion on a very deep topic. There have been hundreds of books written on this topic, but I just don't have the time or the web space to go into great detail. I hope though, these scriptures will lead you to further reading. The Rapture: At some point in time, Jesus will call all believers out of the earth, and resurrect the bodies of believers that have died. Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 1 Cor 15:51-52 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This is not the Second Coming because Jesus never returns to earth, believers are taken up to be with him. There is disagreement as to when this event will take place, some believe it happens at the end of the tribulation, other's believe that it happens in the middle of the tribulation, but the majority of people believe it happens prior to the tribulation. I fall in this last group. The reason I believe that the rapture will occur prior to the tribulation, is that there are many verses of scripture that talk of God saving those that belong to Him from God's wrath. Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger. Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 1 Th 1:9-10 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 2 Pet 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. The term "rapture" is not found in the Bible. It is just a name given to an event described in the Bible. The Tribulation: There is a period of time that is referred to as the Great Tribulation. This will be a time when God pours out his wrath upon the earth. During this time there will be great destruction both to mankind and to nature itself. One half of the world's population will be destroyed within a seven year period. It is impossible for us to image the destruction that will take place because it will be a time like nothing that has ever happened in the past. Jesus said: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Mat 24:21). When the disciples asked Jesus about this time, he gave them a very brief outline. This is known as the "Olivet Discourse" and can be found in Matthew chapter 24. Later Jesus revealed to John the details of these events, and John recorded them. The bulk of the book of Revelation is a detailed account of the events that John was shown. In the book of Revelation, we are told that this period would last seven years (see ...Tribulation , "Daniel's 70th Week" and look at the verses Rev 11:2-4, 12:6, 13:5). The Second Coming of Christ: We know for sure that Jesus is going to return. When Jesus was taken up into heaven, the angels told the people that were there at the time "why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). And Jesus talked many times of his return: "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Mat 25:13). When Jesus returns he will not come as a meek Lamb, but as a mighty warrior and everyone will see him. Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: We know exactly where his return will take place: Zec 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. Jesus' return will be wonderful for the believers, but dreadful for those that have rejected Him: Rev 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The Millinium: After the return of the Lord, we are told that Jesus will reign here on earth for 1,000 years. Satan will be restrained during this period of time. Rev 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Rev 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The Rebellion: After the millennial reign of Christ, Satan will be loosed for a short while. Satan then deceives many who rise up in rebellion to the Lord. Jesus will put down this rebellion and cast Satan and his followers into the lake of fire where he will remain. Rev 20:7-10 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The Judgment: All those that have lived and rejected Christ (they are referred to as the "dead" in this passage) will stand before the Great White Judgment Throne of Christ. Rev 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. I hope this helps answer some of your questions. As I said earlier, this is a very complicated topic. You asked if there was material available to learn more about this topic. There are lots of books written on this topic, but there is one that lays it all out in an orderly manner. I highly recommend it. It's called "Charting the End Times" by Tim LaHaye. Another author that writes on this subject and is very good is Thomas Ice. Anything written by him I would recommend.