Really?
How many other "single exhortations" do you include in that blanket statement?
How about..."Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matt 5:48)
That verse - which you have taken out of context - may only appear once, but we are constantly urged to be holy, 1 Thessalonians 3:3, to be like Christ, be IN Christ and put on Christ. Paul says that the Holy spirit is changing us into Jesus' image and likeness.
Once in One chapter?
Isn't that against your doctrine?
No, there are other examples of women as leaders. Esther was queen, influenced the king and saved the Jews from destruction. The Jews still celebrate this with an annual festival called Purim.
Phoebe was a deacon in the church; other women were apostles and were commended by Paul for their work.
Besides, if it were God's will and command that no woman should be in leadership, they never would have been. Ever.
God selected a woman to be His a judge, but it was God's Spirit in the judge doing the judgements.
I don't doubt that.
God selects women to be preachers but it is his Spirit who gives us gifts, a calling and anointing, and tells us what to say.
I have no problem with women being selected by God to relay His words to "men".
Not all prophesy is of a teaching nature. (1 Cor 14:3)
That means you don't take 1 Timothy 2:12 literally and are calling for women to be silenced.
That's good.
You are confusing "reporting the news" with "teaching men".
I'm not confusing it at all.
I'm trying to understand what people mean when they quote 1 Timothy 2:12 - is this literal and for us today, or not?
Some say 'yes, it's in Scripture and HAS to be obeyed.' If you are of that opinion, then women should be silent and not allowed to teach men anything. Yet there are incidences in Scripture which say otherwise. Mary went to a roomful of men, told them that Jesus was alive and passed on a message from him; the woman at the well went back to her village, told them about Jesus and led them to see him. In the OT, the male priests chose to consult a prophetess when the king needed a word from God; men went to see Deborah when they wanted their disputes resolved; Ruth proposed to Boaz; Esther saved a nation.
If God's will and order is that men lead, teach and be in authority, this would have happened, constantly, throughout Scripture - and Jesus, who came to reveal God to us and teach his will, would have clearly taught it.
You are stating that the Spirit spoke different/contrasting messages from two different men.
No I'm not.
I'm saying that Scripture does not contradict itself - and that it is important to read Scripture in context, understanding what is being said, what kind of writing it is and what the readers/audience would have understood by it.
So if we read a verse that appears to say one thing, is it advice or a command; is it taught elsewhere, is it doctrine, poetry, history etc and is it addressing the culture of the time? Some people say, for example, that Christians aren't supposed to drink, and find verses that teach against drunkeness; others point to the miracle at the wedding at Cana, or Paul's advice to Timothy to drink wine, and say the opposite.
Lots of doctrines/church practice depend on our interpretation of Scripture.
All churches agree on the Gospel - but people can find verses on tongues, leadership, baptism, wearing robes/not wearing robes etc etc, and say "this issue is Scriptural, we have to do it."
Where did Jesus say that women can be in leadership roles?
The point is, where does he say that they can't?
Where did he say "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it - unless you allow women to lead it"?
Or, "if you cannot settle a dispute, tell it to the church - that's a church without female leaders."
When Jesus was showing us God's love and giving us an example of how to love and treat people, where did he exclude women? Quite the opposite; he allowed them to follow him, to learn from him and to speak for, and witness to, him.
You must have at least one NT scripture stating that women can lead the body of Christ in order to make such a statement.
No I don't.
People use computers, laptops, microphones etc in leading worship and teaching God's people - where are the verses of Scripture which say this is allowed?
God is calling women today, just as he always has - this is the testimony of those who are called in this way and a fact; look in some pulpits. The only alternative to their testimonies is that God is confused about his own word, or that the women themselves are liars, deluded or just disobedient. If God did not want Christian women to teach, preach and lead today; they wouldn't be doing so.
"They" say they are called, in spite of what scripture says?
That's just it. You believe that Scripture teaches that this is forbidden; they, and the many men who counsel, pray with and teach them, don't.
"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 Cor 11:3)
Where are the words "so women can never teach men", in that statement?
Where does it say that a female vicar, who is under the authority of a male Bishop, cannot be in that role?
Judges aren't leaders, they are judges.
She was leader over the nation - they had judges before they had kings.
According to some, God will not allow women to lead.
I'll stick with what is written...Including..."This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)" (1 Tim 3:1-5)
Oh good.
Presumably your church will not appoint single, childless men to be Ministers/pastors; or those who drink, lie money, have a temper, cannot control their children, and so on. Presumably if a man is an excellent candidate for such a role but his wife is infertile, he would be turned away. Scripture says a man MUST be able to control his children, right? Scripture says a church leader MUST be patient, right?
Go and sack all those who aren't.
