According to Paul?

6/20/2009

8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 1 Ti 2:8

15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. 1 Ti 2:15

New American Standard Bible

Paul’s theology and instruction had a knack of rubbing people the wrong way (cf. 2 Peter 3.15-16). I can imagine the reception he’d receive today if he told the men of our time, “C’mon guys, lift up your hands and pray in holiness and quit wrangling over politics, business and sports!” I can imagine the reception he’d get if he told the women of our day, “Ladies, stay at home and through your example, raise your children to be lovers of God!” Paul’s theology apparently is out of step with Americanism.

As a man, my role and responsibility is to follow God and pray. I am to pray when I get up and pray when I lie down. I am to pray at work and pray at play; my singular focus is to be on the Kingdom of God and what He is doing in the world – period…according to Paul. My wife is to be the keeper of our home and the teacher of our kids – according to Paul.

The question is am I willing to trust that Paul was accurately representing God as he wrote to this young pastor some two thousand years back – or do I continue to allow my culture and my country to dictate to me and my wife how we are to live? The choice is ours… the consequences are too…

Father in Heaven,

Your design is that Your children everywhere, whether married or single, whether male or female, young or old, rich or poor, focus all of their energy and resources on You and Your Kingdom, and what it is You are accomplishing on this earth. We men are to stay in faith and do the work of prayer and; our women are to continue to weave godliness, faith, love, and sanctity into the fabric of our families and into the lives of our children. Father, may our focus be refocused this day to trust Paul and do what You instructed him to write – give us, in this family, courage to do that I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.