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Dec. 13, 2004 “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man: she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived, it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.” FROM: Paul’s First Letter to Timothy 2:11-14) As much as Paul may have believed this statement and as much as it was part of his ministry; I would agree with those who find this attitude a bit archaic for modern society. There are, no doubt, many fine women ministers preaching and properly interpreting the Word of God as it was meant to be taught. Women have come to the fore in preaching simply because many men have permitted themselves to ignore the ministry as a career option. The Roman Catholic Church is in a struggle with permitting female priests against centuries of tradition. Every year fewer men take up the call of a celibate, reverent lifestyle in dedication to God, so women have wanted to fill the gaps, so far, without success. This desire to fill the clerical ranks has resulted is some very dark events over the past few years. Scores of cases of sexual molestation, debauchery, child pornography and general sexual immorality have ripped open a curtain that has been hiding criminal activity that shames moral society into silence. The Apostle Paul had to write to the Church at Corinth: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of the kind that does not even occur among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?” (1 Cor. 5:1-2) Sin, especially within the realm of sexual immorality was not to be considered among the body of believers. Paul had written to them before this: “…not to associate with sexually immoral people.” (5:9) “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral.” (5:11) “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you.” (5:12) The Methodist Church holds rules and laws that permit women to hold ministerial positions. In a modern society like America, perhaps we can ignore Paul’s personal preference that a woman “should learn in quietness.” What we cannot ignore and what the Methodist Church has recently enforced is the rule against open homosexual relationships being conducted by those who have the responsibility to maintain moral purity as an example to their congregation. Methodist law “bars self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” from ministry. By a 12-1 decision, Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud was convicted of breaking church law and she was defrocked. This was the third such decision the Methodists have faced. Twice before, lesbian ministers have opened their relationships to public scrutiny. They hoped for acceptance against the clear teachings of scripture and the church laws based in those scriptures. The Episcopal Church of New England found no reason to reject Bishop Gene Robinson; the homosexual who left his family to live in a gay relationship. That event sparked a universal dilemma for the Anglican Church which is now suffering through some serious debate over allowing sin to rule the ministry. The Methodists emplaced rules that each aspiring minister had to accept and abide by. The honorable thing for any minister facing such a personal sexual dilemma to do would have been to step away, reassess their personal relationship with God and then quietly explain their choice to those in authority over them. But I understand why this all has to be opened to public scrutiny. Each one of those cases advances the agenda of sin against the rules of moral authority in a hope for eventual acceptance. It doesn’t seem that anyone cares to keep such personal decisions personal anymore. It is not a crime when an avowed homosexual wishes to enter the ministry. The crime is when any minister ignores that position of trust for personal sexual gratification. When the love for any man or woman distracts any minister from his/her first love; which should be God; only sin can result. Homosexual ministers want it both ways. They wish to represent God, but they wish to represent God in their sin. Paul wrote: “Expel that wicked [one] from among you.” Ms. Stroud believed she had a right and a defense to maintain her gay relationship against church law and the scriptures. The only true defense will be a repentant heart and a turning away from open sin. ------------ About the Author: Michael John McCrae is just a guy with an opinion and a desire to express it. Email: macswordV@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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