Part 1
"Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty." (1 Tim 2:11-15)
According to Paul a wamna has to have a child to be saved. You may think I’m joking, but there is a serious point here. Paul is clearly defining a separate path of salvation for men and for women.
The bulk of scripture is about how men are saved. Paul to the gaoler – a man. Jesus to Nicodemus, the scribes and Pharisees – all men. Who is Paul addressing in his letter to the Romans? Men – “Are you unaware brothers” (Rom 7:1); “In the same way my brothers...” (Rom 7:4). James – about works + faith – “What good is it my brothers…” (James 2:14).
His letter to Timothy is the only time Paul specifically addresses the route of salvation for women “she will be saved through childbearing..” (1Tim 2:15).
So women, you can forget about repenting, or believing or being baptised, all you need is the work of childbearing (and I’m told by women who have done this that it is hard work).
Its True – Its Biblical – Prove me wrong.
In his statement that women will be saved through childbearing Paul gives no indication that they should be married. Indeed in his letter to the Corinthians he says that he prefers that all stay unmarried.
"To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am" (1 Cor 7:8)
Obviously Paul also prefers women to be saved. So what he seems to be advocating here is that women should have children so as to saved, but do so in an unmarried state. Is he setting aside the Old Testament strictures against fornication being sinful?
No, obviously not. So we must look for another explanation. We cannot take Paul as speaking of childbearing literally. He is probably speaking of symbolical childbearing, or perhaps more likely spiritual childbearing. But what would spiritual childbearing or spiritual birthing be? What is spiritual birth?
The obvious clue to this is in Jn 3:5 where Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born from above (born again). Nicodemus takes this literally. But Jesus explains he means spiritually and that he must be “born of water and Spirit”. This follows the correct sequence of physical and then spiritual as noted in 1Cor15:46 “But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.” Now there are two actions here, one earthy (water) which is water baptism by a human agent (the woman who is going to spiritually rebirth them). The other is heavenly (Spirit) which is God’s action. “He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Ti 3:5)
So women are to spiritually birth men by baptising them. And here we men must repent because for centuries we have been reserving baptism for male clergy and depriving women of their chance of salvation. Note that women do not need to be baptised as they are saved by the act of spiritually birthing men (i.e. baptising them).
Note the efficiency of this. Two people are saved for the price of one act. This is economical - part of what the Catholic Catechism calls the sacramental economy (joke for Catholics).
So ladies I give you a new slogan:
Baptise and Be Saved
It’s True – Its Biblical
Now read the next post (Part 2)
"Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty." (1 Tim 2:11-15)
According to Paul a wamna has to have a child to be saved. You may think I’m joking, but there is a serious point here. Paul is clearly defining a separate path of salvation for men and for women.
The bulk of scripture is about how men are saved. Paul to the gaoler – a man. Jesus to Nicodemus, the scribes and Pharisees – all men. Who is Paul addressing in his letter to the Romans? Men – “Are you unaware brothers” (Rom 7:1); “In the same way my brothers...” (Rom 7:4). James – about works + faith – “What good is it my brothers…” (James 2:14).
His letter to Timothy is the only time Paul specifically addresses the route of salvation for women “she will be saved through childbearing..” (1Tim 2:15).
So women, you can forget about repenting, or believing or being baptised, all you need is the work of childbearing (and I’m told by women who have done this that it is hard work).
Its True – Its Biblical – Prove me wrong.
In his statement that women will be saved through childbearing Paul gives no indication that they should be married. Indeed in his letter to the Corinthians he says that he prefers that all stay unmarried.
"To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am" (1 Cor 7:8)
Obviously Paul also prefers women to be saved. So what he seems to be advocating here is that women should have children so as to saved, but do so in an unmarried state. Is he setting aside the Old Testament strictures against fornication being sinful?
No, obviously not. So we must look for another explanation. We cannot take Paul as speaking of childbearing literally. He is probably speaking of symbolical childbearing, or perhaps more likely spiritual childbearing. But what would spiritual childbearing or spiritual birthing be? What is spiritual birth?
The obvious clue to this is in Jn 3:5 where Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born from above (born again). Nicodemus takes this literally. But Jesus explains he means spiritually and that he must be “born of water and Spirit”. This follows the correct sequence of physical and then spiritual as noted in 1Cor15:46 “But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.” Now there are two actions here, one earthy (water) which is water baptism by a human agent (the woman who is going to spiritually rebirth them). The other is heavenly (Spirit) which is God’s action. “He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Ti 3:5)
So women are to spiritually birth men by baptising them. And here we men must repent because for centuries we have been reserving baptism for male clergy and depriving women of their chance of salvation. Note that women do not need to be baptised as they are saved by the act of spiritually birthing men (i.e. baptising them).
Note the efficiency of this. Two people are saved for the price of one act. This is economical - part of what the Catholic Catechism calls the sacramental economy (joke for Catholics).
So ladies I give you a new slogan:
Baptise and Be Saved
It’s True – Its Biblical
Now read the next post (Part 2)