Recently, one of our members was in New York City for a three week training seminar. He visited with a group of “brethren” in that area, which had available a March-April newsletter called City Life. This congregation states that it has elders and deacons. Editors of this publication are Julie Short (whose name is listed first in bold letters) and Tom Robinson, the minister, whose name is below hers (but not in bold letters).
Julie imagines “A Conversation with Hannah,” in which Hannah pours out her heart to Julie about how she wanted to have children but could not. “Why had God placed this desire within me and then denied me?” (1). Julie then draws a parallel between Hannah’s condition and her own–being a woman who is denied the public forum of teaching and preaching (but apparently not editing the church bulletin). Julie laments (to the imaginary Hannah):
“All my life I have been part of a church, a community of faith, that I love and in which I receive love. But I also feel pain and frustration as a woman because of long traditions that say that my voice cannot be heard. I too have been angry at times, tearful, lamenting my position in the community.
I have felt that no one could understand that frustration. I have felt shackled by tradition and have questioned both God and the church. ‘Why, God, did you create these gifts within me then set me down in the midst of a people where my gifts could not have full expression?'” (3)
A few paragraphs later Julie is lamenting again about the “traditions” of the church and its “biological or cultural limitations.” Following is a reply:
Julie, your complaint is not against the church; your complaint is against God. As intelligent as you obviously are, you can read and understand 1 Timothy 2:8-14 just as well as the rest of us. The role of leadership in the church for men has as its precedent God creating man first, then woman. A second precedent is that woman was deceived in the transgression. These things occurred before Jesus died on the cross and the Gospel was first preached on the day of Pentecost. The church simply recognizes what Paul wrote. You obviously do not, but you have given no Scriptural rationale for rejecting Bible teaching on this matter.
Oh, you lament about not being able to use your abilities for God. Did He only give you one talent? Is teaching over half of the world’s population not sufficient for you (the female half, upon which you have no restrictions)? Your opportunities are practically limitless, yet you desire the one fruit that has been forbidden you. Your conversation should have been with Eve, not Hannah. See if you can relate to this dream.
Eve: Julie, I have a story with a great warning in it for you. As you know, I was in the garden of Eden with my husband Adam, and it was literally Paradise. We were so happy; it was a perfect world. We were so kind to one another, and we were both learning together about the wonderful world that God had created for us. We had no thoughts of evil; it was outside of our experience. Worries there were none; we simply relied upon God to bless us each day, and He did. We wanted for nothing; He provided abundantly all that we needed. If only everything would have remained that way!
Then one day the serpent began planting doubts in my head about the wisdom and kindness of God. He began subtly enough by asking if we were forbidden to eat of every tree in the garden. I repeated to him immediately the command God had given concerning the tree which was in the midst of the garden: “You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” I had no intentions of disobeying God; He had blessed us so richly, and we were grateful.
But then Satan assured me that we would not surely die, as God had said. I had trouble with that notion. After all, why would God not speak the truth with us? But then, why would not the serpent, either? I was confused at this point but still fairly well decided that I would do what God said. The serpent, however, would not give up. He said that God was withholding knowledge from us. He spoke with confidence when he told me that “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
“Really?” I wondered. “I don’t know about good and evil now. Why didn’t God tell us? Maybe the serpent is right. God has given us great things, but why does He so adamantly refuse to let us know more?” As I looked at the fruit, it was very attractive. It looked absolutely sumptuous, as though it would be good food for both the mouth and the mind to chew on.
Then I thought, “Well, of course I should eat it. After all, God created it to be eaten, didn’t He? Why would He create something and not let it be used for its intended purpose?” My taste buds were desiring, no, craving the fruit; it was made for consumption. I ate it, and that’s how sin came into the world. Oh, Julie, why didn’t I just trust in God, that He knows what He’s doing when He gives a command? I talked myself into sinning because it all made sense to me at the time.
Do you see the application to your own situation, Julie? You want to do something that God has forbidden you to do. Satan has told you that God is not being fair in this matter: he’s convinced you that you have the ability to teach and preach, and that you should do precisely that. After all, if you have the ability….
But learn a lesson from me. It’s not a question of whether or not you have the ability. You do. It’s a question of permission and authority. Of course, I couldn’t blame the denial of my access to the fruit on church traditions. I had to blame God for it. If you were honest, Julie, you would see that at heart you are blaming God, too. The same One who forbade the fruit forbade you the leadership role in the church, but your craving for it has altered your ability to think logically about it. Has not God blessed you richly? Why are you so determined to do the one thing He denies you when there is so much else you could do by way of service?
You are not alone, Julie. Both men and women who are talented musicians are not authorized to use their talents and abilities to glorify God by playing their instruments in worship to Him. There are some who have a knack for picking people’s pockets, but they are denied even earning a living that way, let alone trying to glorify God with their “gifts.”
Julie, nobody feels “threatened by your voice”; they do feel sad that you want to use it improperly. Of course, we women have much “distinct wisdom and experience to share,” but we must do it within the parameters God gave us. Do you consider Eunice’s and Lois’s time wasted? Was Phoebe no less a servant of God because she could not preach publicly? Why must you continue to desire the forbidden fruit of 1 Timothy 2? You are hurting yourself by entertaining this obsession, and you will eventually hurt the church, for which Christ died. If you succeed in dominating spineless men who are too lazy to perform their leadership roles, what will you have gained? You will only have succeeded in sinning and incurring God’s wrath. Please, Julie, when you wake up, won’t you reconsider?
Oh, while you’re still unconscious, my friend Hannah wants to speak to you.
Julie, you represented me well except in one point. I did not feel “the power of God’s Spirit fill me” as you declared, nor was “God’s Spirit praying within me.” Wherever did you get such a faulty notion? Have you been watching Benny Hinn or some other televangelist? Do yourself a favor. Read the Scriptures which were inspired by the real Holy Spirit and quit “ad libbing,” or you will end up like Max Lucado, putting your own fanciful thoughts into the heads of Bible personalities.
By the way, I have it straight from Philip’s four daughters that being filled with His Spirit does not make someone “appear out of order, mad in the light of current convention.” They were always very circumspect and exercised their gifts in the proper way. The Holy Spirit does not inspire anyone to do something that is contrary to the Word He revealed to all. It is not God’s Spirit that is being squelched–unless you continue to ignore the Scriptures–it is your own!
There are too many people eager to give credit to the Holy Spirit for what they think, say, and do. Some believe the Holy Spirit is telling them what to think, and others imagine the Spirit is empowering or strengthening them directly. But none of these people are full of the Holy Spirit. THEY ARE FULL OF THEMSELVES! The words they think are whispered by the Holy Spirit are their own thoughts. The associations that come to mind as they speak are nothing more than the brain functioning normally. The strength that they fancy they have is their own adrenaline pumping. The Holy Spirit revealed the Word for a reason. Be content with it and, for everyone’s sake, wake up soon.