Women are preserved through child bearing?

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

I have read this verse many times before and never honestly knew how to take it or what it meant. Upon hearing a good sermon on the matter I have finally heard it explained in context to what the epistle of Timothy is about. Now, get your tomatoes out cause you're gonna want to throw them at me in this next statement. Women, according to the structure of the church and of the family play certain roles, and one of those roles is not as a pastor/teacher/elder of the church over men. I am not saying women can't teach, our church has women's groups for women taught by women and I think that is great. However, you will not find a class in our church that has women teaching men spiritually nor ever behind the pulpit. You may call me a sexist or what not, but remember I am merely a messenger so to speak, the fact that women are not to be heads over men does not originate with me, but throughout the pastoral epistles.(1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus) So to see the role of men and women I recommend reading and studying them, for I and you don't have enough time in this short blog to emphasize and show that thoroughly right now (though that may make a blog of mine in the future).

I mainly wanna look at the first verse I wrote (1 Timothy 2:15). What does it mean that women will be preserved through child bearing? There are many opinions out there, but the one that best fits the context of the chapter is, who has the most influence over a child their first several, or even majority of the years of their lives? The mom. She is the one who has the intimate bond through breastfeeding, and she is the one (especially stay at home moms) that God called to be faithful, raising her children to know and love God from an early age. Now I am not saying this is her sole responsibility, dad helps, but while dad is at work during the day mom has a lot of time with the child to rear them to be faithful and knowledgeable of Christ.

People, definitely women of course and the whole feminist movement, get mad at and feel oppressed by people that hold this view. Lets remember, it is clear in the Bible that women have a certain role as do men, so we are merely submitting to that role and the Headship/ Lordship of Jesus Christ. I think it is a great honor women are the ones with the role they have, and couldn't imagine the blessing of being able to carry a child in the womb, breastfeed that child, and train that child to know the Lord. I thank God always that I have a wife who is a perfect example of how a women is to be before God, that she submits in this way for the sake of God, me and our kids. I love the role I have of leading the house, of helping our children know the Lord, and submitting to Christ in all things. If you think that is sexist, remember us men have a responsibility to Christ, to love our wives as Christ loved the church. How much did Christ love the church? He laid down His life for her.

Childbearing will not save a woman, for that would be works salvation (which goes completely against the scriptures) and some women are unable to have children. For the Christian woman, childbearing can preserve her in that she has a duty to Christ to raise up a generation that know and serve Him. Be well and may Gods peace and blessings be with you always.

Ephesians 5:24-25 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Footnote: This topic goes deep with many scriptural references to prove this point. I like blogging and want to do it more often, but haven't because so much researching goes into my longer blogs. So I try to pick passages or ideas lately that I can point out in not so long blogs. I will have longer blogs here and there, but I merely share my thoughts on what I am reading and being taught. If you ever doubt or think I am wrong, be like a Berean in Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Quick Blog on John

Whenever I read the Gospel of John I am amazed at how great it is. John, after reading his gospel seems like a sincere and kind old man, someone full of Gods love. Maybe a fellow who was soft spoken and a pacifist of sorts. Well the truth is, most of this is true, and some of it is not. John was the "beloved" disciple, in the inner circle of Jesus with Peter and James. He saw things the others didn't (such as the transfiguration and raising of synagogue officials daughter etc...). He was full of the Spirit of God in love and truth. It is this that made his old characteristic of being bold that made him not the pacifist and fragile old man we picture.

Lets look at some scripture that shows this. Mark 3:16-17 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter),and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, "Sons of Thunder")

Sons of thunder? That don't sound like a name given to someone who is "behind the scenes" nor quiet.

Remember in Luke 9:52-55 where: When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

Wow, these Samaritans would not receive Jesus, so James and John were ready to call down fire from heaven to consume them. That's bold, even Jesus rebuked them here. John is much more bold and "to the point" in his small epistles he wrote. (1 John, 2 John, 3 John)

1 John 2:4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him;

That's a straight to the point statement. If we say we Love God, yet don't keep His commands we are liars, meaning we don't truly love God. This is directly from Jesus to in:

John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

I wanted to throw in John 2:19 because it is another bold verse and I am working on another blog looking at the doctrine of perseverance of the saints which this verse fits well into.

Truth is I could go on and on, but it's getting late and I am getting tired. I encourage anyone to study the disciple John, and the others as well to see what kind of men they were and the amazing things God did through them. You won't be disappointed in a study like that. Like John Macarthur says it, they were common men with a uncommon calling.

The disciple John was an amazing man, bold for the truth and the gospel. We would do well to model a life in such a worthy manner for the glory of God. There are way to many teachers and people out there screaming tolerance, but I would urge as I saw on a bumper sticker: Truth not tolerance. Do it in a Christlike way, in love, respect, but don't be afraid to be bold. The disciples weren't and neither was Jesus. May Gods peace and blessings be with you.

Bigger families

So we are expecting our forth baby this August and we are extremely excited about it. This one we decided not to find out what we are having, unlike the other three. I am amazed at peoples responses though when I tell them we are about to have our forth child. There are alot of people who seem to think this is not a good thing, and that can be very discouraging at times, this baby was indeed planned and we have always wanted to have a bigger family. I could go on and on about how I work hard to provide for my family, but I will spare you and just say that we live happily and take no help from the government, nor do we get help from our parents financially nor even with babysitting and the like. We provide for our kids Gods way, by trusting Him in all things and raising our children to know, love, and serve him.

It's sad, that I get negative feedback that we are having another child, and that we hear such negative remarks about others to, like the Duggars. We all know God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and yes, they had to, they were the only humans in existence. We all know this verse, so I would like to draw our attention to another scripture:
Mark 6:1-3 Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him.When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him.

See that? Jesus had four brothers and it says his sisters (plural) were there in His hometown where He was teaching on this occasion. So I think it's safe to say He had at least two sisters and possibly more though we have no biblical support for it. Therefore the fact that the word sisters is plural, cannot be ignored, and that makes Jesus from a family of nine (at least) if you include Joseph, Mary and Himself. That's a good sized family. I dare ask, if our Heavenly Father thought big families were bad in any way, would He have had His son be a part of one? Just something to ponder. May peace and blessings fill you completely through His love and Grace.
Chris
Psalm 127: 3-5 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;