Tuesday, July 31, 2012

1990 November/December issue Part 3

Men, Women and Biblical Equality. Part 3

   Men have disobeyed by misusing their authority, and women have disobeyed by refusing it. We are not therefore at liberty to drain the word headship of its oblivious hierarchical meaning. Let’s be careful not to overlook the all-important word as: “Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church” (Eph 5:22, 23). In what sense is Christ the head of the church? It’s a physical metaphor Paul is using. Is it not the head of the human body the part from which all other parts take orders? Yes, iv’e read pages and pages of arguments about that Greek word Kephale. Some would insist that it means only source, and carries no thought of authority. But I insist that metaphors are metaphors and they mean more, not less, than the mere words could mean in another context. One wonders if these humourless, nearsighted, nit-picking, theological pendants have ever read a book in their lives!

Monday, July 23, 2012

1990 November/December issue Part 2

Men, Women, and Biblical Equality. Part 2

   Most of what the MWBE’s advertisements say I think most Christians would accept. It is what they have chosen not to say that disturbs me deeply. The section on Community deals with the Holy Spirit's coming on both men and women; both have spiritual gifts. True enough, but were there not certain restrictions (for both men and women) placed on the use of these gifts? Is there no such thing as church order which manifests a church hierarchy?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

1990 November/December issue Part 1

Men, Women, and Biblical Equality. Part 1

   A few months ago a double-paged advertisement with the above heading appeared in Christian magazine, containing a statement drawn up by seven Christian leaders, and signed by (if I counted correctly) 164 others. It appeared to be a direct rebuttal to The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood which was formed several years ago.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

1990 September/October issue Part 3

Lord, Please remove this dilemma

(...) Some of you face serious dilemmas. We want to pray, “Lord, please remove the dilemma.” Usually the answer is “No, not right away.” We must face it, pray over it, think about it, wait on the Lord, make a choice. Sometimes it is an excruciating choice.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

1990 September/October issue Part 2

Prayer
  • For the greatest need for today's children; holy parents. Pray for them, that God will give them holy wisdom in teaching children to pray, to love God, to set their aims far above transitory things; wisdom in helping children decide about education and extra-curricular things which sometimes become too great a burden
  • For the greatest need of today's churches: holy pastors.
  • For Christian men in the business world, that they may be shielded from strong pressure to gain the whole world and thus lose their souls.