Answers to Atheists (Part Two)

           If you read Tuesday’s devotion, you know that I spent part of my weekend sparring with several atheists who posed several questions to me related to their disbelief.  Because it’s difficult to answer those questions in 140 characters or less, I’ve taken the debate to the Pearls of Promise website to respond and to provide you with information when you have to defend your faith.

            “I am also surprised there are any female Christians.” The Twitter atheist attached a photo of a woman with her face taped up so she could not speak.

            He was referring to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 that says, Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says, If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

            When reading scripture, it is important to read in context.  If the atheist had started his reading in 1 Corinthians 14:26, he would have seen this:

            What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.

            Earlier in 1 Corinthians 11:5, Scripture refers to women praying and prophesying in church.

            So what is it?

            Are women supposed to be silent or church or are they allowed to speak, sing and prophesy?

            According to the The Women’s Study Bible, “In this passage, he (Paul) was probably discussing the gift of prophecy and more specifically, the evaluation or judgment of prophecy. Paul allowed women to participate in worship and, indeed, expected that they would do so…”

            The Harper Collins Bible Commentary explains this silence was for a special case.”Just as people who speak in tongues, women and men and prophets, women and men, are told to be silent in certain circumstances, so wives are told to be silent.  As v. 35 suggests, the regulation applies not to all women members of the community or even to all women endowed with spiritual gifts, but to wives.”

            There was something going on in the early church that necessitated this statement by Paul.  Women were not used to being included in the worship services.  Perhaps there was some sort of disruption in the service that Paul needed to address. Whatever the case, because of Paul’s other statements concerning women and worship, we can deduce that women were not prohibited from speaking in church.

            The word submission has been misused throughout the centuries. It does not mean that women are to be subservient to men and allow abusive behavior in the home.  When referring to the relationship between husbands and wives, Paul says to submit to one another in Ephesians 5:21. That is a mutual submission. Later, in Ephesians 5:25, Paul says Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…The Greek word used for love in this passage refers to agape love. It’s the selfless love of another person, without sexual implications. It’s unconditional love; the sacrificial love Jesus had for us, giving up everything for us even to the point of death on the cross.

            Taping a woman’s face does not line up with Scripture.

            Women have a voice in the church and are called to the great commission, to make disciples of all the nations, just like anyone else. In Galatians 3:28, Scripture reiterates we are all equal in Christ: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

            Women were leaders in the early Christian movement. The Bible refers to Apphia in Philemon 2 who was a leader of a house church and Priscilla in 1 Corinthians 16:19 who also co-led an early congregation. Nympha of Laodicea (Colossians 4:15) was noted for holding a church service in her home.

            Women today continue to make a difference in the church, not through silence, but by proclaiming the gospel. This call will continue until Jesus returns.

            I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28)

            Christ does not discriminate between men and women and neither should we.

            I am praising God today that he gives me the freedom to speak about him and the desire to glorify him through my words. God loves women and we are an important part of his kingdom.

            On Saturday, I will attempt to give proof for why I believe God exists.