Women's Forum

Limbo · Tadpole Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 22

My wife has a greaat deal of difficulty with Paul. Could anyone recommend a good book or something about Paul written by women, for women?

Thanks!

theseldomscene · Banned Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 7817

what did he do now?

MoJo · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject:

paul is difficult to understand in regards to women, but I suggest you look for the deeper symbolic meanings instead of what appears on the surface. Christ's church is symbolized by women starting with Eve. Israel was always referred to as the "daughter" of Zion. Try to think of the church's ( I mean Christ's church ) role in God's plan. Very Happy

Limbo · Tadpole Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 22

I found a great book: "What Paul really said about women" by Dr. John Bristow. My wife loves it so far.

Paul was a champion of equality, Praise God!

manitou · Newbie Alert Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 3

I always have a hard time reconciling this "submitted wife" stuff with Proverbs 31:

14She is like the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from far away.
15She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her servant-girls.
16She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She girds herself with strength,
and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.
22She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them;
she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her happy;
her husband too, and he praises her:
29“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates

Sounds like a woman who works outside the home to me.

I also struggle to reconcile submitted-woman stuff with much of what Jesus said ... Martha and Mary being a good example. The thoughts and ideas of women were important to Jesus. And the temptation in the desert ... Jesus doesn't want blind followers like secular despots do. Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him

Maybe I am just justifying my very independent personality. But is my justification any different from those who try to justify a secondary role for women? Smile

Freedom_29 · Newbie Alert Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 1

There has always been an issue concerning women in the ministry and where women actually stand with Gods plan. God says "It is not good for man to be alone", this also applies to women. The term good in this context means perfect for only God is good/ perfect. God asseses everything he creates until it's good/perfect "...And he saw that it was good." In order for Gods plan to work both man and women need to be present and multiply and replenish Gods instructions. When Jesus came to clearify alot of the hear say, Jesus was trying to let people, especially men due to their ignorance of rights in the kingdom of God and in the ministry, to understand that God is no respecter of persons and ALL have fallen short of the glory of God. In John 8:7 you see a group of men exposing the act of one woman due to ignorance and being shovinist. Jesus asked "He that is without sin among you let him first cast the stone at her." Remember it takes two to commit this sin that this lady commited, adultry. Also In the garden of Eden, there was only one law, to not eat from a particular tree. Adam and Eve, broke this law so God was basically reading out there rights just like the police would if anyone broke the laws of the land. Also I think God was prophesising what would happen due to the their actions. They not only broke the law, both partially denied responsibility for it. Eve blamed the serpent (devil) Adam blamed the Help-meet and God, " It's the woman you gave me..." We are both, man and women, under this terrible act aka lawlessness. Moses was apointed to establish a new law based upon the broken law called death. I don't think God inflicted these responsibilities, remember, why would God warn us of the consequenses only to inflict punishment? Adam and Eve took it upon themselves hense paying the price. Jesus came to pay this debt called sin so that we may have the live God intended us to have...we were'nt meant to die. I think there is a misunderstanding between humility and weakness or being submisive. Humility in a nut shell means to humble or shut up when someone of authority speaks and take to heart what is being said. Men abuse this responsibility causing alot of women to rebel. God did not intend for women to not speak at all, why would he give us desires and dreams, talent and ambition?(i'm a woman) Women have a significant role in the kingdon of God and without us God says it isnt perfect. Without Mary our saviour couldn't be born. I know in the bible there are fewer women mentioned than men, but it doesnt invalidate or make insignificant our importance. Men and women hardly see eye to eye on most things but our roles in the kingdom of God are each unique, men are to plant seeds/ children and be the bread winner and women are to bear children in pain, nurture them, and to support there husbands. Remember this is a punishment,not a privilage. it's not suposed to be pleasant, and it's not what God intended for us. We as in Adam and Eve chose this.

MoJo · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:18 pm Post subject:

Hi Freedom, welcome to the board. Very Happy

Woman play a very ((big)) role in the plan of God. Notice how Jesus' church is referred to as a woman and also how Babylon the Great is referred to as a woman. Israel is referred to as the Lord's wife. Sarah is called the mother of all nations. New Jerusalem is called the mother of us all.

Initially, when we first start to study the bible, women seem like second class citizens. Further into our studies we start to see the wonderful symbolism of being the bride of the Lord. Natural woman in the flesh reflect the course of God's plan concerning his church throughout all the ages.

Very Happy

atoz · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:30 am Post subject:

P1234567890 · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject:

Human females are the only creatures in the entire animal kingdom which have painful childbirths. The reason for this is that our cranial capacities increased dramatically due to evolution much faster than pelvis size (and other things) could adapt.

It has nothing to do with God cursing women for telling Adam to eat the apple, or anything like that. It's all explained by evolution.

shepreach · Cobra Joined: 08 Nov 2003 Posts: 488 Location: ga

God cursed neither man nor woman--He punished them. He cursed the serpent and the earth. Exclamation

if adam had not been so stupid as to take a bite of "whatever it was", he would have covered eve's sin much as God covers us. Laughing

P1234567890 · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 7:29 am Post subject:

atoz · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:05 pm Post subject:

atoz · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject:

atoz · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:21 pm Post subject:

JB · Cobra Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 490

P1-0,
In your response to shepreach You said, "the whole story is ridiculous". I agree. The truth of the matter is God didn't curse us and God didn't punish us. But because man chose to sin the curse that followed was brought about by natural causes. Pretty much the same as global warming, air pollution and all the other disasters that are occurring on the world today. We have no one to blame but ourselves. P1-0, you and I and any one else that lives on earth are partially responsible for the condition of the earth. Not God. Again, He neither punished us or did He curse us. We did that all on our own. (Theology 101)

God bless you my friend and looking forward to your response.