House Church Talk - There can not be male and female1

[Bruce Woodford]

Hi Mike,

Re. your first post relative to men and women, I noticed that you based your 
observations about women  serving as leaders of men on the old covenant 
example of Deborah and Miriam..  If  you do this, must you not also appeal 
to the old covenant  to defend clergy/laity distinctions, the necessity of 
consecrated buildings as worship and ministry centers and of tithes and 
offerings to support and maintain both of the above?

I noticed that you did not quote from Isaiah chapter 3 where, regarding 
Israel's rebellion against God,  the fact that "women rule over them" is 
listed as one of the curses for such rebellion!!! (3:12)

The new covenant does not only change things that apply to women, but turns 
God-ordained practices of men under the old covenant "upside down"! i.e. Old 
covenant priests had to have head coverings on while they ministered, but 
new covenant men are taught to pray and prophesy with their heads uncovered! 
  Priests under the old covenant were all males of the tribe of Levi, but 
under the new covenant, all believers are priests regardless of gender.

You are right that there are many ways in which God does not distinguish 
between men and women. However, you did not mention that scripture is also 
very clear that only men may be husbands and fathers and that only women may 
be wives and mothers!  You did not mention that overseers of churches must 
be husbands of one wife, you did not mention that wives are to be submissive 
to their own husbands, that husbands are commanded to love their wives as 
Christ loved the church. You did not mention that the head of the man is 
Christ and that the head of the woman is the man. You did not mention that 
men are instructed to pray and prophesy with uncovered heads but that women 
are to pray and prophesy with covered heads. You did not mention that it is 
a shame for a man to have long hair but  that, if a woman has long hair,  it 
is a glory to her!

So, if we are to get a balanced view of scripture must we not take note of 
differences as well as similarities of which scripture speaks?

You also devoted a large section of your post to the claim that the Holy 
Spirit is female and is our Mother!  The only scripture you cited (Galatians 
4:26) was taken totally out of context and twisted to say what it does NOT 
say!  That verse says,"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the 
mother of us all."    It does NOT say (as you claim) "Holy Spirit is our 
Mother above"!!!!

Mike, regarding the Lord Jesus, you wrote:"His true Mother and our true 
Mother is the Holy Spirit. "   I would ask you, what scriptural statements 
teach what you claim here?  If such things are never stated in scripture are 
they truly scriptural ideas???

Would you care to explain how you understand such passages of scripture as I 
Cor.11:1-16 and I Cor.14:34,35?

Your brother (not your sister) in the Lord,
Bruce

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