Pastors and Pornography

# 77 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (1 Tim 3:2) We have just begun addressing the matter of adultery and those who would seek to serve as pastors. A line has been drawn in the sand, and those who have converted to Christianity and therefore have left the culture of sexual promiscuity must leave that lifestyle behind! NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! The one who would serve as pastor must not give cause to anyone to charge them with improper sexual behavior, and in our culture today, this is where pornography also becomes an issue. Jesus said in Mt 5:28, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Purposeful and persistent viewing of pornography is adultery, and according to most statistics is a huge problem in the church today, even among pastors. To the pastor I ask, “If someone were to look at your history of viewing on the internet, what would they see? If someone were to examine all items you have discarded in the trash, what would they see? Would there be evidence that someone could use to blackmail you? Would you be found blameless in the matter of sexual promiscuity or not?” If such evidence exists, you have a problem and you need to deal with it! There is plenty of help out there for those who struggle with pornography. Seek it! Find it! Use it! And above all fight it! Don't give in to it! The first step is to admit your problem, and the second step is to admit it to your church board, admit it to those who have called you to serve their flock! They need to know! Then you and the board and the congregation need to prayerfully consider a course of action with the ultimate goal of restoring to the “line” that has been drawn in the sand. NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! I know it's not easy to admit moral failure, but take heart from this verse in James: Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Adultery and the Lustful Look

# 77 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (1 Tim 3:2) Let's spend some more time on this qualification of “husband of one wife.” As we said last time, this means that the pastor cannot be taken hold of or blackmailed by others on the score of sexual promiscuity or laxity! In other words he must be sexually faithful to his wife. (if married and be sexually chaste if he is single) There is a line being drawn in the sand here. Remember again the environment of these early church plants. Remember where these recent converts from paganism were coming from! Fornication, promiscuity, sexual laxity of all forms were prevalent in their culture, and in their religion. It is more than likely that these recent converts to Christianity were former adulterers. But these practices were strictly forbidden by the fledgling church of Jesus Christ. NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! But wait a minute, Jesus said in Mt 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” I hate to say it, but that pretty much reduces the pool of pastoral candidates to zero! So what do we do with that? Well, this lusting is a sin to be sure, so deal with it as you would with any other sin. Confess it, seek to turn from it, and receive God's forgiveness. Fight to remember that behind every set of eyes is a soul that matters to God! This lusting “adultery” is a sin of the heart and only the devil is able to take it and use it to take hold of a person and blackmail them on the score of sexual promiscuity or laxity! If he does, remember your your standing in Christ. The devil may accuse you, but God is not listening to his accusations. Re 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” But there is a sexual sin of lust by which a pastor can be “taken hold of and blackmailed, and that sin is the public sin embodied in what we call pornography. And we'll talk about that next time!

Husband of One Wife

# 77 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (1 Tim 3:2) Paul continues to pass along the qualifications for men who desire the good office of bishop. Bishop defined as an overseer, and for our purposes in today's church, let us call them pastors. We've talked about being blameless, (free from the possibility of being blackmailed) today let's look at the requirement of having just one wife. There has been lots of debate over this requirement through the years. Some have gone so far as to say that the pastor MUST be married! While it certainly can be helpful to be married in order to minister to those with families in the congregation, it certainly cannot mean they must be married! I mean if that's the case, the Apostle Paul himself would be disqualified! No, the key here is the pastor must have just one wife! He must be a man who is blameless ( cannot be taken hold of or blackmailed) on the score of sexual promiscuity or laxity! In the case of a married pastor........ adultery Remember again the environment of these early church plants. Remember where these recent converts from paganism were coming from! Fornication, promiscuity, sexual laxity of all forms were prevalent in the culture. But these practices were strictly forbidden by the fledgling church of Jesus Christ. The council of Jerusalem made that clear in their letter to these newly formed congregations: Ac 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” This admonition applied to all members of the church not just the pastors, but the pastors are singled out by Paul because as leaders, they must set the standard in their own personal lives. Any convert who slid back into a lifestyle of the sexual laxity of the culture needed to be dealt with through church discipline, and certainly any pastor who slips back into sexual sin and continues in it, is no longer qualified to be an overseer, and certainly needs to go through the same disciplinary process of other unrepentant sinners, and remember that the disciplinary process is always meant to first and foremost restore the offender's relationship with Christ.

Not Able To Be Blackmailed

# 76 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Do you have a heart's longing to be a bishop, an overseer of a local congregation? Do you long for other overseers like Timothy to pass the God-ordained office along to you through the laying on of hands? That is a good thing to be sure! But it takes more than heart-felt desire. There are requirements to be met to ensure that Timothy and his like will not lay hands on you hastily. For starters you must be blameless. Okay, now that we have eliminated virtually everybody, let's move on. What is blameless? There is none righteous no not one!(Rom 3:10) All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Something else must be meant here and it is. I think the best explanation we can give here is that the bishop must live in such a way that he cannot be blackmailed. His lifestyle should be such that an adversary couldn't charge him with being a hypocrite who teaches one way and who's visible lifestyle is just the opposite. This may even involve clearing up any skeletons in the closet. By that I mean the skeletons of past sins that have been confessed, repented of, and absolved through the cross! In short, the bishop or overseer must have the teflon coating of the blood of Jesus applied to His life. His behavior, guided by the Word of God, is to be a model of moral consistency. And if he would be charged with anything it would not stick. Because of the prospective bishop's walk with the Lord, he is safe and secure from (for lack of a better term) blackmail. Because blackmail only succeeds when things are left in secret. Pastors aren't perfect, but they should be free from behaviors that wag fingers. They ought to be “blameless.”

The Good Work of the Bishop

# 75 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. The Apostle Paul knows the end is near for him and so he continues to pass instructions along to Timothy as to “how to do church.” Local congregations that Timothy and others will be planting, must have overseers, and these overseers must meet certain qualifications. The first thing Paul does is underline the fact that a desire to be a bishop is a good thing! This desire is a God-given yearning. The word “desire” here means to “stretch oneself for.” I get the picture of a child reaching out for a cookie that is barely within reach. There is a certain degree of difficulty involved but once grasped it is certainly worth the effort. But what exactly is this yearning for? It is for the position or office of bishop. Say the word “bishop” and it will conjure up all sorts of images and ideas about what a bishop is, but what does the Bible say a bishop is? The word is first used in the New Testament church in Ac 1:20 as Peter was addressing the matter of replacing Judas. He said, "For it is written in the book of Psalms: 'Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it'; and, 'Let another take his office.'” The King James says “his bishopric.” What was Judas' office? His office was one of the twelve Apostles. These Apostles were men that had been with Jesus from the time He was baptized by John until His death and resurrection. They, along with the Apostle Paul had received face to face teaching from Jesus and these Apostles would “oversee” Christ's church on earth and pass along His teachings to others. This was one of the charges that Paul gives to Timothy in 2Ti 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. These faithful and qualified men would then be ordained by the symbolic act of the laying on of hands and was not to be done in haste. (1 Tim 5:22) The man who's heart longs for (desires) this occupation (good work) desires a good thing, but that desire must be matched with certain criteria, and we'll look at this criteria in the days ahead.

What Really Matters

# 75 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:14,15, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Tim 2:13-15) On the surface, this seems like such a strange piece of Scripture. You mean a woman can have eternal life just by bearing children? Obviously that's not the case! Simply stated, the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul is reminding us of the promise that God gave Adam and Eve after Eve committed the first sin. Out of Eve's childbearing One would come who would crush Satan and we know that One was Jesus. But note the use of pronouns in this passage. “She” (Eve) will be saved by this child (Jesus) if “they” (new pronoun, signifying all the offspring of Adam and Eve now infected with original sin) continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. The sins of She and they are all covered by this Child! The “if” here is significant because it's not just the fact that Jesus would be born into the world to save Eve, Adam, and all others from their sin. There is a condition attached. And that condition is, Eve, Adam and the rest of us must CONTINUE in faith. In order to continue in faith, we must have faith in the first place. IF Eve, Adam, and all others, (including you and I) have faith in God's promise of a Savior and continue in that faith, they (we) will be saved! This faith is a gift from God! Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. We live, that is, we have eternal life, by this faith, and we must continue in it! Heb 10:38 says, “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." God is more than happy to answer your prayer for such faith. Ask Him also to give you the strength to persevere in that faith, and to show forth that faith in your life through love, holiness, and self-control!

Just Follow the Flow

# 74 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:13-15, “ For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Tim 2:13-15) We've been addressing the role of men and women in the church and have likened it to a dance. Someone has to lead and that someone according to God's created order ought to be men. Two reasons are given here. (1) Adam was created first, and (2) Eve was deceived not Adam. These are facts. They are indisputable. These facts do not give men the right to trample on women, rather men are to “love their wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, (Eph 5:25) This “women saved in childbearing” passage seems difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Just follow the flow of the facts which the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul is reiterating for us. The woman was deceived, this led to the sin which also snared Adam, this led to the loss of their salvation. Nevertheless God had a plan to restore salvation and it would be through the seed of the woman as we read in Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." The sin of the woman (Eve) would be dealt with through her seed (Jesus) and she and all those infected with sin (they) would be saved through her childbearing! The only condition of their salvation is that they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” Faith in the result of the woman's childbearing (Jesus) being the major factor that produces the necessary works, (love, holiness, and self control) which Peter wrote of in 2Pe 1:5-8, “ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope these devos have been helpful to you as you work through the roles of men and women in the church, but let me say again, they are meant to provide some food for thought and I suggest that you prayerfully search the Scriptures in this matter and then work it out in patient love and wisdom.

What About Acquila and Priscilla?

# 71 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. At this point it might be instructive to talk about Acquila and his wife Priscilla. Priscilla is often cited as an example of an exception to the rule of women teaching men in the matters of the faith. Here's their story: The Apostle Paul bumped into these two Jews at Corinth where they had fled from the Roman persecution of Jews in Italy. Paul stayed with them in Corinth where they plied their trade of tentmaking during the week, and then Paul would teach in the synagogues on the Sabbath. Therefore it is safe to assume that both Acquila and Priscilla received direct instruction from Paul and both were likely aware of the teaching concerning subjection to authority and God's created order as being passed along to Timothy here. Later they find themselves in Ephesus where they meet an eloquent believer names Apollos who taught in the synagogue. It was evident to both of them that Apollos had not heard the entire teachings of the Apostles and so they took him aside to help round out his education. Ac 18:26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Priscilla, who in God's created order was Acquila's helpmate, had some role to play here or she wouldn't have been mentioned. Maybe she filled in gaps, or maybe just playing the role of the second witness, we don't know, but she definitely had a role in completing the instruction of Apollos. The Apostle Paul mentions both of them in his letter to the Romans calling this husband and wife team his helpers. Ro 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: And in 1Co 16:19 we read of the church that met in their house. , ¶ The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” Acquila and Priscilla were a team and God used them to help build His church, but they are always mentioned together, as a unit, and this would indicate that they continued their work in the kingdom with God's created order always in place.

God's Created Order

# 71 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. The Holy Spirit seeks to take us back to the beginning of creation to help us better understand the role of men and women in these newly created churches that Timothy will be overseeing. As we have seen thus far in this letter, the emphasis on apostolic doctrine is vital. The apostolic doctrine is that doctrine that Jesus first handed down to His hand-picked Apostles who (incidentally) were all men. They were then to pass the teachings on to other faithful men as we read in 2Ti 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Again. It's not about giftedness, it's about God's created order. Adam first, then Eve. Try to look at it this way: By the time Eve arrived on the scene in the garden of Eden, we know that Adam had already named all the animals. Ge 2:20 says, “So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” Adam's helper, (Eve) needed to learn the names of the animals. She needed to know what she could or couldn't eat, and she especially needed to be taught to not eat from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This was Adam's responsibility, teach Eve. Imagine the chaos if Eve suddenly decides she will call the animals whatever she pleases, or eats whatever she chooses. Yes, imagine the chaos. Eve wasn't to argue with Adam about why an elephant is called an elephant. She learned quietly and in submission, and set the standard not in accordance with ability or giftedness, but in accordance with created order. Adam first then Eve, This was the way of apostolic doctrine as well, Jesus to the Apostles (all men) first, then the rest. How does this work out in the church today? I would encourage you to prayerfully work it out with the rest of Scripture ever keeping God's created order in mind.

The Role of Women In the Church

# 71 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:11-13, “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (1 Tim 2:11-13) Oh boy, the can of worms that we have opened up just got a little nastier. As I have said before, there are very strong feelings on the interpretation of these passages concerning the role of women in the church. My hope is that you will prayerfully search the Scriptures and submit to them, and work it out between you and the Lord. My role here is simply intended to provide some food for thought. For starters here, I think v13 is vital to the point that Paul is trying to make. The word “for” gives us the first reason that Paul is passing this teaching on to Timothy and the church and it is related to the very creation of Adam and Eve. He says, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” This mention of Adam and Eve should cause us to consider another time that the Holy Spirit has drawn us back to the way things were in the beginning of God's created order. It happened when Jesus was discussing God's plan for marriage. He said in Mt 19:4 “And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'” (Often times, when wrestling with doctrine it is wise to see what was happening “at the beginning,”) Jer 6:16 speaks to that point, “Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' So to properly understand the role of women in the church, we should first of all get an understanding of the role of Eve in her relationship with Adam. Why did God create Eve? Ge 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." So Eve was created to “aid” Adam. She was beautifully biologically designed to complement him physically and thereby propagate the human race. And she was also designed to complete him in marriage. (The two becoming one.) Together they form a team that complements each other, becoming a unit that can be all that God intended them to be. It is the same for men and women in the church. They are a complementary team, but this team is always to keep God's created order in mind. (One might want to take note of how the men and women worked together during the time of Jesus' ministry on earth.) More on this next time.

Miracles Follow the Daughters of Sarah

# 67 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9,10, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” For the past several days we have been looking at Sarah (the wife of Abraham) as a role model for women who profess godliness, (faith in Christ). Peter wrote about it in 1Pe 3:1-6, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are In v5, Sarah is likened to other holy women “who trusted in God.” She purposed in her heart to live with purity of heart out of a healthy fear of God, and to live out her calling as the wife of Abraham in humility and in an undemanding way. She did this out of her trust in God to work things out for good as stated in Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. And as she delighted in the Lord (the word delight means to be pliable in the hands of God,) she would discover that God would give her the desires of her heart. (Ps 37:4) (Um, how about a child in her old age!) Did she waver at times in her trust? Yes she did, (don't we all) Did Abraham make some bonehead decisions along the way? (Remember when he tried to pawn her off as his sister and she found herself in the harems of Pharaoh and Abimelech?) But she continued to trust, continued to submit, and God protected her, and brought her through the trial. Miracles happen when you seek to live like daughters of Sarah, yes even the miracle of a husband coming to faith in Christ without saying a word!

Still Beautiful After All These Years

# 67 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9,10, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” There is some debate in churches about the manner of dress for women and sometimes the debate can become rather heated. These “Prime Time Devos are meant to stimulate thought on the matter, and as in all things biblical, I would hope that you would prayerfully see what the Scriptures say, and then work it out with the Lord. The last couple of days we've been talking about the attire of inner beauty as exemplified by Sarah as we read in 1Pe 3:1-6, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are The inner “adornment' of Sarah is described as “the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” Gold, jewelry, dresses, fashion. Even hair will fade away eventually, but the inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit actually seem to get better with age! It's why at the age of 65 the Bible makes it a point to remind us she was taken into Pharaoh's harem because she was “very fair,” ( Gen 12:14) and at the age of 90 taken into Abimelech's harem! The inner beauty of Sarah was found in her “gentle” (humble) and quiet spirit. We have seen this word “quiet” before. It means to remain in one's seat. It is the understanding of living in God's created order for authority. Sarah demonstrated this spirit as she obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. This kind of attitude is the mark of a daughter of Sarah. Is it easy? I guarantee you it was not always easy for Sarah, but she was blessed because of it. Quiet your spirit princess and be blessed.

Bringing Out the Princess In You

# 67 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9,10, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” Once we understand the cultural problem of the day concerning the braiding of hair, wearing of gold and pearls and costly clothing and it's connection to the heathen practices of the day concerning temple prostitution, we can see why this style of dress was forbidden. So what's a girl to wear? She should wear clothing that matches her station as a person who by grace has been made a princess. It's important that the Holy Spirit uses the word “adorn” here. The word means “decorate.” So ladies it's okay to dress up, but the keys are modesty, propriety, and moderation. By mentioning “good works” our attention is turned toward inner beauty rather than outer beauty and the best example of this inner beauty is found in the example of Sarah as given in 1Pe 3:1-6, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are We talked about the matter of submission last time, let's look at other qualities today. A woman should display “chaste conduct accompanied by fear.” The word chaste here means “modest, pure, innocent.” This kind of conduct is always a fruit of those who “fear and love God.” It's not that she has a shaking in the boots fear of her husband or other men, but rather an awe inspiring right understanding of who God is! This kind of understanding brings out the princess in her!

Proper Spiritual Attire

# 67 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9,10, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” The Holy Spirit finalizes the dress code for women in and out of the worship service setting. She is to wear the good works of all (men or women) who profess godliness. This is the spiritual dress code for all followers of Christ. How did James put it? Faith without works is dead! Abraham's wife Sarah, is the model for women who profess to follow Christ, let's see what she put on according to 1Pe 3:1-6, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” Okay, for starters, the wife is to be submissive to her husband. In the context of this section of 1 Peter, this subjection is similar to that of men and women submitting to the God-ordained authorities in their lives. (See 1 Pet 2:13-18) We have a tendency to make this “submission” thing way too complicated. It's just a simple matter of acknowledging that in God's grand scheme of things, in God's chain of command, the husband has authority over the wife. Of course if the husband abuses that authority and demands that his wife do something contrary to the Word of God, well Peter and John tell us in Ac 5:29, "We ought to obey God rather than men.” So that's the first article of “spiritual” clothing. Acknowledge the God-ordained chain of command. For this is precious in the sight of God (v4) More on the clothing of Sarah next time.

Consider Your Royal Status

# 66 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, (1 Tim 2:9) I want to spend some more time on this matter of proper dress for women in the worship setting. I certainly understand how some could read this and literally choose not to “braid their hair, or wear gold jewelry, or pearls, or wear expensive clothing when they attend worship services. ” Their sole desire in following these rules is to honor God through obedience to the literal Word of God. On the other hand, I also understand how others will view this in the context of the culture of the day. We live in different times. No one ought to think that a woman who spends time on making her hair look nice, or wears gold jewelry or pearls, or expensive clothing is a harlot from the temple of idolatry down the street, but that's the way it was in the culture of Paul's and Timothy's day. Society in general was immersed in the temple worship of cults which involved temple prostitutes, who dressed in the provocative manner of a harlot. As you read the New Testament letters to the churches, you can't help but pick up on the sense of urgency for Christians to distance themselves from these heathen practices. James crafted a letter to these Gentile churches in Ac 15:29 that dealt with this matter. He wrote, “that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, (practices involved with idolatrous worship) you will do well.” And as Paul wrote to the Corinthians: 2Co 6:16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." So, what to wear to church ladies? No adornment? No restraint? Something in between? May I suggest that search the Scriptures and pray about it? One thing for sure, you can't go wrong with modesty, moderation, and what is proper and fitting for the worship of a King. Remember MEN and WOMEN, you are sons and daughters and brothers and sisters of a King and you have gathered in His presence. You are royalty! Let that be your guideline as you gather for worship, and do the best you can.

A Dress Code?

# 65 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, (1 Tim 2:9) The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul continues his instructions to Timothy (and us) as to “how to do church.” In this section he begins to differentiate the roles of men and women in the worship setting. He starts out with the phrase, “in like manner.” What can he mean by that? Simply stated, he has first given instructions to the men in the worship service, now “in like manner,” he gives instructions to women. The mere fact that women are given “in like manner” instructions speaks of their invitation to participate in the supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men (v1) This invitation for women to participate in worship was for the most part quite foreign to the cultures of the day. (Jew or Gentile!) But it underscores the truth of Ga 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Nonetheless, for the sake of order, and I think a desire to limit distraction, Paul sets down some guidelines for this new found freedom for the fairer sex, and he starts with a dress code. What? Why is the manner of dress important? Well, something to consider is this letter is addressed to Timothy as he was overseeing church plants in geographical areas that were greatly influenced by religious practices that involved temple prostitution. The manner of dress described here is that of a harlot in biblical times as described in Re 17:4 The woman (who was called the mother of harlots) was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,” Now PLEASE! I am not calling fancy dressers harlots! But what's going on here? Well this manner of dress in this culture was much too close to a worship practice of the heathen that these early Christians were trying to distance themselves from and would be a sensual distraction. And I think that's what the Holy Spirit is seeking to warn us about when it comes to attire in the worship service for men and women. Seek, (with the best of your ability) to avoid dressing in a manner that would be distracting, especially in a sensual manner. There is no prohibition against adorning oneself in this passage, only a caution to do so in modesty, and modesty by its very definition is not distractive. If we consider this, I think we will do well.

Be A Berean

# 64 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, (1 Tim 2:9) The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul continues his instructions to Timothy (and us) as to “how to do church.” In this section he begins to differentiate the roles of men and women in the worship setting, and this is where it gets a little dicey. There are strong feelings on this issue in the church today and my experience in dealing with such feelings in sorting out these kinds of doctrinal issues is to first of all, be teachable. Being teachable begins with prayerful, humble listening to the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word of God. Sometimes this requires letting go of things that have become entrenched in your mind through years of “we've always done it this way” theology. Think of the Bereans mentioned in the Book of Acts. When Paul and Silas arrived in their town and preached the gospel this was definitely not the way they had “done it before!.” Ac 17:11 says this about the Bereans: “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. The Thessalonians had driven Paul and Silas out of their city (they obviously had strong feelings on the subject of the Gospel) but the Bereans were more willing to listen to Paul and Silas' side of the story, but even though they received it well, they still turned to the Scriptures to see if these teachings squared up with the Word of God! So don't drive away teachings simply because “you've never done it that way before.” If you have questions go to the Word of God! Isa 8:20 says, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” And in 2Pe 1:20 we read, “ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” The nobility (fair-mindedness) of the Bereans lies in the fact that they were willing to listen to another side of the story but they also never stopped looking at it through the lens of the perfect Word of God!

Pray Without Doubting

# 63 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Tim 2:8) Paul's instructions to Timothy and the church regarding prayer might here be called the three “withouts” We have covered the necessity of praying WITHOUT sin clinging to us, and number two on the list is to pray WITHOUT wrath. The third WITHOUT is doubting. The word in the Greek is dialogismos, from which we get the word “dialogue.” Isn't that interesting? I thought prayer IS dialogue! Well obviously this is not the dialogue between God and us when we pray, rather it is the dialogue that we internalize as we pray. It is coupled with wrath for good reason. Just as wrath should not present in our hearts as we pray, so must this dialogue be absent. But what is this dialogue? In the New Testament, this dialogue never has positive connotations, it is always negative and it covers all kinds of wrong thoughts regarding our fellow men or regarding God! An example of these kind of thoughts are found in Mt 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, (same Greek word) murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Think of it this way: If you were to approach your King to seek favor or benefit from being one of His subjects, and you have these kind of thoughts, you won't even get in the door because “only the pure in heart will see God!” it is as Jesus said in Mt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” What a dilemma! We all deal with these kinds of thoughts! How then do we handle this? We deal with them by utilizing what is the opposite of doubt.....namely faith! Faith in the Word of God which says we can approach our King through the cleansing and purifying power of the blood of Jesus! Heb 10:19 says. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Brothers, sisters. Know that at times you will feel unworthy to stand before the King to make requests, you are going to have your doubts! But be even more sure of your right to stand before Him because of what Jesus has done for you! “Lord as my heart overflows often with doubt, I plead with the father who pleaded with You for his son to be healed. “I believe, help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

Pray Without Wrath

# 62 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Tim 2:8) Paul's instructions to Timothy and the church regarding prayer might here be called the three “withouts” Last time we talked about the importance of dealing with our sins via repentance, confession, and absolution BEFORE we lift our hands to God in prayer. We ought to pray WITHOUT our sins clinging to us!. We also ought to pray WITHOUT wrath! The word wrath here is defined as someone who is seeking revenge. Revenge should never be our motivation for prayer. When you think about it, asking God to take revenge on a person or persons for actions they have taken against us is kind of silly. The matter of avenging is already in the hands of God. No need to worry about it. Ro 12:19 says, “ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.” We have several examples given to us in Scripture concerning this matter of praying without wrath. When the Samaritans refused to put up Jesus and His disciples, James and John were upset and wanted to pray for the wrath of God to come down on them, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." (Luke 9:54-56) Again, we are reminded of the major thrust of prayers directed to God as stated in v4, “ 1Ti 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This is why Jesus, (who had cause to pray for revenge as He died nailed to the cross prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” and why Stephen, as the stones were bouncing off of his body and draining the life out of him prayed, Ac 7:60, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." (Acts 7:60) When one considers what Jesus and Stephen endured from their enemies, and yet were able to pray for their forgiveness and consequent opportunities to come to faith, our own grievances against others seem rather petty. Let us remove all wrath as we pray for it is as Jesus reminded us in Mt 6:12,14, “ And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Wash Those Dirty hands!

# 60 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Tim 2:8) Yesterday we began addressing the matter of the role of men and women in the worship service. We used the illustration of men leading much in the same way someone must lead in a dance. For starters, the men are to pray everywhere. Prayer is not restricted to a temple, a church building, or a city. Wherever two or more gather in the name of Jesus, we have prayer. Three conditions for prayer are listed. The men should pray with (1) holy hands, (2) without wrath, and (3) without doubting. To pray with holy hands is both a posture and a condition of the heart. We should have a mental picture of the palms of our hands facing heaven, anticipating a loving and holy God pouring out blessing that we may receive it. Would it not make sense to cleanse those hands first before receiving anything from a holy God? Should a holy God gleefully pour out His blessing into hands caked with dirt? So the first order of business is to wash up! How does a Christian do that? Of course we always seek to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, but we are flesh and blood. We sin, therefore we need cleansing, and the Bible tells us to confess our sins, (agree with God that our hands are dirty) and He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness! ( 1 Jn 1:9) To think we don't need a time of cleaning up before lifting our hands to God is arrogant. What did your mother tell you when you came into the house after playing in the yard? She said, “wash your hands” before you come to eat. Wash your hands before receiving what she has prepared for you! That's godly advice for us as well when we seek to receive what the Lord has prepared for us! Spend some time, washing up, confessing your sins, receiving God's promised forgiveness, and then lift those holy hands heavenward to receive!

The Roles of Men and Women In Church

# 60 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:8-15, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Tim 2:8-15) Oh boy. Here's a can of worms in today's church! Should women be allowed to participate in the worship service? This worship service that consisted of supplications, (prayer requests) prayers ( expressions of praise and love of God) intercessions, (petitions on behalf of others) and the giving of thanks? No matter how I answer that question, feathers will be ruffled. Therefore the best advice I can give is to remind you to prayerfully seek out the Word of God and allow it to dictate your actions in a loving manner. The best I can do here is perhaps give you some food for thought as you wrestle with this question. The first thing that strikes me as I read this portion of Timothy is the use of the phrase “the men,” rather than “men.” This terminology indicates a definite difference in the sexes. The term “men” alone would include all adult humans and not differentiate between sexes, but using the term “the men” indicates a biological difference. So Paul starts with the males. This at the very least, indicates a leading role for men in this matter of worship. It's not a perfect illustration, but try to think of it in terms of a dance. Someone has to lead or both participants will be clumsily tripping over each other. Who leads? Usually the man. Is it because he is a better dancer? No! It is only due to God's created order (For Adam was formed first, then Eve.) I don't believe this would be such an issue in the church if men didn't drop the ball of leadership in the first place! The dance must go on and if men won't lead, well someone's got to fill the vacuum! Just some food for thought. Again, as you sort this potentially contentious issue in your fellowship, prayerfully seek the guidance as found in the Word of God and act with wisdom and love.