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NASB | 1 Timothy 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 2:12 I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet [in the congregation]. |
Bible Question: You're right the city wasn't destroyed in 40 days. But it was destroyed. What would you give as the measure of a ministry ordained of God? |
Bible Answer: Good question! I think Searcher is on the right track. However, I do not think there is a simple answer. To me, the book of Hebrews gives us a great answer for this on a personal level. The author tells us not to hesitate or turn away. We see the "great cloud of witnesses" of chapter 11. Then the careful admonition of 12:1-2. Lay aside the weights (things more important than God), sin (don't think you can play with it and not have it cling to you), and persevere. Another applicable passage is, "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith He feared me, and was afraid before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept My ways, but have been partial in the law." (Malachi 2:1-9) From this passage we see a number of things that mark a successful ministry. The ministry will 1. Be fully committed to the commands of the Lord (v1) 2. Give God alone glory in everything they do (v1) 3. Continuously preaching and teaching life and peace (Gospel) (v5) 4. Aligned with God's redemptive purposes (v5) 5. Be characterized by fear, reverence, and submission to God (properly recognizing the attributes of God) (v5) 6. Be characterized by openness and honesty (v6) 7. Have leaders whose walk with the Lord cannot be impugned (v6) 8. Effectually direct others -- by word and example -- to walk in the same way (v6) 9. Cling to sound doctrine, always seeking to be reformed by the Word of God (v7-8) 10. Carefully communicate sound doctrine to others (v7-8) 11. Recognize the solemn responsibility as an oracle of God (v7) 12. Be respected and recognized by the church for the work they do (v9) Sorry for the "off the cuff" nature of this post. There is much more we could talk about. For example, the marks of a false teacher and the marks of a proper leader (elder). An ungodly ministry will ultimately teach error, manifest itself in immorality, and fail to submit to the authority of church leaders who seek to bring correction. (There have been some very public examples of this in recent years.) In Him, Doc |