Monday 28 June, 2021

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

You have to love all the difficult passages in the Bible .. they should make us want to understand exactly what was happening in the church or place or history for the writer to communicate the way he has. What was God’s heart in this place or situation?

Many books and opinions have been offered on this passage, I take my cue today from the previous paragraph, verses 3-6 … “³ This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all people….”. God’s heart is that all would be saved, no disputes or anger about it, no showing off or fashion parades, no chaos in the church meeting but order, with the focus on Jesus as we come to worship together.

Father I pray today, that we may keep our focus on Jesus, his willing sacrifice for our sin and salvation, as we worship in all the various displays of your church.

Written by Suzie Hodgson