1 Timothy 2

1Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

It is very hard to oppress, hate, and do evil to someone we are praying for. How much less murmuring and complaining would we do if we began to intercede daily in prayer for our pastors, our president, our mayor. They need prayer just like anyone else. How about that cop that just gave us a speeding ticket? That person that was tailgating us, that neighbor that lets his dog loose so that he comes and tears up our flower beds. The eternal state of our neighbor's soul is far more important than a few roses. I'm preaching at myself here.

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

We are to pray for kings and all those in authority which is a sign of true godliness and honesty which is holiness. Holiness is a word some of us in modern times avoid like the plague because we are so afraid of legalism. Yet the bible says that without holiness, no person shall even see the Lord. One can't put it any plainer than that. We are admonished by the word of God to live holy. We must be godly in our walk daily and be honest. If we have trouble being completely honest with people, just be quiet. The less said the less chance we have of exaggerating or telling any lie. In the multitude of words there does not lack sin. We admire the fast talkers and those with a quick comeback but the bible admonishes the meek and quiet spirit and the one who refrains from speaking the wrong things at the wrong time. Yet we are to have holy boldness when it comes to presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Be honest in business. In fact the honest trustworthy businesses are the most successful because word gets out. Cheat one person and they tell their relatives, friends, neighbors and in this day, email.

Pray diligently for leaders and all in authority so that we live peaceful lives. Our leaders need our prayers constantly.

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Praying for people and following peace in holiness if acceptable to God. He wants all who will be saved to be saved. It is never God's will for any person to be lost. God even wants to save our president. Calvin's doctrine of predestination is wrong. God never predestines any to be lost. I say that kindly. They simply misunderstood the words of our beloved Paul. Jesus, Peter and John speaks nothing of the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. God wants to save. When some village of people refused to receive Jesus, He did not desire to curse them. Here is the account of it:

Luk 9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Luk 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?
Luk 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luk 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

If someone does not receive our words, we are to simply go to someone else. We are not to have them arrested, burned at the stake, tortured or some of the things so-called Christians did in the Middle ages and early 17th century. We are not to curse them and consign them to hell.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Why has so many forgotten these words Jesus spoke?

When any so-called Christian group tries to use force it is a sign of unbelief. We do not believe God has the power to change lives. We fail to believe God wants to save so we try to do it ourselves, which is impossible. We can't make one person saved or unsaved by our actions whether it be intimidation, force, baptism, sacraments or any other means used to guarantee one's salvation. Only God has the power to give someone the Holy Spirit. We can't change anyone. We can teach, preach, pray for, extort and admonish but we can't do the actual conversion that takes place when God enters their lives by way of the Holy Spirit Faith in Jesus to save is the only way to be saved and be changed from death unto life. God does it. We are only His messengers.

We must oppose false doctrine and be careful what we hear but we must oppose them in love and kindness desiring that all come to the knowledge of truth and be saved. Your not going to win anyone to Jesus Christ by force and cruelty.
Except for the grace of God, all of us would be lost heathen on the way to hell.

You can preach, teach until your blue in the face but if you show cruelty and live an ungodly hateful life in front of someone who is lost, you will drive them away.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

While I encourage love and gentleness to those that believe different than we do, we must never compromise sound doctrine to please the society around us. There is only one way of salvation. I know this is not politically correct to say but there are not a lot of roads into heaven. If that were the case Jesus would not have had to die as a sacrifice for sins. Jesus is the only way to be saved and there is no salvation apart from Jesus.

1Ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

I know many do not like to hear this and we tend to ignore this scripture because of the abuses of the past and legalism but nevertheless, it is here in the scriptures and we must take heed to whatever is written and not cast it away.

Legalism is making a set of rules usually in the Old Testament and usually misunderstood or adding to what is written for the purpose of controlling a group of people. It is forced and no one is given a chance to be "born again" by God's spirit first and then allowed to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. Instead a legalist will interfere with gentle work of the Holy Spirit and use force, intimidation and threats to get people to behave instead of correcting and rebuking in love and with the preaching of God's word. True godly holiness can never be forced but must be gently taught by encouraging a person to seek direction from God. I believe that we need to return to modest dress codes but we must allow people to seek God and make some choices for themselves.

Appearance alone never saves any soul in itself but it does set a good example. True holiness is in the inner man but it will reflect how we act in front of others. We have to let people grow in the Lord and make some decisions as the Holy Spirit leads them but we also need to set an example in our own lives.

We do not compromise our own standards to win the lost but set the example. One does not have to copy the other. We must copy the Lord and not enter into unbelief by forgetting His power to change what He wants to change. Preach the word and let God do the rest. Live by example and not by intimidation and force.

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Godliness must be taught because it is in the word but sometimes it is up to the individual to allow the Holy Spirit to show him (her) what godliness is. Again, we who are older in the Lord must be the example and not try to copy those that are new in the faith but keep our eyes on the Lord. We can make things easier on ourselves if we just simply ask ourselves, is what I do make a good example of godliness, will it bring a reproach upon the gospel of Jesus Christ or will it damage my own personal testimony.

1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

The best pattern is for a godly man who is obedient to God in all things and under subjection to God and to those to whom God
has placed in authority to be the protector and leader in his home. This is a divine order. Yet there is a place for women in the ministry. Yet is must be in subjection to the Holy Spirit and to her calling. I doubt that a women with 10 children that are young is going to be called to pastor a church for she has her main calling right before her eyes.

Sometimes though sin and disobedience interferes with God's perfect order in the home and in the church. If a woman does not have a godly husband or no husband she is to be under God's authority in all things. Her place in the church is in subjection to those God places over the church. There may be occasions when God does place a woman as a pastor. It may not be the best order of things but if men are not doing their job, women may have to.

This verse is one that must be considered in light of other texts that involve women. If a man is placed over a church and is given authority by the Lord to teach, actually no one, including men should usurp that authority. If there is disagreement on doctrine, there is a godly way to handle that disagreement without causing disruption and confusion. He has not the authority to rule with harshness and put to death dissenters but his authority is a calling of God to preach, teach and lead a flock of people to be followers of Christ, never followers of himself.

As for women, according to scripture, women are easily deceived and have to be more careful but also according to scripture in both the Old and New Testaments a women can prophesy which can be teaching and preaching so we have to consider all these verses before we start forbidden women to have any teaching ministries.

I know many good churches who forbid women to teach because of this scripture but they allow them to teach Sunday School classes. If it was wrong for a woman to teach then it would be wrong for her to teach children as well. This probably means that she is to be in subjection to her husband if she is married and subject to the one in charge of the service and not try to take over and control. Why Paul brings this out, is puzzling unless he had trouble with this issue in some churches.

There is a women called Jezebel mentioned by Christ in the 2nd chapter of Revelation. This woman was not godly and was allowed to seduce the church into false teachings and out and out sin. This is probably the type of woman that should never be in charge of a church or allowed to teach. Obnoxious women who like to take control and dominate their husbands or the pastor of a church may be what is referred to here. I've met these kind of women. I'm sure that a gentle godly woman who interprets a message in tongues or prophesies is not forbidden to speak for Paul even mentions in one place that a woman should pray and prophesy with her head covered so if she wasn't supposed to be speaking, then he wouldn't have mentioned it in the scripture that concerns the length of hair. The book of Joel foretells of a time that "Your sons and daughters" will prophesy.

For those who believe the gifts of the spirit are no longer necessary such as prophesying then of course they don't have to worry about the scripture that says, "Your sons and daughters shall prophesy." However, the church is not perfect yet so I still believe we need God's gifts. It was some of the church fathers after the apostles died that said the gifts were disappearing. That doesn't mean they have to disappear. We can take one look at the church today and see we still need everything God has for us. Yet walking in subjection and meekness is a requirement we all need to possess. I prefer a male teacher but if we came to a meeting and their were no qualified men there to teach and there was a qualified woman to teach, I do not see where the scripture would forbid it as long as she is not overriding the authority of whoever God has placed in charge.

All these things must be in reason and in light of all the word of God. If a woman is married to an ungodly man who pressures her into going against God's word, then of course she has to choose the word above her husband. If a congregation has a pastor who preaches false doctrine and encourages immoral practices, then they have a perfect right to stand for God's word and not follow that leader. In fact we have to do that.

Remember the witch trials in Salem, the burning of Micheal Servetus, the holocaust, the inquisition, and many other things that went on in the name of the Lord. Men and women both must speak out against evil. I'm sure that Paul wasn't forbidding women to keep silent and allow someone to be killed or falsely accused.

This somehow refers to keeping order during worship services so that the word of God can go forth unhindered and the one the Holy Spirit moves upon to preach or teach must be allowed to do so without unnecessary interruption.

1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Because of a women's tendency to be deceived the perfect order is for the man to take the lead. Again, I say this is God's perfect order. If men become disobedient, then sometimes a woman who is godly may have to lead in spiritual things.

Concerning childbirth, here is a natural promise to one who is giving birth to babies. If they walk in holiness they will get through it without dying. This again is a general promise here. It doesn't mean that all women who ever died in childbirth was evil or living an ungodly life. This too could refer to eternal salvation in the sense that even though the curse of pain in childbirth was given through the sin of Eve, this curse does not affect our salvation if we become believers in Jesus and follow in His word.

Following holiness if important no matter whether this means life here or eternal life.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

I believe Paul was emphasizing peace and holiness in all good things, not making rules that forbid women to have any part of spreading the gospel. We need the gospel preached everywhere and on every street corner.