Truth Magazine

By Clinton D. Hamilton

Question: The question for consideration in this column is couched in the following quotation: “In 1 Timothy 2:15, women shall be preserved through the bearing of children. Does that mean women must have children in order to be saved?”

Response: Often the major point in a passage and the limitations of the context are stripped aside so as to permit the focusing on a subordinate issue. We must be careful lest this be the case with this passage. In the context of this passage, the issue is the relation of the woman to man. In verse 9, the women should adorn themselves in orderly clothing with modesty and sobriety, not with plaiting and gold or pearls or costly raiment. Paul continues in verse 10 by stating that it suits women professing godliness “with good works,” di’ ergon agathon. Accordingly, a woman is to learn in silence in all subjection (v. 11). But to teach I do not permit a woman nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence (v. 12). Because Adam was first formed then Eve (v. 13). And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived has become the transgressor (v. 14). But she shall be saved through her childbearing, if they remain in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety (v. 15). What has just been presented is a somewhat literal translation of the section (1 Tim. 2:10-15) for the purpose of setting the context for the statement in 2:15. This passage is not at its heart about childbearing, but is about the proper relation of woman to man however this may express itself in behavior.

The woman is to reach her goal by obedience in maintaining the role God assigned to her. It is not to teach the man, nor to exercise dominion over him. Hers is by way of submission. It is by fulfilling this mission as God designed it that she reaches full happiness and true freedom in relation to God (vv. 11-12). After Eve had transgressed, God announced, “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16). This is the mission assigned to woman in the scheme of things in the social order of humankind. Adam called her Eve because she was the mother of all living (Gen. 3:20).

Sothesetai, “she shall be saved,” is future passive indicative third person singular of the verb sozo, “save, deliver, preserve, etc.” It has reference first to the woman in v. 14 (Eve) but in this context also to females who are members of the class of whom Eve was the first. Paul is speaking generally of the class of woman. “In childbearing” comes from dia tes teknogonias. What does this mean? Teknogonia, “bearing children,” appears only in this pas-sage in the NT. It is translated very literally in the KJV. The class of females of whom Eve was one fulfills its purpose among other things in childbearing as God decreed (Gen. 3:16). To younger women Paul gave this instruction: “marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Tim. 5:14). These two passages fit well with Genesis 3:16. However, on another occasion, Paul spoke of circumstances in which it may be better for a woman to remain unmarried in order to care for the things of the Lord (1 Cor. 7:26-38). He could not give this advice if it were a condition of being saved eternally that a woman bear children. If she bears children out of wedlock, she commits fornication or adultery both of which are forbidden. It becomes obvious that Paul is speaking of the general role or mission of woman in 1 Timothy 2:15, and not specifically of childbearing as a precondition of salvation from sin and the wrath of God to come.

It should not be overlooked that Paul immediately changes from the singular number to plural in his succeeding statements in the passage under study. The next statement is can meinosin en pistei kai agape kai hagiasm meta sphrosunes, “if they remain in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.” Ean is a conditional particle that introduces some-thing future and is here used with the subjunctive, as will be presently pointed out (see Thayer 162). Meinosin is aorist active subjunctive of the verb meno, “abide.” There is contemplated the condition of their being characterized by certain qualities of spiritual nature. They must remain in faith, love, and sanctification; these are the issues with respect to the higher sense of “save” that are under consideration. Childbearing is not the means of salvation. The expiatory death of Christ is the means of salvation or deliverance from the guilt of sin and the wrath of God. Those who are acquitted of sin are those who believe; they are people of faith (Rom. 1:16-17) and that person’s faith is reckoned for justification or acquittal (Rom. 4:5; Gen. 15:6). Love is essential to salvation if one is to walk by faith (2 Pet. 1:4-11; 1 John 4:7-8, 16, 19-21). Without sanctification, no one can see God (Heb. 12:14). Women can safely bear children and although this is part of the curse placed on them, they ultimately can be redeemed if they are characterized by faith, love, and sanctification.

To say that childbearing is the means of salvation is to wrest this statement out of context in 1 Timothy 2, and to ignore the context of other Scriptures also. Woman fits into the social fabric of humankind by maintaining the proper relation to man by being in submission and fulfilling the role of childbearing. The latter is painful and difficult. The salvation of men and women alike is through the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and not in procreating or bearing children as the case of the sexes may be. Alford well points out that Christians are saved by fire (1 Cor. 3:15). Dia puros in this verse does not mean that the fire of trial is the means of salvation, any more than dia teknogonias has the sense of the means of salvation in 1 Timothy 2:15. Likewise, neither is di’ ergon agathon, “with good works,” the means of salvation (2:10). All of us may go through severe trials as by fire, but we are saved through Jesus Christ the Lord. Those who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Women may go through childbearing as the general role given to them. But this does not mean that childbearing is essential to salvation. In the normal process and general plan, she is to bear children as part of her mission. There may be circumstances in which she is barren, bearing no children, as was Sarah through no fault of her own. This does not mean that she cannot be saved. One may be basically incapacitated to do good works by accident or disease. This does not mean that the person cannot be saved. One must be careful to exegete, not eisegete the text.

Guardian of Truth XL: 11 p. 12-13
June 6, 1996

 

Go quietly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they, too, have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others you may become bitter or vain, for there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of our time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery; but let this not blind you to what virtue there is.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here, and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God. And what-ever your labors and aspiration, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

ANONYMOUS

Guardian of Truth XL: 11 p. 13
June 6, 1996

By Ferrell Jenkins

Northeast of Van we took highway E99 toward Dogubayazit (pronounced doe-BYE-a-zit). We stopped to look at a beautiful waterfall at Muradiye. Some of the guide books say that this road is bad, but we found it to be one of the best we traveled. This may be because it is used by the military who patrol the area. For several miles the road runs parallel to the Iranian border. In the highest elevation it was cold and there was snow along the highway  we stopped for Curtis and Kyle to throw some snow-balls. The highest elevation was 8,668 feet. The region seems to receive much rain and is ideal for herding sheep. The lushness of the grass re-minded me of Wales.

As we came down to an elevation of 5200 feet, our first view of Mount Ararat was disappointing because the mountain was covered with dark clouds. We continued through Dogubayazit east a few miles to the Sim-Er Hotel on the Iran transit road.

We were the only guests in the hotel that night so we got the best rooms available with wonderful views of the mountain. Some of the explorers who have searched for the ark have stayed here including former astronaut Jim Irwin, whose autographed photo of his moon walk hung beside the reception desk.

Mount Ararat: Did the Ark Land Here?

Shortly after our arrival the clouds began to move away from the mountain and we had a clear view for excellent photos. The terrain around Mount Ararat (Agri Dag in Turkish) is bleak and this makes the mountain all the more impressive. Mount Ararat is known locally as Buyuk Agri (Greater Ararat) and is nearly 17,000 feet high. Snow covered the top third of the peak. The mountain is connected to Kucuk Agri (Lesser Ararat), a lower mountain which is under 13,000 feet high, by a ridge seven miles long.

The keeper of the hotel offered the services of one of his workers, Mustafa, to direct us to places of interest in the area. We headed toward the Iranian border and made beautiful photos of the now-cleared mountain. Some clouds hang around the top of the mountain most of the time, but they move constantly making every photo unique. When we came to gates across the road we turned north on a dirt road. We were at the border of Iran and only authorized vehicles, like the TIR trucks, continue east. Mustafa asked some shepherd boys for directions and we continued to see a huge crater which was made when a meteor hit the earth in 1920. More interesting at the moment was the fact that we were surrounded by Turkish soldiers with their guns pointed toward Iran.

We asked Mustafa, who was able to speak both Turkish and Kurdish but little English, to take us to a place about 17 miles south of the summit of Mount Ararat about two miles from the Iranian border, at an elevation of about 5,200 feet, where some explorers have sought the ark for the past 35 years. We saw there a formation of 515 feet by 138 feet in a stream-lined “boat shape.” Several “Archeologists,” including David Fasold, Ron Wyatt and Marvin Steffins, have been initially convinced by their investigations that this site holds promise. The Learning Channel broadcast a film July 31, 1995, about the work of Fasold, Wyatt, and John Baumgardner. The following statement was added at the end of the film: “In 1992 the boat-shaped object was finally declared an official archaeological site by the Turkish Government. The site will be excavated in the summer of 1995.” We saw no indication of any excavations when we visited on June 18.

Both William H. Shea and Clifford L. Burdick wrote articles in the Creation Research Society Quarterly about this site in September 1976. Dr. John Morris of the Institute for Creation Research, who has headed a number of expeditions in search of Noah’s ark, cites Dr. John Baumgardner, a geophysicist, who disproved the hypothesis that this formation might be the ark and found nothing of archaeological significance (Impact, Sept. 1992). Baumgardner wrote an article about the “boat formation” in 1986 in which he stated that a man-made, boat-shaped object containing an organized pattern of metal underground, with location and dimensions consistent with those of the biblical ark had been found (“Noah’s Ark-Have We Found It?”, Mission Journal, May 1986). I have not yet located any more recent statements by Baumgardner.

When we returned to the hotel and cleaned up, we gathered in one of the rooms for a period of worship and study. Curtis directed our thoughts in a study about Noah and the ark. We looked at, and commented on, numerous passages which make reference to these subjects (e.g., Gen.6-9; Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:18-21; 2 Pet. 2:5; 3:6).

The ark could have landed any-where in Urartu, the mountains of Ararat. Traditions seem always to seek the highest point. One must re-member that Agri Dagi is a large volcano which last erupted in 1840. Some have suggested that the ark, had it been hidden in the glaciers of this area, could not have survived. Discussion of the universality of the flood traditions and a history of efforts to locate the ark must wait for another time, place, or person to develop.

We Saw a Rainbow at

Mount Ararat

Kyle commented about what a wonderful trip we had enjoyed and especially how exciting it was to see Mount Ararat. He said the only thing more exciting would be to see a rain-bow. Curtis and I opined, “That would be exciting.” An hour or so later I heard Kyle yell, “There’s a rainbow!” There was. We rushed out to photo-graph it, and I am pleased to write that I got a fairly good shot.

“And God said, `This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to re-member the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth’ (Gen. 9:12-17).

Agri Dagi may not be the exact place the ark landed, but the land of beginning again for Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth was certainly in the region we had traveled through today  the mountains of Ararat.

During the night, I woke up about 12:30 a.m. and looked out toward the mountain. The sky was clear and star-studded; it reminded me of the night I climbed Mount Sinai. The shepherds were already moving their sheep to pasture by about 4:30 a.m. Before 5 a.m. the sun peeked over the mountain to herald a new day. The temperature outside my window was 51 degrees. In the hotel lobby was a display of rocks that had been brought from the mountain. There were also several fossilized sea shells in the collection. The men said these also came from Mount Ararat!

On the eighth day we drove north along the west side of the mountain to Igdir. This gave us an opportunity to see more of the mountain. Efforts to climb the mountain, which are presently not permitted, begin on the north side of the mountain. We were able to see into Armenia, part of the former Soviet Union.

Upon the return to Dogubayazit we encountered some rain. When we turned west on highway E80 toward Agri and Erzurum, Mount Ararat was covered with black clouds and rain. We had enjoyed a wonderful visit of the area.

A Satisfying Journey Completed

We decided to spend our last night in eastern Turkey at Erzurum, a much more modern town than we had seen for several days. The next morning we said goodbye to our rental car, in which we had traveled 1600 miles, at the airport and headed for Istanbul via Ankara. Shortly before landing in Ankara we saw the Halys River which marked the western boundary of the ancient Hittite Empire. In Istanbul we had time to visit the modern Galleria mall near our hotel. It looked just like any new mall at home; it even had a food court with McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Baskin Robins. We were nearly home!

Traveling with Curtis and Kyle was a real pleasure. Kyle was keeping a journal in preparation for a college course he was taking. Curtis, with his special interest in and knowledge of church history as well as biblical history, provided innumerable insights throughout the trip. The adventure continues in our minds and hearts.

Guardian of Truth XL: 10 p. 18-19
May 16, 1996

By Connie W. Adams

God the Father, sent Jesus into the world who was “Immanuel, God with us.” God speaks to us in these last days in his Son and we dare not refuse him. To do so is to refuse the one who sent him. Jesus chose apostles and trained them while he was yet with them. After his ascension, as promise a, fife sent the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, remind, and show them things to come. They went forth and preached under that guidance using not words given by human wisdom but those chosen by the Spirit. Paul said his wards were “the commandments of the Lord.”

These apostles not only spoke by the Spirit’s direction, they also wrote letters to local churches and individuals instructing them in the will of the Lord. In this they followed in the path of “holy men of old” who “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). Most of the New Testament was written by the apostles. The exceptions (Mark, Luke, James and Jude) were men in close association with the apostles of our Lord and were inspired to write as they did.

Search the Scriptures

Jesus said ‘Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). No doubt, Jesus made reference to the Messianic prophecies. But we also need to search the New Testament Scriptures to learn of Christ. They also testify of him. We do not know of Christ apart from the Scriptures. You cannot preach Christ without preaching the Scriptures.

Paul’s Writings and the Other Scriptures

Peter wrote of things written by “our beloved brother Paul” and said “according to the wisdom given unto him” he had written “in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:15-16). First, notice that Peter states that Paul wrote “according to the wisdom given unto him.” He recognized that Paul was the source of what he wrote. Next, he speaks of his epistles in which were some things hard to be understood. I wonder if Peter had the Roman letter before him! Then, he said that the unlearned and unstable “wrest” or pervert, what Paul wrote, “as they do also the other scriptures.” “Other scriptures” not only shows that what Paul wrote was classified as Scripture, but it was in the same class with “other scriptures.” Then notice, that to be guilty of wresting Scripture, is to endanger the soul. They do it “to their own destruction.” Folks, there is no salvation apart from respecting and obeying the teaching of the Scriptures.

Paul summarized all of it in the statement “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished until all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Timothy had known “the holy scriptures” from a child (verse 15), but I am convinced that Paul while including the Old Testament, states a larger view in verse 16-17. The all-sufficiency of Scripture is set forth. Peter said, “According as his divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:3). What cannot be found in Scripture about life and godliness is not worth having.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the grace of God given him “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery: (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 3:2-5). What did God’s grace give Paul? By revelation he made known the divine plan which was a mystery in Old Testament times. This message was “revealed” to the “holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Paul said he “wrote in a few words” so that when they would read what he wrote (that’s Scripture), they in turn would understand what Paul came to know by rev-elation.

That is why we must ever be a people of the book. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). Scripture came by divine revelation. That means it is authoritative. If I reject (or pervert) the Scripture, I do so to my own destruction. At the same time, I am guilty of rejecting the work of the Lord’s ambassadors. To do that is also to reject the Holy Spirit which directed them. To do that means that I have rejected the Christ who sent the Spirit to guide them. To reject him is to reject the Father who sent him. Yet, this is the process by which God has chosen to reveal his mind to us.

That is why it disturbs me to hear sermons from men who profess to belong to the Lord which contain very little Scripture. Dramatic stories may illustrate points but they are not on a par with Scripture. Certainly sermons ought to flow in orderly and logical fashion. There are times for illustration, for emphasis, for pointed exhortations. Yet, the Scriptures themselves are a rich storehouse of such material. When religious journalism becomes more concerned with a polished literary work with a minimum of Scripture, maybe even just one verse, than with instruction in and defense of the truth of God in a world gone mad with sin and error, then it is time to remind all who will listen that gospel preaching is Bible preaching. It is sickening to hear so-called gospel preachers mimicking the dramatic and sensational denominational preachers who fill the religious radio stations or the religious channels on television. Or who obviously have filled their libraries and their minds with the excitement of some new and cute way to say it. It is but a short step from that to belittling faithful servants of the Lord who are working hard to instill in the minds of their hearers what the word of God teaches. If you want to preach practical things, then preach the Scriptures. Do you want to speak of Jesus? Then “Search the scriptures” for they “testify” of him. Do you want to preach Christ? Then tell people what the apostles of Christ wrote as well as what he said while here.

May the Lord help us to respect the divine authority of the creator of us all. All too soon, we shall stand before him in judgment. The books will be opened, and another book, the book of life will stand open as well. The dead shall be judged out of those things that are written. May we all be prepared for that certain event.

Guardian of Truth XL: 11 p. 3-4
June 6, 1996