When seeing and attending the confirmation services of Bishops by an organization, I am seeing women who are being ordained as Bishops.  I have read and studied the office of Bishop and have not understood nor found any of the ceremonial ordinations of women as Bishops, nor in God's Word have I found anything on women as Bishops.

 

1 Timothy 3 is the specific chapter speaking on the Office and Qualifications of the Bishop.  Is a Bishop also an Overseer or Superintendent or Elder or Chief Elder? 

 

Now, the Word of God, KJV, states "...If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not as a novice [one newly come to the faith], lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil..."  1 Timothy 3:1-7

 

As the head of his household, he is to plan, protect, and provide for his household which includes stewardship as he "ruleth well his own house..." (Titus 1:7).  We are to follow the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:25).

 

This scripture, literally, is speaking of a man.  Any thoughts?

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The atoning work of Christ redeems those who accept Christ as Lord and Savior and are obedient to his word.

There are still people living under the curse of sin and death, living under family curses, generational curses, ethnic curses, drug and alcohol curses, etc. 

Malachi 4:6, "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."  It seems that you don't understand that most people live under a curse today.  Understand that the majority is not going to heaven.  Unfortunately there will only be a small minority.

 

Today we witness the breakdown of the biblical order and authority established by God through his word.  I preach at one of the largest prison churches in the U.S. where there is a program called the "Returning Hearts" ministry that was developed by a group called Awana.  Visit them at www.awana.org

 

When men are not taking the spiritual lead, head and control of their homes (church) we are witness to the material effects upon society and the world.      

 

Where you a child preacher?

 

Now in this passage you will also see the grace and mercy of God.  When you are under a curse (earth), here, it is designed for you to go so low, it is designed for you to be broken, it is only then that you will look up and return to the Lord.

 

I could go further but I don't believe that you understand.  God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemy.  No weapon formed against you will prosper.  There are people today who practice putting curses upon the people of God.  God will turn this evil practice around for good. 

So if you say that the atonement of Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, then why are you saying that females cannot be Bishops based upon the curse of the Law? If you take notice of the original structure of leadership BEFORE the fall, it was man and women standing side by side. Yes Adam ruled, but BOTH were named Adam according to Genesis 5. People tend to over look this. If this was not true, the people like Deborah were invalid leaders of Israel, but we know that Deborah was as valid as they come.

We are talking about the spiritual head (leader).  Deborah was not.  She was a prophet, wife, counselor, warrior, and only woman judge in Israel. 

 

Satan wanted to be the head, he suggested that Adam & Eve be on the same level as God.  If you don't believe that God has an ordered delegated system of authority you are wrong my friend.

 

Since someone has ordained your wife as a Bishop this will forever be your position on the subject.  I don't believe that you have proved your point. 

Lets be clear on some things:

1) Deborah WAS the Spiritual head of Israel. Even Rabbis who are against females in leadership will easily tell you that!

 

2) I was the one who ordained my wife Bishop, overseeing work in the Ministry.  

I don't know if it is wise to ordain women to the office of bishop based off the life of Deborah.  What was the intended purpose for biblical judges to be raised up by God?  They were raised up to judge rebellion against the word of God. 

 

Deborah is clearly an exception in a time of rebellion and a lack of order according to the plan of God.  When your father left your home, your mother had to step up and take the lead in the home.

 

The mercy and grace of God allows for exeptions.  When you sin out of rebellion it is not the intended plan of God for your life but he is merciful, slow to anger and has made an exception through the blood of Jesus.  Sin against God through transgressions and disobedience is not the plan that God has intended and because we have an exception through Jesus, should we continue in sin that grace may abound? 

 

I don't know if we should make a doctrine over the events that happened in the period when Deborah ruled as Judge.     

If you can't do so based off of the example of sacred Scripture, which shows that such a person was chosen by God to be such a leader, then ordaining people (be it male or female) is not a thing for you to even think about.

 

You have completely lost the on text of leadership. True leaders are chosen by God's choice, not ours. Every time God raised up a judge in the Bible, He raised them up according to His sovereign choice. That time, His choice was a woman. Was God out of order, or just the times? If she wasn't God's true choice, don't you think God would have said so? Do you think He went powerless, or mute, or even fell asleep at the time?

 

Finally, you said something that is practically suicidal to you standpoint: "I don't know if we should make a doctrine over the events that happened in the period when Deborah ruled as Judge."

 

Ifyou can say that, then you have to say that Paul was dead wrong for saying that "ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for DOCTRINE...." You can't have scripture and say "don't use it for doctrine". 

All scripture is good for doctrine does not mean to make that your model for how you live life.  The doctrine might be for rebuke and how not to live.  Do you understand that many of the events are in the bible so that we do not make the same mistake. 

I told you that when Deborah was Judge there was a complete and total disconnect from obedience to God.  God raised up Deborah.  God sent his son Jesus.  Next you will be saying that you are the 2nd coming.  These are exceptions in extreme circumstances.  Do you tear your clothes and give away prayer clothes that heal people?  Have you made a doctrine out of this also? 

 

Nowhere does the bible say that Deborah was a bishop?  You took what you wanted (as we always do) from the scripture and applied it to your situation for ordaining a women to the office of bishop.  This is not what was taking place in the text.  This is not a word of revelation or wisdom.  This is your own manipulation of biblical history to fit your own interests.

 

Finally you are correct that God will raise up whom he deems necessary.  This means to the office of bishop.  1 Timothy 3:1, "This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."  1 Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

 

Deborah was not a bishop.  Stick with the scripture and stop making your own doctrine out of scripture.  You can go on and on making your own doctrine if this is what you intend to do.

1) So your excuse now is that Deborah's leadership was a lesson of "this is a mistake for us to avoid"?

2) The word Bishop is the Greek word "Episcopos" which means "overseer, one who is in charge or judges over". The word judge in the Hebrew was the word "Shaphat" and it meant to judge or govern. Deborah played that role to the T, so common sense will let you know this! How then did I just come up with my own interpretation? 

Let us stick with 1 Timothy.  Go back and read.  Let me know where the word Bishop was 1st incorporated in the use of scriptures and not by you.

By your definition Satan would also be a bishop.  Prince of the power of the air, ruler, etc.

 

Blessings,

Someone who is only about surface work will only look for the first use of the word Bishop, but a true student of the Scriptures will also look for the first examples of a Bishop. Students of Scripture know this fact: the OT is the NT concealed, while the NT is the OT revealed". In other words, if you can find it in the NT, it was presented in the OT first, and if it cannot be found in the OT, then i wont be found in the NT. Therefore, you can easily go to Acts and see the word used there first (Episcopos was translated Overseer there), and turn to Paul's words to Timothy and Titus, but if you REALLy wanted to study to show yourself approved, you would be prepared to dig in the OT and not ignore the evidence given.

 

For the record, Satan is an overseer of what is evil. The word Bishop is not a word restricted for Christianity. It was a general term for an Overseer/Superintendent. That is why we leaders say "A Bishop in the Lord's Church" and not just a Bishop, because you can oversee just about anything, be it good or bad.

That was a good one.  So since a bishop can be an overseer of just about anything as you say.  It appears the Deborah was not a bishop in the church and that God has given us 1 Timothy 3 for who should be the bishop over and in his church. 

 

Maybe we can say Samson was a bishop.  We can sleep around and still have strength because God is long suffering.  He will answer us in the end.  This is the model of a bishop.  Obviously there is no correlation between OT Judges and the office the NT Bishop.  You fail my brother.

 

I believe that the OT office of hight priest more resembles the office of a bishop than any Judge.  Name a woman high priest?

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