Does the Church Subjugate Women and Reward Male Chauvinists?

Why are there so many male chauvinists in biblical churches? That's just one of the questions we'll be answering on today's edition of CORE Christianity. Well, hi, I'm Bill Meyer, along with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can give us a call with your question right now. Here's our phone number. It's 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-THE-CORE.

That's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites. You can watch Adriel right now live in the studio on our YouTube channel and send him a message that way. And of course, you can always email us your question at questionsatcorechristianity.com.

First up today, here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Claire from the Bay Area in California. Claire, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and grant you peace, a great sense of forgiveness, and also the ability to forgive as you have been forgiven. I want to read from the Gospels a story that I think is one of the most beautiful depictions of the love of Christ and how Jesus engages with people, even with people who have a sinful past. It's from the Gospel of Luke, Luke 7, beginning in verse 36.

And I think that this story speaks to your situation, Claire. This is one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. Now, when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you.

And he answered, say it, teacher. A certain money lender had two debtors, one owed 500 denarii and the other 50. When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now, which of them will love him more?

Simon answered, the one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt. And he said to him, you have judged rightly. Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, do you see this woman? I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not ceased to kiss my feet.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you her sins, which are many are forgiven for she loved much, but he who is forgiven little loves little. And he said to her, your sins are forgiven. Then those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, who is this who even forgives sins? And he said to the woman, your faith has saved you, go in peace. Isn't that just such a beautiful picture of our Lord here receiving love from this woman and also extending his love to her, forgiving her. And the reason she loves so much, Jesus said, is because she had forgiven much. In other words, she didn't walk on the straight and narrow. She had a past, difficulty, sin, trauma.

Who knows? We're not told specifically, but we know she had a past and it was such that she was notorious as a sinner. The Pharisee says, if Jesus really was a prophet, he would have known who this woman is. He wouldn't let her touch his feet, but Jesus does. And so the first thing I want to say to you sisters, no matter what your past is, when you go to Jesus, he extends his grace, his love, his forgiveness to you. And that's why we love him. We love him because he first loved us as sinners. Now, other people like this Pharisee may judge you, may think negatively of you.

That's their problem. And they will have to answer to God for that. We are called as Christians to forgive, even when people have bad attitudes like that, forgiving as we ourselves have been forgiven. And so I would say, receive by faith the grace, the mercy, the forgiveness of Jesus for you.

No matter what your past is, you come to the Lord repenting, he forgives your sins. And as he's given you that forgiveness, extend that forgiveness to the people around you, those who also need to be forgiven. And may the love and light of Jesus shine through you, Claire. God bless you.

Some great counsel. Thank you so much for that, Adriel. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life, our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so. You can give us a call at 833-THE-CORE.

That's 1-833-843-2673. Let's go to Tim calling in from Lincoln, Nebraska. Tim, what's your question for Adriel? Hi Pastor Adriel.

Hey, Tim. Says in the Bible that if we say we have no sin, we're calling God a liar. And then in 1 John chapter 5 verse 18, it says we have no sin, basically, if we know God. And even after we accept Christ, I know that we get angry or we have doubts, we do sin. So I was wondering if you could explain 1 John chapter 5 verse 18. Yeah.

Yeah. Is there a contradiction there? Because at the very beginning of 1 John, as you note, Tim, John says if anyone says he is without sin, he's a liar. Now, probably what John is getting at here is there were a group of people who had left the church. They were apostates.

They had abandoned the fellowship. And so as John is writing here in 1 John, he's addressing this schism that has taken place. And probably among those people who had left, there was this embracing of what we might call antinomianism, lawlessness, saying, oh, you know, really sin is not that big of a deal. We don't need to worry about that.

We've been forgiven. Sort of just loose living, if you will, in terms of the Christian law, the grace of God. And so John is having to address this here in 1 John. He said, look, if anyone says that, if anyone says I'm without sin, I'm sinless, or sin isn't that big of a deal, that person is a liar. They don't understand what the Bible teaches. They don't understand the fact that they still, we still, as you know, Tim, we still sin every day in thought, word, and indeed. And so how do we make sense of what John says later there in 1 John 5, verse 18, where he says, we know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who has been born of God protects him and the evil one does not touch him. So look, John here is not saying that as Christians, as those who are born of God, we are sinless. It's very clear that people born of God continue to sin.

We experience this, each and every one of us, in our own lives. But I think he's talking about a pattern of behavior here, ultimately, that leads to turning away from God. And I think that's in part what he was speaking of a little bit earlier, where he talks about the sin that leads into death. In verse 16, he says, if anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will give him life to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. So right there, he even seems to suggest again that brothers within the church will continue to struggle with sin. And then he goes on to say, there is a sin that leads to death.

I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. And so there's no contradiction. John, even here in the immediate context of 1 John 5, is not saying that we are sinless as believers. He's talking about a pattern of sinful behavior, that the person who is born of God doesn't persist in this unbelieving apostasy. And in fact, that's again confirmed in 1 John 2, where he talks about the people that abandoned the church, the apostates, and he says, they went out from us, 1 John 2, verse 19, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.

And so there's your answer, brother. Thank you for giving us a call, Tim. A great reminder of how we need to understand the context of every Bible verse that we read, and certainly 1 and 2 John has an important context, so thank you for clarifying that, Adriel. Really great stuff. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and we have a very unique resource we want to offer you today. This is something special that families will be interested in.

Yeah. We have a new offer that combines just a lot of different resources that we've put together here at Core Christianity focused on faith and family, and some of the difficult questions that families wrestle through related to raising children, related to marriage, relationships, sexuality even. These are the kinds of questions that we get, practical questions, really, really practical questions, and so that's why we created this new resource over at corechristianity.com, faith and family. It's available over at our website for a gift of any amount, and so this is going to be some audio files, some articles that we've put together, just a number of resources that we think will encourage you and your family, and so please get ahold of this resource, again, over at corechristianity.com for a donation of any amount.

Love to get this in your hands, and again, just a donation of any amount. We'll get that to you. You can go to corechristianity.com forward slash family to find it. Again, corechristianity.com forward slash family. Well, we do receive emails here at Core Christianity.

Here's our email address. If you have a question for Adriel, it's questions at corechristianity.com, and here's one from one of our listeners named Abigail. She says, I'm a young single woman trying to live out God's design for women in an increasingly hostile culture. I desire to be married and to faithfully strive toward the calling of God for women in my future marriage and church community. Some Christian men and Christian churches carefully honor the essential equality and yet functional differences between males and females in marriage, family, and church, but others, perhaps in genuine efforts to biblically distinguish between the sexes, subjugate women in a way that seems to quench their gifts, especially anywhere outside the home.

I want to avoid falling into this situation, so how can I distinguish between Christian men and communities that practice biblical gender roles from those that more closely resemble male chauvinism? There's a lot there, Abigail, and may the Lord bless you, and honestly, I hope that you do get plugged into a church where you are valued, where your gifts are valued, and you're able to use those gifts for the good of the body of Christ. I think it's helpful to distinguish between the sort of offices we see in the church. You think of the office of elder, teacher, deacon, those offices that we see spelled out in various places in the New Testament and the reality of the gifts that God gives to the members of the body of Christ. You think of 1 Corinthians chapter 12, and when we're speaking about spiritual gifts and the way God gifts men and women within the church, the Holy Spirit distributes to each one individually as he wills, and every single person, every single member of the body of Christ in the church, man or woman, plays an integral role for the health and life of the church. This is just so important, and it's the point that Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 12.

He says, look, we have a tendency to focus on the gifts that we think are the greater gifts. Maybe the person that's up there in front of everyone or whatnot, but Paul says, actually, every single gift is vitally important for the health of the body. I think you want to be in a church where that's clear, where you're encouraged in the gifts that God gives you, not just on a Sunday morning, because there's only so much space and room for things happening on Sunday morning, but in your entire life, serving Jesus with the gifts that he has given to you, that should be something that the church values.

You should be valued by your local church. I think of the way Paul speaks throughout his epistles. Romans 16, for example, verse 1, he says, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Centrier, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well, Paul said. Then he says, greet Prissa and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risk their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.

Just think about how Paul speaks here. He's talking about the vital role that women are playing for the life and health of the church. Phoebe here, described as a servant of the church, a patron of the apostles themselves, Prissa and Aquila, co-workers in Christ Jesus. Throughout the book of Philippians, that language is repeated over and over again, where we are together as members of the body of Christ, gospel laborers together, laboring side by side for the faith of the gospel, co-workers, if you will, in that sense.

Now, that doesn't mean, as you note, that there aren't real distinctions, differences, in terms of calling and so forth between men and women in the life of the body, but with regard to giftings, every single person's gift should be valued regardless of sex and should be encouraged. It's only as that's happening that churches are operating in a healthy manner and growing in a healthy manner. I would say to you, in terms of distinguishing the kind of church that you want to be in, be in a church that talks like Paul talks about here, or talks like Paul talks there in Romans chapter 16 or in the book of Philippians as well, where you're going to be encouraged in your gifts and where you're going to be able to use those gifts for the good of the body. God bless. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adrian Sanchez. Our full lines are open if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life, doctrine, or theology. The number is 833-THE-CORE.

That's 1-833-843-2673. Let's go to Brian in St. Louis, Missouri. Brian, what's your question for Adrian?

Yes, gentlemen, I've got a question I think a lot of people have wondered. In the book of Genesis, when Noah was instructed by God to build the ark, I've never seen it mentioned anywhere how long it took Noah and his family to build the ark, specifically because I think God told Noah to build it out of, I think it was balsam wood, and you know that all that wood isn't in one, the trees wouldn't be in one place, and you have to go and look for it. I've heard it took as much as 100 years to build the ark. Is that anywhere truthful? Mm-hmm.

Hey, Brian, thank you for that question. Yeah, there is maybe some indication in Genesis chapter six that it took around 100 years or 120 years, and this just depends on how you interpret verse three of Genesis chapter six. We know in 1 Peter chapter three verse 20, it speaks of those who formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In other words, there was this period of mercy, if you will, as God is calling people to repentance while Noah is building the ark, and so it took some time. Noah's building the ark. The patience of God is being extended toward humanity, toward the world, but then the judgment came. Now, I was telling you about Genesis chapter six verse three. It says there, the Lord said, my spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh.

His days shall be 120 years. Now, there are two ways to take that. One is this idea that God is shortening the lifespans of human beings there.

That's one way to take it. Another way is God is basically giving mankind time to repent. This is part of that patience thing that Peter was talking about in 1 Peter chapter three verse 20. When God says his days will be 120 years, he's saying that's about the amount of time before the flood comes. I don't see any reason that it would be strange to think that it did take Noah and his family quite a bit of time. Obviously, when you think about this massive vessel, years and years and years, maybe 100 years, sure.

I don't know that we need to figure out the exact amount of time that it took. I think that the focus on what the Bible teaches here is just that there was a period of patience, if you will. As the judgment is being talked about, as God is warning that this is going to happen through Noah, there's time for people to repent, to turn to the Lord. Here, it was several decades before the judgment actually came.

That's what's emphasized, I think, in the text is the patience of God towards sinful humanity prior to the judgment that falls. Thanks for your question, Brian. Hey Brian, thanks for calling and for listening to CORE Christianity. By the way, a reminder, we have this great faith and family collection available to you today, which answers some of the best questions, tough questions, we've received about marriage and parenting, sexuality, dating relationships, answers to kids questions, and we would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in that, just go to corechristianity.com forward slash family to get the faith and family collection. Let's go to Norman calling in from Topeka, Kansas. Norman, what's your question for Pastor Adrian?

Hi, gentlemen. My question is, how do I know when God opens doors for me, and how can I distinguish them from regular happenings in life? So, Norman, how can you know when God opens a door for you as opposed to, you know, these are just sort of random circumstances?

Great question. You know, there's this wonderful little verse in 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 9 where Paul said, a wide door for effective work has been opened to me. He's talking about gospel work serving the Lord. A wide door for effective work has been opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Isn't that interesting there? I think oftentimes we think, you know, when God opens a door, it's just going to be smooth sailing, and that's how you know that God has opened the door. But that's not always the case, is it? I mean, Paul says, look, there's a wide door for effective ministry that's been opened for me, but guess what? There are a lot of challenges.

There are a lot of setbacks. So I guess the first thing that I would say to you is difficulty, adversaries, setbacks does not necessarily mean that God is not opening a door for you. Now, if the door is a door that leads to sin, if you will, I mean, if this is something that's just contrary to God's law, and what I mean by that is, you know, sometimes people will pray about things that they know are not right, and they'll say, God, would you please just, you know, I know that this isn't the right thing, but please, you know, make an exception for me, and all of a sudden, you know, a quote unquote door opens, and they think, oh, God is giving me a special pass.

No, that also would be an example of God not opening a door in a situation like that. I think we pray, you pray, and you ask God for guidance, you pray for wisdom. As you study the word of God, Norman, as you dig into the scriptures, and your mind is shaped by the teachings of the Bible, you're praying for the leading of the Holy Spirit, then I think you have freedom to make decisions, and you ask God to, you know, let's say you're thinking about where to go to school, or what job to get, you pray that God provides opportunity for effective work, or for effective ministry, and if he does, then it's just something where, you know, you'll be able to go through it, you'll get the job, or you'll be able to go to the school, or whatever it is, but even if there are challenges, that doesn't mean that the Lord is not in it, so I would say what you need is wisdom, you need your mind to be shaped by the teaching of the Bible, you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and so you pray and ask God for that guidance, and then you just, you know, you leave it in the hands of the Lord, and providentially, you know, sometimes God will open a door so that, you know, the opportunity presents itself. Oftentimes I've found also, Norman, that God will use people in your life to encourage you, godly mentors and friends who can point you in the right direction, but those are all things that you want to sort of factor in, and so I would just say what you want to be careful with is not pursuing anything that you know is contrary to the word of God, but also not just thinking that, well, if there are challenges or setbacks, it must not be God opening a door, because clearly 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 9 makes it clear that sometimes, even when God opens up a door, there are adversaries, and so God bless you, Norman, and thanks for your call. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. We have time for one quick email question before we go. This one's from Keith. He says, would you be able to answer why so many preachers I listen to tell Christians to drop everything and follow the Lord with their money and time when they practically swim in wealth themselves?

I'm struggling with this, and I hope you can help me. Yeah, I'm assuming you're talking about, you know, some of the pastors or preachers that people see on television who are just, you know, imploring people to sow their seed, to give to this ministry or that ministry, and oftentimes they'll make these, you know, promises, you know, if you just do this, if you give this amount of money, you're going to have a spiritual breakthrough and so on, but these same pastors oftentimes, as you know, are the guys who are flying around in their own private jets and just living in luxury, which is over the top outrageous. Well, how do we make sense of that?

I think we just call it what it is. I mean, this is an abuse of the position that they're in, and the reality is it disqualifies them from the ministry. I mean, that's one of the things that pastors, ministers are called not to be as greedy for gain, and so I think what you're seeing is the effects of sin, and you should avoid preachers who are like that. God bless. As we explore the truth of God's Word together.