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Does a Woman have the Right to Preach in the Church
of God? |
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continuation...
In the Bible, a person’s hair alone already conveys something. If you see a man with long hair, that means that he is still ignorant of the teachings of the Gospel, because one of the teachings of the Gospel is that, it is not right for a man to grow his hair long. It is a shame unto him. On the other hand, it is a shame on a woman if her hair is short because “if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” Do not forget the verses: I Corinthians 11:4-5, I Corinthians 11:14-15.
A woman’s long hair is a glory unto her. A woman who is praying and prophesying must have a covering on her head. And the biblical meaning of that head covering is the long hair of a woman. While a man who is praying or prophesying should have his head uncovered. That is, a man must not have a long hair because a long hair is a shame unto him.
What do those verses want to tell us? Both the man and the woman have the right to prophesy and to pray to God . . . only, with certain specifications. A man should pray and prophesy with his head uncovered, while a woman should have her head covered whenever she prays and prophesies. And that cover refers to her long hair, which was given to her for a covering.
This is the reason why in our congregation, our sisters in faith do not cut their hair, while our brothers regularly have their haircut. It just amazes me why those churches who claim that they are upholding the “full” Gospel do not teach this thing to their members. Evidently, what they teach is not the full Gospel because they are taking for granted certain doctrines of the Bible. They do not teach everything to their members. Don’t tell me that that particular admonition of St. Paul to the Corinthians is not a part of the Gospel. You are not being true to your members; you are deceiving them. You see, the Bible has a doctrine from the head to the foot of a Christian. If a woman will pray and prophesy, her head should be covered, and that cover is her long hair. A woman’s long hair serves as her head cover, or veil. A woman’s long hair symbolizes God’s jurisdiction over her. If a woman does not wear long hair that implies that she is not under God’s jurisdiction. To prove that for a woman to be under God’s jurisdiction she has to bear the sign that is being spoken in I Corinthians 11:10 and that is her long hair.
Now, let us find out from the Bible: what does the word “prophesy” mean. This is what I Corinthians 14:3 says, “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”
What is the biblical meaning of “prophesy”? Definitely, it is different from fortune telling. Fortune telling is prohibited by the Bible. What the Bible mentions is “prophesying”. And a woman has the right to speak and prophesy. St. Paul defined “prophesying” as “to speak for edification, exhortation, and comfort”. That is why a woman could prophesy, because to prophesy means to speak for edification, exhortation, and comfort.
A pastor who would insist that a woman does not have the right to speak is a deceiver. We could read from the Bible that a woman could prophesy. Only, she needs to have a covering on her head. A woman is forbidden to prophesy if her head is without a covering. But if a man would prophesy, he should not have a covering on his head.
Now, if the meaning of “prophesying” is “speaking for edification, exhortation, and comfort”, it implies now that, insofar as the Bible is concerned, a woman has the right to give exhortation and comfort to those who are inside the church. However, do not forget that a woman is not given any right to teach and to rule over a man.
We must realize that the terms “to teach” and “to lead” are different from “to preach or exhort”. Teaching is the basis of preaching. What a woman could teach is simply taught to her by the leader and teacher in the church, and that leader and teacher is a man. The Bible prohibits that a woman should be a leader and teacher in the church, like what Ellen G. White did to the Seventh Day Adventists. That is why, in any angle you look at it, you’ll realize that everything about it is wrong. For one, their collection of donations from their members is very unbiblical. Imagine, they have 17 different kinds of collections? They have made a big business out of religion. A woman has the right to prophesy and speak for edification, exhortation, and comfort, but she cannot be a teacher and leader in the church.
Now, there is a biblical verse which, according to those who misinterpreted it, says that it contradicts what we have mentioned earlier because the verse states that a woman does not have the right to speak. I Corinthians 14:34 says, “Let your woman keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”
Apparently, this is the verse that the Catholic Church, and the INC of Mr. Manalo, used as a basis in claiming that a woman does not have a right to preach. Let us try to analyze this by using the Bible. If their claim were true, then, it would appear that St. Paul is contradicting his own pronouncement. Remember he was the one who said that a woman could prophesy, but she needs to have a covering on her head. And prophesying is speaking! Now, here is another verse telling that a woman is not permitted to speak. Let us continue reading I Corinthians 14:35, “And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the churches.”
Please take note that the woman being referred to here is not any woman. Besides, the verse did not refer to “all women”. The women being referred to here are the married women, who, despite their being married, are still ignorant. That means that their knowledge of our Lord is still not sufficient. Why? The verse said, “And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the churches.”
Who is the woman being referred to? the woman, who, despite being married, still lacks knowledge. If the woman had not been properly taught yet, if she does not know what she would talk about, it would be a great shame for her to speak. In other words, this refers to the women who are still new in the church. They still do not know much about the Holy Scriptures and they do not know yet all the teachings of God. That is why St. Paul said, it is a shame for such women to speak. Actually, if we are going to consider the exact context of the verse, it also implies that it is also a shame for a man to speak if he does not know what he is going to say. It is equally shameful for a man to speak if he is still ignorant of the Bible. Chances are, he will just mislead other people. No matter how good-looking he is ... no matter how well dressed he might be ... no matter how good his voice is, if he is still ignorant of the Bible, he should not speak. It is also a shame for a man to pray and prophesy if his hair is long.
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Bible
Apostleship
and the Rightful
