Rather Opinionated

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. [I Timothy 1.1-2]

First: Pray for everyone. Pray that God would help them by your intercession and thanksgiving for them.

Next: (In so doing the first thing) Pray for kings and authorities. Now, here is where I believe we in the USA have erred. Well-meaning Christians have equated 'kings and those in authority' to our elected government representatives. However, this is where I have come to believe the American people have most displayed ignorance of their own Constitution. The US Constitution gives the power in the United States TO THE PEOPLE - not the elected representatives - they are merely public servants hired to carry out the will of the people! NO! I am not saying do not pray for these people! But! What I AM saying is that we need to understand that the American People are the kings and authorities in the USA! Our elected public servants indeed need prayer, however, in the proper flow of responsibility, it is the American People we need to pray for "so that we can lead quiet and peaceable lives marked by godliness and dignity..."

Regarding corporate worship: In addition to Paul instructing men to lift their hands to God without anger and controversy (that will indeed be the day!) and instructing women to tone it down appearance-wise, Paul makes what would be (today) a VERY controversial gender statement:

Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty. [I Timothy 2.11-15]

I love all the politically correct attempts to diffuse a hot gender battle over this statement made by Paul. Modern Christian leaders and commentators have spent many a brain cell trying to coolly word their interpretations of this statement. Have they succeeded? When men and women alike read this, what do they really think? What does God's Spirit nudge their hearts to? Does either gender dare speak from the heart on this issue? If it weren't for commentaries and theologians, what would people take away from this statement? So, is the Bible wrong? Is the Bible incomplete without commentaries and theologians? Am I just making too much of this? Should I just be quiet?

I'm feeling rather opinionated today.

Father, Your Word has some pretty interesting depictions of what the Christian life could be like... help me - help us all - to learn from You!