There are female bible teachers today who are no doubt leading the charge into error and deep sin. Their teachings are dubious, dangerous, and deficient. I am certain that some of them are causing great harm to the body of Christ, and it is troubling that there is a great lack of discernment regarding these false teachers.
That said, many writers and teachers put forth the assertion that the problem with these teachers, speakers, and writers is that they are women. They put forth the claim that these women are damning others with their heresy, because there are no men in the fray to oversee their work. A tad condescending, but this is what I have read.
The implication is that women are more prone to error, more easily deceived, and that they have no business writing, speaking, or teaching. We women need men to instruct us on the books we ought to read, didn't you know?
In their zeal to throw out bad doctrine, they throw out all the female teachers with the bathwater.
There's good news, and there's bad news.
The good news is that the Bible does not say that women are more easily deceived than men.
The bad news is that we are living in a time of deep apostasy. Error is rampant, and it is coming from BOTH men and women.
There is a need for discernment for women and for men who pick up a book, tune into a podcast, or attend a sermon series. The times are late, and the impulse to deceive has never been stronger.
The Bible says continually to beware of people who preach a different gospel, add to the gospel, twist the scriptures, are greedy for gain, and who are wolves in sheep's clothing.
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)
Men will be out to fleece the flock for all they are worth, and there will be ravenous pretenders who are really wolves in sheep's clothing.
There will also be those with the Jezebel spirit who are out to seduce the flock of God into committing fornication and eating those things that have been sacrificed to idols.
Not a pretty picture.
In the Bible it says that people will claim their dreams are from God when they are not and that people will say everything is okay when it is not.
The Bible nowhere says that women are more prone to spreading heresy. With an exception or two, the warnings are actually to avoid men who spread false teaching.
But what about Eve and the fact that she was deceived, and Adam was not? Isn't that grounds to believe that women can't handle the word of God?
The text says simply this:
'I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.'
Where does it say that women are easily deceived or that they can't be trusted? It says that Adam was formed first and that Eve was deceived.
Women are not to be pastors.
Enough said.
Insulting women's intelligence or claiming that they are easily deceived is simply not necessary. From stating women that are more emotional to suggesting that they're just not that smart, I've heard it all.
It's nonsense, it's hurtful, and it's speculative at best. You don't need to add to the Bible to follow what it says, and you don't have to condescend to half the world population in order to do it.
Okay?
The Bible admonishes the older women to teach the younger ones, and it was by the teaching of his mother and grandmother and God's will that Timothy became a man of God. The Bible also mentions the army of women that go forth speaking the gospel.
The motivation of heretics, according to the Bible, is to draw followers after themselves and to profit financially. And there is a lot of that going on. Anyone with eyes can see it.
Because of this, we need to use discernment when choosing biblical material to study or to listen to. Open your ears, open your eyes, and use your judgment. Read your Bible, and regularly sit under sound biblical teaching.
Do this, and you won't be fooled by the wolvish women in ministry. Use discernment, and better yet, you will be able to identify all the wolvish males in sheep's clothing as well.
Stay Gutsy,
Rosa
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