Dealing with issues you don’t like

1 Timothy 2:11-15 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. ¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. ¹³ For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. ¹⁵ But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Application: We come to a passage now that is quite controversial today. Before we talk about what the passage is saying, it is very important to look at a greater truth that is brought forth from this passage. Paul makes it clear that in the church women are not to be the lead teachers over the men. He then recalls the history back to the fact that Adam was created first, stating the obvious, that it was Eve who was deceived. What does all this mean? First, lets do a heart check to assess our motives. If we are committed to following the Word of God no matter what He asks us to do, then we must embrace even the parts we do not understand or like. If God has designed the church to function under the leadership of men, i.e. male pastors, regardless of  our own preference, if were are honest we must submit to all the teaching of the Word of God. 

The principle here is clear and must incorporate all of the Word of God, including any teaching that goes against the popular trend of the day or the cultural preference of any group. All of us have encountered passages in Scripture that are contrary to the way we think, or the way we think it should be. Perhaps, some of these passages are placed in Scripture for this exact purpose. God makes it clear that some of the trials in the wilderness were intended to test the hearts of his people. The REAL issue was the reaction of the people. The Father desires integrity from all of us when dealing His Word. Whether we understand why or if we agree with it is not the issue. The Scripture states what it does, our understanding or agreeing may not be the most important issue to the Lord. Will we be honest with His Word and give it the respect it deserves. So before we become focused on interpreting this section of Scripture it is vital we confront our hearts to be honest about how our motives can derail us when we are approaching the Scriptures. We must ask ourselves, if I find something that I do not like, or that I disagree with, am I willing to submit to the teaching in spite of my own bias? This is an attitude that the Holy Spirit can and will honor. As we approach the Scriptures with a humble heart, the Holy Spirit will give us the grace to accept that which we find difficult and in time, even to not only obey but to rejoice in the fact that we understand the truth that God is communicating. Father, You desire us to seek Your truth and respond to it in obedience, even when it is not exactly the way we want it.

Meditation Questions: When you approach the Scripture what is your attitude? When you read something in the Word and find that you dod not want the Word to take that position, what do you do about it? Do you think God is mad at you if there are areas of His Word you struggle with? Why? With those areas, do you still obey what they say? What does that say? Should our feeling affect what the Word states? Why? Do we have a right to pick and choose what part of the Word we agree with? What does that do to the Word of God?