Savage Street Church of Christ

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1. Linda Burgess says:

   May 17, 2016 at 7:56 am

   Hi Don.

   You may remember that I am one of those people that picks on Paul:

   1. He appears to be a male chauvinist.

   2. He is probably one of the main reasons that Catholic priests are taught that they shouldn’t marry

   3. He speaks of the wife as a chattel to the husband and to be treated as such, the same as the slave to the master.

   4. He states in a couple of places in the bible that these are his thoughts or opinions and not those of the Holy Spirit.

   Also, these men who are Apostles are not infallible. Even Peter was called Satan by Jesus and rebuked over his teaching about the necessity of circumcision. And the bible may have been somewhat mistranslated (mostly by men) over the years. Therefore, some of the things that Paul teaches may be questionable. Especially the part about women being chattels to their men.

   I’m not doubting God’s word but the men who have brought it down to us. This is one of the reasons that I believe (as the bottom line) we can really only depend on the Holy Spirit as the infallible authority to teach us the true meaning of the Bible and why the Bible states (1st John: 26-27) that a Christian has no need of teachers now that we all have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

   Please help me to understand differently if I am wrong.

   Linda

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   • Don Ruhl says:

     May 18, 2016 at 11:27 am

     First, Linda, I would like to say Thank You for your diligence in listening to what I post online.

     1. I do not see anywhere in Paul’s writings, or in the Book of Acts, where he would be classified as a male chauvinist. You will have to supply me with some examples.

     2. Paul said that there was benefit in remaining single, especially in contemplation of the coming persecution that the church would endure in the first century by the hands of the Romans. Paul made himself clear in First Corinthians, “I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you” (1Co 7.26–28). He obviously supported marriage, and not only in this passage, but in others. Catholic priests cannot claim to use Paul for their celibacy, because he by the Spirit warned of what would soon come, that some would forbid to marry, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1Ti 4.1–3). Therefore, Paul was not anti-marriage, nor was he anti-marriage for preachers. Ephesians 5.22–33 is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible on marriage, and Paul wrote it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

     3. Where does Paul speak of the wife as chattel?

     4. Give examples of Paul merely speaking his opinion.

     When the apostles preached, the Holy Spirit inspired them, making them infallible, but the inspiration of the Holy Spirit never guarded their actions. In fact, Paul stated in First Corinthians 9.27 that he could become disqualified, if he went into sin. I know of no place in Scripture where the Bible affirms that when a speaker spoke by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that guaranteed they would never sin. However, when they spoke by the Spirit, they spoke the infallible truth.

     People often make the charge that the Bible has been mistranslated, but to date, I have never seen any proof. In other words, provide the proof that the Bible has been mistranslated. Show me the original teaching, and then show me how it is mistranslated today.

     If we have no need of teachers, why do you listen to my classes and sermons? I am not trying to sound sarcastic, but I genuinely want to know.

     Thanks again, Linda. I appreciate your search for answers.

     Don

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