A note from our Pastor:

“Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

1 Timothy 2:15

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

Our study verse this week brings us to the conclusion of the 2nd chapter of 1 Timothy. It also concludes this particular teaching of the Apostle and thus, if you have not read the study writings on the prior four verses I encourage you to go back and read those before approaching this last verse of 1 Timothy 2.

Once again with our study verse this week there have been many misinterpretations and misapplications of the text. In our study, I want to both address the false teachings and also set forth the truth which the Apostle was providing to Timothy, the church at Ephesus, and bible readers throughout the ages.

First the false teachings around this verse. The most common false teaching is a view of this verse as teaching women’s role is solely in the home, giving birth to children, and raising them. The idea being the salvation in this verse is somehow related to all women and is attainable through childbearing. There are so many problems with this teaching it is hard to know where to start. So let me address the top two. First, if one is making the salvation in this verse to be eternal salvation the teaching is pure heresy. No one attains eternal salvation through their own actions and certainly, the salvation of women, is not through giving birth to children. Second, if the salvation is meant to be temporal and thus, the providence of God comes through giving birth, then where does that leave the many barren women throughout time and also the women who died in childbirth. Quite simply, the Apostle was not teaching anything about the average women and childbirth.

So what is the meaning of this verse? Keep in mind it relates directly back to 1 Timothy 2:14 and sin entering the world through the actions of Adam and Eve. As the Apostle said in Romans 5:12 sin entered the world by Adam and as a result of sin death also came upon all mankind. The Apostle continues in Romans 5 to say by Jesus Christ righteousness came and the free gift of grace to all of the elect.

This brings us to the key point—Jesus Christ entered into the world. That entry, of course was by the power of the Holy Spirit, but it came through THE childbearing. In the case of Jesus, man had nothing to do with his coming into the world as it was purely an act of the woman conceiving and giving birth. While the work of salvation was purely the work of Jesus Christ, it was necessary for childbearing to facilitate his incarnation and thus women and all of the elect are saved.

As with the other verses in this last section of 1 Timothy 2, the meaning has been distorted in order to try to support cultural ideas and patriarchal societies. The inherent danger in this form of teaching is losing the doctrinal points the Apostle was making. When we backup and consider how the Apostle approached correcting a false teaching by establishing the truth of Jesus Christ and his salvation the beauty is untold.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah