Mark

Craig,

Good question, but it’s a hypothetical one so hardly relevant for the discussion i would have thought.

Now don’t here me wrong, i have stated and agreed that what we do, does and will effect people and potentially there decision to accept Christ- this is a common Christian understanding for God working in and through us. It is a common acknowledgement that we must obey God’s commands to take the gospel to all nations.

But is that the same as what appears in 1 Tim 2:15?

I might just wait to see what Cheryl saids since it is her exegesis we are dealing with. I’m hoping she can engage better with what i have raised and help me to understand more how she understands this verse.
I truly do not think it is enough though, just to say this (husband) is needed to bring the woman out of deception. It seems very forced into the verse (because we have faith, sanctification, love and self control as the conditions) and in my opinion weakens the conditional clause.

Final point Craig also, consider that the conditional clause in verse 15 saids “if they remain in faith”, so we are dealing here with more than ‘works’ or ‘influence’ or ‘obedience’. We are dealing with the ‘they’ (whoever that is) faith also. This throws a spanner into the works, and intensifies the conditional clause since it is about more that the (husband) obeying or doing something to help his wife- it is also about his faith (pistis). It is not uncommon for Paul to link ‘faith’ and salvation’ as i’m sure your aware.

Now since Cheryl is arguing for an ‘eternal salvation’ meaning for ‘sozo’ you would have to assume that the ‘faith’ is that which enables one to be saved, rather than a translation of ‘faithfulness’ or the like which some might argue for.

Anyway, i’ll let Cheryl respond when she has time. Hopefully she is considering my critiques and can offer an acceptable answer.

Let me ask you Craig, are you comfortable with the hermeneutical approach taken with this exegesis?