Cheryl

Dusman,

As always, I appreciate your words of love and grace. That is really where it is all at. When it comes down to the bottom line – we are all missing out on God’s truth in some area. So how do we treat each other when we may be right and the other person wrong? After all, there may be another area where the other person is right and we are dead wrong. The truth is that as you so clearly said, we are to treat each other with love and respect because it is for the sake of our Lord Jesus who has made us all one in the body of Christ.

To everyone else: I believe that the reason that God has made us all into one body is that no one is to become prideful. None of us is the “head” of the church and we are all “brothers” in Christ. We are all “sons” of God and the gifts that he has given us are for the benefit of each other. My gifts are not for my benefit. They are for you! And your gifts, beloved, are for me! When we truly love one another we will desire earnestly spiritual gifts so that we can be a help and a benefit to others in the body of Christ. True submission then allows another to teach you and give you their gift. It doesn’t mean that we don’t test the gifts by God’s word, but it does mean that unless we are submissive to each other, we won’t be able to benefit from our “brother’s” gifts.

Dear friends, please pray with me that brother Matt will come to a place of humility where he will allow others to correct him in love. He has gifts that the body of Christ needs. But the body of Christ does not need another accuser of the brethren saying that women are in sin if they teach the word of God with authority (Matt believes this is a “position” only allowed for male Pastors).