Cheryl Schatz

To all:

The issue about two or three witnesses is very important.  It gives a very clear indication that the charge of sin is not to be taken lightly.

So why did Jesus say that his testimony by itself was not valid?

John 5:31  If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.

Jesus appealed to Deuteronomy where the evidence of two or three witnesses was required in a Judicial matter.  Every fact is to be confirmed by two or three witnesses.  (Deut 17:6, Deut 19:15)

Paul also appealed to the same OT scriptures regarding a judicial matter (2 Cor. 13:1)  Paul himself coming to the Corinthians several times and in different ways was a fulfillment of the two or three witnesses.

Will God now change things and condemn godly Christian women without the same two or three witnesses that he has used for every other judicial matter?  God doesn’t change.  If he deemed it necessary to document and establish a matter by providing two or three witnesses and Jesus set himself under the requirement for two or three witnesses, how can we now charge women with sin whose only charge against them is that they do not kick men out of the bible studies that they are leading?

Is it really a sin for women to speak in the assembly?  Is it really a sin for women to teach correct biblical doctrine to men?  Where are the two witnesses for this “sin”?  There are no second or third witness in scripture.  This must make us pause to consider.  Two or three witnesses will establish a matter where a charge of sin is involved.

God is consistent and he gives repetition for our good.  It is for our safety that we have the second witness.  Any matter that we set forth to establish as a documented sin must follow the set pattern set out in scripture.  All sin is documented and confirmed for us by a second witness.  If we try to establish a judicial charge of sin without a second scriptural witness, we become like the cults who assume all kinds of “essential” doctrines that are found in obscure passages of scripture, with no second witness and they snip these scriptures out of the complete context of the passage.  This is the pathway to an unsafe set of doctrines and an unsafe charge of sin against Christian brothers and sisters.  Let’s practice the safe way that God has established.  Every judicial matter is to be established by two or three witnesses or it is not an established and documented judicial doctrine.