Cheryl Schatz

Ken,
I appreciate the gracious way that you are interacting with me.

If I understand you right you are focusing on “marriage” rather than “homosexual”. I think I now understand what you are trying to present, but I would add that “dressing up” the sin of homosexuality with “marriage” does not change the sin. Homosexuality cannot be taken out of the sin category by equating it with fornication. This is because an unlawful sexual act of fornication between a man and a woman becomes lawful when they join themselves in marriage. This is because heterosexual acts are only sinful outside of marriage. However homosexuality is different in that homosexuality is never outside of sin whether one performs a marriage ceremony or not. Homosexuality is still homosexuality and God is the one who condemned it as sinful.

Now look at women’s preaching. Did God condemn godly preaching? No. He did not say that women can preach on the lawn behind the school but they can’t preach in a school gym. He also did not say that women can preach in their home but not in a church auditorium. God made no decree that would make preaching a sin.

The term “weak conscience” is always used in the context of activities that are not condemned as sinful by Christians. Because of the difference between God-condemned sinful activities and activities that are a matter of conscience, I have placed women’s preaching in the latter category because it clearly does not fit in the former category. It is not okay to say that something is sinful unless the Bible says that it is sin or if it is universally forbidden.

As far as the issue of 1 Timothy 2:12 we need to be careful not to go beyond what the passage says in context (verses 11-15). The passage is not about usurping an authority that has been given to men. How do I know that? Because the word used “authenteo” is never even once given to men to “authenteo” other men, women or children. If it is not given to men, then women cannot “usurp” something that men don’t have.

I think the key issue here is the consideration of our sisters in Christ. We ought not to treat them as sinful and condemn them for their God-given gifts. The gifts are the evidence of the calling.