Search — Theology Explorer

σωθήσεται (sothesetai)

she will be saved

τεκνογονία (teknogonia)

the childbearing

σῴζω (sozo)

to save

ἡ (anaphoric) (he (anaphoric))

the (anaphoric article — pointing back to a previously introduced noun)

ἀντίλυτρον (antilytron)

ransom, substitute ransom price

ὑπακούω (hypakouō)

to listen to, to hearken, to obey

ἕλκω (helkō)

to draw, attract, drag

πιστεύω (pisteuō)

to believe, trust, have faith in

θεωρέω (theōreō)

to behold, perceive, observe with understanding

ἐκλέγομαι (eklegomai)

to choose, to elect, to select for oneself

προορίζω (proorizō)

to predestine, to foreordain, to determine beforehand

χάρις (charis)

grace, unmerited favor

ἀπώλεια (apōleia)

destruction, perdition, ruin

σωτήριος (sōtērios)

saving, bringing salvation

ἀρχή (archē)

beginning, origin, source; rule, authority, first cause

αἴτιος (aitios)

cause, source, author; responsible

ἀρχηγός (archēgos)

originator, author, pioneer, founder, trailblazing leader

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-07

Women in ministry is a secondary issue — not about the gospel or salvation — but tensions are extremely high because of these pre-biblical mistakes.

Framing the central thesis of this video

women in ministry secondary issue church hurt

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-07

Philip Payne's related argument in 'Man and Woman, One in Christ': if we are equal in Christ, we cannot exclude anyone from leadership based on gender.

Mistake #4: Payne's variant of the philosophical argument

Philip Payne Man and Woman, One in Christ equality in Christ

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-07

Mike's rebuttal to Payne: role differences are about God's calling/assignment, not nature or equality in Christ. Payne's logic would make eldership part of what it means to be Christian.

Mistake #4: Rebutting Payne

eldership Philip Payne equality in Christ

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Elders as official teachers carrying apostolic doctrine

Mike describes the teaching function of elders.

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 apostolic doctrine elder teaching role

Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Eldership is radically different from prophecy: anyone could prophesy instantly, but elders must meet extensive qualifications

Mike begins a detailed list of differences between prophecy and eldership.

1 Timothy 3 Titus 1 1 Timothy 3 eldership qualifications Titus 1

Galatians 3:26 Galatians 3:26 in Christ justification by faith

Sonship benefit #2: Full participation of being in Christ — equal standing regardless of background

Mike identifies the second element of Paul's sonship teaching.

1 Corinthians 7 Ephesians 5 1 Corinthians 7 Cynthia Long Westfall Ephesians 5

Four problems with Westfall's 'representing Christ in any function' argument

Mike systematically lists objections to the bridge Westfall has built.

hermeneutics exegetical method clear interprets unclear

Good vs. bad hermeneutic rules: clear passages on an issue vs. passages about different issues

Mike articulates the hermeneutic principle at stake.

Cynthia Long Westfall salient identity misrepresentation of complementarianism

Critique of Westfall's claim that complementarians make gender the 'salient identity' in the church

Mike responds to a misrepresentation of the complementarian position.

Galatians 3:28 Tom Schreiner Galatians 3:28 Two Views

Tom Schreiner on the fundamental purpose of Galatians 3:28

Mike cites Schreiner's succinct summary of the verse's meaning.

Cynthia Long Westfall critical theory dynamics of power

Westfall's claim that Galatians is about 'cultural conflicts, dynamics of power, and law vs. liberty'

Mike evaluates Westfall's characterization of the overarching purpose of Galatians.

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Marriage grounded in creation (Genesis) and salvation (Christ and church), not culture

Mike argues the passage's own grounding prevents culturally-bound interpretations.

Ephesians 5:31-32 Genesis 2:24 creation order Ephesians 5:31-32 Genesis 2:24

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Definition of patriarchalism as the third position

Mike defines Christian patriarchalism and its spectrum.

patriarchalism male authority spectrum of views

1 Timothy 2:15 1 Timothy 2:15 sozo physical preservation view

View 1: Women saved from physical death during childbirth

Mike evaluates the view that 'saved through childbearing' refers to physical preservation during labor.

1 Timothy 2:15 Genesis 3 curse dia 1 Timothy 2:15 Genesis 3 curse

View 2: Women saved spiritually in spite of the pain of childbirth

Mike evaluates the view that women are saved despite the curse of painful childbearing from Genesis 3.

1 Corinthians 7 1 Timothy 2:15 Romans 3:28 1 Corinthians 7 justification by faith 1 Timothy 2:15

View 3: Women saved spiritually by literally having children

Mike evaluates and rejects the view that bearing children contributes to women's spiritual salvation.

1 Timothy 5:14 1 Timothy 2:15 1 Timothy 5:10 1 Timothy 5:14 Douglas Moo Tom Schreiner

View 4: Saved through proper female roles (Douglas Moo's preferred view)

Mike presents Moo's view that childbearing represents the broader female role, and salvation attends faithful role-fulfillment.

1 Corinthians 7 1 Corinthians 7 Douglas Moo teknogonia

Weaknesses of View 4: teknogonia as synecdoche is unsupported and singleness tension

Mike identifies the main problems with Moo's proper female roles interpretation.

1 Timothy 2:15 Genesis 3:15 Eve 1 Timothy 2:15 Messianic interpretation

View 5: Saved through the Messiah — the childbearing refers to Christ

Mike presents his preferred interpretation: 'saved through childbearing' refers to salvation through the promised Messiah born of Eve's line.

Genesis 2 Genesis 3 Genesis 3:15 Genesis 2 Genesis 3 Genesis 3:15

Genesis 2-3 is already in Paul's mind, making Genesis 3:15 the natural next reference

Mike argues that Paul's appeal to Genesis in vv.13-14 makes a Genesis 3:15 reference in v.15 perfectly natural.

1 Timothy 2:15 Incarnation Tom Schreiner 1 Timothy 2:15

Schreiner's objection 2: Paul never teaches salvation comes through the Incarnation

Mike addresses the objection that Paul doesn't elsewhere connect salvation to the birth of Christ.

Romans 5:9 1 Timothy 4:16 2 Timothy 4:18 Stanley Porter Jared August future tense objection

Stanley Porter's objection: future tense 'shall be saved' doesn't work with Eve

Mike addresses Porter's argument that the future tense of sozo contradicts Eve as the subject.

Genesis 3:15 1 Timothy 2:4-6 Galatians 4 converging evidence Messianic interpretation Genesis 3:15

Summary of positive evidence for the Messianic view

Mike lists the accumulated arguments in favor of his preferred interpretation.

Galatians 4:4 Incarnation Galatians 4:4 born of a woman

Paul's emphasis on the humanity/birth of Jesus supports a childbearing reference

Mike shows that Paul does emphasize the Incarnation and birth of Christ in his theology.

Galatians 3:28 1 Peter 3:7 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 complementarianism Galatians 3:28 1 Peter 3:7

Application of the Messianic view: women are equal in salvation, different in role

Mike explains what his preferred interpretation means for the overall passage.

1 Timothy 2:15 1 Timothy 2:15 saved through childbearing Messianic interpretation

Conclusion 15: Summary on 'saved through childbearing'

Mike summarizes his confidence levels on the various views of v.15.

Bill Johnson Kris Vallotton salvation

Mike's charitable assessment: he believes Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton are probably saved, and that real miracles and healings do come from the movement

Mike establishes a baseline of charitable Christian evaluation before critique

Bill Johnson gospel healing

Bethel's gospel is mostly intact but distorted by the addition of physical healing as a central gospel promise

Mike assesses the core gospel content at Bethel

evangelism Bill Johnson gospel

Q&A — Has Mike ever heard Johnson preach a clear gospel message? No — he's heard Johnson affirm the gospel but it's always followed by a pivot to signs and wonders

Q&A question from Chavita