Sunday, March 18, 2012

March 18, 2012 | John Bayles | Calling False Teachers To Faithfulness, Part 1 (1 Timothy 3:1-16)



A traditional view of this text is that it outlines the qualifications for elders in the church. As if it were a manual for a local church to use when considering those who should be chosen for leadership. Or perhaps, more accurately it has been used to examine the lives of those who are in the candidacy stage of moving toward leadership and, if qualified in the ranges of the provisions, they then are presented for ordination by the local church. These are good uses for the text, but very probably this was not in the Apostle Paul’s mind as he wrote to Timothy.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

March 11, 2012 | John Bayles | Listening to the Text (1 Timothy 1 & 2)



There is a problem when interpreting a text of scripture: we bring ourselves to the process! Does it surprise us how often a scripture is used to underline our viewpoint of an issue? We believe in something: for example, the role of women, husband and wife relationships, end times issues, or a theological orientation. In these familiar subjects most everyone has his/her view of what they believe about the subject and then the Scriptures are applied which reinforce our opinions. This is unfortunate because this means that interpretation brings forth the dynamic between "my view," "your other/wrong view," or sometimes "my pastor's view," verses again, "your or your pastor's other/wrong view."

Sunday, March 4, 2012

March 4, 2011 | John Bayles | A Word to Women: Godliness and Submission to Learning, Part 2 (1 Timothy 2:9-15)



Today's text is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible. As a qualifier to this strong statement, it must be said that the message itself is not hard to understand. The language is tricky, but it is far from impossible to read it and know exactly what is being said. The greater challenge is accepting what the message states.