Does the Bible Teach that Women Should Not Hold Political Office?

Does the Bible teach that women should not hold political office. Best is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi Bill Meyer, along with pastor Adm. Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answered your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can post a question on our Facebook or Instagram account or email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com will on November 3. Kate Rubins will be orbiting a cool 200 miles above the earth but she says that won't prevent her from voting in the presidential election, the NASA astronaut is planning to cast her ballot from the international space station this year after embarking on a six month mission. Kate says if we can vote from space. I believe folks can do it from the ground to her vote will operate similarly to an absentee ballot.

But instead of being delivered by the United States Postal Service.

It'll be cast electronically and forwarded from mission control to her local county clerk for tabulation.

It looks pretty cool and a great challenge to all of us to do our our civic duty and vote this year to get out there about yet you know what I think a lot of people think it was Kate is the lucky one. I wish I can get away from the planet during be floating around in space and get a little rest, but for her and we should all get out and vote want to go to the far side of the moon for the next couple of my own car I listed to our first question. This is an email we received from Omar and he says did the Pharisees reject Jesus because he did not meet what they were expecting, or because they did not have the ability to see him as the son of God, they Omar yeah I think it's probably somewhat of a combination of the two I'm thinking of John chapter 5 in verse 18 Jesus says something really interesting. He says this was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father, making himself equal with God's a part of the problem. Seems like they, as you say they didn't expect who he claims to be yummy. They took offense at the fact he was making himself equal with God in a little bit later in John chapter 8 actually when they asking that specific question. Who do you make yourself out to be. If you're familiar with the gospel of John. You know that that's where Jesus makes one of the strongest claims to divinity anywhere in the New Testament, he says, before Abraham was, I am any sort of echoing that text back in the book of Exodus were God identified himself to Moses. This is the great I am. I am who I am and Jesus is taking that title for himself and so that we read in John chapter 8 that the Jews once again took up stones to stone him because of the claims that he was making about himself. There is also more going back to John chapter 5.

If you continue reading in verses 37 and following Jesus says this and the father who sent me has himself borne witness about me, his voice you have never heard this form.

You have never seen and you do not have his word abiding in you or you do not believe the one whom he has sent you search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my father's name, and you do not receive me.

If another comes in his own name, you will receive him, how can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God, let me read that verse once again because I think it's key in answering your question.

Jesus said that the religious leaders. How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God. John 544 goes on.

Do not think that I will accuse you the father. There is one who accuses you Moses on whom you have set your hope for if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me, but if you do not believe his writings. How will you believe my words. See, I think Jesus lays it out for us very clearly that regulated out for the religious leaders very clearly there their hearts were corrupt and unbelieving. They were so consumed with themselves that they couldn't see God right in front of them.

I mean literally God is right there in their presence. And Jesus says you don't seek the glory that comes from God. You seek the glory that comes from others and of course Jesus rebuked them over and over again for this right. They make only cared about themselves they were trying to make themselves out to be great in the eyes of others with inside their hearts were corrupt and so this self infatuation. We might even say this narcissism kept them from being able to see the Messiah God, right in front of them.

How can you believe when you seek glory from others and not the glory that comes from God and I wonder if in our own culture today.

This sort of collective narcissism or or our individual lust for glory.

This love herself.

This I have to be on top. I have to be the best. It keeps us from seeing God at work around us and in us and it was something that the Pharisees really were just headlong into it. So, Omar, I think that that was the issue.

Their hearts were corrupt.

They were unbelieving, they lusted for the glory that came from others. They didn't care about God, right in front of them is right there in front of them. They listen extra question.

No Israel, I can't help but think of some of the parallels in today's world with social media and how so many people are just, it's Instagram is a great example of that. You know you got your influencers talk about love herself. Yeah, you're right. You made it really is a serious danger. I think for each and every one of us to consider are my eyes fixed on myself and this is everything about me and trying to get glory from others.

While there something blinding about that.

It keeps us from being able to lift our eyes to the God who is at work in our midst. And so we have to many of us, we have to repent and we have to turn to the Lord and be very careful with how we use some of these these tools you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Our number is 1-833-843-2673. That's 833.

The core is a call that came in from Shelby in Longview, Texas. I was wondering why I don't reference Galway or that what I was wondering about everywhere got let Shelby thank you and I'm I'm glad were able to encourage use your out delivering papers deep listening and would love to hear your question so you had two trees in the garden of Eden had the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life and in terms of what happened to this receipt of that's it. That's a really good question. The Bible doesn't really specify to us you know what they just sort of wither away. I did God uproot them and can take them somewhere else and we don't know how when it comes to the tree of life. We first hear about it in Genesis chapter 2, and also makes an appearance at the very end of the Bible in Revelation chapter 22 so it's kind of this interesting book ends that we have there. At the very beginning of the Bible and at the very end of the Bible you have the tree of life. Revelation 22 verse two it says the middle of the street of the city.

Also, on either side of the river. The tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations that sound I just absolutely beautiful and we don't know again what happened with your life after the fall, but in the garden. It was the sign of the life that God held out to Adam and Eve that is life that God was holding out that he wasn't just the good life for you know of life.

It was little bit better than what they were already experiencing bearing the presence of God.

It was what we might call the glorified life. The life that actually we all hope for in Jesus Christ it at the new creation the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. And it's what Adam and Eve would have received had they pass the test if you will not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as God commanded, so the tree of life was a reward of sorts, a reward that our first parents forfeited by their sin. You know what in Adam we are sinners to Paul makes this point in Romans chapter 5 very clearly all sinned in Adam Romans chapter 5 verse 12 we don't have any right to the tree of life. You know who did Jesus.

Jesus came as the new Adam and he perfectly obeyed the commandments of his father and that instead of eating from the tree of life. He got another tree didn't the cross and through Jesus and his blood, we are claims made really the story of the Bible the story of God, redemptive history is so absolutely beautiful. You have all these themes sort of woven together. Jesus, the new Adam perfectly fulfills the commandments of his father obeys fulfills all righteousness and then instead of getting the tree of life. What he learned what he deserved, begets the cursed tree of Calvary, so that through him we might have the right to the tree of life, and that's actually exactly what Revelation chapter 22 goes on to say in verse 14 John wrote.

Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they may enter the city by the gates is that so beautiful Jesus through his blood, we wash our robes if you will, in the blood of the lamb Jesus Christ were cleansed, so that you and I have a right to the tree of life, not on the basis of our own perfect obedience on the basis of the perfect obedience of Jesus bore our curse on the tree of the cross. God bless you Shelby thank you so much for your call and for listening. There Longview Texas. Great to hear from you.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and with everything that is going on in our world right now you may be feeling stressed or even depressed, and today we are offering a resource that we know you'll find helpful. It's a really helpful Bible study is a four-week study called, why is the world a mess. Have you ever asked that question.

A lot of people are asking that question right now and so you want to get a hold of this resource is not only can it take you to the reasons why suffering and evil exist, but also what God is done to deal with suffering and evil in the world today. You can find our website core, Christianity.com and it's free. When you sign up for a weekly newsletter so that a record Christianity.com/offers to download why is the world a mess also calls for that resource or any one of her resources. Here's the number 833-843-2673.

That's 833. The core right Israel.

Here's an interesting question that came in from Adrian. He says can you go into more detail about Leviticus 1928. I enjoy getting tattoos am I sending Adrian no, say you're not sitting on the well at least not necessarily by getting a tattoo. Leviticus 19 1928 says you shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves. I am the Lord than the context of Leviticus 19 God is for bidding his people from doing what the pagan nations around them, do these rituals were probably a part of the worship of the pagan nations as cuttings or markings for the dead. It was dismissed religious ritual and so obviously God did not want his people participating in Madden pagan idolatry. Now whether or not there are some kinds of tattoos that you could get that it would be simply wide. I think potentially I mean if it was something offensive or something you know that when it against God's word will then certainly you wouldn't want to do that but you know if you wanted to get a like a cool tiger for Eagle or Saddam you had a no go with with something like that. I know there are a lot of immediate you know part of help. Sometimes people want to artistically express themselves and and that's okay.

I would say though, you know, one of the things that we do want to fight against will need a bill mentioned it when he brought up the whole social media thing is there is this temptation to really want to draw attention to ourselves. That sort of narcissism in our culture that is really really prevalent and so I think we think about stuff like this is those are good questions to ask versus know what is what is the reason why I'm doing this, my just trying to draw a bunch of attention to myself to make myself look a certain way so that people will think more of me or think that I'm really cool, really tough, or whatever it is I'm not saying that about you Adrian, but I think you know that this is a gray area issue of getting tattoos is not necessarily a sin but I think we want to with any decision that we make and especially ones that have lifelong consequences usually is one of want to think through them you want to ask ourselves the question so what. Why am I doing this. Is this a wise decision and and can I do it and bring glory to the Lord. Or is this something that's can it be focusing the attention on me and so they threw it in that way. But as far as Leviticus 19 is concerned, I don't think that you have to worry about that verse for bidding you getting tattoos.

Later, I should confess like I have a tattoo of the angel Gabriel and my bicep when I packed you know Texas flaming sword, he swings it so yeah Bill when you flex it probably doesn't move very much. I would say I find out.

Sorry Bill, actually Bobby do you want to confess to everyone listening right now whether or not you have any tattoos I don't I'm clean man never had a tattoo pure you're pure all right let's get on toward next question before we really get in the peer Dave posted this on our twitter account. He says in Isaiah 312.

The Bible seems to say that God laments that women are ruling over Israel. If that's the case, doesn't mean that on the basis of gender alone we should stand against the appointment of Amy Connie Barrett to the Supreme Court or Kamala Harris as the potential vice president dental right when you say you know were were knocking to get into it anymore really getting the trouble he asked this question is really getting into it, but it's an important one is in it, and especially with as you mentioned you have any money. Barrett in the hearing and whatnot promising know we shouldn't stand against their appointment simply on the basis of gender. The first, the verse you brought up Isaiah chapter 3 verse 12 this is how the ESV the English standard version reads my people.

Infants are their oppressors and women rule over them. Oh my people your guys mislead you, and they have swallowed up the course of your pads that this chapter. Isaiah chapter 3 is unpacking God's judgment against his people and part of that judgment was a total collapse in leadership. This is just really clear, especially in the first several verses in Isaiah chapter 3 just look at starting in verse one look at what it says.

For behold, the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply all support of Brad and all support of water. The mighty man in the soldier the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, the captain of 50 and the man of rank. The counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms and I will make boys their princes and infants shall rule over them and the people will oppress one another. Everyone his fellow and every one his neighbor. The youth will be insolence to the elder and the despised to the Hon. Ami. Just as absolutely heartbreaking. This was the judgment that was coming upon the people of God because of their sins. So this is talking about a particular historical situation. Dave at I don't think were intended to gather from this scene that women in positions of leadership say the Supreme Court is a bad thing. One of the best judges in Israel of the best judges Israel ever had a court of the Old Testament was a woman judges chapter 4 talks about Deborah and she was a prophet and the judge told the people of Israel would go to her for judgment because of her wisdom.

I think also of a lot of other women who functioned as profits throughout the Old Testament led a powerful and positive effect on Israel. The second Kings chapter 22 tells us the story of holder who was encouraging Josiah's court.

She was a prophet.

By the way the prophets and Israel were really annexed to a part of the theocracy, the kingdom, that is, they served the king in Israel. They were sort of like guides helping the kings to turn back to God's covenant. And that's precisely what they did to me. She was used by God to do just that.

She speaks words from the Lord to Josiah's and actually her counsel results in a reformation of sorts. You know the abolishing of idolatry in a in a high view of God's word embracing God's word so there are clear biblical examples of God blessing his people through some of these female leaders that I think that should call into question any theology that says all women leaders are the result of God's judgment or something like that. We also have to realize that that our government isn't equal to God's kingdom is so we can draw you know a one-to-one correlation between Isaiah chapter 3 verse 12 and are in our present situation, whatever, whatever that is. And let me also say that there is another way of reading Isaiah chapter 3 verse 12 that removes the question of female leadership altogether because the word women in verse 12, is very similar to another Hebrew word. The word creditors are you think of those who demand payment and actually this is an interesting point. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible was called the Septuagint, it was actually the translation that the disciples of Jesus and Jesus often quoted from that translation when it translates Isaiah 312 it doesn't use the word women.

It uses the word creditors. In other words that's at least how that the Septuagint understood that word, and so the translation would be something like this. My people your exact errors are gathering you up, and those who demand payback or lording it over you. That actually seems to kinda make sense again just with the context of Isaiah chapter 3 because in chapter 3 again that the verses I read a little bit earlier resources. I will make boys their princes and infants shall rule over them and the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and everyone his neighbor you think of of oppressing each other with these heavy requirements is exacting payment.

It sort of fits the context of Isaiah chapter 3. One thing we can conclude for sure why we shouldn't oppose or lament the appointment of a certain official simply because they're women, the secular government. We should, on the basis of God's word and led by our conscience, consider what they stand for and whether or not they'll judge well like Deborah did in Judges chapter 4. Let me just say one last thing you sometimes people look at those verses in the New Testament to talk about the structural leadership of of the New Testament church of the church today I with elders Dino knows they will that's supposed to be applied to for the broader society as well so that you should have women just in positions of leadership. More generally, not just in the church is the thinking of some people, but also in politics and in the Supreme Court, and so on and so forth. But I just think that that's that's taking passages of the Bible and applying them in a way that they were intended to be applied so I know there's a lot there and if you want to follow-up these free to God bless you another reminder to practice a good hermeneutics for reading the Bible right to make sure were interpreting it correctly or not. Jumping to conclusions or reading into it which there are some people, and even some denominations have done that throughout the years. Yeah, you're absolutely right in and that's the goal that we have here on this program is you want to search the Scriptures and understand them and their context and provide answers from God's word so thanks for listening to core Christianity, we have time for one more question. Israel, this one from Arthur, who posted on our website at core, Christianity.com/radio. He says the Bible seems to speak of the Sabbath being on the seventh day Saturday so why do most Christians worship on Sunday really good question are. It happens to be a question that we get a lot on this program is in it. Bill the Serta Sabbath question why is it that Christians worship on Sunday instead of on Saturday and was that sort of this later church tradition that crept in, and that we shouldn't observe well. It really wasn't a later church tradition immediately in the book of acts in your reading the New Testament, you realize that the Christians were gathering together on the first day of the week on Sunday to do what to break bread and to pray and to hear the word of God being proclaimed to collect an offering and they were having their quote unquote church services on what we might call the Lord's day on Sunday and why is it called the Lord's day will what significant event in the history of redemption happened on Sunday. Well death was conquered.

Jesus Christ rose again from the dead, and so Arthur, the answer to your questions is one word resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was this monumental event that transformed the history of the world in the history of worship, so that now, instead of worshiping on the last day of the week resting on the last day of the week in worship is a sign of the fact that we have entered Christ. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time.

As we explore the truth of God's word together