Reed's Read
The Truth
By Roger D. Reed
March 22, 2025
(2 John) The elder unto the elect lady and her
children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they
that have known the truth; [2] For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in
us, and shall be with us for ever. [3] Grace be with you, mercy, and
peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Father, in truth and love. [4] I rejoiced greatly that I found of
thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father. [5] And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a
new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning,
that we love one another. [6] And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the
beginning, ye should walk in it. [7] For many deceivers are entered into
the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This
is a deceiver and an antichrist. [8] Look to yourselves, that we lose
not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full
reward. [9] Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath
both the Father and the Son. [10] If there come any unto you, and bring
not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed: [11] For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil
deeds. [12] Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with
paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face,
that our joy may be full. [13] The children of thy elect sister greet
thee. Amen.
The aged John wrote this brief personal letter
to an esteemed woman in a local church. Verses 2-3 are introductory and describe
the woman as one who is known and loved for her practice of the truth (the
Word of God).
Note that truth and love go together; Christians cannot have fellowship where
there is false doctrine. John next deals with four specific matters.
Practicing the Truth (vv. 4-6). Note the repetition of the word “walk.” The
truth is not something we simply study or believe; it is a motivating force
in our lives. It is not enough to know the truth; we must show it through
our actions wherever we are.
John rejoiced because he was certain this lady’s children were walking in
the truth—the equivalent of “walking in the light,” which the apostle discussed
in 1 John 1. Christian love is not an emotion that we work up; it is simple
obedience to the Word of God.
Protecting the Truth (vv. 7-11). Those who deceive (v. 7). Here John is referring
to the false teachers mentioned in his first epistle. He reminds us that
the test of a teacher is what he or she believes about Jesus Christ. If this
teacher denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, then he or she is false
and from the Antichrist.
While the one great “Man of Sin” (or Antichrist) will be revealed at the
end of the age (1 Thessalonians 2), the spirit of Antichrist is already in
the world. “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in
the world.” (1 John 4:3).
Those who destroy the Truth (v. 8). Here John warns us not to destroy the
things that have been wrought in Christ. The easiest way to get detoured
from your Christian Walk and to lose all the spiritual ground you have gained
is to get involved with false doctrine. Satan is a destroyer, and he uses
lies to rob saints of their blessings.
Those who depart from the Truth (v. 9). The word “transgress” here means,
“go beyond.” That is, these false teachers are not content to stay within
the limits of the Word of God. They are “progressive” and “modern,” preferring
to go beyond the Bible and “improve on” what God has written.
This is the wrong kind of progress! While Christians are to progress in their
walk, they must never go beyond the limits of the Bible. We are to “abide”
in the doctrine, affirming the fundamentals of the Word of God. John warns
us not to entertain these false teachers in our homes or even to greet them.
Any aid that we give to false teachers is a share in their evil deeds. Find
out what people believe before you let them in your home and don’t give them
any donations.
Children love their parents by obeying them. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15). How sad it is when Christians claim to love the Bible but hate
the brethren.
While saints may differ in their interpretations of certain passages in the
Word, they must all agree on loving one another. Where there is a sincere
love for the Bible, there will be a love for God’s people. Loving the truth
and loving the brethren cannot be separated.
Let Your Women Keep Silent In
The Churches
By Roger D. Reed
January 10, 2025
(2 Timothy 4:1-4 KJV) “I charge thee therefore
before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables.”
First let me say, that I am heart broken that I even must bring this
to the attention of you dear reader, but as Paul told Timothy “For the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And
they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.” I am very afraid that this is what has happened in our Sovereign
Grace Churches today!
This subject has been on my mind for some time. I have been meditating
on (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) “Let your women keep silence in the
churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded
to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any
thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women
to speak in the church.” It is true that Paul is dealing with speaking
in tongues, prophesying and praying in the church but when he comes to the
woman’s place in the church it becomes apparent that he is not separating
between these three but telling the church that the woman is to be silent,
period. He does not acquaint the speaking in tongues, prophesying
and praying in the church, but to be silent and that it is not permitted
for them to speak. End of story. To read anything else into this Scripture
and to say that they were not to speak in tongues is to do damage to the
word of God.
The reason many churches use that excuse is they know it will cause
problem with women; therefore, they will lose people and the attendance
will go down. The preaching of the word and the truth is not to gain
big congregations but for the edifying of the saints and to glorify God
and Christ Jesus!
Let me break this down just a little without going much into detail,
and with the help of Elder Tom Ross’s book, here are some reasons why women
are not permitted to speak in the church.
The first reason Women are commanded to be silent: “Let your women
keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”
This is a positive command issuing from God Himself concerning the woman’s
silence in the church. The silence and subjection of women is in
accordance with the laws of Jehovah in the OT as well as the New.
Believer’s show their allegiance and affection for Jesus Christ through
obedience to His commandments. I ask people, What Part of Thou Shalt
Not, Don’t You Understand? (1 John 5:2 KJV) "By this we know
that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."
The command for the women to keep silent in the church ought to be cheerfully
obeyed.
The second reason why women are not to speak in church is recorded
in (1 Corinthians 14:35 KJV) “And if they will learn any thing,
let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak
in the church." When any matters in the church arise whether
it is doctrine or government women are directed by the apostle to ask their
husbands at home. The reason is because it is shameful for women
to speak in the churches. The word for “Shame” in verse 35 is aischros
(ahee-skhros`) which means base, shameful, of that which is opposed to
modesty or purity. The same word is translated filthy in Titus
1:11. Thus, it was considered inappropriate and shameful for a woman
to speak in the assembly because of her God-appointed role of a submissive
and obedient helpmeet. One reason women have a hard time with being
a submissive and obedient helpmeet is the way we men have treated our wives
over the years, so they have rebelled but it does not change God’s command.
Dear reader I would be willing to say that 50 years ago no preacher
held the view “they weren’t aloud to speak in tongues” for the meaning
of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
I have come to the place and believe that some women
are actually angry that they were not born a man, but that’s my opinion.
And I must add that I have heard several women from different churches
of our belief say Amen in the public setting…That Is Speaking Out in The
Assembly! Ladies if you are guilty of that, then you should be ashamed
of yourself because it is not permitted. You all can pitch a fit, but I
am tired of seeing our Baptist heritage dragged through the mud with this
kind of behaviour! And I am really upset that many husbands and even some
of our preachers are allowing it…shame on you as well.
The third reason why the woman is to learn in silence and subjection
in the church is because of the principles established by God in the creation
of man and woman. (1 Timothy 2:11-14 KJV) “Let the
woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but
the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” God ordained
that the man would be the head of the woman, her position or role being
one of subjection to her Divinely appointed authority. 1 Corinthians
11:3, 8-9 state this clearly: “But I would have you know, that
the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and
the head of Christ is God. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman
of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman
for the man.” Eve was formed out of Adam, for Adam, for his comfort,
service and help, wherein lies the strength of the apostle’s reason for
the women to be in silence and subjection (nothing at all to do with tongues).
This was God’s design even before the Fall!
It is a real shame, but many women hate that. That is why you see
woman in the position men should be in today.
There are more reasons but I will stop at this one. Another
reason why women are to be in silence and subjection is discovered by
a study of words used to describe her public decorum and behavior in relation
to men. 1 Timothy 2:9-10 states: “In like manner also,
that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;
not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh
women professing godliness) with good works.” The Greek word for
“shamefacedness” is aidos (ahee-doce`) which signifies a sense of shame,
or modesty. It is used regarding the demeanor of women in the church.
The word signifies a bashfulness and modesty towards men. The Greek
word for “sobriety” is sophrosume (so-fros-oo’-nay) which denotes soundness
of mind or sound judgment.
Like I said there is much more I could say and one thing you will
hear me say over and over is “check me out”! We should not just
take the word of a man even if it is our pastor, whom we love and respects.
We all have the command from God as stated in (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." We have a responsibility
to check things out. Here is what Acts has to say about this: (Acts
17:11 KJV) “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
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