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Originally Posted by Evangelical
That's a novel twist on the Scripture. I don't think Paul told the husbands to honor their wives because their ego needs it. The context is about bestowing honor on the weaker parts not the stronger. Sometimes you come up with strange interpretations and honoring men's egos is not the most obvious and logical interpretation.
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23 and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor [Paul bestowed more abundant honor on the brothers]; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness [the brothers are "our uncomely parts" though we generally refer to this in the reverse -- sister is the better half, fair sex, etc]; 24 whereas our comely parts have no need [the sisters have no need. Even with Paul giving the chief leadership role to brothers we still have 65% of church members are sisters]: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked [Paul gave more abundant honor to the brothers by giving them the chief leadership role]
Sometimes there are ugly situations and you need someone to be the "ugly" one (dealing with scam artists, abusive people, wolves in sheep's clothing). In that case the brothers are much more suited to being "ugly" when it is necessary. But for the most part we would like the testimony and expression of the church to be beautiful, in which case the sisters are clearly very well suited.
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Originally Posted by Evangelical
In the new creation there is also no marriage. What does this mean for your theory that male elders must be married? You can't pick and choose which parts of the New Creation you want to follow. A church which follows the New Creation idea should have no male or female distinctions, and also no marriage or children either. Until then, the Old Creation is still very much with us.
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We deal with the Old creation in our testimony to the world. Our families are still old creation which is why salvation is personal, each person has to receive Christ. However, they are sanctified by a believing spouse or parents. But your claim that a woman's menstrual cycle would make her unclean for spiritual service to the Lord is contrary to Paul's word that in the New Creation there is no male or female. Peter also contradicts that with the word that "we are a royal priesthood".
If you are in the Old creation then you are in the sabbath rest and are not suitable for spiritual service. Only those in the new creation are called to be fellow laborers with Christ. But, all unbelievers are in the old creation and many new believers are also mostly in the Old creation. God is not the author of confusion.
In my understanding both brothers and sisters are essential and need to be tempered together. Salvation is very much about families and marriage. Many of those who come into the church need counseling concerning these matters. Many need mentors because they didn't have proper fathers and mothers. But, when you get into the new creation the distinction between male and female does not exist. By that I am referring to the function of the spirit and the gifts of the spirit.