by Dr. Kluane Spake

Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh."

(2 Cor. 5:16a)

Up to now, I've been like a puppet - woodenly believing what others taught - moving my mouth to voice someone else's ideas. My life danced to an old tune, unable to grasp God's universal love, while being controlled by the strings of circumstances and prejudice. I've jerked on command only to collapse with the slightest movement of rejection.

Now I return to basics - God is not partial. His living Word changes me into His image, from Glory to Glory. The cross obtained my total salvation and achieved (already accomplished) the healing of my woundedness. Merciful grace cuts all the entangling strings and enables me to grab hold of the Promises that cause me to stand uprightly. I celebrate humanity! This discovery of who I am brings me beyond merely knowing about God. Now, I actually begin to know Him (koininea). The Atonement of Christ reaches across my weaknesses and unites me with God and with you. Can you see me in the spirit and not just in my flesh? With no more strings?

Before the eons of time began, before the God of Eternity created the world, He had already written my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. He knew my name before my mother named me. This plan started a long time ago. God came to earth despised and rejected above all men, He endured shame and lived an inspirational life of love and obedience, in order to be an example to me of how to live without rejection. He called me into time with plans for me here in the new heaven and new earth (Is. 65:17). Without partiality, He selected me to live in this century and be a part of His end-time plan as a repairer of the breech. Because of His love, I can look in the mirror and say as Romans says, "I'm the object of His Mercy, for He's forgiven and restored me."

The question:

Does God intend for women to fill only subordinate positions in the church, or do they have full personhood and full redemption through the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

From ancient times, the role of women has been debated; that's because different Biblical passages allow for diverse interpretations -- on the same passage. So what do we do? It's no longer enough to be placated with old-fashioned opinions. The question is, what did God say? What did He mean? Every earnest Christian needs to rightly divide TRUTH from philosophical presupposition. We must ask if the traditional divisions of male and female roles and functions are part of God's sovereign design? Is prejudice ever valid? Is the ability to rule inborn? Learned or reflex? Inherited or innate? Through fervent searching, we discover that God doesn't want our dogmatic religion, our carefully kept tradition, our knowledge, or even our achievement-but our heart.

Complimentarians (also known as Traditionalists) view the inclusion of females in ordained governmental offices as unbiblical. They claim that their view comes from Scripture and tradition. This book specifically aims to address this viewpoint. With sincere effort, this work intends to establish, educate, enlighten, and verify Christian truth. This pursuit springs from love, lest our evaluations resound like a sounding brass and a clanging cymbal. Therefore, from the platform of loving the Truth, we'll explore the original intent and the various possible alternatives concerning the contemporary application of Scripture regarding women. Be advised. Often, changing our long fixed mindset to new truths isn't easy!

Our purpose is not to displace men, but to allow qualified women to also take their place. This chronicle recounts, for the most part, the invisible history of the treatment of Christian women. As we question and study the past, then we can return to more accurately define, reestablish, and fulfill the Word of God for our future.

May we search for historical testimony of what really did happen? And may we ask what God desires for all His creation? The objective isn't to simply decry offenses, but to record what really happened with the women of the first church. The focus of this article aims toward the entire church, both male and female, that we may applaud the equal Redemption received from Christ when He said, "It is finished."

Old mindsets become the antagonist of the church universal. They ravage a brilliant campaign to hinder our minds and turn us antagonistically away from one another. In these desperate times, our objective must be the unity of believers, and liberty for all humans.

UNITY & ONENESS: The issue of gender equality exists as only one portion of truth from the lustrous and multifaceted vision of God. Our main emphasis must remain fastened upon faith, love, and the merciful character of our Father in Heaven. But, comprehending the final mysterious unity of believers requires understanding the corporate oneness of the body of Christ.

We must wonder what Jesus meant by being one. Are we to be fundamentally equal within this oneness? Equal with diversity? Paul spoke of our baptism (being plunged, dipped, surrounded) into belonging to the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). By one Spirit into one body - no longer divisible by race, class, or gender. This body doesn't have one Jewish toe, a feminine eye, and bourgeois hair. Rather, now we belong to Christ, and no one can tell where we stop and Jesus starts. By means of this "Divine Entanglement" we become one with each other... like Jesus prayed. Unity becomes the unspoken witness of the Resurrection.

NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK: The racial divisions of Paul's time excluded all who were not Jew. Pal tenaciously argued that Gentile believers didn't need to regard Jewish dietary rituals, Sabbath practices, or circumcision rituals. Paul argued that both the Jew and Greek were justified by Faith (Gal. 2:15-21). As a church called to be one body, we celebrate the harmony of our renewed life together. Not only does our communion celebrate oneness with God, but it also signifies oneness with each other in the body - one loaf. If we're still in prejudice, how can we partake of communion and say that we have discerned the Lord's body? As the Spirit of the Lord breathes into us, our newly found unlimited potential promises to affirm our personhood with the knowing that our Creator loves and accepts us regardless of the color of our exterior.

That we may be one. WHY? So that the world would believe that God sent Jesus (Jn. 17:21). The verb tense in the Greek here signifies that this oneness is already accomplished! Beloved, it's finished! Now we just have to work that reality into actuality.

Not only does our faith expect God to do what He's promised, but faith also grasps that work as finished. The fact is, I need you and can't fully discover God without you. We fit together like a puzzle, anklebone to leg bone, unity in community. Believers (men and women working together) becoming the image of God, and expressing His character. 1 Jn. says that we are to walk in the light as He is in the light and have fellowship (koinonia, communion) one with another.

Jesus commanded us to love one another (even our enemies), and said that if we don't love each other, then we don't know God (1 Jn. 4:7-8). As we approach our destiny and our place of abiding in the Spirit, we realize that we can't come alone. By our love, this multi-racial world realizes that God sent His Son. They see our unity. When Jesus prayed this High priestly prayer (John 17), the tense of the words indicates that the condition of our being one was already accomplished in heaven. Now, it's up to us to bring that heavenly concept to earth.

Thy kingdom come.

If you are interested in learning more about equality, there are lots of books and free articles on my website at kluane.org -- there's lots more, just click on the RSS to your right!

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Your online pastor, Dr. Kluane Spake