Page 8 - No Apologies

found a home in the church (Revelation 2:20). When Paul encountered this spirit he dealt
with it forcefully. Like Jehu in the Old Testament, he did not bandy words with Jezebel. He
simply commanded that she be cast down.
The apostle Paul has had more than a few detractors over the years, and they continue
to this day. Many decry him as a misogynist, a hater of women. This is an unjust judgment.
Paul was zealous for the truth. Paul had equally harsh words for men who were rebellious
and obstinate. This did not make him a man-hater. He labored to see carnal men and
women transformed into spiritual beings. This transformation requires hard labor, more
than a little suffering, and a willingness to sink lower. We must decrease that Christ might
increase in us.
Many reject the suffering of the cross wherever they encounter it. If they cannot
distort the message of Scripture to make it less painful to the human nature, they will
instead attack the messenger. The faithful Bible teacher has three possible responses: He
can be intimidated, and retreat into silence; He can change the message to conform to the
desires of carnal men and women; or he can face those in opposition to the truth with
boldness and courage. The latter was Paul’s response. He gave no apologies for speaking
Christ’s commandments, even when carnal men and women opposed them. After giving
instructions for the conduct of women in the church, Paul says:

I Corinthians 11:16
But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the
churches of God.

In other words, the contentious can object all they want, but there is no other practice
that the apostles of Christ have delivered to the churches of God. Paul would offer no
concession to those who found the counsel of Christ disagreeable. Take it, or leave it.
I do not wish to appear crass, for I do care very much whether a woman accepts the
counsel of Christ, or rejects it. There is a tremendous amount at stake. I would do all in my
power to persuade my sisters in Christ to embrace the afflicted path that leads to life.
Regarding this path Christ said, “Few there are who find it.” The path to life is the low road.
It is the path of servitude, of humility, of voluntary suffering, requiring the exercise of much
patience and self-control.
To teach the truth to my sisters in Christ I must lead them to the cross. It is not the
cross Christ bore that I refer to, but the cross Christ invites His disciples to bear.

Luke 14:27
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

On the cover of this book, there is a cross on the Bible in the hand of the man. I know
what I am offering to my sisters in Christ will require them to bear the cross. It is because
Christ’s instructions require a woman to die to the desires of her soul that these words
offend. The cross is an affront to mankind. The fleshly nature does not want to die. To the
mind of the natural man the preaching of the cross is folly.

I Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God.