The First response on"Women child bearing and salvation" to a christian brother who made an inquiry

Dear friend, do you believe on literal meaning of “1 Timothy 2:15”

“But women/she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety”?Literally if you believe that women who bear children are saved, then we need to know that God made two ways for salvation. One is by faith in Christ and his grace, the other is by act of woman bearing child. Then what about the women who are barren? Are they not saved?

Understanding of the verse from 1 timothy 2:15 can vary from person to person, because the verse itself is not clear statement. Paul did not mention who this pronoun she or woman is meant for. How can they be saved by child bearing? Who means “they”? Such questions are difficult to answer. But we need to accept the interpretation which does not contradict with bible itself.

The woman who will be saved by child-bearing literally does not fit with biblical principle. Bible says the only way(John 14:6, Acts 4:12, John 3:16) of salvation of human kind is Jesus Christ himself and we are saved by the act of God himself who sacrificed his son at cross, by faith in Jesus and by Grace of God we are saved(Ephesians 2:8) not by our acts. Therefore Salvation is the free gift of God (Romans 6:23). Does the saying of Paul in 1 timothy 2:15 imply that he is wrong on saying so?

No, he said the truth but we need to understand in context and possible interpretations using his own sayings which dont conflict with the main doctrine. Then we need to find out what means to be saved by child bearing. Does it talk about salvation or something else?

Before we go further analysis, let us read from Psalms 127: 3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Which children are the heritage from lord? The earthly or heavenly children? What if the children that you have all went to hell? Can heritage of God be in hell?

No, the heritage of God will be always with God (John 10:28-29). Therefore we need to understand term children which means not the earthly children we bear but the spiritual children and they will inherit the kingdom of God!

If we are able to bear 100 earthly children and just one of them does not accept Jesus and goes lost or goes in hell, how much pain will be for the parents for the sake of just one child out of 100? Therefor Jesus said in Luke 15: 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Isn’t it true? Then what is the benefit of having many earthly children if you’re entirepeace is lost when one of them goes astray?

God made a promise or covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and 15:5, 22:17 saying that he will bless Abraham by giving him uncountable children like the stars in the universe, as the sand in the seashore and all the people will be blessed through him. That is why the offsprings of Abraham the Jews, the Pharisees and Sadducees while Jesus was on earth also thought that they were blessed because of their forefather Abraham. And to them Jesus said: And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham Matthew 3:9. This makes us to understand that God does not count earthly children as blessing but the heavenly children. Therefore it is written in John 1:12-13, the children of God is the one only who is born of God. For God flesh counts nothing, but the spirit of God in us, the new life in us or we being the new creation in Christ counts (John 6:63, Galatians 6:15, 2 cor. 5:17).

Solomon had got this wisdom from God and said Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. The blessing and success are not counted when a person is born! They are counted by the end of life! Therefore it is not wise to say that the woman or the man who has many children is blessed. Solomon understood this and said everything is meaningless except to fear God and obey him Ecclesiastes 12. Jesus also said in Matthew 16:26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? You may have 100 earthly children but if they end without Jesus what is the gain in the life? Jesus said in Luke 23:29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!

Bible makes it clear that having earthly children are not real blessings. Real blessings come when they belong to Christ! It is a lot better to have children who will inherit the heaven. Paul never married but had many spiritual children. All the believers who came after him loved them like his own children (1 cor. 4:14). Jesus was not married but said to his disciples my children (john 13:33), Apostle John never married but said his disciples my children (3 john 1:4).  It is not obligatory to be married to have heavenly children which are heritage of God. We can have them by preaching gospel and making disciple of Christ.

Paul said it is good to remain unmarried (1 cor. 7:1) and wished that all men were unmarried like him if it were possible (1 cor. 7:7). He told to the virgins that it was good to stay virgin if they had the gift like he had.( 1 cor. 7:26-28)

If marriage and bearing children was so much essential, Paul would not have suggested to some to remain single in certain situations!

Of course marriage is very important for those who cannot control. (1 cor. 7:9) but this essentiality is not for every woman or man! And about bearing children, every man has a right to bear as many children as God allows him to have no question or doubt on it! The duty comes together with right! As you bear many children, much more responsibilities, duties and problems as well are added! If a man has many earthly children but he is not able to have hearts (care and love) to them, if he is not able to prepare them to bring to kingdom of God, then what happens? Bible says the last thing will be curse! (Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 1:17). Therefore better is to think in a balanced way, and take decision with wisdom. Better is to have spiritual children who are real heritage from God.

God is going to fulfil what was promised to Abraham of having uncountable children in a wonderful way. Paul says in Roman 9: 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. The people who believe in Christ are the children of promise to Abraham, therefore we all who believe in Jesus and obey him are Abrahams offspring (Galatians 3:7) as well as God’s children.( Romans 8:16)

Now to the conclusion what biblically can mean when Paul said woman/she is saved through childbirth.

Interpretation no.1

The time when Paul gave instructions about Church, personal family life and leadership to Timothy, they had problems with false teachings and false teachers. And one of the false teachings was that every believer man/woman should not marry and bear children to be saved and they should abstain from certain foods as well. (1Timothy 4:4) Some of the people might have been deceived by such false teaching, to answer this wrong teaching Paul might have said if women/she have/has put faith in Jesus and lived life of repentance , Women/she are saved even through their marriage and child-bearing.

Interpretation no. 2

Let us read from 1 Timothy 4:16 watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. How can Timothy be saviour of himself and of the one who hears him? Are there many saviours? Can we also save people from hell? Certainly not, No one can save sinner except Jesus himself. Then what does this mean? This means if Timothy lived according to sound doctrine and that will protect first himself from being false and doing sin. But if he teaches to other false doctrine and if the hearer will be deceived and that will not protect them till the Day of Judgment. Here save means to protect from bad things or sins. If we apply the same meaning to the 1 timothy 2:15, it would mean “the woman is weak like Eve. Eve did sin when she was childless. But after having children the woman would be busy in caring them and raising them that will help the woman to be protected from doing sin! If they remain faithful till the end of course that will save them but child bearing itself is not the act that saves the woman” In original Greek  “she” is used instead for woman and they, but later translations used woman, women and they. So if we try to analyse original word, she can mean specific woman that Paul had in his mind but he did not want to mention the name or if she is mentioned as to mean general woman, it does not mean every woman that should have childbearing, but a specific group of women who are weak and cannot control themselves. They should be married as Paul suggested (1 cor.7: 9) and by having children and family they will be protected from doing sin.

Now to your point, the population of Christians are decreasing and Muslims are increasing in Europe. Finally they will rule over everywhere, and persecute us who are Christian! Will it be a punishment from God because of our sin of participating in birth control?

God’s punishment is only for the wicked but not for the children of God. The punishment from God comes after the final judgment (2 Peter 2:9). There is a day of judgment, that day God will punish all ungodly. Before that time comes God does not punish anyone! God has set a day for judgment of mankind (Acts 17:31, Revelation 11:18). He does not need to set a day if he is going to punish everyone whenever he wants. Our God is therefore the God of order, justice and love. He never makes error in his plans. He is all the time trust worthy.  

God allows his people like Job, Jesus and us his disciples to suffer and be persecuted sometimes for a good reason. Persecution is expected in our life (John 15:20) But these suffering and persecution does not bring the end to those who love God in Christ (Romans 8:38-39). All the bad things come to us because of our sinful choice, because of devil and evil world. Never the bad things come to God’s children from the heavenly father (Matthew 7:9-10). But God tests his children by allowing them to go through toughs and trials of life so that they may become mature spiritual children of Him. God rescues us from the trials finally. Therefore I don’t think if Muslims will persecute Christians, that will be as God’s punishment for us because of our sins. However we know the reason, if Muslims persecute Christians, they persecute because of the faith in Christ.

Let us think the other part of the truth. What can Muslim do to us? Can they kill our souls? (Matthew 10:28)No, if they kill our body, it is not loss at all; we will have perfect body at the day of resurrection. Even if God will allow Muslims to persecute Christians, praise the lord. The truth is that we should not be so much proud of being the Christians in Europe or America because we are so called major Christians. Most of the people think Europeans and Americans are Christians, really? I don’t believe they are really Christians and Christian countries. If they were Christians how could they use their military force to kill other people? Where in bible did Jesus teach to kill innocents and enemies? If they were Christians how could they allow homosexuality, sex trade, divorce, abortion etc. in the country as legal act? God knows the best. I think Americans and Europeans though they claim they are Christians and they belong to Christian country, true Christians are very less than we expect. Therefore if we come from Europe, there is no need to be proud being as European having major Christians.

God is in control of everything. God holds the future. We cannot change the future which God has already set! Therefore we do not need to worry for future and our fates but we should be focused to present and to Jesus. In my opinion it is better if there is going to be persecutions in Europe and America to refine the believers. Many fake Christians do not bring glory to Jesus but they are just defaming Christ and Christianity and I am sure few true Christians will bring glory and honour to Christ and blessing to whole nations.

I don’t think all the Muslims will remain Muslim all their life. May be when they migrate in Europe, if we true Christians can share the full truth to them and love them, their anger, enmity and misunderstanding will be perished. Definitely if God has chosen them they will one day come to Christ! They will be also Abraham’s offspring. We should not look Muslims always with a stereotype of criminals and bad people. When God will touch these people in in their hearts, souls and minds, they will be totally different than we expect. We have some good examples that some of the Muslims have become Christians after migrating to Europe.

Now days, many non-Christian people are not interested in Christianity anymore. Even among so called Christians, many are fallen back. Love among them is grown cold. Muslims and other non-Christian people have started to value Christianity as valueless and it is because of us who call ourselves Christians but live a life of self-righteousness.