Salvation Comes Through Childbirth!

1 Timothy 2:15

I’m back. I missed a few days last week writing my blog, and I apologize for the abrupt interruption. We had our two granddaughters, Hayes and Lucy, and they kept us very busy. Family is very important to me, so I wanted to spend every moment I could with my girls. Of course, I paid the price with lack of sleep and aching knees. Which brings me to this verse today. Read 1 Timothy 2:15 and you will see what I mean.

Saved in childbearing? Really. I went to the commentaries on this verse again. They offered multiple lines of understanding:

·         Women are saved by having children – un, no!

·         Women will be kept safe in childbirth – again, no!

·         Women would avoid the errors of vv. 11-15 by becoming mothers – doesn’t happen.

At least I am not the only one who has difficulty understanding Paul’s intention, but let me tell you what I think. In order to do that, we have to look at two words. First, the word that Paul used for “saved” must be taken in the spiritual sense of obtaining forgiveness for sins. It is the only way to view this and stay with the context of the passage. Second, Paul made a subtle shift from Eve in v. 14 to “all women” in v. 15. The word “she” is plural and is referring to women in general. So he is talking about half of the world’s population being saved through the forgiveness of sins. There is only one explanation, and it goes back to the promise of God in Genesis 3. God told Eve that should would give birth, and her Seed would crush the head of the Serpent.

Yes, Eve sinned, but God promised to use her to bring salvation to all of mankind. All she had to do was to fulfill her role as a wife and a mother -- to answer the highest calling in a woman’s life. In doing so, she participated in God’s plan of salvation because ultimately Jesus was born to Mary. He brought salvation to the world – to those whose lives are characterized by faith, love, and holiness with self-control.

These attributes do not save us; they are the attributes of those who are saved. Paul simply reminded the Ephesian women that true Christian ladies behave like true Christian ladies. Good advice even 2000 years later.