Wading through the wedding rings

[Evang.Benincasa]

PART 1

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

First of all, I am not presenting any "ringless unwed doctrine".

By saying that if a woman doesn't wear the ring she looks like a unwed mother, what other choice would you give? TB, you need to think before you print.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

What I am saying as simply as I know how is that throughout the Bible, where there are covenants made, it was common for there to be a token or symbol of that covenant.

Like an anaconda bone through the nose? Scarification on a teenage boy's arms and legs to prove he entered into a covenant as a right of passage?
Young girls are circumcised in other cultures. Should we also adopt these practices into Christianity? These cultures also see them as symbols of covenants, and rights of passages, sacraments.

They're tokens within these cultures and from the 4th century AD and onward the Roman Catholic Church had adopted and baptized pagan practices into their organization to help those tribes and peoples to be absorbed into their Roman church.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

We all know that Scripture doesn't teach that we must wear a wedding ring to indicate we are married.

BIG AMEN! So would you agree that you must call the ring cultural and NOT a Christian practice. It also doesn't say in the Bible that you should wear a cross around your neck to indicate you're a Christian. Or a Christmas Tree to show that a Saviour was born into the world. Extra Biblical practices that have been handed down from the Roman Catholic Church.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

On the other hand there is no Scripture forbidding the wearing of a ring to indicate we have entered into a marriage covenant.

See what you're doing here is creating a sacrement by which you end up claiming it to be Christian in the long run. TB, you lose the right to ever make a comment against any Ultra Conservative for any pratices they may perform.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

God seems to place great emphasis upon covenants and the providing of tokens of those covenants. If as you have admitted in another post, Paul is addressing "adornments" when making reference to wearing of gold, then I don't see what your problem is with a wedding ring, which isn't being worn as an adornment, but for a purpose, in the same way one wears a watch.

The wedding ring is being chosen by some to be a religious symbol, the same as vestments of a priest, his collar, his robes, candle sticks, crosses, pine trees with jewelry on them, etc, etc.

TB, you're correct God places great emphasis upon covenants but not on traditions of men. Again you're trying to bring a wedding ring and God into the same sentence. God doesn't condone a piece of jewelry whether it is a rosary, or a cross on a chain to have anything to do with Him. Remember that He is the God that HATES Idolatry. God doesn't need idolatrous symbols; those symbols were adopted by the Roman Catholic Church, which is rife with idolatry.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

I wrote, "To me..." You highlighted the "me" and thus your quote.

I did that because it's your opinion, and therefore a judgement on your part that a wedding ring indicates marriage, when it was never part of Paul's or the early church’s vocabulary. You see TB, the wedding ring is a piece of jewelry that is used by your religion not there's.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Yet, you choose to ignore the fact that Paul repeatedly throughout his epistles to the churches expressed "To Me" type of viewpoints. Let's examine 1Timothy 2 for example;

Verse1 "I urge......"

1Ti 2:1-2 "I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

Verb: exhort ig'zort

Force or impel in an indicated direction
- urge, urge on, press

Stongs #3870

παρακαλέω

parakaleō
par-ak-al-eh'-o
From G3844 and G2564; to call near, that is, invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): - beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray.

Paul is NOT making suggestions to the young Evangelist Timothy, the Apostle Paul is invoking him to offer supplication and prayers for those Timothy is working and with and those in goverment.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Verse 8 "I want...."

1Ti 2:8

"I WILL THEREFORE that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

In verse 8 of 1st Timothy two Greek words give you the meaning of what Paul is telling Timothy.

Strongs #1014

βούλομαι

boulomai
Thayer Definition:
1) to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded
2) of willing as an affection, to desire
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: middle voice of a primary verb
Citing in TDNT: 1:629, 108

Strongs#3767
oun
oon
Apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjugationally) accordingly: - and (so, truly), but, now (then), so (likewise then), then, therefore, verily, wherefore.

Again Paul is not making suggestions on what Paul feels is his opinion, but is telling the young Evangelist deliberate information that he wants the Evangelist to do and teach. Paul wasn't making this stuff up as he went along. Paul was presenting Timothy with scriptural council from the only scripture they were ever taught with and that’s the Torah. All that Jesus and His apostles taught can be traced back to Torah not Talmud (traditions of the Jews).

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Verse 9 "I also want...."

1Ti 2:9

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;"

I see you have been using more modern versions of the scripture to help prove your point. I would've stayed with the more traditional if I was you.
TB, you used the translation that says, "I WANT" now that is definitely not a suggestion of Paul's opinion, but it a command word. Now lets see how this sounds in the Greek.

The Textus Receptus starts this verse out with the Greek word "hōsautōs" which means to do something in the same manner, or to do it the same way.

In your Modern English translation they cut through the mustard by telling the reader that the apostle is commanding the women to keep in mind their appearance in a moderate way. They are also to be in separation unto the Lord (holiness) and that is the same as men in praise and prayer without anger in their hearts.

In Jesus Name

Brother Benincasa

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