Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!SMITH!JVANDOREN From: JVANDOREN@SMITH Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Subject: RE: Renewing your minds to His word! Message-ID: Date: 16 Jan 90 21:21:00 GMT Sender: Practical Christian Life Reply-To: Practical Christian Life Lines: 33 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway X-VMS-To: IN%"CHRISTIA@FINHUTC.BITNET" >From: Bernice Tennant >Subject: Renewing your minds to His word! >Eric, > That is so true!! I used to think Paul was a cocky male chauvenist Pig (b >oy you can tell I was there in the sixties). Then God touched me and after rea >ding Pauls teachings again I was so suprised at the love he taught. > > You really brought that back to me. > > Your friend in Christ, Bernice Yes, I felt the same way about Paul for awhile after I became a christian. I couldn't understand what he was saying. I thought he was a condescending jerk who thought women were dirt! Needless to say I was frustrated, since I believed the Bible to be God's word and wisdom to us and that women were individuals in there own right who could worship God and serve Him however He chose, etc, etc... (and still do). The same type of thing could be said about the old testament. There was (and still is!) alot I couldn't understand. But then God began to renew my mind and my heart. Gradually those letters and the OT became a lot clearer. I could better see what God was saying to me, as well as the love Paul had for people, including women. This process is continuing and of course there are still many passages I don't understand, but I trust God that He will make them clear to me, either when I need to understand or when I see Him! So, if any of you are having trouble with Paul or other writings, pray! Trust God that He knew what He was saying and knows what He wants to say to you at any given time. Continue to read His word and renew your mind. Also look at commentaries on those passages. Some things were cultural, look at the context, etc. Julie