Spiritual Gifts Imparted to Women
“The early writers bear witness also to the presence of other gifts which graced the Church in the time of the Apostles, and which continued to their day to be exercised by women as well as men. Justin, writing the prophecy of Joel, adduced by Peter on the day of Pentacost, states, “We may still see amongst us women and men possessing the gifts of the Spirit of God. . . The prophetical gifts with us even to the present time.” and Iranaeus writes, “Some amongst us possess the foreknowledge of things to come; they see visions and utter prophecies.” The Montanists especially maintain that the gift of prophecy continued to be bestowed upon women. The Bishop of Rome even acknowledges this gift to have been conferred upon two opulent ladies of that communion, Priscilla and Maximella, although afterwards he excommunicates the whole party.” — Edward Backhouse, Early Church History fro the Death of Constantine, 1906
Most men would have people to believe that God does not use women, will not use women and, has never used women for his purposes. This belief, though held, defies the very scriptures that show us that God used women without asking a man to do so! The scriptures that show us, are bypassed altogether, or twisted to say something they don’t. God gave women honor and dignity and a freedom to serve in the early church and men keep taking it away to suit their own selfish desires for control and dominance. Seldom do we hear men preaching about the women deaconesses of the early church or any other woman God used. It’s time for that to change.
RELIGION'S CELL 