http://acacia.pair.com/Acacia.John.Bunyan/Sermons.Allegories/Pilgrim.s.Progress/Pilgrim.Text/Part.One/10.html

Then he went on till he came at the house of the INTERPRETER, where he knocked over and over; at last one came to the door, and asked who was there?

Chr. Sir, here is a traveller, who was bidden by an acquaintance of the good man of the house to call here for my profit: I would therefore speak with the master of the house. So he called for the master of the house; who, after a little time, came to CHRISTIAN, and asked him what he would have?

Chr. "Sir," said CHRISTIAN, "I am a man that has come from the city of Destruction, and am going to the Mount Zion; and I was told by the man that stands at the gate at the head of this way, that if I called here you would show me excellent things, such as would be helpful to me in my journey."

Interpreter. Then said the INTERPRETER, "Come in; I will show thee that which will be profitable to thee." So he commanded his man to light the candle, and bade CHRISTIAN follow him: so he led him into a private room, and bade his man open a door; the which when he had done, CHRISTIAN saw the picture of a very grave person hung up against the wall; and this was the fashion of it: it had eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in his hand, the law of truth was written upon his lips, the world was behind his back; he stood as if he pleaded with men, and a crown of gold did hang over his head.

Chr. Then said CHRISTIAN, "What means this?"

Inter. The man whose picture this is, is one of a thousand: he can beget children;

"For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
~ 1 Corinthians 4:15 ~

travail in birth with children;

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,"
~ Galations 4:19 ~

and nurse them himself when they are born.

"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
~ 1 Corinthians 3:2 ~

Who are we to correct Mr. Buckley, but it was Bible believers that established the foundation of the American system, and it will be Bible believers who restore the foundations, if they are to be restored for there is no other foundation on which to build.

We resist the gradual tyranny of socialism, and seek nothing less than the return of the government to its proper role, that of securing our rights under natural law and the Constitution of life, liberty and property. The role of the state is to restrain the lawlessness of men and to leave the church unhindered.

Now we thank the poster for the quotes from Mr. Einstein because they make an important point. Based on reason alone even the most intelligent among us will never discover the wisdom of God…

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. [Luke 10:21]

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus refers to His people as salt and light in the earth. The implication is clear; the world stands in a state of darkness and corruption. The tendency is always toward corruption in the spiritual as well as physical realms. ‘Light has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil’ [John 3:19].

The increase of liberty among men has always followed the words of Jesus Christ where ever they have been faithfully proclaimed. There is no reason to think that liberty is beyond recovery if Christ is again faithfully preached in the churches of America.

Christ is victor over sin and death and comes offering liberty to those held captive. Our forefathers saw the truth of it and lived that way [Isaiah 61].

1. What was revealed unto the church by the Lord Christ and his apostles is the whole of that religion which God will and doth accept.

2. So far as is needful unto the faith, obedience, and eternal salvation of the church, what they taught, revealed, and commanded is contained in the Scriptures of the New Testament, witnessed unto and confirmed by those of the Old.

3. All that is required of us that we may please God, be accepted with him, and come to the eternal enjoyment of him, is, that we truly believe what is so revealed and taught, yielding sincere obedience unto what is commanded in the Scriptures.

Upon these principles Protestants confidently propose their religion unto the trial of all mankind. If in any thing it be found to deviate from them, — if it exceeds, in any instance, what is so revealed, taught, and commanded, — if it be defective in the faith or practice of any thing that is so revealed or commanded, — they are ready to renounce it. Here they live and die; from this foundation they will not depart: this is their religion.

And if these principles will not secure us, as unto our present acceptance with God in religion, and the eternal enjoyment of him, he hath left all mankind at an utter uncertainty, to make a blind venture for an invisible world; which is altogether inconsistent with his infinite wisdom, goodness, and benignity.

Being in possession of these principles of truth and security from Christ and his apostles, it belongs unto the protestant religion not to change or forego them, and to repose our confidence in the infallibility or authority of the pope of Rome, or of the church whereof he is the head. For these principles of assurance are such as every way become the wisdom and goodness of God; and such as that our nature is not capable in this life of those which are higher or of a more illustrious evidence. Let the contrary unto either of these be demonstrated, and we will renounce the protestant religion. To forego them for such as are irreconcilable unto divine wisdom and goodness, as also to the common reason of mankind, is an effect of the highest folly and of strong delusion.

For that all mankind should be obliged to place all their confidence and assurance of pleasing God, of living unto him, and coming unto the enjoyment of him for eternity, on the pope of Rome and his infallibility, however qualified and circumstantiated, considering what these popes are and have been, is eternally irreconcilable unto the greatness, wisdom, love, and kindness of God, as also unto the whole revelation made of himself by Jesus Christ.

The principles of protestant religion before mentioned do every way become, are highly suited unto, the nature and goodness of God, — no man living shall ever be able to instance in one tittle of them that is not correspondent with divine goodness and wisdom; — but on the first naming of this other way, no man who knows any thing what the pope is, and what is his church, if he be not blinded with prejudice and interest, will be able to satisfy himself that it is consistent with infinite goodness and wisdom to commit the salvation of mankind, which he values above all things, unto such a security.

Neither hath this latter way any better consistency with human wisdom or the common reason of mankind, — namely, that those who are known, many of them, to be better and wiser men than those popes, should resolve their religion, and therein their whole assurance of pleasing God, with all their hopes of a blessed eternity, into the authority and infallibility of the pope and his church, seeing many of them, the most of them, especially for some ages, have been persons wicked, ignorant, proud, sensual, and brutish in their lives.

This, then, is the foundation of the protestant religion, in that it is built on those principles which are every way suited unto the divine nature and goodness, as also satisfactory unto human reason, with a refusal of them which are unworthy of infinite wisdom to give, and the ordinary reason of men to admit or receive.

Secondly, as the name Protestant is distinctive with respect unto some other pretended profession of Christian religion, so it derives this denomination from them who in all ages, after the apostasy of the church of Rome came to be expressly antichristian, departed from the communion of it, opposed it, reformed themselves, and set up the true worship of God according unto the degrees and measures of gospel light which they had received.

This was done successively in a long tract of time, through sundry ages, until, by an accession of multitudes, princes and people, unto the same profession, they openly testified and protested against the papal apostasy and tyranny; whence they became to be commonly called Protestants.

And the principles whereon they all of them proceeded from first to last, which constitute their religion as protestant, were these that follow:

1. That there are in the Scripture, prophecies, predictions, and warnings, especially in the book of the Revelation and the Second Epistle of Paul the apostle to the Thessalonians, that there should be a great apostasy or defection in the visible church from the faith, worship, and holiness of the gospel; and, in opposition unto what was appointed of Christ, the [building] of a worldly, carnal, antichristian church-state, composed of tyranny, idolatry, and persecution, which should for a long time oppress the true worshippers of Christ with bloody cruelty, and at last be itself “consumed with the spirit of his mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of his coming.”

This defection was so plainly foretold, as also the beginning of it, in a “mystery of iniquity,” designed even in the days of the apostles, that believers in all ages did expect the accomplishment of it by the introduction of an antichristian state and power, though the manner of it was hidden from them, until it was really fulfilled. I say, from the days of the apostles, and the giving out of those prophecies and predictions of the coming of antichrist and an apostate church-state with him, all Christians in all ages did believe and expect that it should come, until its real coming, in a way and manner unexpected, confounded their apprehensions about it.

2. Their second principle as Protestants was, that this defection and antichristian church-state, so plainly foretold by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures, was openly and visibly accomplished in the church of Rome, with the nations that had subjected themselves unto the yoke thereof. Therein they found and saw all that tyranny and oppression, all that pride and self-exaltation above every thing that hath the name of God upon it, all that idolatry and false worship, all that departure from the faith of the gospel, all that contempt of evangelical obedience, which were foretold to come in under and constitute the fatal apostasy.

3. Hereon their third principle was, that as they valued the glory of God, the honor of Christ and the gospel, their own salvation, and the good of the souls of others, they were obliged to forsake and renounce all communion with that apostate church, though they saw that their so doing would cost many of them their dearest blood or lives.

4. They were convinced, hereon, that it was their duty publicly to protest against all those abominations, to reform themselves, as unto faith, worship, and conversation, according unto the rules before laid down, as those that are fundamental unto Christian religion.

These were the principles whereon Christian religion, as it is protestant, was re-introduced into the world, after it had been not only obscured, but almost excluded out of it, as unto its public profession. And these principles are avowed by all true Protestants as those whereon they are ready at all times to put their cause and profession on the trial.

But the protection from priests became a tyranny Expressing all moral truth by the mysteries of symbols, and reserving to itself the administration of the seven sacraments, the priesthood claimed a monopoly of thought, and exercised an absolute spiritual dominion. Human bondage was deeply riveted; for tyranny had fastened on the affections, the understanding, and reason. The priesthood, ordaining its own successors, ruled human destiny at birth, on entering active life, at marriage, in the hour when frailty breathed its confession, in the hour when faith aspired to communion with God, and at death. The fortunes of the human race are embarked in a lifeboat, and cannot be wrecked. Mind refuses to rest; and active freedom is a necessary condition of intelligent existence. The instinctive love of truth could warm even the scholastic theologian; but the light which it kindled for him was oppressed by verbal erudition, and its flickering beams, scarce lighting the cell of the solitary, could not fill the colonnade of the cloister, far less reach the busy world.

A PREFATORY NOTE dated 1682

WHETHER we regard the deep sagacity pervading this treatise; the calm and nervous dignity of its reasonings; the statesman-like view it gives of the condition and prospects of the Protestant cause; or the noble strain with which it concludes, of confidence in God and the ultimate triumph of his cause, amid all the fears and forebodings which the author had been led to entertain, — we are inclined to ascribe to it a pre-eminent value among the smaller productions of Dr. Owen. It is very far from being of merely ephemeral interest. It was reprinted in 1822, when the claims of the Roman Catholics to be admitted into Parliament were under discussion.

To this edition there was prefixed a letter, addressed to Mr. Wilberforce, by Bishop Burgess; and from the following extract it will be seen in what estimation that accomplished prelate held this brief treatise: “The extensive knowledge, the powerful intellect, the ardent piety of Dr. Owen, are too well known to you to require eulogium or recommendation. The little tract which I have reprinted, and which I am desirous of submitting to your perusal, is distinguished by all his talents, and is calculated to excite feelings superior to any considerations of partial and temporary policy.”

I. The first part of the tract is occupied with an account of the Protestant religion, — generally, in its origin and principles; and then more particularly, as it is opposed to Popery. He specifies the four essential elements in Protestantism, from which the Reformation took its rise and character:

1. Some great apostasy had been foretold in Scripture;

2. The Church of Rome embodied this predicted apostasy;

3. All true Christians were bound to separate from this antichristian church; and,

4. It was their duty not merely to separate from it, but to maintain a public protest against its errors and abominations.

II. Then follows an account of the way in which Protestantism had arisen; of the costly sacrifices made in order that it might be established, its martyrs exceeding in number those who had fallen under the Pagan persecutions; and, lastly, of the happy effects which had ensued from the Reformation, not merely to Protestant nations, but even in countries where though Popery still reigned, it was held in check by the contiguity of Protestant light and freedom, and the possibility that now existed of turning against it “the balance of power.”

III. The political weakness of Protestantism, from its manifold divisions, is exhibited, and the importance is urged of establishing a great Protestant interest throughout Europe.

IV. Then follows a discussion of the probable way in which the Papacy may regain predominance; — either by defection, or force, or reconciliation. The author dwells chiefly on the danger to be apprehended from the last source, inasmuch as some learned men now conceded a patriarchal primacy to the Bishop of Rome; novel opinions had been widely spread, which, so far as they set aside the doctrines of grace, narrowed the difference between Popery and Protestantism; it was now denied that the Pope was Antichrist; atheism prevailed; vital religion was at a low ebb; the clergy, losing confidence in the spiritual power of truth, sought to retain their influence over the people by recourse to superstitious expedients and appliances, such as Romanism sanctions; and, lastly, forgetfulness of the persecuting spirit of Popery induced many to bethink themselves of an “ecclesiastical coalescency with the Church of Rome.”

V. The folly and wickedness of such a movement are exposed. The tract closes by stating the grounds of hope amid prevailing discouragements, and the true means for the preservation of Protestantism, — in prayer, union, and repentance.

So why has it taken this much time for the courts to normalize the practice of sodomy by conferring on it a marriage license? What makes the legalization of sodomy more difficult than the legalization of the murder of innocents?

Is there more prejudice against sexual perversion than against murder? The innocents could not advocate for themselves against their destruction, but the sodomites are as those without shame in advocating their sin. What has held back the lawless court?

The marriage relationship holds a high and honored place in Scripture in that the apostle compares this relationship in a mystery to that of Christ and His Church. [Ephesians 5]

To debase this relationship with the inclusion of that which our Creator calls an abomination is a milestone that marks the degeneracy of our culture to a critical point. If the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God is removed, then we descend further being given over to our depravity. [Romans 1]

The Scripture says that God is longsuffering and takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. From the history of redemption we know that there is a limit to His patience.

Perhaps they are the voice of conservatism first and republican advocates second. Is this not the primary season? Do they not have the right and professional duty to educate their listeners so that we can make an informed choice? Where else do we have access to media that is not the lapdog of the government elites?

There are indeed minded numbed robots, but those are the ones the socialists call useful idiots. They think in the context of class envy and shared misery rather than prosperity and the sanctity of private property, including personal income. The concepts of individual liberty and initiative coupled with a work ethic that expects only an opportunity to succeed are exchanged for a system of egalitarianism applied to income and services forced by a powerful federal government.

Those who listen to conservative talk radio are the opposite of minded numbed robots. They are of the remnant of remaining Americans, the anti-socialists. The party elites would do well to stop insulting them. They are what distinguish the RP from the DP.

The first thing we should ask is whether the Bible gives us Peter’s interpretation of this passage. Emphatically we say yes! The Holy Spirit has not left us without testimony to the true meaning of our Lord’s words. The apostle gives us divine commentary in 1 Peter 2 and 5. Let’s look at Peter’s words and draw the truth from the words of Christ.

We freely admit that our presupposition is that the Scripture is not divided; it is one in the things necessary for faith and practice. Will we take the words of Matthew 16 and build a doctrine contrary to the rest of Scripture? God forbid! This is the practice of the apostates.

The first passage from Peter is 1 Peter 2:4-8. He uses the figure of living stones being built into a spiritual house in the context of coming to the Lord Jesus. Now this is how Christ builds His Church. Peter then quotes from the Old Testament showing that the chief cornerstone and the rock of the Church is none other than Jesus Christ.

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 

      “ Behold, I lay in Zion
      A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
      And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” [Isaiah 28:16]

The Bible says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. [Romans 14:17] The way to peace and joy spoken of as ‘in the Holy Spirit’ is predicated on righteousness. Since God is Holy, not just any righteousness will do. Only a perfect righteousness is good enough.

How are we to obtain a perfect righteousness? What about our sins? How shall we get forgiveness of sin? Shall we pursue good works? How many good works are needed to atone for our sin? This is why the Bible says that by the works of the Law no flesh will be made righteous. Our sin must be covered before we can hope to have a perfect righteousness.

Now, there is but one source of a perfect righteousness. This is the only righteousness acceptable to God and necessary for men to possess in order to enter the kingdom of God and to enjoy the peace and joy of God. Peace apart from this righteousness is the peace of the false prophet.

The Bible says that God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [2 Corinthians 5:21]. In the Gospel our sin is imputed to Christ and His righteousness is imputed to us. This is the imputed righteousness of faith apart from works available to all who will call upon the name of the Lord.

   “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

   He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Even standing alone this passage does not teach what the apostate church asserts. In the GREEK there is a play on words with the name Peter (PETROS) referring to a small rock (masculine) and the English word rock (PETRA) referring to a larger rock or foundation (feminine). It is clear that the word rock is NOT a reference to Peter, since the gender of the words is different.

How can that man say, I love God, who from his very heart shrinketh from trusting in him? Or, how can that man say, I would glorify God, who in his very heart refuseth to stand and fall by his mercy?

Suppose a great man should bid all the poor of the parish to his house to dinner, and should moreover send by the mouth of his servant, saying, My lord hath killed his fatlings, hath furnished his table, and prepared his wine, nor is there want of anything, come to the banquet: Would it not be counted as a high affront to, great contempt of, and much distrust in the goodness of the man of the house, if some of these guests should take with them, out of their own poor store, some of their mouldy crusts, and carry them with them, lay them on their [plates] upon the table before the lord of the feast, and the rest of his guests, out of fear that he yet would not provide sufficiently for those he had bidden to his dinner that he made?

Why Pharisee, this is thy very case, Thou hast been called to a banquet, even to the banquet of God's grace, and thou hast been disposed to go; but behold, thou hath not believed, that he would of his own cost make thee a feast, when thou comest; wherefore of thy own store thou hast brought with thee, and hast laid upon thy [plate] on his table, thy mouldy and hoary crusts in the presence of the angels, and of this poor Publican; yea, and hast vauntingly said upon the whole, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are." I am no such NEEDY man. (Luke 15:7) "I am no extortioner, nor unjust, no adulterer, nor even as this Publican." I am come indeed to thy feast, for of civility I could do no less; but for thy dainties, I need them not, I have of such things enough of mine own. (Luke 18:9) I thank thee therefore for thy offer of kindness, but I am not as those that have, and stand in need thereof, "nor yet as this Publican." And thus feeding upon thine own fare, or by making a composition of his and thine together, thou condemnest God, thou countest him insufficient or unfaithful; that is, either one that hath not enough, or having it, will not bestow it upon the poor and needy, and therefore, of mere pretence thou goest to his banquet, but yet trustest to thine own, and to that only.

This is to break the first table; and so to make thyself a sinner of the highest form: for the sins against the first table, are sins of an higher nature than are the sins against the second. True, the sins of the second table are also sins against God, because they are sins against the commandments of God: but the sins that are against the first table, are sins not only against the command, but against the very love, strength, holiness, and faithfulness of God. And herein stands thy condition; thou hast not, thou sayest thou hast not done injury to thy neighbour; but what of that, IF THOU HAST REPROACHED GOD THY MAKER? This is, as if a man should be in with his fellow-servant, and out with his master.

Pharisee, I will assure thee, thou art besides the saddle; thy state is not good, thy righteousness is so far off from doing of thee any good, that it maketh thee to be a greater sinner than if thou hadst none at all, because it fighteth more immediately against the mercy, the love, the grace, and goodness of God, than the sins of other sinners, as to degree, does.

And as they are more odious and abominable in the sight of God, as they needs must, if what is said be true, as it is; so they are more dangerous to the life and soul of man: for that they always appear unto him in whom they dwell, and to him that trusteth in them, not to be sins and transgressions, but virtues and excellent things. Not things that set a man further off, but the things, that bring a man nearer to God, than those that want them are or can be. This therefore is the dangerous estate of those that go about to establish their own righteousness, that neither have, nor can, while they are so doing, submit themselves to the righteousness of God. (Rom 10:3) It is far more easy to persuade a poor wretch, whose life is debauched, and whose sins are written in his forehead, to submit to the righteousness of God, that is, to the righteousness that is of God's providing and giving; than it is to persuade a self- righteous man to do it. For the profane are sooner convinced, as of the necessity of righteousness to save him: so that he has none of his own to do him that pleasure, and therefore most gladly he accepteth of, and submitteth himself to the help and health and salvation that is in the righteousness and obedience of another man.

And upon this account it is, that Christ saith, "The Publicans and the Harlots" enter into the kingdom of heaven before the Scribes and Pharisees. (Matt 21:31) Poor Pharisee, what a loss art thou at? thou art not only a sinner, but a sinner of the highest form. Not a sinner by such sins (by such sins chiefly) as the second table doth make manifest; but a sinner chiefly in that way, as no self-righteous man did ever dream of. For when the righteous man or Pharisee shall hear that he is a sinner, he replieth, "I am not as other men are."

From Bunyan’s exposition of The Pharisee and the Publican

http://acacia.pair.com/Acacia.John.Bunyan/Sermons.Allegories/Discourse.Pharisee.Publican/4.html

“The Lord God made the coats.” Not Adam now, because now he is received into a covenant of grace with God: Indeed before he entered into this covenant, he made his own clothing, such as it was, but that could not cover his nakedness; but now the Lord will make them: And “unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats”: “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (Isa 54:17). Of me, that is, of my providing, of my performing. And this is the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer 23:6).

“He made them coats, and clothed them.” As the righteousness by which a sinner stands just in the sight of God from the curse, is a righteousness of God’s providing; so also it is of his putting on. No man can put on the righteousness of Christ, otherwise than by God’s imputation: if God reckon it ours then it is ours indeed; but if he refuseth to shew that mercy, who can impute that righteousness to me? Blessed are they to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness (Rom 4). Cursed then must they needs be to whom God hath not imputed the righteousness of his Son. “The Lord clothed them,” according to that of Paul, “Christ is made unto us of God wisdom and righteousness,” &c. (1 Cor 1:30). And of that God who hath made him thus to us, even of him are we in Christ Jesus.

Did the Lord God make coats of skins. The coats were made of the skins of beasts, of the skins of the slain, which were slain either for food only, or for sacrifice also: This being so, the effects of that promise mentioned before were by this action the more clearly expounded unto Adam; to wit, That Christ, “in the fullness of time,” should be born of a woman clothed with flesh; and as so considered, should be made a curse, and so die that cursed death which by sin we had brought upon ourselves; the effects and fruits of which should to us be durable clothing; that is, “Everlasting righteousness” (Dan 9:24).

What a difference grace makes. Those things that were once darkness and confusion are now in the light. Bunyan’s words are now appreciated as testimony to sovereign grace. Grace gave life to an ignorant man who could not write his own name and raised him up to be a giant in Christ’s Church ministering to saints of all denominations. The same grace gives life to men to understand what is written and expounded by the faithful men Christ gives as gifts to His Church.

The previous article on the judgment of the original sin caused me to reread Bunyan’s exposition of the promise of grace given by God directly after His judgments…’Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them’ [Genesis 3:21].

‘The second punishment which [God] exacts is subjection. For this form of speech, “Thy desire shall be unto thy husband” [Genesis 3:16] is of the same force as if he had said that she should not be free and at her own command, but subject to the authority of her husband and dependent upon his will...’ [Calvin].

Feminists are in rebellion against the authority established by God…‘the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God’ [1 Corinthians 11:3].

They will struggle to bring men down or elevate themselves over men. As with anything we attempt contrary to the established order, the result will be the opposite of what autonomous reason tells us.

‘The cause of the judgment to Adam is that ‘he harkened to his wife’… Herein he left his station and headship, the condition which God had appointed him, and gave way to his wife to assume it, contrary to the order of creation…for God had made Adam lord and chief, who ought to have taught his wife, and not to have become her scholar’ [Bunyan].

So then from what is written in Genesis 3 of the account of man's original sin and its judgment by God we expect to see sin manifest itself in women of discontent seeking to rule over men and men having the tendency to submit to their rule.

The servitude from the judgment of sin is ended with the coming of the New Covenant. In Christ men and women are joint heirs to the grace of life. Herein is the real gender equality because the curse is broken …