Part two
Other Bibles’ translations of the above three verses are a little different. In some Bibles even the inserted italics are different; but it is obvious to me that in them the ambiguities also still remain in place. Furthermore, any reasonable person is able to see that the English expressions of those three verses are confusing to say the least. These verses are openly in opposition to the women’s individual freedom, for we all know that fathers have control of their daughter’s lives only for a short time. It would be reasonable to think from reading the above scriptures that the father is offering the daughter’s celibacy as a sacrifice for his own perceived benefit.
Needless to say, for that obvious reason alone, the sacrifice is unacceptable to God.
What’s more, in my research I have found that the Pagan Roman religion did have virgin females (vestali), which were pledged to celibacy until thirty years of age, and were under penalty of death if they strayed. They were offered (maybe by their fathers) and dedicated for service to the state, for keeping burning the perennial fire of the temple and were entrusted to safeguard important government documents and records, like the last will and testament of the head of State, and to maintain and or assist him in the temple’s ceremonial function, for the head of the Roman State was also head of religion. (Pontifex Maximus)
It stands to reason that for these verses of 1Corinthians 7:36-38 to make any sense in the life of the faithful, they should be read in context with the preceding four verses as they are presented above. Only then the subject matter is exposed and becomes relevant to the lives of the believers, thus those faithful who are able can freely and confidently choose celibacy as a spiritual sacrifice of worship to our God.
Nevertheless, if any one, after committing to the “devotional sacrifice,” realise that the sacrifice of celibacy is too difficult for him to honestly fulfil, in such a case he can stop trying and get married with God’s blessing. It is apparent that Satan’s elaborate scheme is to prevent us from knowing God’s will and truth, for he knows that if we gain that knowledge he has only a little time left.
I am well aware of the difficulty believers will have in fully accepting what I have written in the above seven examples. Nevertheless I believe that these seven examples are only some of the stumbling blocks that Jesus warned us about because they thwart our understanding of God and have the capacity to lead us into the uncharted waters of imagination and speculation in which we all can easily get lost.
Search your heart. I am sure the Holy Spirit will want you to investigate all of the above restorations, for those restorations are supported by Scriptures and glorify our Lord and cancel any form of speculation and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. But if you do not investigate or agree, and the disagreement is only on the basis that the written word is inviolable, you have become a casualty of today’s most widespread error, which considers that the worship of God is inseparable with the worship of the Bible. The Bible is a book that sincere believers openly and humbly confess not to fully understand and yet some will be unwilling to concede to the compelling evidence presented to them here. In such case it has happened to them as it is written in Acts 28:25-28.
In conclusion, you can rest assured that it is not I, or my writing, that will convince you of the correctness of the restorations of the Scriptures, but it will be the Lord working through your own sincere investigation of the matter.
There is a possibility that you simply do not agree. However, if you find any part of the restorations offensive, or you consider my action a sacrilege, please read the concluding article “What is Truth” at the end of this book and peace will return to you.
I do not seek to be followed, nor do I ask any one to change their faith, but I long to share the knowledge of understanding with those who seek the Lord so that they may also gain a deep and steadfast insight into God’s word and will.
Glory to God