Page 217 - THE REVELATION OF THE THIRD HEAVEN and THE MEAT OF THE WORD

A very good example of an expression in the Word is made by Paul. In Acts (Acts
21:26 'purifying' and 24:18 'purified') Paul describes how he was being purified in
the temple. This is impossible for a Christian who is already purified and is
impossible for those under the Law as well for that matter. The spiritual truth of
this factually wrong statement is to show us that Paul was still clinging, under
pressure from his Jewish background and the Jews themselves, to aspects of the
Law (Acts 21:26, 24:18, Gal 3:3).

Paul utters a partially false prophecy, it was not a contingent prophecy (Acts
27:10), wrong in fact as it turned out but corrected in a later prophecy (Acts 27:22),
so that we learn the spiritual truth that apostles make mistakes too (1 John 1:8).
Christians can make errors (Acts 21:24-26, 24:18, Gal 2:11-12) and commit acts
that are sins under the Law but can not sin these errors or acts as they are not under
the Law (Rom 10:4, Col 2:14, 1 John 3:9).

Women Priests

There is only one High priest for Christians, namely Jesus Christ, who is an eternal
High Priest and has His own Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek (Mat 23:8-
12, Heb 6:20, 7:13, 21, 24, 28, 8:1, 9:6-8, 10:19-20). All Christians are priests
irrespective of gender (1 Pet 2:9, Rev 5:10). Christ is a man forever and is our sole

mediator between Man and God (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 7:24). He is an angel too as well
as God (Gen 48:15-16, Isaiah 63:9) for the redemption of angels (Phil 2:10-11).

Women

Man and woman are equal as Man before God though not identical (Gen 1:27).
Gender does not exist in relation to our position in Christ or as elders, apostles,
prophets etc., or leaders (Galations 3:28). Anna was a prophetess in the time of
Jesus (Luke 2:36) and spoke redemption. Women were much in evidence
preaching the resurrection at the beginning (Luke 24:22). Women even ministered
to Jesus when he was on the cross (Mat 27:55-56). Women first told the
resurrection news to men (Mat 28:7-10, Luke 24:9-11). In the Old Testament we
see the prophetesses Miriam (Ex 15:20), and Deborah who actually judged Israel
(Judges 4:4). There is the prophetess Huldah (2 Kings 22:14, 2 Chron 34:22) and
the prophetess of Isaiah 8:3, by whom Isaiah had a son called Mahershalalhashbaz.
There is no differential status within Christianity (Gal 3:28, 5:6).

The Christian church began with both sexes intimately involved in the work of the
gospel (Acts 1:14, 2:17-18). There is no negative discrimination, difference in