Institutionalised sexism

Now I am about to wade in to a discussion that can be a sensitive subject. It is a subject that I feel is ridiculous in nature and should have no place in our modern world. These thoughts have been triggered by a "scandal" in the English Premiership over sexism in and around the sport.

I find it terribly stupid that in this day and age people can still think that it is acceptable to discriminate against someone for any reason be that sex, race or anything else. Not that I think everyone is capable of doing anything, that is obviously not true as God has given us each different gifts. But these gifts do not make anyone any better than anyone else. But if you are capable of doing something I see no reason why you should not be able to do it, if you have been given a gift by God, who is man to say otherwise.

Now people may have realised by this point that I am not still talking about a female assistant referee in the English Premier League. I am talking about the position of females in the Church. I know that some people will disagree with me on this point, but I confident in my belief in God calling both men and women to work for Him in many different capacities. As someone who was raised in a Church that has advocated the rights and position of women in the Church since the 1800's I have had over the years many sermons preached to me by women preachers. In many cases I feel that these women have at times been more gifted speakers and more on fire with the Holy Spirit than many men I have heard speak.

Jesus came to Earth for the disenfranchised, for those who were downtrodden and those who were discriminated against. Jesus did not come with a message just meant for some people but not others, He did not limit His work to only one race or sex, He was here for all mankind.

I do not believe that God only calls men or only calls a certain race, He calls on each and every one of us. I believe that God can and does use people of all ages, all races, both sexes and all backgrounds. He has use for all who come to Him and I do not believe He limits what we can do down to differences that will not be important in Heaven.

Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
     There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

If we truly believe the lessons we are taught in the Bible, if we believe what we read in the verse above then there can be no argument against women in ministry, there can be no way of supporting this outmoded outdated sexist view. We can not allow this institutionalised sexism to continue, it is in my opinion unchristian and not biblical. When will we learn to be truly like Christ and open our arms to all everyone regardless of who or what they are. We need to stop putting blockades and difficulties in the way of people coming to Christ through the Church we need to stop making these "problems" into flash points which cause the Church to become further divided. We can not allow these divisions to continue, they only provide the enemy with more ammunition.