Women are women:
We live at a time when gender distinctions are being deliberately blurred by the world. Sadly the church is not just idly watching it, most of the so called evangelical church is either cheering on, or has joined the bandwagon by encouraging women to enter the realm of ministry where they are not qualified. This sad deterioration has been happening ever since the Karl Barth, Manuel Kant, Bultiman et al of what is now known as liberal theology begun their onslaught on the church of Christ, denouncing the authority of Scripture. Should we just watch this? Should hold our arms akimbo as the deterioration gathers the moss downhill? No we should do something - by both speaking the truth in love and by mobilizing women to the ministry that God has called them to. True evangelicals must not sleep as feminists and homosexuals rage and rant.
The purpose of this article is to mobilize our dear sisters in Christ to His service by pointing out to them what the Bible says about their ministry in the church. I seek to break rank with those who speak as if women in the church are not saints and as if they do not have anything to offer the body of Christ.
Created man, male and woman,
female – Gen. 1:26-28; 2:18, 21-25. This must never be forgotten that men are men and God expects them to be men and women are women and God expects them to be men. Changing the organ that is synonymous with masculinity or femininity cannot reverse the created order!
· God
created them in His own image. Men and women are equal in
the sense that they are God’s
image bearers equally.
They equally demonstrate the specific image of God in knowledge, righteousness
and holiness (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Those of Galatians 3:28 must know that it is true that before God, in creation, in sin, and in redemption, their is neither male nor female. All are equal before God.
·
Male and
female He created them. God created them distinctively different. Men are to lovingly lead the women to glorify God. On the other hand women are created to support this leadership by being 'fit helpers' for men in yielding glory to God, who made them. It was not good that man should be alone (2:18). The
wife was created as a fit helper for
man. We see male headship in
ü
Adam naming the creation (2:20).
ü
Eve being made from Adam (2:21,22; 1 Cor. 11:8; 1Tim.
2:13)
ü
Adam naming of Eve
Male headship means that in the partnership of two spiritually equal
human beings, man and woman, the man bears the primary responsibility
to lead the partnership in a God-glorifying direction. When God created Adam
and (then) Eve to the fulfillment creation mandate (as Adam could not do it
alone), He put them in the Garden of Eden with all that they could eat except
for one – a garden of dos and a tree of don’t! Man was given the
responsibility to lead the woman. This he did by calling her ‘woman for she
came from him. He did this delightfully.
Sadly Satan convinced Eve to reverse this important created order. Thankfully,
God spoke to Adam to redirect the order. The church is the God-appointed
institution on earth to show His glory and wisdom in reinstating this order so
that Christian families exemplify it. When a careful observation is made in the
Bible, it will be seen that only Christianity has well balanced the gender
roles as God intended. This is seen in the following reasons:
1) Christ placed a high value on women.
How did Christ demonstrate this?
i.
By recognizing their intrinsic value as persons
ii.
By ministering to them in different
circumstances
iii.
By according them dignity in His ministry – He
employed women as illustrations in His teaching (Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31), by
teaching women theological truths, and by having women participate in His life
and ministry
2) Christ recognized role distinctions for men
and women
The choice of male apostles is a clear indication that as much as He
placed a high value on them as men, yet He did not appoint a single one to be
an apostle. He did not direct anyone of them to be a leader in the church! As
much as He loved Mary yet He did not regard her as an apostle. He did not
regard His own mother as the ‘Mother of God’ as many want us to believe.
It is important to note that the Israel was always led by men, that
there never was a woman priest, that male prophets are the leaders and that the
prophetesses who are recorded are obscure and the exception to prove the rule.
Only male kings and when there was the queen mother in reign it was
catastrophic!
3) In the management of the church,
pastors also called elders, or bishops/overseers is a masculine office. In fact
the women don’t even qualify see 1 Timothy
3:1-7. Even for the office of the diaconate, there is enough scriptural
evidence that they were to be men only – see Acts 6:2-3 and 1 Timothy
3:8-10, 12. Verse 11 is not conclusive as the context shows a reference to
the women of the Deacon-men. Passages to consider:
1. 1 Corinthians 14:33-35:
This regulation applies to all the churches of the saints
and not just Corinth as liberals have ranted. The women are required to:
a)
remain
silent in the churches because they are not permitted to speak
b)
be in submission as required by the Law
c)
to learn through their husbands at home
d)
it is shameful for a woman to speak (in teaching
and in the excise of authority) in
church.
Consider how this passages connects to 1 Timothy 2:11-14
2. 1 Timothy 2:11-14:
a)
Women are required to learn
b)
Women are expected to learn in quietness
c)
Women are commanded to be in full submission
Notice the reasons
annexed to these three instructions
a)
Creation order
b)
Entrance of sin
These reasons are universal and eternally binding for women in the churches
of Ephesus and Corinth in the 1st Century, as well as women in the
churches in Nairobi and Kenya in the 21st century. Let no one deceive
you – this is applicable in all the churches of the saints!
3.
1 Timothy
5:10,14 – the ministry is bottom up for women, while man is expected to
minister to all in leadership, godliness.
House-keeping, bringing up children, hospitality, ministry
to the saints and care for the afflicted, and every kind of good works are part
of the paradigms of ministry for Christian women in the church. Here we have a
clear exhortation to the women – So I
would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and
give the adversary no occasion for slander (v.14). If you are asking what
exactly am I expected by my heavenly Father to do in His service, then this is
the most clear instruction.
4.
Titus
2:3-5 – older and mature women are to teach what is good and so train
the younger women to love their husbands and children and so be
self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind etc… that the word of God may not
be blasphemed
Although these passages may be taken as unfriendly to women but
the opposite is true. There is a whole garden of
dos and a single tree of don’t, but we are all focused on the tree.
Preaching is not the only work. These passages express compassion and an
appreciation of who a woman is – they mean: Let a woman not enter into a sphere of activity not
suited for her by the virtue of the manner of her creation. Let not a
bird venture to dwell under water or fish on land! Let not a woman yearn to be
the person that she was not made to be but serve the Lord within her domain –
bottom up, providing support and complementing the male headship in the church.
This has had kingdom impact, e.g. Rom. 12, Susana
Wesley,
Women ministries now: There
are innumerable ministries that women ought to be involved in order to faithfully
serve the body of Christ. Yes, the possibilities for ministry for women in the
church are myriad. Generally speaking, such ministries as these and many others are available for women (and also for men). The garden is rich and splendid with many fruits for every saint to relish the delights of serving the Master. We must not yield to the temptations of the devil to look at the forbidden tree, a tree that will only dishonour the Lord and bring misery to those who eat it.
1)
Home-keeping, caring for their husbands and
children (whatever the women do or not do, they must serve the Lord in their homes)
2)
Hospitality, caring for guests
3)
Teaching women and children
4)
Mercy or comfort ministry – caring for the afflicted,
orphans, widows,
5)
Support ministries like translations, writing,
music, administration
6)
Missions & evangelism
7)
Prayer
God specially planned man and woman with differences that would
complement each other. Each was strong, each was fragile in different ways: each could minister to each other. He designed
man to be masculine: harder, physically stronger, less swayed by personal or
emotional considerations. He designed woman to be feminine: softer, empathetic,
understanding, instinctively more nurturing. He designed the female body to
bear and nurse babies. God Himself designed and placed within women the
maternal instinct: sensitivity, intuition and compassion. These qualities do
indeed provide a reflection of a yet deeper love within God Himself. Women have
been created to be helpers, and will be mobilized for ministry as we understand
and become enthused with this helper design. The helper design is an exalted
one – all the three Persons of the Godhead are referred to as ‘Helper’ in
Scripture.[1]
[1] Sharon James, God’s Design
for Women, Biblical Womanhood for Today, Evangelical Press, Faverdale North
Darlington, DL3 0PH pp.78-79
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