Posts
Today is International Women's Day. This is the day that the world has set aside to commemorate the advancements made in women's human rights, and in the spheres of politics, education, employment, and other areas of life.
In light of this day, the question will arise:
How should those of us in God's kingdom treat women?
The church,and the religion of Christendom, have often subjected women to discrimination based on their gender. Most women are strongly discouraged from leadership roles within the church, especially any role that would put them in authority over a man. HOW SAD!
So, how should we treat women? What should our response be to this day of celebrating the progress and freedom women have won in the secular world? How should we view this progress in light of the fact that role discrimination against women was and still is championed by those in the church?
In Paul's letter to the Galatians he says: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is NO MALE AND FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
Wait a second! Because of and in Christ, when things are put back to the way God intended them to be from the start, there is NO DIFFERENCE between male and female!
Again, how should we treat/respond to women in ministry or any other area of life. Paul makes it clear, we are to make NO DISTINCTION between men and women. I rejoice on this day, I celebrate the progress women have made in winning back their God-given equality with men. We in the church should wake up to the truth that those in the rest of the world have realized. We should allow, promote, and encourage women to seek after the kingdom of God, to live in the calling and to follow Christ into WHATEVER POSITION he is leading them into.
God bless you sisters! Peace
What are your thoughts on the following Scriptures? I agree that women are awesome, valuable, and equal, but I don't believe they have the same roles in the church, or the family.
ReplyDelete1 Timothy 2:11-14 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. NIV
1 Corinthians 14:33-35 As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. NIV
Thanks for the comment Steve. I would love to chat together sometime so that I can give you a full response on my view of these verses. In short: I believe that when read in context these two passages are not a timeless truth or command, but rather a specific instruction for those individual churches at that particular time.
DeleteI also feel that we must consider the examples in the Old and New Testaments that show women in a leadership or teaching role over men and women. Some passages to consider are:
Deborah the Judge (Judges 5)
Isaiah's Wife a Prophetess (Isaiah 8)
Anna (Luke 2:38)
Aquilla and Pricilla taught Apollos (Acts 18:26)
Would love to chat more. I know this may not satisfy your curiosity as to my exact beliefs but this should be a good starting point.
Peace
I would have to agree with Steve...I had the same thought. I happen to be a woman, and I don't see in the bible that woman have the same role as men.
ReplyDeleteWe can talk more. The argument in 1 Timothy is based on creation, not on culture or something unique to that church. In my mind it is a clear passage, and sets the rule. There may be exceptions to the rule, but the rule still stands (in my opinion :-)).
ReplyDeleteI'm curious. If verses 11-15 are a "set rule", do you believe 9-10 are a set rule as well?
DeleteOops, Kathleen's comment is Steve's. As well as this one. :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't be leave that we can pick and choose what we want to and say "that this was for then" and "this is for now"...also though, I don't see that you can have "set rules" either, because we can not put God in a box...He is the author and He can tell us other things to do that we might not think are in correlation with his word, (our job is to be able to HEAR HIS VOICE) that is what I see happening in the case of the marred woman of the bible that you (Matt) pointed out (it is a different case for the unmarred). I see the verses we were discussing as just as much for us now, as when they were written, and that the prophetesses and other such women were told by God to do as they did.
ReplyDeleteSo with that said, I still think unless a woman be leaves that she is being led to do other wise and has clear direction from God to do otherwise, she is to be under her husband (not as a slave or anything like that) but there marriage should be an example of Christ and the church as it says in Eph 5: 22-33
" Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." (the husbands have a role too, not to lord power over there submissive wife, but to love them, as it says in verse 25 of that same chapter) "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loves the church, and gave himself for it....So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church:....This is the great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
In Col 3: 18-22 it lays out again for wives to submit and for husbands to love.
1Pet 3:1-8 sums it all up nicely..."...ye wives, be in subjection to your husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;" Wives can bring there husband to the Lord by being submissive! Then it goes on to talk about "let it not be that outward adorning" but "the hidden man (woman) of the heart, (having) the ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit." Then talked about being like the woman of old ( Sara etc..) "being in subjection unto their own husbands:"
Then it goes back to the husbands part..."husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel." our culture hates that "weaker" part! It is allllll around us that woman are just as good, if not better than men, but that's not how the church and Christ are. "and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." hmmm, this sound like the couples prayers COULD be hindered if the marriage was not how God designed them to be! I never saw that before, how interesting.
I think these verses are the messages for America's marriages..they are falling apart right and left, why? Could it be that they (nether the man nor the woman) are doing the part God laid out for them...I think pride is at the root of American's crumbling marriages.
The very first couple that was formed, Adam the man first, and then Eve from his rib...God said "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." " meet" in the Greek means a "part opposite" or "a counterpart". A help counterpart. The help, not the head.
Hope I didn't go too far, I just think it is a important point to discus, blessing.
Thanks for sharing! You didn't go too far. I very much agree that the problem with marriages comes from BOTH men and women not living out their correct part in the union. If we all live out our biblical calling as men and women, it will look exactly like you said, a partnership. Shalom!
DeleteI think Thim about summed it up, but I just thought I would add another verse from Gen.3:16 "...and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." I don't think God ment that just for their time as it was given as part of the curs.
ReplyDeleteI agree, gen 3:16 is part of the curse. I would say, however, that both the woman's "desire for her husband" and the husbands "ruling over thee" are part of the curse. Both the woman seeking to be above a man and the man being over the woman were never part of God's original creation. Like Thim said, we were meant to have a partnership together in stewarding God's creation. As a concluding thought, would not by Jesus' death this part of the curse be broken in the same way we are given freedom from the power of sin? Shalom!
Delete