Questions About The Role Of Women In The Church

Questions About The Role Of Women In The Church Ben Giselbach January 30, 2014 Does God give men and women equal leadership capacities in the church? This is one of the most hotly debated issues in Christendom today. Despite the politically correct feminist agenda in our society, the concepts of (a) God giving men & women equal value and (b) God giving men & women different roles are not contradictory. Consider the following principles of men & women having equal value: Women are not intellectually inferior to men. Women are not to be ignored in either the family or the congregation. Woman is included in the word man, which God said He made in Our image (Gen. 1:26) in creation. Therefore, it is clear that she too enjoys a full relationship with God just as the male does (cf. Gal. 3:28; 1 Pet. 3:7). (Edwards 157) 1

In Christian worship, men and women have equal opportunity. Women, just like men, can sing, pray, eat the Lord s Supper, teach, and give. Yet the Bible, in texts like 1 Timothy 2:8-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, teaches that men and women have different roles within the church. Men are charged with the responsibility of leading the Lord s Church. Men are to be elders and deacons (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1). Men are to lead in worship (1 Tim. 2:8). This is a result of the order in which God created mankind (1 Tim. 2:13) and the way in which mankind fell to sin (1 Tim. 2:14). Specifically, women are not to teach or exercise authority over a man (1 Tim. 2:12). This means: She can sing, but she should not lead singing over the man. She can pray, but she should not lead the prayer over the man. She can eat the Lord s Supper, but she should not preside over the man. She can give, but she should not preside over the man. She can teach, but she should not teach over the man. (Sain 371) There is no indication in the New Testament that Christian women served in an official leadership capacity in the early church. We should not force the Bible and the Church into a politically correct box, even when it comes to the issue of gender roles. The role of women in the church is not an issue of discrimination or male chauvinism. It is an issue of interpreting God s Word and obeying His commands. Indeed, it is a matter of faith simply doing our best to serve the Lord. Can a woman be a preacher? 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (1 Tim. 2:11-12, ESV) There is no scriptural authority for women preachers. God has restricted women from serving in a teaching capacity over a man. This means she cannot scripturally preach a sermon or teach a class in the presence of a mixed-gender audience. Can a woman be a pastor/elder/bishop/presbyter? 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman 2

to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (1 Tim. 2:11-12, ESV) There is no scriptural authority for women elders. Elders are to lead each autonomous congregation of the Body of Christ. They are charged with the responsibility of overseeing God s flock, watching over every soul, while being aware of the account they will have to give for their leadership (Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:2; 1 Thess. 5:12). Therefore, women cannot serve as elders. Furthermore, consider the qualifications of an elder. He must be the husband of one wife (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6). Does God permit women to serve as deacons in the church? I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae. (Romans 16:1) This verse fuels the argument that women can supposedly serve in the official office of deacon in the church. The NIV, NLT, and RSV translate diakonos in Romans 16:1 as deacon, whereas the ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, HCSB, and ASV translate diakonos as servant. Which translation is the most accurate? Diakonos can be a general word for servant (and in this sense, all Christians are diakonois cf. Mark 9:35; 10:43; John 12:26; 1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor. 6:4; 2 Cor. 11:15, 23; Col. 4:7; 1 Tim. 4:6). Diakonos can also designate a specific leadership office of deacon (and in this sense, only some are qualified to be diakonous cf. Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 12). The only way in which we can tell the difference whether it is merely servant or an official office of deacon is by examining the context. The context does not teach that sister Phoebe, in Romans 16:1, was an official deacon of the church. Furthermore, consider the qualifications of the deacon office itself. Deacons must have wives who are dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things (1 Tim. 3:11). Deacons also must be the husband of one wife (1 Tim. 3:12). Female deacons cannot have wives. 3

Adding to this, as stressed previously, women cannot serve in a leadership capacity (and the office of deacon is a leadership role) over the Lord s church (1 Tim. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:1-6; Titus 2:3-5; Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Cor. 11:3). Wasn t that just culture? Culture has changed now, right? The fashionable argument by those who do not fear God s Word is that the apostolic teaching regarding the role of women merely reflected 1 st century culture. The problem with this argument is that the context does not rest upon culture. Rather, in each of the four major contexts where the male-female relationship is discussed (1 Cor. 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 2:8-15), the principle of male headship/leadership is grounded upon historical facts related to the origin and constitution of human relationships, and not upon culture (Jackson). This is a very important point to be made. While understanding the cultural context of Scripture can be beneficial to our understanding of Scripture, it should not be the basis of our interpretation. Well, what about Galatians 3:28? 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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. 29 And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal. 3:26-29, ESV) Historically, theologians have [correctly] understood Paul s words in the context of salvation by faith. Yet in modern times, Galatians 3:26-29 has become a kind of proof text among those wishing to undermine God s plan for church leadership. This view is without Scriptural support. First, Paul himself was unaware that his teaching in Galatians 3:28 nullified the notion of unique gender roles. How do we know this? Because his letters to Timothy (which contain 1 4

Tim. 2:11-14) were written after he wrote Galatians 3:28. Second, Paul later wrote that servants were to be obedient to their masters (Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22), despite Galatians 3:28 saying there is neither slave nor free. Could it be any more obvious that Paul is not talking about gender roles, but rather our relationship with Christ in His Body? Third, if Paul were talking about an en egalitarian arrangement in the church, it would be in sharp disagreement with other passages of Scripture (1 Cor. 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 2:8-15). Scripture, being God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17), is never contradictory. In the words of S. Lewis Johnson, Jr., There is no reason to claim that Galatians 3:28 supports an egalitarianism of function in the church. It does plainly teach an egalitarianism of privilege in the covenantal union of believers in Christ. [Redemption] belongs universally to the family of God. Questions of roles and functions in that body can only be answered by a consideration of other and later New Testament teachings. (164) What roles can a woman fill in the church? Women, just as much as men, are required to minister to others, demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and teach lost souls the gospel (cf. Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16). A woman may teach a man (e.g. Aquila & Priscilla, Acts 18), but she may not teach over a man. They should be the salt and light of the earth, bringing glory to God (Matt. 5:13-16). They should teach Bible classes and mentor the younger women (Titus 2:4-5). They should do good to those of the household of faith (Gal. 6:10) and have compassion on the fatherless and widows (Jas. 1:27). They are to raise godly children, be hospitable, help the afflicted, and follow every good work (1 Tim. 5, 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14-15). The Lord s Church needs her women! We need women who are supportive, encouraging, and zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). 5

Does a female Sunday-school teacher need to stop teaching her 12-year-old boy student when he is baptized? I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (1 Tim. 2:11-12, ESV) Here Paul uses the word man (anér), thus meaning a woman is not to teach or exercise authority over an adult male. Many well-meaning brethren believe that when a young boy (perhaps aged 11 or 12) is baptized, he cannot be taught by a female Sunday school teacher. Yet, Paul s prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12 is not about a woman exercising authority over a male Christian. Rather, she is not to function as an authority-figure over an adult male period (whether or not he is baptized)! Remarkable reasoning it is to assume that because a tenyear-old boy is baptized he suddenly becomes an adult (Woods 160). Paul isn t talking about Christians or non-christians. He s talking about adult males. It is up to the church leadership to determine when a boy Christian or non-christian is to be considered a man. I see no problem with a woman teaching a Bible class wherein young boys are students, whether or not they are baptized. Sources Edwards, Earl D. The Role Of Women In The Work And Worship Of The Church. Freed-Hardeman University Lectures. FHU: Henderson, TN. 1995. Jackson, Wayne. The Role Of Women. Christian Courier. <https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/202-role-of-woman-the>. Accessed 30 Jan 2014. Johnson, S. Lewis, Jr. Role Distinctions In The Church. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. Crossway Books: Wheaton, IL. 1991. Sain, Paul. Confusion Over Service: Deacons And Women. If The Foundations Be Destroyed, What Can The Righteous Do? Sain Publications: Pulaski, TN. 1997. Woods, Guy N. Questions And Answers: FHU Open Forum. Volume 2. Gospel Advocate Company: Nashville, TN. 2001. 6