Women's Role in the Church 1 Tim. 2:9-15

Sermon Notes. Delivered Sunday, May 15, 2005.
1 Timothy 2:9-15

OPENING QUIZ:

1. Is the doctrine of the Trinity important?
2. Is the doctrine of the Father important?
3. Is the doctrine of Christ important?
4. Is God the Father Superior to God the Son?
5. Is Christ inferior to God the Father?
6. Did Christ ever become the Son of God?
7. Is Christ of different substance than God the Father?
8. Is Christ a created being?
9. Is God the Head of Christ?
10. Does conflict reside in the Godhead?

How did you do? (Answers at Bottom)

TODAY’S TEXT: 1 Timothy 2:9-15 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

KEY FOUNDATIONS

1. Headship and Submission is found in the God-head.

1 Corinthians 11:3 The head of Christ is God.

“When did the idea of headship and submission begin then? The idea of headship and submission never began! It has always existed in the eternal nature of God Himself. And in this most basic of all authority relationships, authority is not based on gifts or ability (for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in attributes and perfections). It is just there. Authority belongs to the Father, not because He is wiser or because He is a more skillful leader, but just because He is the Father....They don’t differ in any attributes, but only in how they relate to each other. And that relationship is one of leadership and authority on the one hand and voluntary, willing, joyful submission to that authority on the other hand.” - Wayne Grudem

CHRIST’S SUBMISSION HAS BROUGHT ABOUT YOUR ETERNAL REDEMPTION!

2. Men and Women Are Equal in the Eyes of God:

A. Both in the Image of God: Gen 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

B. Both important in receiving the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:17-18 “...I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...”

C. Both important in Baptism: “They were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:12

D. Both stand equally before God: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither MALE NOR FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:28.

3. 1 Timothy is talking in the context of the assembled Church:

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

A. Priscilla taught Apollos the Way more perfectly.
B. Women can make great theologians and author books.
C. Women can teach other women.
D. Women can share the gospel with men.
E. Other areas of contribution... Personal testimonies, singing,


KEY WORDS

ADORN: Κοσμεω: “To arrange, to put in order, to make ready.”

MODEST: κοσμιος: well-arranged; well-ordered, moderate: “The word here rendered modest, κοσμιος, properly relates to ornament or decoration, and means that which is well-ordered, decorous, becoming. It does not, properly, mean modest, in the sense of being opposed to that which is immodest, or which tends to excite improper passions and desires, but that which is becoming or appropriate....The word here used, κοσμιος shows that there should be due attention that it may be truly neat, fit, decorous.” - Barnes

SHAMEFACEDNESS: αιδος “Modesty: The word connotes feminine reserve in matters of sex. In the word is involved an innate moral repugnance to the doing of the dishonorable. It is “shamefastness” which shrinks from transgressing the limits of womanly reserve and modesty...” - Rogers/Rogers. p. 490

SOBRIETY: σοφροσυνη Self-control. “It stands basically for perfect self-mastery in the physical qualities; as applied to women it too had a definitely sexual nuance. It is that habitual inner self-government, with its constant reign on all the passions and desires.” Roger/Rogers. p. 491.

1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

“A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to show her love and devotion to her husband and his goodness to her? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshiping God? Or is it to call attention to herself, and flaunt her wealth and beauty? Or worse, to attempt to allure men sexually? A woman who focuses on worshiping God will consider how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance.” - J. MacArthur.



Andree Seu wrote an article entitled “Beauty at Any Price” (World Mag, May 7, 2005). "When Jehu rides his chariot to come kill Jezebel, “she coolly makes her way to the vanity table, calmly...regards her visage in the looking glass, and paints her eyes in antimony....In the remaining half hour of her life, looking square in the maw of death, when her options are whittled down to futile resistance or repentance, the woman is concerned that she look “hot.” Summer is upon us, and men have no idea what women in this far-flung land go through...We have mainstreamed the magic formerly affordable only to the stars--taking out a line of credit to tuck, tighten, suction, implant, and inject poison, all a devil’s bargain for a few weeks of looking like Gwyneth Paltrow (if Gwyneth Paltrow even looks like Gwynethsa Paltrow.) I have a cure, ladies. Here it is. It’s seeing life from The Other Side...Much of what we crave we would not crave; much of what we fear we would not fear. And looming summer days would hold no terror to our souls.”


LEARN: μανθανω God does want women to be educated. Ephesus and Education. Grudem vs. Rogers

SUBJECTION: υποταγη Submission. Yielded.

SUFFER NOT OR ALLOW: PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE: Continual action and abiding attitude toward the subject.

TO TEACH: To be a teacher. A DISTINCTIVE ROLE OF AN ELDER IN A CHURCH.

USURP AUTHORITY: αυθεντεω: Simple idea of exercising authority. Period. It's not allowed.

KEY CONCLUSIONS

I. Problems come from the reversal of the roles between men and women in church life.

I do not see anything in this passage that shows that women are more gullible than men. This seems to me to an unnecessary and hurtful stereotype. Paul is reminding us that tragic consequences arise when there is a role-reversal in the matters of spiritual leadership. By reminding us of Creation and the following sin in Eden he establishes several things:

A. The roles of men and women are based on Creation. The differing roles are not influenced by divers and changing cultures. He did not say, “Women should be in subjection because of your unique culture in Ephesus.” He says that women should be in subjection because Adam was created first and Eve was created second. -Grudem

B. Even in Sin, we see the created order: Eve allowed herself to be deceived and stepped out of her God-given role of submission. Adam openly rebelled by reliquishing his role of God-given leadership. Eve rose. Adam caved. They both sinned in different ways; BUT the human race was not plunged into darkness by Eve’s sin. It was plunged into darkness by Adam’s sin. Why? Because he was the leader! Even in sin, he was the leader!

C. Life now is not made right by continuing the role-reversal. Eve’s sin was one of merely being deceived. She was more innocent. Nor can we say, "Adam should not have rebelled; therefore, his sin was worse. Because Eve was more innocent, and Adam was more guilty, Eve, and her daughters, should take on the role of spiritual leadership."

D. Life now is made right by pursuing our God-given roles: Eve’s daughters should step back into their role of submission. Adam’s sons should step back into their role of leadership. This restores the power of their God-given influences. Women, have you believed the lie that influence is to be found solely in the leadership roles of family and church? You have been deceived by Satan.

E. SAVED: Means Preserved. By seeking to restore themselves to their original role of being keepers at home, loving their husbands and loving their children--and having children--women will be preserved in their dignity and influence in raising up a godly seed.

“In a coming day, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, it is faithfulness that will count, and this is something which can be exhibited in the home as well as in the pulpit.” - W. MacDonald.

“Men are to be the leaders in the church and the family. Women are kept from any accusation of inferiority through the godly influence they have in the lives of their precious children. For the church to depart from this divine order is to perpetuate the disaster of the Fall.” - J. MacArthur

II. MASCULINE AND FEMININE MUST BE PRESERVED IN THIS WORLD:

A. If something of God’s image is revealed in the authority of the man and the submission of the woman, then that vision of God is lost in this world if we refuse the masculine and feminine.

1. This affects society.
2. This affects children who gain impressions of God from parents.
3. This affects the power of Christ’s church in the world.

“...When we begin to dislike the very idea of authority and submission--not distortions and abuses, but the very idea--we are tampering with something very deep. We are beginning to dislike God Himself.” - Wayne Grudem

B. Women, if you refuse to accept that women and men are equal under God’s arrangement, you may as well say that Christ is not equal to God the Father.

C. Women, if you disregard the value of your God-given role, you will miss out on what God could do with power in your life.

D. If you truly believe and yield to the word of God in this issue, you will be different from the society around you:

DIFFERENT: NOT IN AN EXTREME, EXTERNAL AND SHALLOW WAY BUT IN A SPIRITUAL, PROFOUND, AND POWERFUL WAY.

You will never know the extent of your influence, but it’s repurcussions will be felt in eternity.

E. Husbands should not believe that wives are inferior just as they should not believe Christ is inferior to God. By doing so you live a lie, dishonor God, and hurt your family and church.

F. Wives should not usurp authority any more than Christ would usurp the Father’s leadership.

G. We should find Joy in the way God made us, not give up the ideal because of abuses:

“A given man may make a very bad husband; you cannot mend matters by trying to reverse the roles. He may make a bad male partner in a dance. The cure for that is that men should more diligently attend dancing classes; not that the ballroom should henceforward ignore distinctions of sex and treat all dancers as neuter. That would, of course be eminently sensible, civilized, and enlightened, but...not near so much like a Ball.” - C.S.Lewis.
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QUIZ ANSWERS: (1-3 is YES; 4-8 is NO; 9 is YES; 10 is NO)

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