Calvary Road Baptist Church

“THE CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN WOMAN”

I Timothy 2.8-15 

In a departure from my usual practice, I want to announce the title of my sermon this morning. This message is titled “The Consistent Christian Woman.” I titled this sermon from a portion of a book written by the well-known twentieth-century pastor and evangelical commentator Harry Ironsides. He felt that the part of Scripture that I will attend to is generally misunderstood and incorrectly taught.

My heart goes out to not only the Christian girls and women who are the victims of the demonic deception referred to as feminism but also to the boys and men who are so very confused about the keys to lifelong meaning and fulfillment. One of the truths from God’s Word, typically obscured by the godless humanists who control the press and other media, is that God has created men and women with different strengths and to occupy different relative but complementary roles in both the home and the congregation.

Men and women are so brainwashed by the culture we live in and the spiritual adversaries arrayed against us that years ago, a discouraged man asked me if it was even possible for a husband to be the Biblical head of his household in our day. I was so surprised that I could not properly answer, but just muttered, “It works that way in my house.”

To think that professing Christians, believing men and women, actually doubt their ability to function in the way God specifically made them reveals our present condition. The only logical reason that I can think of that would explain why families do not understand their proper roles at home is because those roles are not taught and reinforced in their Churches of Jesus Christ by committed Gospel ministers.

Some of the truths we are about to take note of might disturb and trouble you. You might honestly question why God has chosen to set forth the plan for your life that our text indicates. But be sure of one thing ... except for the last verse of our text, nothing that we will examine is questioned by serious Bible students. Praise God that we have a portion of Scripture that, when properly applied to the lives of our congregation members, will reinforce the two positions that husbands and wives are to occupy in their homes.

Some of the things we will shortly examine are ignored and walked over by every crackpot and charlatan in town. But what we will read and consider in God’s Word is straightforward and easy to understand to the honest student.

When you leave here, know that, whether you be a man or woman, God has created a specific area of ministry for you to serve in if you are a Christian who becomes a member of this congregation. Maybe neither you nor I know what that involvement is yet. But your ministry awaits discovery and development at Calvary Road Baptist Church.

It is not God’s plan for any believer in Jesus Christ to nonchalantly attend a worship service from time to time but engage in no focused ministry involvement beyond that. Following conversion, life and destiny-altering conversion come baptism and membership. With membership comes instruction and training, Ephesians 4.11-16.

Additionally, our text will show us, beyond any doubt, that God’s sphere of ministry in the local Church for women is different than for men. Ministries in the congregation are complimentary, to be sure, but different.

These things said, please make your way to First Timothy 2.8-15, where Paul engages Timothy according to gender groups.[1] Once there, I invite you to stand and read along with me as I read aloud: 

8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

9  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. 

Some might think, “That’s sexist!” Go back to Proverbs chapter thirty-one, and you will find a description of an astonishingly entrepreneurial woman described in glowing terms. Do not allow feminism to interpret any portion of the Bible for you.

In this passage, Paul divides his discussion of men’s and women’s roles in the congregation into two parts to effectively communicate important truths to Timothy and subsequent readers: 

THE FIRST PART, IN VERSES 8-10, DEALS WITH THE MINISTRY OF PRAYING IN THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY. 

8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

9  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. 

First, look at the men’s role in public prayer. How vital prayer, both public and private prayer, is in the Christian’s life. While every believer should cultivate a personal and private prayer life, the importance of public prayer cannot be underestimated. That it is an important responsibility every man should gear up for is undeniable, as we see in verse 8: 

“I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” 

In one sense, the words “I will” mark a departure from Paul’s previous remarks in this letter to Timothy. When discussing the subject of public prayer in verse 1, Paul urged or begged, if you will. Here in verse 8, though, he becomes much more authoritative. He commands that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands (a possible allusion to Isaiah 1.15-16). Let me remind you what is understood from this passage: Paul’s remarks are made within the context of the local New Testament Church assembly.

On the surface, to the English reader, Paul’s command seems to contain little information. So many of us are used to seeing the word “man” to refer to “mankind” that we often make unconscious assumptions along this line. But Paul is not addressing all Church members when he uses the word that is translated here, “men.” He is using a specific term that refers only to human beings of the male gender. He is not directing these words, in verse 8, to include women, but only men. Paul requires the men of the Church to take the lead in the public prayer life of the local congregation.

As to those men he specifically calls on to lead in public praying, note the following: 

Don’t these things related to public praying make sense to you? Paul wants to create a culture in the assembly whereby godly men are called on to pray and lead the entire congregation to the throne of grace, whether the men be deacons, elders, or whatever.

Then, in verses 9 and 10, Paul outlines the role women are to play in public prayer: 

9  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. 

Notice that prayer is not mentioned in these two verses. That is because Paul does not suffer a woman to lead the combined assembly in united prayer. Lest you question this understanding, let me point out that Paul’s words, “In like manner,” do not refer to men’s prayers but to the fact that these words, too, are his commands to Timothy. Paul’s directions to Timothy are that women’s activities in the assembly are to be directed to their behavior and appearance in public. Women tended to overdress to the extreme in Paul’s day, which distracted others in the public assembly. Not good. Therefore, he instructed Timothy that women were to be concerned not about the flashiness of their clothes but about their attire exhibiting their modesty, with the word “apparel,” katastolῇ, referring as much to women’s conduct as to their worn garments.[2]

As to their behavior, Paul commends four traits: Shamefacedness, sobriety, godliness, and good works. 

So, ladies, you might notice the consistency in Paul’s writings. What he has desired from you at home, in Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5, he also wants from you in the gathered assembly, First Timothy chapter 2. Why so? The congregation, by its public praying, should reinforce God’s plan for the Christian family in the home. Important to congregations with so many new Christians who did not learn growing up how they ought to dress, behave, and relate to each other in public and in private. 

THE SECOND PART, IN VERSES 11-15, DEALS WITH THE TEACHING MINISTRY IN THE GATHERED ASSEMBLY 

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. 

As to Paul’s command, he used the imperative verb manqanέtw . It is the directive for women to learn in silence, with all subjection. This is the demeanor that Paul wants from Christian women while the teaching and preaching of God’s Word are going forth. This is Paul’s instruction to predominantly Gentile Christian women who had trusted Christ and sincerely wanted to know how they ought to conduct themselves as Christian women in public worship. Paul’s directive for public worship is consistent with other portions of Scripture which urge women to be in subjection in their homes, First Peter 3.1: 

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.” 

Ladies, men. This subjection, which is the most challenging burden to place upon any woman, is one of the strongest validations of the power of the Gospel in the life of a woman that you will ever see, with the reputation of God’s Word being at stake, Titus 2.4-5: our families are at stake if we do not heed God’s Word in these areas. No family is so strong that it cannot be strengthened even more by the proper conduct of godly men and women in the Church. Step up, guys, and pray. Step back, ladies. 

4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 

After Paul’s command comes Paul’s constraint, verse 12: 

“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” 

Women should refrain from teaching or usurping authority over men in a congregational setting. In that setting, women are to be silent. Does this mean Lydia could not give directions to her male employees in Philippi? No. Does this mean Priscilla could not teach Apollos the Bible in her home? No. Does this mean mom cannot instruct her son to be still? No. The context is gender roles on display during public worship in the assembly. Three things Paul says here concerning a congregational setting with men and women in attendance:

First, women are not to teach. Again, this is not a prohibition against women having a teaching ministry. This refers to women occupying a position as a teacher or leader over a combined assembly of men and women. Indeed, we recognize the vital teaching ministry of women in any Church and the Bible. Again, Aquilla and his wife Priscilla taught Apollos the Word of God, Acts 18.26. But they did not do so in the assembly.

Second, women are not to usurp authority over men. Anytime anyone teaches the Word of God, authority is being exercised. The very words for teaching and confronting people with the Word of God carry the sense and weight of authority. Additionally, women are not to exercise authority over any man anywhere in the assembly.

Third, women are to be in silence. Remember that this is in the gathered congregation. Is Paul referring to a conversation between women in the auditorium? Likely not. But he has already addressed the matter of women calling attention to themselves by their attire, by their demeanor, and by their publicly spoken words.

Paul is addressing issues similar to those found in the Corinthian congregation, where women would presume to preach and teach men. Paul so strongly emphasized the prohibition against teaching men that he, by contrast, stated their position as one of silence. In short, Paul wanted public congregational conduct to reinforce in public the respective roles husbands and wives ought to occupy in their marriages at home. Let me add that this never, at any time, prevents me from fielding questions from any woman whose husband is not present. But to publicly ask me a question in front of your husband is an insulting gesture, First Corinthians 14.35.

Paul’s command. Paul’s constraint. Now, Paul’s conditions. Verses 13-15 set forth the conditions that led Paul to state these protocols in the Church: 

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. 

Reason #1. Paul vindicated himself by pointing out God’s order in creation. Verse 13: 

“For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” 

God created Adam to serve as lord over all the earth, not Eve. She was created not to be a co-equal head over creation but to be a helper to him, Genesis 2.18. Paul is not stating that women are inferior or of less worth in God’s eyes. Only that they were created for a different, complimentary position, it is atheistic humanism to insist that separate cannot be equal in God’s eyes.

Reason #2. In verse 14, Paul reasons for the state of things from Eve’s deception at the hand of the serpent in the Garden of Eden: 

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 

Eve endangered herself when she chose to function in a way that was not complimentary to her husband. In so doing, her vulnerability was exposed contrary to God’s design for her life and ministry. Being in that position, it was only a matter of time before her vulnerability was exploited, and she was deceived. Adam was not similarly deceived. Why not? He had been equipped for his position. Eve had not been equipped for the strange position she took that led to her sin and Adam’s wicked choice resulting in the human race’s fall.

Lest any woman feel helpless and hopeless, Paul gave hope to womankind. This is in verse 15: 

“Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” 

This is the controversial verse I mentioned earlier. Let me state what I think this verse teaches without rehearsing the many views held. “She” refers to all womankind by Greek construction. “Childbearing” refers to the birth of Christ since there is the definite article “the” before the word “childbearing” in Greek. This means that a specific child’s birth is in mind. Whose could it be but Christ’s?

Faith, charity, holiness, and sobriety refer to the kind of Christian women Paul envisions in the Church of Jesus Christ. He indicates that by Christ’s death and diligence in faith, charity, holiness, and sobriety, a believing woman can, for the most part, reoccupy that position God created her for. Unsaved women cannot accomplish this. But because of Christ, you ladies can ... in this Church and your homes. If you desire that position ... that high and holy calling. 

Men, this portion of Scripture says much to us. It tells us indirectly that godly women will not allow us to shrug off our duties as leaders in the home and Church any longer. Knock off the passive and noninvolved nonsense that stands back and says and does nothing when leadership is called for, or a decision needs to be made. We must take the lead as God has created us for.

Ladies. You can, by the grace of God and personal piety, reassume that position in your home and this Church that Eve was deceived into abandoning so long ago. Do you desire that for your life? Obeying the Gospel and because of the ministry of the Church makes that goal attainable.

My unsaved friend. What about the childbearing? What is your response to the birth of that holy child that we celebrate in less than three months. Christmas is fast approaching. More importantly, what about His crucifixion and resurrection from the dead? He did die. And He did rise from the dead.

How do you deal with that?

Do you deal with that?

You need to deal with that.

__________

[1] Philip H. Towner, The Letters To Timothy And Titus (NICNT), (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006), page 201.

[2] Rogers, Jr., Cleon L. and Rogers III, Cleon L., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key To The Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1998), page 490.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid., page 491.

 

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