Gender Roles In The Church

I Timothy 2:8-15

Have you ever wondered why our world is so busy trying to make men into women and women into men? Their arguments are ridiculous. It does not take an advanced degree to observe that men and women are not identical physically, mentally, or emotionally. God intentionally designed us different. It has everything with who He wants us to be, and nothing to do with who we decide we are. Our culture is falling hook, line, and sinker for a lie straight out of Hell.

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“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.”

I Timothy 2:8-15

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Paul would be called a chauvinist in today’s culture. The only problem with that is, Paul is not responsible for this text. The One who led Paul to write this was the Holy Spirit. Just like every other passage in the Bible, this is God breathed (II Timothy 3:16). While most Christians can agree that God made men and women different physically, and to fulfill different roles in the home, many Christians have a problem with there being differences in our roles in the church.

In our text, Paul tells men that they are to both lead in worship, and to be active in worship. In many churches today, women sing and give very outward expressions of worship. Paul is telling men that they should express their worship. Many men are so worried about being seen that they sit on their hands and try to look as stoic as possible. We are tempted to be the opposite of what scripture tells us to be.

Women on the other hand are to be more reserved. I do not think that Paul was telling women to be completely silent in church. I think women should sing and worship God. However, God placed men as the head of the home. As such, the husband should lead his family in worship. This includes at home and at church. Women should not teach men at church. This is not to say that they are not capable. The topic is not ability, but rather divine responsibility. God designed the woman to be led by her husband. This is another reason why a woman cannot be a pastor. If she is following her husband, and she cannot teach a man, how can she pastor?

Paul takes this issue straight back to its origin, the Garden of Eden. All the conflict we see with this concept today goes back to the fall of man. We struggle with fulfilling our God given roles in life because our sin nature fights against God’s design. Women want to lead because they resist and reject the idea of submitting to their husbands, and thereby to God. Men resist and reject the idea of leading their family because they reject the idea of submitting to God. This means that there is chaos at home and everywhere that the home goes.

These concepts are not chauvinistic, but righteous. They are not degrading, but divine. God knows how He made us. He has that right because He is God. To disagree and reject what the Bible clearly teaches is to stand against God. That is always sin, and it never turns out well for any person. God does not ask us for our opinion about His plan, He simply tells us what we are to do. If we reject his plan, it is sin.

Father, we find it so hard to be what You designed us to be. I pray that we as Christians would not trust popular culture more than we trust You. Your ways, Your plans, and Your designs are better than anything we can scheme because Your ways are perfect. Help us to trust that and to trust You.