Faithfully Living in the Household of God: A Place for Learning

Introduction:

Start out by explaining the overall focus of 1 Timothy, i.e. “To Faithfully live in God’s household.”

Story about how as a teenager you did not live faithfully in the household that God had placed, you but rather took from the family instead of building it up.

The context of Paul's letter addresses the challenges posed to the church by the emergence of the "new woman" and the false teachers promoting it. Paul's response is noteworthy: it begins by eradicating false teachings and culminates in a focus on education.

What had happened was, the culture and false teachers deceitfully dangled the illusion of genuine liberation before women. It all started with a seemingly innocent question: "Did God truly say?" This is nothing less than a form of indoctrination. Satan's ultimate objective is to twist sin into something virtuous while casting righteousness as something strange, wicked, or deviant.

Do you know that sin is based in pleasurable? Sin's allure lies in its fleeting pleasure, captivating our hearts. Regrettably, our affection for sin often eclipses our love for God. This stark reality has lured numerous women, both within and beyond the church, into mistaking worldly liberty for genuine freedom.

Worldly freedom promotes boundless living, unrestricted desires, and unbridled love. However, this isn't genuine freedom; rather, it amounts to servitude to sin, stemming from the false belief that what feels good is inherently right.

Peter says in 1 Peter 2:16 “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”

The Church is a Place for Education - And our text book:

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

Throughout history, emerging authorities striving to impose societal change have consistently restricted or confiscated access to the Bible. This occurred during the early 20th century behind the Iron Curtain, persists in contemporary China and North Korea, and was evident in mid-20th century Germany.

Because the Bible is fundamentally an educational text, reveals who God and man are, and imparts principles for righteous living. To transform a society into an material focus world, they must either eliminate the Word of God from public discourse entirely or manipulate it to the extent of rendering it inconsequential.

Our passage this morning says, 1 Timothy 2:11 “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.” There is a primary issues being address here.

Operating without a Quiet demeanor:

The primary issue taking place in the church at Ephesus was a destructive mindset. Many scholars believe that a group of women in the church had accepted the social philosophy of the “new women” and in pride exulted themselves within the church.

The result was a church service that was filled with disruptions as these women in their pride began to interrupt the teaching elder, to the point of preventing him from effectively conveying the Word of God. We can imagine what a service would have been like, with the preacher constantly being interrupted.

Personal story from your first pastorate of this happening:

So not only where these women not learning themselves, but they had become a hinderance to other people. This is often what happens when we are driven by our pride, we not only stunt our growth, but if allowed we also stunt the grow of others.

These women are described by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:13, “Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.”

This is a significant issue, not because it was women who where causing the problem, for it would have been just as much an issue had it been men. For I believe if it had been men causing regular disruptions in the church Paul would have called them out for it, and indeed he seems to in v.8 by telling them to get with the program and be men of prayer instead of men of bickering and fighting.

The problem arises from the social philosophy of the "new women," who prioritized personal social status and indulgence over their responsibilities. This led to a significant disruption in the orderliness of worship and the nurturing of the family unit.

Hence, it follows that should our actions obstruct the worship of God by others and undermine the sanctity of the family, we are engaging in sinful conduct, regardless if you are a man or a woman.

What are we to do? Count others as more significant:

Proverbs 16:18-19 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Certainly, Timothy's mission was to establish order within the church, but the infiltration of false teachings required a particular focus on retraining women in their conduct within the household of God.

Hence, Paul issues a command to Timothy: all women must be instructed. This isn't limited to those with a personal inclination for learning; it applies universally. Genuine comprehension of the truth doesn't occur haphazardly. To "know" implies a deliberate process of learning. Consequently, the church's central mission is to educate individuals in the knowledge of God and guide them in the Christian way of life.

Learning with the Right Mindset:

In life, our mindset is crucial. The "new woman" of that era was characterized by selfish ambition and conceit. Hence, Paul's directive in 1 Timothy 2:11 is clear: "A woman should learn quietly and with complete submission."

As it applies to men in prayer; Paul emphasizes the importance of one's attitude. According to Paul, Christian women are called to pursue education in a distinctly Christian manner. Even the act of learning should reflect their Christian faith.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

In this passage, Paul employs two crucial Greek terms warranting examination. The initial term, "quiet," represented by the Greek word "hesychia," conveys not a state of silence or a prohibition on asking questions.

Rather, it signifies an attitude of reverence towards the teacher and, by extension, the teachings themselves, as displayed through the absence of causing a disturbance.

A Biblical example of this word is found in Act 22:2 “And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.” The difference is that the Jews did not respect Paul, but out of curiosity and a desire to know what he was saying, the crowd became more quiet.

They ceased their disruptions in order to attentively listen and comprehend. This aligns with Paul's exhortation to the women of the church: cultivate a disposition of reverence toward the teacher and fellow congregants by refraining from interrupting gatherings. Moreover, esteeming the Word of God should instill in everyone a tranquil demeanor, accepting the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

The second greek word that we need to define is the word hypotage for “submissiveness”. This is the idea we have here is to place ones self under rightful authority.

Again it appears that the “new woman” had been rejecting the rightful authority in the church. Thus rejecting those that God had put in place for the teaching, leading, and building up of the Body of Christ.

Therefore, Paul calls these women, to put themselves willingly under rightful authority in the church. Because the leaders are tasked with look out for your soul.

Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

This is a command to all people of the household of God, not just women. But Paul calls upon women to learn with quietness and submissiveness within the gather body of the Church.

Disregarding the guidance of the Bible offers no benefit. God's intention is for you to master the art of wholeheartedly following Him, a feat unattainable while perpetually rebelling against authority and succumbing to pride. The pivotal question you must address: Are you prepared to entrust your life to God and lead a life that aligns with His pleasure?

A Place For all People:

In God's household, all individuals, irrespective of gender, social status, age, or background, are embraced at the table. Just like any household, there are non-negotiable standards for inclusion. That standard is the case regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, for we all worship the same King, and we seek to conform our lives to Him.

This is a momentous revelation for humanity, shedding light on the divine character. It unequivocally illustrates God's impartiality, as articulated in Acts 10:34-35: "Peter declared, 'Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, the one who fears Him and practices righteousness is welcomed by Him.'" No one is excluded from the opportunity to delve into the wisdom of God; indeed, all are summoned and obligated to seek understanding, thereby acquainting themselves with the King of Glory.

The implication is clear: you are duty-bound to acquire a profound understanding of God's teachings. This knowledge empowers you to instruct others, including your children, fellow women, and the wider world, in the ways of truth. Teaching truth is impossible unless you possess it, and acquiring truth necessitates a humble submission to God's will.

What's on the line here is the spread of the Gospel. You've been called to this existence as women within the Body of Christ, with the primary purpose of advancing the Gospel's cause. You have a role that must be played, next week we will discuss just how that role is to be manifested.

Prayer:

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Benediction: