The God Honoring Woman - part 2

Read 1 Timothy 2:9-15

CONTEXT

Paul writing to Timothy, his true child in the faith.

1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, & Titus = “Pastoral Epistles”

“How to” manual for pastors in all places, for all time

Church organization and discipline

Appointment of Elders & Deacons

Rebellious Church members

False teachers

Maintaining doctrinal integrity

Chapter 2 covers the importance of prayer for all people

Desire salvation for princes and peasants

Especially rulers, so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Thus, verse 8 shows the importance of Godly men to lead in the prayer service

Lifting holy hands - men of purity

without anger or quarreling - men of peace

Not just the men…

verses 9-15

likewise

women, also, need to conduct themselves appropriately

our conduct, as Christians, is our testimony to the world of our difference

Paul expands on what it means to be a God Honoring Woman in the Church:

adorned… with modesty and self-control

Physical appearance = important

Proverbs 31:22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Physical appearance = a means of communication

Genesis 38:15 When Judah saw [Tamar], he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

Proverbs 7:10 And behold, the [adulteress] woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.

Has not been addressed properly

i.e. “your appearance causes your brother to stumble” [accusingly]

Important!

What about the brother? [i.e. self-control]

Paul’s emphasis:

A heart issue [i.e. “look at me”]

Women flaunting their wealth (not ungodly desires)

A Godly woman should seek to be clothed with good works, signifying the importance of their testimony, in the same vein as men of purity and peace.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

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

The eyes of the church should always be on the glory of God, and not the splendor of man.

learn quietly with all submissiveness

Lots of people in the Church today wish that Paul never wrote verse 11. It has been taken to the chopping block by advocates of feminism multiple times in attempts to silence it.

Ignored

Reinterpreted

Explained away

Never taken as what God means

It flies in the face of what our culture pushes as “gender equality,” so it must be done away with.

1 Corinthians 2:14 - the natural man cannot accept it The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Made even more obvious in a chapter of the book Megatrends for Women. In the chapter titled “To Hell with Sexism: Women in Religion”, authors Patricia Aburdene and John Naisbitt state:

Women of the late twentieth century are revolutionizing the most sexist institution in history—organized religion. Overturning millennia of tradition, they are challenging authorities, reinterpreting the Bible, creating their own services, crowding into seminaries, winning the right to ordination, purging sexist language in liturgy, reintegrating female values and assuming positions of leadership.

They go on to assert that once women’s perspectives “attain greater power, [that] will signal revolutionary changes in church policies.”

Unfortunately, secular ideologies (i.e. feminism, LGBTQ) more than the Word of God has started influencing churches in large swaths of Western nations.

United Methodist Church (denomination) has a large contingent of women clergy, and have recently succumbed to full acceptance of LGBTQ dogma

Slippery slope!

Paul’s instruction to Timothy:

Women are not to be teachers of men

Women are not to have authority over a man

Paul’s reasoning:

Creation order

not personal opinion [i.e. sexist; ex. Aquila & Priscilla in Acts 18]

not cultural norms and mores [i.e. patriarchal society]

God created man, first, then the woman

Inclination toward deception

Not a knock on the woman (Eve was deceived; Adam was not)

Women, more than men, are heavily influenced by their emotions

This battle over authority/submission in the Church is a large scale issue of what God says will happen now that sin entered the world:

Genesis 3:16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain and conception, In pain you will bear children; Your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

Indication of a desire to rule over her husband, but God has given authority to the man

Paul makes an interesting statement in verse 15: she will be saved through childbearing.

What does that even mean?

Definitely does not refer to saved from sin. (only Jesus can do that)

The verse appears in the context of the Fall.

Likely talking about the shame on women due to their part in the Fall.

saved could also be translated delivered

They may have caused the race to fall by stepping out of their God-intended design, but they also are given the priority responsibility of raising a godly seed.

the godliness and the virtue of the mother that has the greatest impact on the young life in the next generation.

the world hates this!

Harrison Butker

For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.

I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I'm on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.

She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father.

The proper context and understanding has been lost on a lot of people (or flatly rejected).

Not that women can’t/shouldn’t have successful careers

Their most important impact and “vocation” is that of raising Godly children and cultivating a Godly home

All of this is to the glory of God!

That’s what Paul was saying!

And that is what God has intended from the beginning.

What about women who are not married or don’t have children?

Your responsibility remains the same

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

No matter what your life situation, The God Honoring Woman seeks to do everything for the glory of God.