A Leadership Manual (6)

Navigating controversy...

This morning as I stand here, I want to start by saying that I want to walk in humility. This morning, we are going to be studying a passage of Scripture that most men wouldn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. It isn’t with ease or with any dogmatic edge that I stand here today. As Pentecostals we believe that God calls and God uses both men and women.

This morning, we’ll simply read the Scripture. We will also look into the context of the 1st century world. I will attempt to share from other parts of the New Testament as well as looking back to the story of the fall.

Let’s get started and ask that God would be glorified in this place today,

1 Timothy 2:8–15 NIV

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Let’s start with the question,

To whom was this letter written?

It was written to Timothy to help him address problems that were happening in the church in Ephesus, so before we can see how it applies to us in LifePoint Church, we need to see what the context of the church and society was like in Ephesus.

If we look at Paul’s writing about women and silence in the church, there are three of his nine books that he mentions this: 1 Corinthians, 1 Timothy, and Titus. This would comprise the cities of Corinth, Ephesus, and the island of Crete. In each case these cities had temples or goddesses that were being worshiped: Aphrodite, Artemis or Diana, and Calypso. (Kris Vallotton, Fashioned to Reign)

When we look at the context of Scripture, we need to realize that each of the writers had specific audiences that they were writing to and they were dealing with issues that were pertinent for the people. Some of what is written in the Bible is history, some is poetry, some is prophetic, and some is for teaching.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we look at Scripture, we need to see why it was written and how it applies to us today. As an example, when Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he was not just writing to men, but he was writing to both men and women.

Paul had some people that he ministered with that were co-workers in the gospel that were not just men but women.

What were their names?

Priscilla, Phoebe, Junia to name a few.

This morning, I don’t intend to or I don’t want to change what the Bible says, I just want us to make sure that we apply it for the purpose it was intended.

Let’s get into our Scripture.

1 Timothy 2:8 NIV

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

I think the most important part here is that Paul wants men everywhere to pray.

James says that we have not because we ask not. For men it can be a temptation to try to make it on our own, but Jesus said in

John 15:5 NIV

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

We can try to be strong. We can be stubborn and refuse to ask God for help or we can go to the One who has the ability to make a difference in our lives, and the One who has the ability to act according to His good purpose.

When we pray, we can life up holy hands without anger and disputing or controversy. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Paul encouraged us to live quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness and holiness.

This was Paul’s advice to men. He called them to holiness,

But what about women?

1 Timothy 2:9–10 NIV

9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

I’m not here to tell anyone what they should wear or how much jewelry is too much, or what kind of a hair design brings too much attention to one’s self. Paul doesn’t mention but tattoos have really become a trend, and what is appropriate.

I believe that this is where each person needs to ask the Lord what is appropriate and what isn’t.

I was probably at the tail end of some of the rules or guidelines in our home church. There were questions like:

Is it ok for women to wear slacks?

Women should not wear men’s clothing so the zipper needed to be at the back or on the sides.

What about

Hair length or Head coverings?

Make up and jewelry?

I do believe that it pleases the Lord when women are modest, and that their goal isn’t to be a spectacle but that people would see Christ in them by their kindness and character.

My sister is one that likes to dress up and to wear nice clothes, but in that she doesn’t dress to be the attraction in the room. She is known by her love for others and her kind deeds.

No matter if we are men or women, our number 1 goal needs to be to bring honour and glory to God. He alone is to be worshiped and adored.

So often men are attracted to beauty. Women have been blamed for the impure thoughts that men have. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are called to honour God with our bodies, but whether we are a man or a woman, we are called to honour and respect each other. We are not called to make each other stumble, and we are called to be holy just as God is holy.

Paul was addressing a young man who was leading a church that was in the middle of a society where cult prostitution was the norm. Women were sex symbols. They were worth more if they were they were beautiful. In the 1st century of Paul’s day, most women were not educated. Men were excluded from being part of the cult that worshiped Diana of the Ephesians.

As we move to the next verses, I’m not going to pretend that there are not different beliefs or different views on how this applies for today. As we read them, there will be many that this causes angst and can even make some think, “How dare you?”

Let’s read them and then try to make some sense out of this.

1 Timothy 2:11–12 NIV

11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission...

That might be enough to get a tongue lashing or even a black eye.

As we look into the context of the day, 1st century Jews did not allow women to study and both Jews and Gentiles believed that it was disgraceful for men and women to discuss issues with men in public. Jews wouldn’t even allow women to teach boys beyond the age of 5 years old.

Imagine trying to deal with issues in the church where there were false teachers taking advantage of vulnerable women. In assemblies, men and women sat apart. There are still some faith communities, in which men sit on one side of the church and women sit on the other.

As an example, Timothy is trying to teach some doctrine, women were empowered to learn, where they weren’t even allowed to in much of their culture. In the middle of Timothy’s teaching, a woman doesn’t understand, and calls over to her husband to ask for clarification. Just try teaching something where you have lost the room. Paul is addressing specific problems that were taking place in the churches at Ephesus and Corinth.

1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV

33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

It’s pretty clear that Paul didn’t allow women to teach men in Ephesus, and that women should be silent in three of the churches, but

Is it ok for women to teach?

Our fellowship has ordained women since about 1986. We have women that sit on our church boards. We even have women that lead worship, read Scripture, receive the offering, pray and preach...

To some this would be a non-starter. The Bible says women should be silent so women should be silent.

Paul also told Timothy that he should drink a little wine for the stomach’s sake. Does this mean that we should all drink wine for the sake of our stomachs.

In the Law, we are told that we shouldn’t be wearing clothing with mixed fabric, does this mean that we shouldn’t be wearing clothing with polyester and cotton?

Let’s take a quick look at how both Jesus and Paul treated women and showed them respect.

Jesus...

had several women that were among those that followed Him. Jesus was good friends with Lazarus, but He was also good friends with his sisters, Mary and Martha.

On one occasion Martha was busy getting food ready while Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet as He taught. Martha complained, but Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the better part.

Mary Magdalene was one from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons and she became a close follower of Christ.

At the tomb, it wasn’t Peter, James and John that got up early in the morning to take spices to Jesus.

It was Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome.

Jesus ministered to men, women and children. He had compassion on the widow of Nain when He stopped the funeral procession of her son and brought him back to life. There was the woman that had an issue of blood for 12 years, and a woman that had been bent over for 18 years with and infirmity. Jesus didn’t just come to heal men, and set them free, He came for women too.

Let’s look at

The Apostle Paul...

Romans 16:1–4 NIV

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

It was Priscilla and Aquila that explained the gospel more clearly to Apollos. It doesn’t just say Aq