Beauty From Within

v.8:

Paul had just addressed praying for people, and he is wrapping up that discussion.

Christian men needed to be warned that their interest in debates should not cause division or distraction, and praying was the perfect solution.

vv.9-10:

Likewise, Christian women needed to be warned that their interest in beauty and adornment should not produce immodesty or indiscretion.

Neither men nor women should behave in such a way that distracts others from Christ.

As Solomon wrote, there is nothing new under the sun.

Many women in Paul’s day were primarily concerned about their appearance just as some women in our day are.

Then, as today, these adornments—elaborate braiding of hair, gold, pearls, expensive clothing—are not evil in themselves, but could be marks of sinful motives.

The Christian woman is not to adorn herself with “gold or pearls or costly clothing” so as to draw attention to herself.

At worst, this is exactly what the prostitutes were doing.

At best, it shows pride and self-centeredness, both of which are contrary to Christ.

This makes it particularly unbecoming in church.

Rather, Christian women are to adorn themselves “with good works”, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

When you go to God in prayer, you don’t need that outward adornment. You need inward adornment.

1 Peter 3:3-4

1 Peter 3:3–4 NKJV

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

There is nothing wrong with a woman dressing in a way that is appealing to her husband (or, if she is single, to a man).

However, a person’s manner of dress should not be such that it will be a distraction and disrupt worship.

This is the bottom line, we should be bringing attention to Christ, not ourselves. This goes for both men and women.

vv.11-12:

Paul also discusses another problem in the church, chaos rather than order.

We see some examples of women teaching men in the Bible, but none of those examples are in a formal church setting.

Here we see specific instructions for church.

Doctrinal teaching in the church are to stem from a position of authority.

In the next chapter, Paul makes it quite clear that the leadership positions in the church (pastor and deacon) belong to men.

Since to teach men would be to presume a position of authority over them, women are not to teach men in matters of doctrine.

Women are not to teach men in matters of doctrine.

1 Corinthians 14:29-34

1 Corinthians 14:29–34 NKJV

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.

Ultimately what we see is a command for women to embrace the roles which God has assigned them, and not to usurp an authority which God never intended.

Also, this is all about recognizing God’s order both in the home and the church, and joyfully obeying it.

What we are really talking about is submission, which is the key to spiritual growth and ministry.

Husbands should be submitted to the Lord.

Christians should submit to each other (Eph. 5:21)

Wives should be submitted to the Lord and to their husbands.

This section, of course, focuses on the place of women in the local church.

Paul admonished these believing women to give evidence of their submission in several ways.

Godly works (v. 10).

Paul is not bashing women, or claiming that they can’t dress nicely, he is simply saying that the primary focus should not be their outward appearance.

Glamour can be applied on the outside, but godliness must come from within.

We must never underestimate the important role that godly women play in the ministry of the church.

The Gospel message has had a tremendous impact on women, because it affirmed their value before God and their equality in the body of Christ .

The Gospel affirms women’s value and equality in the body of Christ.

Galatians 3:28

Galatians 3:28 NKJV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Women had a low place in the Roman world, but the Gospel changed that.

There were devoted women who ministered to Jesus in the days of His earthly ministry (Luke 8:1–3).

They were present at His crucifixion and burial, and it was a woman who first heralded the glorious news of His resurrection.

In the Book of Acts we meet Dorcas (Acts 9:36), Lydia (Acts 16:14), Priscilla (Acts 18:1–3), and godly women in the Berean and Thessalonian churches (Acts 17:4, 12).

Paul greeted at least eight women in Romans 16; and Phoebe, who carried the letter to its destination, was a servant in a local church (Rom. 16:1).

Quiet learning (v. 11).

Having said this, some of the women abused their newfound freedom in Christ and created disturbances in the services by interrupting.

This is the problem that Paul addressed in this letter.

The Bible is not demanding total silence, in fact women are instructed in how to pray in church.

1 Corinthians 11:5

1 Corinthians 11:5 NKJV

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

Respecting authority (vv. 12–15).

God has prescribed specific rules of order for the church (and family), and that must be respected.

Just because women aren’t allowed to teach men in an official capacity, doesn’t mean that they are banned from teaching.

Women are permitted to teach.

Titus 2:3–4

Titus 2:3–4 NKJV

the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

Timothy was taught at home by his mother and grandmother .

Mothers and Grandmothers should instruct children.

2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV

when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

2 Timothy 3:15 NKJV

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

There is nothing wrong with a godly woman instructing a man in private.

Acts 18:24–28

Acts 18:24–28 NKJV

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

but she must not assume authority in the church and try to take the place of a man.

She should do her part to help keep order in the church.

v.13:

Paul takes the argument back to creation. 

God instructed Adam, and it was Adam's job to teach Eve, not the other way around.

vv.14-15:

The Bible isn’t saying that women are more gullible than men and more easily deceived.

Experience proves that both men and women are deceived by Satan.

Just like men, women sometimes get it right, and sometimes get it wrong.

On one occasion, Abraham listened to his wife and got into trouble (Gen. 16). Later on, she gave him counsel and God told him to obey it (Gen. 21).

I have benefited greatly from the encouragement and counsel of my wife and other godly women.

In fact, a truly godly woman will have no desire to “run” things in the church, or to try to control it.

Godly women do have an important ministry in the local church, even though they aren’t called to be teachers in a pastoral sense.

If all is done “decently and in order,” then God will bless.

The ultimate honor for a godly woman is that her influence will be carried on through future generations by her children.

As she is instrumental in leading her children to Christ, they will do the same with their children throughout the generations.

The fruit that the succeeding generations will bear, will be a testament to her faith.