1 Timothy 2 Men and Women in the Church

1 Timothy 2:8-15

This is what is called a pastoral letter/epistle. This is a letter written from Paul to Timothy.

Timothy is pastoring this church in Ephesus...

Paul is giving instruction, guidance, commands and encouragement to Timothy as he pastors.

Timothy is a young pastor, seeking to pastor older people (4:12; 5:1-2).

There are church problems… There are false teacher issues...

Timothy has youthful temptations and a stomach issue...

It seems that Timothy was struggling and wanted to quit (1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Timo. 1:4).

Timothy needs help, counsel and encouragement as he leads...

So Paul writes Timothy twice to help him as Paul prays for him.

Paul has reminded Timothy that God has entrusted Tim with this ministry, and God will help Timothy.

Paul tells Tim to fight on… Fight the good fight of faith… and pray, pray, pray...

Now tonight we are getting into the conduct, and order of the church.

Verse 8 and 9 - Men and women… likewise… Lift up holy hands, without wrath and doubting...

Focus on your inner life.. your heart and minds...

The Christian life is not about suits, ties, dresses, and the like...

It does not highlight the externals, but the internals.

In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 11:18, The word of God was to be fixed in hearts and minds; they were to be bound to the forehead and the hands...

The head and the hand represents the inside and the outside.

Let the Word of God be in you and in all you do...

Let it govern your inside, so that you will do according to His good will...

Men and women are to have the right heart… the right attitude...

And then they are to express Christ’s heart to the world around them...

Not showing wrath to one another… but doing all things in a holy and pure manner...

Not doubting God, being double minded, but being obedient and faithful to the Lord.

Now… What we wear on the outside… may reflect something going on on the inside.

The heart and mind darkened by this world… may wear all black and body piercings everywhere.

The heart and mind that is not pure and secure in the Lord… may desire to wear clothing that gets attention.

There are those that need to be noticed… That want to be seen...

Woman may be emphasized here… but men can be just as guilty...

What was going on in Timothy’s church?

Women were not being very modest in their dress… Their godliness was secondary.

Maybe they were flaunting their wealth… showing off...

Woman were taking their freedoms in the church to wear, and to do that which was indecent…

Were they wearing short skirts and tight tops in the choir? I do not know.

But it is very difficult to focus on the Lord with this going on.

It is very difficult for people to worship… while at the same time dealing with lusts.

The church should not be filled with distractions like these...

(I believe)It is fine to come to church to look for a spouse… But let them see your heart and your godliness…

Use your clothing as a frame for your face… not to cut off circulation in your body...

What we dress up in can and will communicate something about us and about what we think about the Lord.

In all things… whether we eat or drink… or wear cloths… do it all for the glory of God.

Do not wear clothing for the glory of us...

Don’t point to your body or to your bank account… always point to God.

Do not come to church to be a distraction.

Do not come to compete.

Do not come to compare.

Now: There is also the mention of good works in Verse 10.

Godly service, helping others in various ways… starting at the house and into the church… even modeling this godly lifestyle towards the younger girls… to teach them godly women-hood.

Titus 2:4 - They should teach or school the young women to love their husbands and children...

They should keep themselves busy and not allow themselves to become idol...

There were women who became idol, and they would wander form house to house, becoming gossips, busybodies, saying things that they ought not say, and they were giving opportunity for the devil to do his work (5:13).

On this: I love what Warren Wiersbe said, “The best way for a Christian woman to “preach” is with her life.”

1 Cor. 7:14 - An unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife...

1 Peter 3:1 - Husbands are won by the conduct of their wives...

Now some difficult parts to work through:

Verse 11 - Let a woman learn… in silence with all submission...

Verse 12 - And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence...

This sounds similar to 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 “the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.”

What does this mean?

How did the church or how should we apply this?

First things first:

Christianity has elevated the position of women and children now.

They are seen as equals in the sight of God (Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” )

In their context, women and children were treated less than men...

In their context, women were not valued the same… they did not have the rights as of men.

Christianity introduces a freedom and liberty for all people, including women, a freedom that women and men have not experienced before as the Holy Spirit was given to all flesh and salvation was given to all who will believe.

Men and women were saved… God did not and does not show partiality.

Joel 2- The Spirit was coming to sons and daughters...

Acts 2 - The Spirit came to the sons and daughters...

So what happened… when this freedom came? What happened when women had this liberty in Christ?

Maybe the answer to that question will help us...

Because I believe that there is more going on underneath the surface...

In the same book… 1 Corinthians 11:5 indicates that women/wives… were praying and prophesying… and it seems that by the end of chapter 11, Paul is speaking about a church context...

Women were speaking… they were praying and prophesying (speaking the words of God) in church.

But even in this chapter, Paul is instructing on how to do this and be submissive to the male headship. This is how you honor and this is how you dishonor the man… as a woman… who does these things in the church...

There is an order to the church...

There must be order in the church...

God desires/commands order in the church...

And that order involves male headship.… male leaders over the church...

1 Timothy 3; Titus 1-2 - Elders/Pastors are to be men. They are to be the overseers and the main lead teachers of every congregation...

A woman is not to be the pastor of the home or the local church.

Well, if she can not be a pastor… what can she do?

She can pray… She can speak the Word of God… She can teach children and other women...

But she may not teach or to exercise authority over the man… rather she must remain quiet...

I want to come back to that last part in just a moment… “she must remain quiet.”

First off… I have learned from women. I have learned from my mother, grandmother, other Sunday School teacher women, church women, and I have learned from my wife...

We can and should learn from the Spirit of God who works through men, women, and children...

But not all people should have authority over your lives...

Not all people should be pastors… not all men should be pastors...

And while there may be various reasons that come to our minds today, as to the “why” of it all...

Boys growing up feminine… because they only have women leadership...

And there are men… who will take up feminine qualities as they are influenced by women...

God knows His business better than we do...

But Paul simply roots his statements and argument for church order within creation and the headship that we see in Genesis… in the beginning....

Before the Fall… there was headship...

This is the creation order… and this is the order for the church...

Men are to be the main teachers… Men are to exercise authority in the church...

And it is quit possible that people, including women are abusing their freedoms...

We have already seen in 1 Cor. chapter 11 that women are praying and prophesying…

And we have no reason to think that that are whispering these words in the church...

So this verse that says… “she must remain quiet,” does not refer to this.

So what does it refer to?

Well, we have already seen… She is not standing before the congregation preaching/teaching and exercising authority over the congregation which includes men...

When she prays, speaks the Word of the Lord, reads Scripture… she is doing it in such a way that honors the male headship of the home and the church...

The Corinthian church is seen as a disorderly church, and people are abusing their freedoms and the grace of God… It looks a little chaotic...

Paul is giving direction to provide order to the churches...

And the women were being disorderly as well… in their behavior… in the church meeting...

1 Tim. 2:11 - She must learn quietly with all submissiveness… she must not exercise authority over the man...

Was the women interrupting the services with questions… interrupting the pastors/teachers?

Remember 1 Cor. 14:34-40 - Women should learn, ask questions at home with their husbands… and not interrupt the services, claiming authority over the male leadership of that church… All things should be done decently and in order… not disorderly...

In this context… Prophets are told to speak and then let others weigh what is being said… If revelation is being made to another sitting there… let the first be silent… so that all may learn and be encouraged...

The women cannot be subject to the male leadership or to her husband if she is interrupting...

She cannot be subject if she is speaking about the prophecies, and teaching in the church, exercising authority over the male leaders...

She must learn in silence… ask questions and learn more at home...

This is orderly, pastor honoring, husband honoring, and ultimately… God-honoring.

*The objections: “Women have the Holy Spirit and some of them are gifted teachers, more gifted than the man in certain ways...”

Yep… and it has nothing to do with giftedness. Not all men with giftedness should be pastors...

It has to do with God’s design and plan for the family and for the church...

Man is created to lead...

This is to be the normal of the church. This should be the order of the church.

On the other side of the arguments: “But… women have never read Scripture and prayed out loud before in our congregation...”

Given all that we see in Scripture… Why can’t they or why shouldn’t they?

“Well, I am old school… and this is the way my people did it...”

Well… this is the Bible and the first churches ever… and this is what we see.

Men and women both have a place to serve and we are all to use God’s gifts to edify the church...

In a decent and orderly way...

We will need more time to discuss Verse 15… and we will look at this next time...

Close and Pray.