Ira Baptist Church
June 14

      • Psalms 100.1-3NIV2011

      • Psalms 100.4-5NIV2011

  • All People
  • My Song is Love Unknown

      • Ephesians 6.1-4ESV

  • The Lord is My Salvation
  • Turn your Eyes

      • Psalms 103.13-16ESV

      • Psalms 103.17ESV

  • With the spread of the Gospel came a greater appreciation for women in the life of worshiping God.
    Mary, mother of Jesus
    Jesus, teacher of women
    In salvation, neither male nor female.
    That said, this passage is used by many to show that the Bible demeans women or limits their personhood. I disagree.
    The Bible does not demean, devalue, dehumanize women. It does not place, in terms of value or significance, one sex over the other.
    However, within God’s design for created order, there are differences and distinctions made.
    That, of course, is a difficult point of teaching in our day.
    When we come to this passage, there really are three view.
    The Bible is Sexist and Demeaning. This is wrong
    The Bible is right, but Paul here was making a cultural statement for that particular time.
    The Bible is right, and expresses unique but complementary roles for men and women.

    It is God who sets out order for flourishing in life, and that includes within the life of the church.

    1. Let Them Learn - vs. 11

    Some say, “Women must be allowed to be learners”
    Learning
    A core facet of corporate worship
    ties into “what is proper for women who profess Godliness, with good works...”
    i.e. the corporate instruction, or learning, of the congregation is part of how we all function as we ought to.
    For a woman to play her part in the congregation, she must be part of the learning process, expected to grow in faith.
    Think of it this way. This is a command for Timothy.
    “Timothy, as you set things in order in Ephesus, see to it that the women among you have every opportunity to learn.”
    Older Talmudic teaching
    Women are to be hearers but not learners
    Torah study was prohibited
    “If women learn religious reasoning, they might outwit their husbands”
    In contrast, women are to learn.
    Jesus spent much time personally interacting and instructing women
    Women are given responsibilities to disciple and train and live their lives based on the teaching they receive and take in

    2. What does “Quiet” Mean? - vs. 11-12

    Two other times this word is used
    Acts 22:2 ESV
    And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
    A reverent respect, to give someone a fair hearing.
    2 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV
    Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
    As a matter of order and decency, the “quietness” in working is not referring to a strict verbal muteness, but an attitude and demeanor. Free of distraction.
    Luke 10:39–40 ESV
    And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
    The submission follows the imperative to learn. When there is learning from God’s Word, we are called to submit to that. Submission, in this sense, involves informed, purposeful, and personal response to what is being taught.
    Submission is not a dirty word in the Bible.
    We are called to submit to authorities, submit to one another, and in cases of created order, submit to the structure that God has set in place. It is not a subversive subjection.
    It is not a call to “turn off the mind.”
    Rather, and especially in this case, it is a call to hear, learn, and follow the teaching from God’s Word.
    So what is the restriction? And there is one, of course. The restriction here is a matter of office and very specific function, not a matter of value or even ability or gifting.
    What do I mean by that.
    Namely, what is restricted here is women from holding the office of Pastor or Elder in the congregation, whose responsibilities it is to teach God’s Word in an authoritative sense to the congregation.
    In function, this limits the instruction by women of the assembled congregation. Of course, there are denominations that disagree on this.
    Objections
    Cultural
    will be addressed in terms of created order
    Oppressive
    Is the Bible wrong here? Where else is it wrong, and who gets to decide?
    Made in God’s Image
    Equal in terms of humanity, value, salvation - no male or female
    elevated by Jesus and the New Testament
    If not pastors/elders/overseers, what can women do?
    Teach.
    Yes, other women and children, but there is no restriction on the function of women in the dialogue and discipleship that takes place.
    Aquilla and Priscilla
    Testify
    Kaitlin Rosenburg
    Missionary reports
    pray
    sing
    Colossians 3:16
    Paul’s co-laborers
    Euodia and Syntyche
    Lydia, opening her home
    Pheobe, a servent of the church
    Timothy’s Mother and Grandmother
    Responsible for him being the able teacher he was
    The Women at the Tomb
    Carrying the news of the resurrection

    3. The Creation Order and How We Struggle - vs. 13-15

    Created Order
    Adam first formed, then eve
    Not good to be alone, made a helper fit for him
    Complementarity
    As a rule, men and women are meant to work in partnership with the man tasked with headship or responsibility
    2. Order Falling Apart
    Eve was deceived, became a transgressor.
    If not careful, can seem like “all women are easily deceived”
    Some make the point, “in Romans 5 Paul clearly says that it was Adam’s sin that plunged the world into a curse. Why does he flip the script here?”
    But, that actually reinforces the point here. It was Adam’s sin that plunged the world, and in this case, Adam’s sin was not only eating the forbidden fruit, but also shirking his responsibility.
    Eve was deceived. That is not excusing her, but putting it in the correct terms. Adam, however, is not said anywhere in scripture to have been deceived - but rather made a deliberate decision to give up his responsibility to lead and obey.
    The rise in difficulty and objection to the Bible’s teaching on the distinct roles of men and women is not because the Bible has somehow become wrong in its old age, but rather, another example of the created order being rejected by creation.
    Part of the creation curse
    Women, your desire will be for/against your husband.
    Either, to reject his role of leader or to desire that you instead would have it.
    As you look are particular denominations of churches who find themselves mostly with women taking the role of pastor/teacher, what you find with that is there is a diminishing amount of men who are willing to take the role and responsibility that God has given to them.
    It is hard work for men to be pastors.
    Caring
    Shepherding
    slowness to anger
    gentle
    To foster these things is a work of discipleship. It’s not easy. And in many ways in many places, men have merely said “no thanks.”
    It is the same thing in terms of fatherhood and as husbands.
    Men are called to have headship in their homes, yes, but as fathers and husbands they are called to
    sacrifice
    love
    gentleness, not provoking to wrath
    understanding and learning of their wives
    And many man in many ways and places have merely said, “no thanks”
    And do you see, that in God’s order, it isn’t that God sets out what is going to be easiest and most beneficial for us as individuals, but sets out what is going to require a work of His grace in our lives, sanctification and faithfulness, in order to do what He has called.
    And that brings us to the last note.
    Because, if there is any objection left, it may be that some women would say
    “and look what we are left with. Motherhood.”
    Childbearing - part of the curse would be that it is painful.
    Consider that we are in the modern era, where it is much less likely for women to suffer long term crippling effects from the experience of childbirth. Still, painful.
    And still, difficult. Childbearing in general.
    She will be saved “through” childbearing.
    By means of - are all women who give birth spiritually saved?
    In a physical sense - do no women suffer or even die from childbirth?
    Through, even through.
    1 Corinthians 3:15 ESV
    If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
    You are going to make it.
    Continue as Christians
    Faith, love, holiness. Yes, in this sin-cursed world it will be difficult both in bearing and raising children. But there is an eternal promise of salvation for you. And in that, there is no distinction between men and women.

      • Acts 22:2ESV

      • 2 Thessalonians 3:12ESV

      • Luke 10:39–40ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 3:15ESV

Ira Baptist Church
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