The Place and Function of Women in the Church
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
Many Christians today, and at all levels, believe that women can do, speak, and/or function in any way that a man can function. Even the Roman Catholic Church is now considering ordaining women as priests. That, in itself, is cause for a red-flag signal. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, AFTER the prophetic equivalent of being born-again, baptized in water, and baptized with the Holy Spirit, they wandered in the desert and wilderness for 40 years. Of the million or so Jews who came out, only three ... Moses, Caleb, and Joshua were right. That is an abiding principle. Whenever you see a multitude of professing Christians going one way, look at it very carefully. The Lord never worked with a multitude.
Christian ministerial equality undoubtedly has been adopted by many sincere believers because of three major reasons. First, men historically have seen and heard women in the past who have prophesied and taught much truth concerning the Scripture. Of course we should never base our doctrinal beliefs on what we have experienced but rather on what the Word of God says. It is true that many women can artfully expound much truth concerning the Scripture. However, as a generality, God will not allow fruit to come forth from that which is out of His order. Unless God gives the increase, then we are just beating the air.
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
Second, probably the most used Scripture that some men use to support their position on women pastors, teachers, preachers, and elders is, Galatians 3:28,
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Years ago I heard a mature man of God say that in an assembly or gathering of believers (church meeting) any woman can function in any capacity available to men; but after the meeting, the woman reverts back to her natural role. That makes no sense whatsoever to me. It is like saying that we only worship the Lord during a meeting, and the rest of the time we revert back to being natural people. Further, we should never take one isolated Scripture to set forth any doctrinal position. We must look at all of Scripture because there are no contradictions in the Bible.
So what does Galatians 3:28 mean? It is certainly true that in Christ there is neither male nor female. But we should not try to confuse the natural realm with the spiritual realm. Jesus said, in Matthew 22:30,
"For in the resurrection [or in heaven] they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
But that says nothing about the function or ministry of any of the Lord's people on earth in time. Certainly no serious Christian can refute Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 12:18 that "God has set the members every one of them in the body as it has pleased Him." If any man or woman aspires to any specific ministry (as distinct from a spiritual gift), it will never happen unless God, not man, has ordained it so.
A third major reason for the belief that a woman can function in any ministry or office within the church is the rise of feminism or the women's liberation movement, which initially arose in China in 1911 but which spread rapidly in the western world in the mid-twentieth century.
Feminism in parts of the western world has gone through three waves. First-wave feminism was oriented around the station of middle- or upper-class white women and involved suffrage and political equality. Second-wave feminism attempted to further combat social and cultural inequalities. The second wave brought in women of color and women from other developing nations that were seeking solidarity. Third-wave feminism is continuing to address the financial, social and cultural inequalities and includes renewed campaigning for greater influence of women in politics and media. Feminists have also maintained focus on women's reproductive rights, such as the right to abortion. The devil has always tried to infiltrate the ways of the world into the true church, and he has been quite successful for many long years. Society under the Old Covenant was distinctly patriarchal. In today's world we see an ever-increasing matriarchal society. But society in the Christian world should be Christ-oriented - neither male nor female.
Moreover, some Christians, particularly women, believe that if they are not allowed to teach and/or preach publicly then that makes them feel like second-class citizens. However feelings are emotions and have nothing to do with spiritual ministry. Because of human nature, men frequently gravitate to one of two extremes: they either become passive and withdrawn or they become overly aggressive and domineering. Both extremes are obviously wrong. One sex does not have an inherent superiority over the other, but we DO have different God-given functions.
Let us consider Peter and John. In the Book of Acts, Chapters 1-8, Peter and John are always seen together. But Peter was always the spokesman of the two. In fact the Book of Acts never records that John said one word. Do you think that John felt like a second-class citizen because Peter was always the speaker? Of course not! Do you think that John ever said to Peter, "Let me speak sometime?" Of course not! Why? Because John knew the function and ministry to which he had been called and he knew the function and ministry to which Peter had been called. Both were apostles but Peter was a mouth and John was a heart. It is no coincidence that John was the only one of the original apostles who did not suffer a violent death.
Whenever the subject of women in the church arises, it is always the Apostle Paul whose name is mentioned first. Paul spoke more frequently and more pointedly to this question than any other New Testament figure. One could almost be amused at the ingenious methods which men and women have employed to do away with Paul's teaching on the role of women in the church. But we must remember that it was not Paul's teaching... it was the teaching of the Holy Spirit through Paul.
By far the most popular approach to Paul's teaching on the role of women by evangelicals and some charismatics is to write it all off as culturally oriented, for a particular people, time, and occasion. On the 455th anniversary (1972) of Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, a group of women posted on the doors of 12 Los Angeles churches theses intended to bring a contemporary women's liberation movement into the life of the church. Their statement repudiated what they called the primitive thinking of the Apostle Paul.
The Mystery of the Oneness of Husband and Wife
Before we can fully understand the place and function of women in the church we must first look at the mystery of the oneness of a Christian husband and wife. The word "mystery" speaks of a secret. Scripturally, a mystery is something kept secret and hid from our understanding until it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Throughout all of history, God has kept certain things secret, and revealed them from time to time according to His purposes and counsels.
A third major reason for the belief that a woman can function in any ministry or office within the church is the rise of feminism or the women's liberation movement, which initially arose in China in 1911 but which spread rapidly in the western world in the mid-twentieth century.
Feminism in parts of the western world has gone through three waves. First-wave feminism was oriented around the station of middle- or upper-class white women and involved suffrage and political equality. Second-wave feminism attempted to further combat social and cultural inequalities. The second wave brought in women of color and women from other developing nations that were seeking solidarity. Third-wave feminism is continuing to address the financial, social and cultural inequalities and includes renewed campaigning for greater influence of women in politics and media. Feminists have also maintained focus on women's reproductive rights, such as the right to abortion. The devil has always tried to infiltrate the ways of the world into the true church, and he has been quite successful for many long years. Society under the Old Covenant was distinctly patriarchal. In today's world we see an ever-increasing matriarchal society. But society in the Christian world should be Christ-oriented - neither male nor female.
Moreover, some Christians, particularly women, believe that if they are not allowed to teach and/or preach publicly then that makes them feel like second-class citizens. However feelings are emotions and have nothing to do with spiritual ministry. Because of human nature, men frequently gravitate to one of two extremes: they either become passive and withdrawn or they become overly aggressive and domineering. Both extremes are obviously wrong. One sex does not have an inherent superiority over the other, but we DO have different God-given functions.
Let us consider Peter and John. In the Book of Acts, Chapters 1-8, Peter and John are always seen together. But Peter was always the spokesman of the two. In fact the Book of Acts never records that John said one word. Do you think that John felt like a second-class citizen because Peter was always the speaker? Of course not! Do you think that John ever said to Peter, "Let me speak sometime?" Of course not! Why? Because John knew the function and ministry to which he had been called and he knew the function and ministry to which Peter had been called. Both were apostles but Peter was a mouth and John was a heart. It is no coincidence that John was the only one of the original apostles who did not suffer a violent death.
Whenever the subject of women in the church arises, it is always the Apostle Paul whose name is mentioned first. Paul spoke more frequently and more pointedly to this question than any other New Testament figure. One could almost be amused at the ingenious methods which men and women have employed to do away with Paul's teaching on the role of women in the church. But we must remember that it was not Paul's teaching... it was the teaching of the Holy Spirit through Paul.
By far the most popular approach to Paul's teaching on the role of women by evangelicals and some charismatics is to write it all off as culturally oriented, for a particular people, time, and occasion. On the 455th anniversary (1972) of Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, a group of women posted on the doors of 12 Los Angeles churches theses intended to bring a contemporary women's liberation movement into the life of the church. Their statement repudiated what they called the primitive thinking of the Apostle Paul.
The Mystery of the Oneness of Husband and Wife
Before we can fully understand the place and function of women in the church we must first look at the mystery of the oneness of a Christian husband and wife. The word "mystery" speaks of a secret. Scripturally, a mystery is something kept secret and hid from our understanding until it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Throughout all of history, God has kept certain things secret, and revealed them from time to time according to His purposes and counsels.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29
The spiritual union between Christ and the Church is one such mystery because it exceeds human understanding. So is the oneness of a husband and wife.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Ephesians 5:30-32
When the apostle Paul speaks of the mystery concerning Christ and the Church, in Verse 32, above, he is ALSO speaking of the parallel mystery of a man and his wife, in Verse 31. There is, therefore, a mystery of a Christian husband and wife being one flesh. Just as Adam said that the Woman is bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh (Genesis 2:23), in like manner, Paul says that we (the Church, which is His body) are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones (Verse 30). Verse 31, above, clearly signifies much more than simply the Biblical knowing of the wife by her husband. There is no mystery involved concerning a husband and wife having natural sexual relations. Since a man and his wife become one flesh, a man ought to love his wife, inasmuch as she is part of himself.
The concept of "oneness" between husband and wife is a key factor in understanding the role of the wife in the church. Jesus prayed, in John 17, that we (the Church) might all be one. How can the Church be one if husband and wife are not one? Paul also says,
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17
In years past, we have seen many Christian couples who seem to go their own separate ways ... the man has a certain ministry and the wife has some other ministry ... they are like two entirely different people. Christ and His body are NOT two totally separate entities! Neither are a man and his wife! There is a "great mystery" of the oneness of husband and wife.
The Holy Spirit tells husbands to "give honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3:7). As a generality, no one would argue that males are physically stronger than females in the natural realm. But is that what Paul is talking about? The wife, in general, is more sensitive to the things of the Spirit. Obviously there may be exceptions. Women are also more emotionally inclined than men. Just as our physical body houses our soul and spirit, so, in like manner, is the relationship of a husband to his wife. The husband forms the outer part ... the wife forms the inner part. Eve was formed out of a rib taken from the inner part of man. So the husband must protect the soul and spirit of the "one flesh" formed by the marriage of the man and the woman. The husband protects his wife by his right relationship to the Lord and by seeking the Lord on behalf of husband and wife for all decisions of any importance.
The wife MUST convey her spiritual sensing to her husband, however. It is the same principle as that of a watchman. The watchman MUST convey what he sees to the one who makes decisions, but the watchman does not actually make the decisions. The man is usually the more visible of the two for outward ministry to the body of Christ. Peter speaks of the behavior of the wife as "the hidden man of the heart" (1 Peter 3:4). The wife must be very careful not to usurp (as Eve did) the position that God has given to the husband. The wife must be very careful NOT to overshadow her husband in overt activities within the gathering of the saints. This will make most men, even many Christian men, feel somewhat threatened by their wife.
If a husband does not walk in his proper role and is not functioning in the manner that pleases the Lord, or if the wife is rebellious, then the oneness of husband and wife could be compromised and is vulnerable to attacks from the enemy in the realm of the spirit and soul. The stronger of the two must stand in the gap and pray, pray, pray that the tear in the covering might be held together by His great grace and mercy until the light dawns in the other spouse. However, if a husband does not walk in his God-given role and function, that is no excuse for his wife to assume the function of the man.
"As being heirs together of the grace of life" (1 Peter 3:7) also needs some serious thought and prayer as to exactly what the Spirit is saying. Does it mean "together" as in two totally separate people? We tend to think NOT! We believe it reinforces the fact that the husband and wife are ONE! We know that the unbelieving husband is sanctified (and cleansed) by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified (and cleansed) by the husband (1 Corinthians 7:14). Is that verse no longer true if BOTH husband and wife are genuine believers? We also know that it is Christ Who sanctifies and cleanses the Church with the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26), but is this also an extension of Paul's analogy in Ephesians 5:23.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the saviour of the body. Ephesians 5:23
Who is the "he" in that verse?
Most Christians are aware of the account in Acts 16 concerning the Philippian jailor (a man).
Acts 16:31, "And they [Paul and Silas] said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
We are at a loss to find a scripture that says that when a wife accepts the Lord, her husband and house will likewise be saved. The account in Acts 16:13-15 about Lydia on the surface appears to record the same principle as with the Philippian prison keeper. However, although we have not been able to substantiate this from any Bible dictionary, we believe that Lydia was a widow who had children before her husband died. She said "come into my house" (Acts 16:15). In accordance with the scriptural order of God, Lydia would NOT have said "my house" if she had a husband, nor would she have made a unilateral invitation to Paul if she had a husband. In addition, she would not be a wealthy woman, running a business of selling purple, if she had a husband. But because she was a widow with children, and rightly related to the Lord, she provided the same covering to her house that a married man would provide.
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.15 And did He not make one? Yet had He the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a Godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. Malachi 2:14-15
The Godly Seed in Malachi 2:15 refers to Christ. The Father ALWAYS had in His mind the Son. He also had in mind, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Further, He always had in mind the oneness of the Father and the Son, the oneness of Christ and His body, and the oneness of the man and his wife, as an example of the oneness in Him. Jesus prayed,
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are. John 17:11
The latter part of the above prayer emphasizes the unity which is already given, not something to be achieved. The meaning is "that they continually be one" rather than "that they become one." The unity spoken of here is at the Church level, rather than the husband and wife level, but the same truth applies at both levels. This unity is to be like that between the Father and the Son. Jesus then prayed this same request four more times in John 17:21-23.
The unity of believers should have an effect on those without Christ, to convince them of the glorious purpose and plan of Christ. If a husband and wife do not see that oneness in their personal relationship, how can the body of Christ see the oneness at the next higher level? Oneness becomes simply a doctrine to which we give mental agreement. Lord, put flesh on these bones!
The unity of the Spirit was produced through the reconciling death and resurrection of Christ (see Ephesians 2:14-22). It takes spiritual warfare to maintain that unity of the Spirit because the thief always comes to tell us that husband and wife are two, not one, and that the Church is likewise not one but many.
Now let us take this oneness of husband and wife one step further. Spiritually we believers have this same oneness with Jesus Christ, the Head of the body.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17
Now the body of Christ does not run around on earth while the Head of the body is situated in heaven! Christ is ONE! The Head and His body are ONE! This is a great mystery and not something we can comprehend with our natural senses. It is a growing awareness on our part of the reality of the oneness between the Lord and His body. The final result of this growing awareness is given by:
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. Revelation 22:17
Forty-some years ago we shared in a meeting of believers a word from 1 Corinthians 11:12 concerning the "oneness" of husband and wife.
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 1 Corinthians 11:12
That speaks of the wife who helps to bring forth her husband by her intercession and obedience. Hindsight, we believe that very few, if any, of the believers present grasped the significance of that word. Why? because of the democratic, independent spirit within the United States and because we have been "programmed" to see husband and wife as TWO, not one. Only the Lord knows how many believers today grasp the real significance of the oneness that exists between husband and wife.
Now, if husband and wife are ONE, then there is NO need for two votes to come from the same household. We are inclined to believe that the women's suffrage movement in the United States has done more harm than good! Likewise, if husband and wife are ONE, then there is NO need for BOTH husband and wife to speak in an assembly of believers! The husband becomes the spokesman for the family. We believe that is what Paul saw when he wrote those verses in 1 Timothy 2. Because Paul is there addressing the husband-wife relationship, the correct English translation should be:
11 Let the wife learn in silence with all subjection.12 But I suffer not a wife to teach [doctrine in a public assembly], nor to usurp authority over the man [husband], but to be in silence [concerning doctrinal issues].13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 1 Timothy 2:11-14
Since the husband and his wife are ONE, there is need for only ONE of them to speak, because they speak as ONE. Now some may say, well if only ONE of them (the husband and the wife) is to speak, why can't the woman speak some of the time? Our answer is the same as the answer to the question, "Why can't men have babies in the natural realm?" ... because God ordained it to be different. Which one is to speak? the man, because he has the birthright ... he was formed first ... he was created ... Eve was made from Adam... he has been given the function as spokesman in Church assemblies for the ONE family. Adam was not the one deceived. Eve became the speaker for the one Adam in their discourse with Satan in Genesis 3. As such, she usurped the God-given authority of the man. That is what Paul says in those verses in 1 Timothy 2, above.
We certainly recognize that God may empower anyone or anything at any time that He chooses! He caused an ass to speak to Balaam (Numbers 22:28), but few would suggest that ANY ass can or should speak. The Lord told Isaiah to walk naked and barefoot for three years (Isaiah 20:2-3), but few would suggest that ALL prophets should walk naked and barefoot for three years. The exception may invalidate man's rule but it does NOT do away with the rule when it is God's rule. May we also suggest that simply knowing the truth and expounding masterfully on the truth is NOT sufficient. There are a MULTITUDE of believers, both men and women, who can artfully expound on many facets of scripture. The question is, What and where is the fruit? Unless God honors our speaking or doing, then we have produced wood, hay, and stubble. Paul said,
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6
In our next message we hope to continue by sharing with you the implications of oneness, part of my wife, Linda's personal testimony, and then look at some more scriptures concerning the place and function of women in the church.
Until then may the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit abide with each of us, to the glory of God.
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