Womens Role in the Kingdom

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Womens Role in the Kingdom

• Their Role is Different From Mens

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At Creation
(Gen 126-27 NKJV) Then God said, "Let Us make
man in Our image, according to Our likeness let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over
the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over
all the earth and over every creeping thing that
creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in
His own image in the image of God He created
him male and female He created them.
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A Creative Purpose
Men (Gen 215 NKJV) Then the LORD God took the
man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and
keep it.
Women (Gen 218 NKJV) And the LORD God said, "It
is not good that man should be alone I will make
him a helper comparable to him."
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Upon Expulsion From the Garden
Women (Gen 316 NKJV) To the woman He said "I
will greatly multiply your sorrow and your
conception In pain you shall bring forth
children Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you."
Men (Gen 317-19 NKJV) Then to Adam He said,
"Because you have heeded the voice of your wife,
and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded
you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it' "Cursed
is the ground for your sake In toil you shall
eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both
thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In
the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till
you return to the ground, For out of it you were
taken For dust you are, And to dust you shall
return."
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In the Home
Women (Titus 24-5 NKJV) that they admonish the
young women to love their husbands, to love their
children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers,
good, obedient to their own husbands, that the
word of God may not be blasphemed. (Eph 522
NKJV) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to
the Lord. (Eph 524 NKJV) Therefore, just as
the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives
be to their own husbands in everything.
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In the Home
Men (1 Tim 58 NKJV) But if anyone does not
provide for his own, and especially for those of
his household, he has denied the faith and is
worse than an unbeliever. (Eph 64 NKJV) And
you, fathers, do not provoke your children to
wrath, but bring them up in the training and
admonition of the Lord. (1 Tim 34-5 NKJV) one
who rules his own house well, having his children
in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a
man does not know how to rule his own house, how
will he take care of the church of God?) (Eph
525 NKJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for
her,
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In the Church
Men (1 Tim 28 NKJV) I desire therefore that the
men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting 1Ti 31-2 NASB It
is a trustworthy statement if any man aspires to
the office of overseer, it is a fine work he
desires to do. (2) An overseer, then, must be
above reproach, the husband of one wife,
temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able
to teach,
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In the Church
Women (1 Tim 211-12 NKJV) Let a woman learn in
silence with all submission. 12 And I do not
permit a woman to teach or to have authority over
a man, but to be in silence. (1 Cor 1434-35
NKJV) 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. 35 And if they want to learn something,
let them ask their own husbands at home for it
is shameful for women to speak in church.
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Resistance To a Biblical Role for Women in the
Family Today

• Feminism
• General sense of the value of equality
• Hostility toward women being submissive
• Egalitarianism

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Bible Does not Dishonor Women
GALATIANS 328 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. (1 Cor 118 NKJV) For man is not from
woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created
for the woman, but woman for the man. For this
reason the woman ought to have a symbol of
authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, neither is man independent of
woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
For as woman came from man, even so man also
comes through woman but all things are from God.
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Corinthian Context of the Restrictions on Womens
Roles

• In 1Cor 11-13 Paul addresses problems in the
  assembly
• He begins with women prophesying and praying
  uncovered.
• He digresses to other abuses.
• He finishes with women being silent in the church.

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Prescription for Other Problems of Disorder in
the Assembly
1Co 1427-30 NASB If anyone speaks in a tongue,
it should be by two or at the most three, and
each in turn, and one must interpret (28) but
if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent
in the church and let him speak to himself and
to God. (29) Let two or three prophets speak,
and let the others pass judgment. (30) But if a
revelation is made to another who is seated, the
first one must keep silent.
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Prescription for the Problem of Women Speaking in
the Assembly
1Co 1434-37 NASB The women are to keep silent
in the churches for they are not permitted to
speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the
Law also says. (35) If they desire to learn
anything, let them ask their own husbands at
home for it is improper for a woman to speak in
church. (36) Was it from you that the word of
God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?
(37) If anyone thinks he is a prophet or
spiritual, let him recognize that the things
which I write to you are the Lord's commandment
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The Prescription is Repeated in Ephesus
(1 Timothy 211-12) Let a woman learn in silence
with all submission. And I do not permit a woman
to teach or to have authority over a man, but to
be in silence.
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Arguments Against This Limited Role for Women

• Paul was a chauvinist.
• This challenges any doctrine of inspiration.

"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or
spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things
that I write unto you are the commandments of the
Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be
ignorant" (1 Corinthians 1437-38).
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Arguments Against This Limited Role for Women

• Paul was a chauvinist.
• This is merely a cultural issue.
• Paul gives two reasons for this prescription.
• Both go back to the creation story before any
  specific culture.

I Tim 213-14, "For Adam was formed first, then
Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived, fell into transgression.
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Arguments Against This Limited Role for Women

• Paul was a chauvinist.
• This is merely a cultural issue.
• This is unfair maybe even harmful to women.

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Bible Does not Dishonor Women
GALATIANS 328 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. (1 Cor 118 NKJV) For man is not from
woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created
for the woman, but woman for the man. For this
reason the woman ought to have a symbol of
authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, neither is man independent of
woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
For as woman came from man, even so man also
comes through woman but all things are from God.
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Additional Scriptural Arguments

• The worthy woman in Prov 31

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The Worthy Woman
Pro 3113-27 (13) She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight. (14) She
is like merchant ships She brings her food from
afar. (15) She rises also while it is still
night And gives food to her household And
portions to her maidens. (16) She considers a
field and buys it From her earnings she plants a
vineyard. (17) She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong. (18) She senses that
her gain is good Her lamp does not go out at
night. (19) She stretches out her hands to the
distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle. (20)
She extends her hand to the poor, And she
stretches out her hands to the needy. (21) She
is not afraid of the snow for her household, For
all her household are clothed with scarlet. (22)
She makes coverings for herself Her clothing is
fine linen and purple. (23) Her husband is
known in the gates, When he sits among the elders
of the land. (24) She makes linen garments and
sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
(25) Strength and dignity are her clothing, And
she smiles at the future. (26) She opens her
mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is
on her tongue. (27) She looks well to the ways
of her household, And does not eat the bread of
idleness.
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Additional Scriptural Arguments

• The worthy woman in Prov 31
• The Greek word for head in Eph 5
• Phoebe was a deaconess in Rom 16

Eph 523 For the husband is the head of the wife,
as Christ also is the head of the church, He
Himself being the Savior of the body.
Rom 161-2 NASB I commend to you our sister
Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is
at Cenchrea (2) that you receive her in the
Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that
you help her in whatever matter she may have need
of you for she herself has also been a helper of
many, and of myself as well.
Kephale
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Men and Women Are Created Different and for
Different Purposes

• Men are more aggressive.
• Women are more touching and nurturing.
• Men and women communicate differently.
• They are different but both are valuable.
• Two different, necessary roles in a family
• Or in any group including the church

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The Nature of Women as Created by God

• The essence of femininity is to support and to
  serve.
• Women can lead if non-directive.

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(No Transcript)
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The Nature of Women as Created by God
Tit 23-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent
in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor
enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
(4) so that they may encourage the young women
to love their husbands, to love their children,
(5) to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind,
being subject to their own husbands, so that the
word of God will not be dishonored.

• The essence of femininity is to support and to
  serve
• Women can lead if non-directive
• Proverbs 31 emphasizes domestic pursuits and
  service
• So does Tit 2

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Masculinity

• Benevolent responsibility
• Provide
• Protect

1PETER 37 Likewise you husbands, dwell with
them with understanding, giving honor to the
wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being
heirs together of the grace of life, that your
prayers may not be hindered.
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Applications and Issues

• Teaching children's Bible classes
• Teaching young male members of the congregation
• Womens classes
• Writing articles
• Womens retreats
• Be careful why and where it takes us always
  remembering the principle.
• Leading singing
• Preaching to the congregation
• God forbid!
• What about in heaven?