(The views expressed in this teaching are not necessarily those of Freedom Bible College, Concepts of Freedom Ministries, or any affiliations, ministers, faculty, or staff thereof.)
INTRODUCTION.
A. I ask your forgiveness in advance as this message is going to seem harsh at some points. (Those who know me personally or have even read my material know that I am not in the business of condemnation.)
B. I also want to state that this is not a personal attack against anyone. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am merely standing for what the scripture teaches.
C. Since the early to mid 20th century, one of the changes that has taken place is the appearance of women preachers & teachers. Some see it as wonderful while some see it as horrible.
D. The only way to determine the truth is by examining the Bible and letting it provide the final answer. The Scriptures clearly teach that there is a distinction in the roles God wants men and women to fulfill.
E. When either men or women fail to fulfill their God-given responsibilities, they are in rebellion against God.
F. Regardless of what some say, men and women are different in more ways than just the obvious.
1. Mentally -- Men are good with mental three dimensional manipulation, while women are better at doing multiple tasks simultaneously).
2. Verbally -- 100% of women’s oral noise is verbal. Only 60% of man’s is (The toolman had it right; men like to make noise -- grunt, grunt, vroom, vroom).
3. Differences in responsibilities (no time to go into it -- look up the following scriptures.)
a. Responsibilities of men (Ephesians 5:25-33, Ephisians 6:4, Colossians 3:18, I Timothy 5:8).
b. Different responsibilities of women (Genesis 3:16, I Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:22 & 33, Colossians 3:18, Titus 2:4-5, I Peter 3:1-6)
4. There are many other differences.
G. Read text.
H. Some ignore this passage. Others make wild charges that Paul was a male chauvinist, but this same Paul also wrote...
1. I Corinthians 14:37-38 -- "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."
2. Galatians 1:11-12 -- "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
3. Paul wrote what God told him to write!
I. We must not argue with God nor compromise with those who do.
J. Cannot pick and choose what we want to accept and reject in the Bible. It’s either all truth or corrupt.
K. As the scripture says, we must let those who are ignorant be ignorant. We cannot force people to accept the truth.
L. I Timothy 2:11-12 -- "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1. Some have invented ingenious arguments in their attempts to get around this passage, but we must ask, did God reveal the truth through His apostle or not?
2. Can anyone claim that this passage is not teaching a difference in the roles of men and women and still keep a straight face?
3. I Timothy 2:13-14 -- Paul gave two reasons for women learning in silence and not having authority over men.
a. Reason #1 -- "For Adam was formed first, then Eve."
1. Adam created first and given charge over God’s creation.
2. Eve made as his "help meet."
3. Adam was never to be Eve’s help-meet.
b. Reason #2 -- "Adam was not decieved, but the woman being decieved was in the transgression."
ARGUMENTS EXTENDED BY THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF MEN BY WOMEN…
A. Argument #1 -- Men and women are equal in the eyes of God.
1. prooftext 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."
2. The real meaning of Galatians 3:28.
a. Has nothing to do with gender roles as is assumed by many.
1. Paul deals with gender roles many times in his epistles. The Word is clear that Men and women are different.
2. Jews and Greeks never traded nationalities!
3. Slaves were not released, and free people did not become enslaved when they accepted Jesus!
4. If their roles did not change, it is inconsistant to say that the roles of men and women changed.
b. The verse has to do with value in God’s eyes.
1. Jews and Gentiles are of the same value.
2. Slaves and freemen are of the same value.
3. Men and women are of the same value.
4. They are all of one blood and one bride through their faith in Christ.
c. This verse cannot be used as evidence that women may teach men.
B. Argument #2 -- Paul’s reason for writing this was cultural, so it does not apply today.
1. It is said that I Timothy 2:12 must be interpretted in light of its culture.
2. It is said that Paul wrote, "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" because priestesses of the false goddess, Diana were getting saved and thinking that they could come into the church and have the same role. For this historical reason, it is believed by many that women today can teach men.
3. I do not see how this proves anything. In fact, it would seem to support the position that women are not to teach men. Think about it, why would Paul write this to Timothy if it was all right for a woman to teach men in the church? The incident would seem to ignite the necessity for Paul to address the subject.
4. Look at the context of I Timothy 2:9-15. It has to do with the behavior and worship of women.
5. The cultural interpretation is shot down by the simple fact that Paul appeals to creation and to the fall as his reasoning for saying that he did not allow women to teach -- I Timothy 2:13-14 -- "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression..."
6. Paul’s reasons go all the way back to the Garden of Eden.
C. Argument #3 -- Joel prophesied that in the last days, women would prophesy.
1. Joel 2:28 -- "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"
2. Women may prophesy -- I Corinthians 11:5 says that a woman may prophesy with her head covered (under authority)! She can have the spiritual gift of prophecy!!
3. To prophesy does not mean "to preach or teach."
D. Argument #4 -- The word "man" is singular both in the Greek and English, so they say that this could not be related to men in general.
1. I Timothy 2:12 -- "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
2. "A woman" is singular as well as "the man."
3. The rule must apply both ways.
4. (Singular) A woman, (singular) the man.
E. Argument #5 -- Some women teachers and pastors can do the job better than men.
1. Let me draw a parallel. Fornication can be more fun than marital sex. It feels better to slap someone back rather than turn the other cheek.
2. I do not dispute the ability of women. I just obey God.
F. Argument #6 -- God has used women preachers so they must be called!
1. God has proven time and again that He can use even the evil of man for a good end!
2. I’m not saying that women teachers are evil. I do not judge their hearts, but God is clear regarding the woman’s role in the church.
G. Argument #7 -- "Usurp" means "to take by force."
1. Usurp can also mean "to possess" or "to wield."
2. Since the word can be defined in this way, this argument cannot be used.
H. Argument #8 -- Some women have the gift of teaching.
1. Yes. Women may teach women and children, but women are not to teach or have authority over men.
2. This does not mean that a woman cannot work behind the scenes and help her husband in his teachings.
a. Certainly, if a woman knows something that will help her husband, she can share it with him.
b. I read somewhere that Mrs. Spurgeon knew Greek and often was used as a reference by her husband, Charles. (In this, she was his co-laborer.)
c. Women also are charged with teaching their children -- I Timothy 2:15 -- "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."
1. Knowing that salvation is only in Christ, in the context of I Timothy 2, the "salvation" spoken of in this verse has to do with a woman’s teaching ability.
2. Her teaching ability is to be used in raising kids (which explains the necessity of faith, charity, holiness, and sobriety).
CONCLUSION.
A. The roles that God gave for all of us are plain and simple. -- "I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man" is plain and simple teaching written by a man who spoke what God told him to speak.
B. The question is whether we are willing to submit to God’s will or are we going to insist on living the way we want to in spite of what the Bible teaches.
C. Can a woman share the Gospel? Yes!
D. Yet there are women preachers & teachers today who claim to even be called by God to be pastors. How can this be that a woman is called to be a pastor when women are commanded in scripture to be under authority?
E. Forgive me for being harsh, but the apostle John wrote I John 4:1 that the way we test the spirits is to compare what they say to the Word of God.
1. If what they teach or practice is contrary to the Word of God, we can know without a doubt that they are false.
2. When we read the words of the Holy Spirit teaching us that women are neither to teach nor to have authority over a man in the church (for this is the context), and then we hear women claiming to be called to preach by the Spirit, what conclusion must then be drawn?
3. Putting this is gracefully as I possibly can, to say that God allows something that he does not is to prophesy falsely.
4. Again, I want to state that I love my brothers and sisters in the Lord, but I cannot compromise the scripture.
Dr. D.R. Carpenter, Jr., Th.D.
