Just four verses after the Apostle Paul makes the statement “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 Timothy 2:11-12) he immediately begins to speak of the office of a bishop stating “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1 Timothy 3:1) But he then qualifies who can be a bishop at verse two which reads, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach”. Notice very carefully that a bishop must be “the husband of one wife”. This again establishes that a woman can not be called to be a Pastor of the Church. Furthermore the Apostle Paul explains that a Bishop must also be “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (1 Timothy 3:4-5) Many churches use the word bishop as an overseer of many churches, but notice here the Apostle Paul speaks of the church of God singularly. If the Apostle Paul had intended this reference to be referring to many churches he would have used the word churches just as he did continuously throughout his epistles. So the use of the word Bishop here is being used interchangeably with being a Pastor of the Church. So again we see a woman can not be the Pastor or Bishop of the Church. The Apostle Paul goes on to teach who can be a deacon within the Church stating “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;” (1 Timothy 3:8) “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Timothy 3:11-12) Here we also learn that a deacon can not be a woman. Many people have tried desperately to find a way to allow women to be Pastors, teachers, and deacons within the church but as anyone can plainly see from the wording of the Apostle Paul this is not the case. God does not call women to be Pastors and Teachers. The Apostle Paul spoke this very plainly in the preceding chapter stating “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. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14) He follows this up by explicitly excluding women from the roles of Bishop and Deacon by saying that a Bishop or Deacon must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2, 12) Within these verses of scripture we also see that the husband is “to rule his own house” (1 Timothy 3:5) “ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Timothy 3:12) Many people have contended that Phebe (Romans 16:1-2) was a deacon. However as the Word of God has clearly stated through his servant the Apostle Paul a deacon must “be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Timothy 3:12) The scriptures are very clear that a woman can not be the Pastor or Bishop of a Church. Neither can they be in the office of a deacon. The Apostle Paul explained why this is “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13-14) This is all about the divine order of God. Since Eve was in the transgression God’s punishment to her was: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Genesis 3:16) So the divine order of God is directly tied in with the created order and the punishment given by God to the woman. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3) “ For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” (1 Corinthians 11:8-9) Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” (1 Peter 3:1-7)
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 08:59:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015