There's been a debate on this subject for centuries, however, the Bible answered the question. If we acknowledge the Scriptures, we have to also acknowledge and teach from ALL of the Scriptures and not avoid the ones we know would expose our error.
And since the Bible answered the question, anything and everything else is out of God's order as defined in Scripture. There's a severe penalty of disobedience to God's Word.
Our goal is to please the Lord and not be against the Lord.
I'm firmly aware that there will be disagreements with interpretations, but it's not my private interpretation. In other words, it's not about what I think. It's always what did the Lord say in His Word and am I willing to obey His Word?
What it comes down to is whether we accept the answer from the Bible or not.
The Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God inspired God.
Meaning that God breathed on the Word of God and that there's no mistakes, contradictions or error, and His Word is complete, and perfect.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV) "...knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
The Bible is God's Word, and it's final authority.
We must reject the Bible as final authority and reestablish something else as final authority.
Or we simply submit to God and His Word as final authority.
The Sanhedrin meaning- the highest court of justice and the supreme council in ancient Jerusalem, attempted to replace the commandments of the Lord with their own commandments.
Matthew 15:1-5 (NKJV) "Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God...”
So what's the difference?
Simply look at what God commanded and what the Sanhedrin commanded.
So when we see a change by man to alter the Scriptures, the commandment of men replaced the Word of God. When you’ve replaced the Word of God with the word of man, a violation of Proverbs 30:6 took place.
Proverbs 30:6 (NKJV)
"Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
The Scriptures, when rightly divided, never puts a woman “down.”
A woman is in her God ordained place as she obeys the Word of God.
So let's put women apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, elders, bishops, and ministers to the test of the NT Scriptures. No one should be afraid of the Scriptures unless one is in violation of the Scriptures.
What does the NT Scriptures say?
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (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. 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."
When Paul said "as the laws says," what law is he specifically referring to?
Remember. The first 5 books of Moses is called the Law of Moses.
In Genesis 3:16 (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.”
So we see here that this is the command from God that carries over from the law of Moses into the NT.
How?
1 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV)
"But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."
The husband is not to be domineering, controlling, overbearing, and mean spirited.
Ephesians 5:22-33 (NKJV) "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Peter, being a married man has a response to husbands and wives.
1 Peter 3:1-7 (NKJV) "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
Husbands, likewise, 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."
Submission and obedience isn't pleasant to anyone, let alone to women, in particular to wives, but this is the mystery that Paul spoke of. That just as the wife submits to the husband, so the believers in Christ is to be submissive to Christ.
It doesn't mean that you submit to doing stupid things that men demand of wives.
And believe me, SOME men can be stupid.
It doesn't mean that you become blind and without sense. It doesn't mean that you join in committing crimes or making bad decisions. Remember that the Lord made Eve for Adam to be a help to Adam.
You're intelligent to know that when you see something that doesn't make sense, or is against the Word of God, you can't help but speak up.
Because you know that if you don't say something, it's going to be a bad day.
So now that we've established the marriage role of husbands and wives, it doesn't carry over into the role of ministerial offices.
Now remember when Paul said that "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."
The argument from many is that "we're not under the law but we're under grace."
This is in reference to sin not to ministry.
Romans 6:14-15 (NKJV)
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
To establish something that's not in harmony with Scripture, you have to "twist" the Word to make it appear to say something that God never intended. In other words, you have to make your reasoning superior to Scripture. It includes the outright rejection of the authority of Scripture.
So what would be the authority of Scripture for women to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, elders, bishops, or ministers?
Is there any?
In a few places, Paul called himself an apostle. Do we see any such declaration from women in the NT? No we don't.
Remember, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
We dare not say "All Scripture except......"
The one Scripture that many women and untaught men use to justify women in ministry is.......
Galatians 3:26-29 (NKJV) "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
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.
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
However, this is exclusively used about being in the Body of Christ as heirs and not ministers.
This would contradict.........
1 Timothy 2:11-15 (NKJV) "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.
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control."
In other words, the wives have a Scripturally established role given to them by the Lord.
Titus 2:3-5 (NKJV) "...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."
Then you have Paul's qualifications for ministry to overcome.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 (NKJV) "This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife,
temperate,
sober-minded,
of good behavior,
hospitable,
able to teach;
not given to wine,
not violent,
not greedy for money,
but gentle,
not quarrelsome,
not covetous;
one who rules his own house well,
having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
not a novice,
lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."
And..........
Titus 1:5-9 (NKJV) "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
if a man is blameless,
the husband of one wife,
having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
For a bishop must be blameless,
as a steward of God,
not self-willed,
not quick-tempered,
not given to wine,
not violent,
not greedy for money,
but hospitable,
a lover of what is good,
sober-minded,
just, holy,
self-controlled,
holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict."
Notice that Paul never gave qualifications for women to be in ministry.
So what are women allowed to do in an assembly?
Romans 12:3-8 (NKJV) "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."
Could women meet or have meetings with women only?
ABSOLUTELY.
But according to Scripture, they're not to teach or to have authority over men.
In other words, to avoid violating 1 Timothy 2:11, the men mustn't be present to receive ministry in a women's only assembly.
Let's look at how women participated in the assembly but never claimed a title of ministry or exercised authority over men.
Acts 17:1-4 (NKJV) "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas."
Acts 17:11-12 (NKJV) "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men."
Acts 16:11-15 (NKJV) "Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony.
And we were staying in that city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God.
The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us."
Acts 21:7-9 (NKJV) "And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.
On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied."
This is a fulfillment of.....
Acts 2:16-18 (NKJV) "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy."
Romans 16:1-2 (NKJV) "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also."
Were Aquila and Priscilla pastors?
Romans 16:3-5 (NKJV) "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house."
1 Corinthians 16:19 (NKJV) "The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house."
Many have used these Scriptures to speculate but these verses never definitively stated that they were pastors or co-pastors.
There's a danger in this kind of speculation.
Paul would be contradicting himself or making an exception if he allowed Priscilla to be a pastor. The Scriptures that's inspired by God never contradicts itself.
Just because you have a church in your house, it doesn't make the wife a pastor or a co-pastor.
Remember, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Women could share Christ in personal evangelism. Women could share personal encouragement and prayer for men and women. Women could sing and pray.
1 Timothy 2:8-10 (NKJV) I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."
This is perfectly NT and Scriptural.
If we acknowledge the Scriptures, we have to also acknowledge and teach from ALL of the Scriptures and not avoid the ones we know would expose our error.
Comments