Women in Gods Church

Published by kevin on

Lovingly prepared by Sister Jane Farrer

For the Sisters in the Lord

Introduction.

I have been a Christian for 20 years, but have not heard one sermon on the role of women in the church preached from the pulpit. I truly believe this subject has been greatly neglected and the church is reaping the consequences of this omission. The majority of Christian women do not know what their God-appointed place is in the body of Christ and are trying to “reinvent the wheel”, while coming up with unbiblical answers to their questions. Women have pushed their way to take such ecclesiastical positions as pastor, deacon, teacher of the Bible and Theology, TV evangelists and very few are questioning if this is at all Biblical. This has become mainstream.

Just as the spiritual downfall for the world came through a woman and her weakness, which is the natural inclination toward deception, the downfall for the church is coming through feminine deception too. The women lead the weak men into deception again, by usurping the ecclesiastical authority and positions that were never meant to be theirs in the first place. Who will rise up and clear out the confusion?

Let us take a look at what God says the role of a woman in the body of Christ should be. And if you are interested in exploring this subject further, I invite you to join me on my video series “The Role and Ministry of  Women In The Church.’’, which may be found on the “Jane Farrer’’ you-tube channel.

Laying The Foundation.

Before we proceed, it is crucial for us to lay the Biblical foundation for understanding the effects of the fall on the position of a woman, and clearly understand the chain of command that God has decreed for women to be under. Christ and the apostles based their gender related teachings on the Genesis account of creation. It is impossible to understand the NT teaching on women and men, without going back to the roots – the creation account of Adam and Eve. The key to understanding the role of a woman lies in Genesis.

God made Adam first to be the central character of His creation, everything else, including Eve, had a supporting role (Genesis 2). Who would argue with the fact that a woman was created for a man? (Gen 2:22). She found her source in him. (I Cor. 11:8. ). She was created for him. (1 Cor.11:9), because God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. (Gen.2:18). God’s goal in creating a woman was to provide a helper for Adam. (Gen. 2:18). Her role is defined in terms of Adam’s role. Adam and Eve were pure, equal and unashamed. Both sexes individually bare God’s image and are equal in dignity, value and being.

As Eve, being deceived lead her husband in direct rebellion against God’s clearly revealed command (Gen.3:6),  sin and corruption entered the world and corrupted the human nature. This gave birth to the battle of the sexes.  The first woman’s nature was  “injected” with the poison of the desire for the Devil promised wisdom and to be like God. (Gen.3:5). She embraced the demonic lie and the Scripture shines the light on the reason why. She was deceived, lead into error and delusion. (1 Tim.2:14). The corruptive effects of this fall are still present in every woman in the world. Even Christian, born again women still suffer from the effects of that fall as evidenced in their inclination toward sin and a desire to seek the spiritual knowledge that Satan has promised. Every woman is still effected by the desire to ,,lead ,, her husband and men in general and to seek the positions off preeminence in the society and the church.  The effects of this desire are as deadly as the one that took place in the garden. The effects are corruption, death and deception.  The desire for  “spiritual knowledge” that Satan has promised, the desire for independence from a husband and seeking your  own spiritual path , if not submitted to Christ , will bring a downfall.

Understanding The Position of a Woman.

Precisely because a woman was deceived first, and has a natural inclination towards deception, she needs a special covering, somebody to “rule”, which means have dominion  and reign  over her. (Gen 3:16). That “covering”  is her husband. God has established a chain of command for the good of a man and a woman, and a woman was given a “head”, which is her husband, that God commands her to submit to (Eph. 5:22-23). A woman’s husband is her spiritual head and the one she is to follow to avoid falling into deception and transgression. How wise and merciful God is to provide this covering and protection! Without this “covering” the woman is vulnerable and is easily deceived.

Understanding the Position of a Woman in A  Church.

The position and a role of a woman in the church are directly related to and dictated by her position in the chain of command and propensity toward deception.

1 Tim .2:11-14 and in 1 Cor. 14:34-35 state:

“Let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection. But I do not allow 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”.

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.’’

Women in the church are expected to:

  1. Put themselves under subjection to their husbands. Daughters come under the patriarchal authority.
  2. They are expected to learn and be in science with all subjection.
  3. A woman is not allowed to teach or usurp authority over a man.
  4. They keep silent in the churches and are NOT given permission or allowed to speak.
  5. For a woman to speak publicly in the church is dishonorable.
  6. Husbands are expected to teach their wives at home.

Women in the church are not “entrusted” with any speaking and teaching duties, as pastors and teachers do. In fact, when they cross this line, they bring shame upon themselves and their husbands.

Note also, that the standards for pastors apply strictly to men only. Only a man can be the “husband of one wife” and can “rule his own house well” (1 Tim. 3:2,4; Titus 1:6). Only a man can be a ,,ruler,, of the house. This fact nullifies the possibility for women to be pastors. Paul clearly says that his instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 are the commandments of the Lord (v. 37). As such they must be obeyed by all Christians and by every church down the history lane. Women who disobey these commandments are in direct disobedience to the Word of God. We also see in 1 Timothy 3 :15 the Apostle gives the very same instructions concerning women, and this epistle was said to have been written to teach the proper order for churches in general.

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”

The things contained in 1 Timothy are general      instructions about church order to be obeyed by all churches in every century; and it is in this book, the book which contains standards for church leadership that God has forbidden women to take authority over men by directly teaching them the Bible. They are not permitted to domineer, govern, have mastery over, direct or admonish men in the church. They cannot self appoint themselves as teachers and act in an autocratic way without submission and guidance. It is not their place to teach, lead or govern the congregation.

“A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.  For Adam was formed first, and then Eve.…’’ 1 Tim. 2: 11 -13

God is absolutely clear on what ministry He desires women to be involved in in his church.  There is no need to reinvent the wheal! He are the ministries He want the women to be involved into:

  1. Ministering to other women in need.

Just like Dorcas did in Acts 9, through her kind, charitable works toward widows.

  1. Prayer and fasting ministry.

Just like Anna the prophetess did by her faithful fasts and prayers daily.

3.Radical Hospitality ministry.

Just like Martha did by graciously opening her home and sacrificially serving a great meal to Jesus and his hungry disciples.

  1. Financially supporting the church.

Just like Joanna, Susanna, Salome and  Mary and Joses  did….Luke tells us that several women who had been healed helped support Jesus “out of their own means” (Luke 8:3). These included “Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. Although they were probably involved in meal preparation, Luke stresses that their most significant role was to pay the bills.

Matt. 27:55-56 also mentions that “many  women…had followed Jesus from Galilee to care financially for the demanding needs of Jesus’s ministry. Among them were such faithful women as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons” (Salome).

  1. Ministering to women in crisis.

Crisis pregnancy centers and homeless women shelters are an amazing way for the women of God to minister through. Just as Mary desperately needed Elizabeth during the most trying time of her life/Luke 1:39-56/ , many women are searching for hope and support in other women during their crisis.

Pregnancy and child loss create amazing opportunities for women of God to minister healing, hope and restoration to the broken women who are desperately searching for answers.  Sadly, this ministry is overlooked and underestimated.

  1. Discipling younger women in the church.

According to Titus 2:4,5 older, mature in the faith women are responsible for teaching the younger women these “good things” things:

  • To be sober.
  • To love their husbands.
  • To love their children.
  • To be discreet.
  • To be chaste.
  • To be keepers at home.

Failure in the success of this ministry results in the blaspheming of God’s Word.

  1. Evangelistic Ministry and Missions.

Just as the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:39 was a first woman evangelist, women in the church are called to share their faith and be the witnesses of Christ’s redemptive work in their lives. They are called to be  “the light of the world” .

Indeed there are so many opportunities for the women of God to beautify themselves with good works. (1 Tim. 2:9-10).  I pray that you would “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’’ Matt.5:16.

I invite you to join me for my video series “The Role and Ministry of  Women In The Church.’’ on my you-tube channel “Jane Farrer” . There I go even deeper in exploring this amazing subject.


1 Comment

Pam Mullen · April 6, 2019 at 10:34 pm

Sister Jane, this is a true and powerful message that not many women receive. It blessed me. My husband is Jeff Mullen, whom your husband met in Florida back in February. Finding your blog and videos blesses me. I will not share on Facebook however, unless you give me permission. But, I have privately shared this message to a few Sisters in Christ. Blessings, in Christ Jesus, Sis Pam Mullen : )

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