These are last days. Within Christian world and outside, an indecent

struggle has begun advocating equal rights for women. These days, women

compete with men on equal terms in all fields. This movement has also

entered the ecclesiastical area. We hear that in some Christian

assemblies which do not hold the scriptures as their book of law, women

become leaders of churches. The question is not whether women can sing,

pray, conduct Sunday classes or speak in assemblies of women. At

appropriate places and times, depending on their talents, they can

perform any of the above ministries and rejoice in the Lord. Our

question is whether they can be bishops, evangelists, leaders or

ministers in a church. What does the Bible say on this?

Though the Bible is written by more than 40 devotees over a period of

1600 years, in between its two covers, it remains a single book. It

contains a divine message which is non-contradictory and harmonious by

itself. It is humanly impossible to imagine that this book could have

been authored by someone other than the Spirit of God. The Bible does

not contradict by itself though in their efforts to understand the will

of God, humans may contradict one another. The Bible does not

contradict itself. The question is what the Bible has to say of the

ministry of women.What is the true relationship between man and woman?

What does the New Testament say about this? It is not our aim to

disregard any portion of the scriptures by explaining it away. Whatever

be the subject, it is the conclusion of the teachings given by the

scriptures that sets at rest all forms of difference of opinions. Where

Scriptures speak, we too speak and where the Scriptures are silent, we

too remain silent.

The Lord God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness". He

created them male and female (Gen. 1:26-27). God said, "It is not good

for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him". So the

Lord caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping,

He took one of his ribs and made a woman out of it and He brought her to

the man. She became his wife (Gen. 2:21-24).

As mentioned in the above Scriptural verses, both male and female

are made of the same nature with similar racial make-up but with different

sexual characteristics and some associated special attributes. Both are

friendly and capable of making each other whole by fulfilling the needs

of one another. As they are having similar characteristics, male and

female are generally alike in many qualities. But in accordance with

their sexual differences, each sex has different but complementary

structure in body, mind and virtue. Generally women are smaller and

weaker than men. Female body is more delicate and sensitive than male

body in structure. Consequently unlike man, women are generally unable

to carry the social burden or withstand adverse reception in large

gatherings. There could be exceptions. As far as body is concerned, man

is the guard for woman. He is strong in body and can labor hard. The

woman who is a weak vessel, needs protection. On the intellectual

front, man and woman may be equal though not fully so. We see

intellectual strength being predominant in men and emotional

characteristics predominant among women. Therefore men are suitable for

calm and objective analysis of facts and to arrive at unbiased judgment.

Women are suitable in positions which call for showing compassion to

human society. In dispensation of justice men are more suitable than

women. To care for the sick and to minister to the suffering people, by

nature, women are better suited than men. On the social front, both men

and women are doubtless same. People of other religions have treated

women as slaves though this state of affairs is slowly changing. In

their designated area Christianity places women on equal footing with

men. Commenting on the social structure and rights, the Bible says,

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for

you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). Woman is the centre of

attraction and beauty of the society. This is accepted as the place of

women in the society wherein their talents glow with radiance.

Women are more easily affected than men on moral qualities. They

can rise to exceptional levels of morality and purity or can plunge into

the abyss of immorality and cruelty. History proves this. If women

nurture their natural characteristics, they can become another Sarah,

Hannah, Elizabeth or Mary. Otherwise they can become another Delilah,

Jezebel, Athaliah or Herodias. The natural characteristics of women such

as shyness, fear and innocence help them to be more pious than men. Thus

they are more expressive in displaying godliness, respect and worship

than men. In authority and governance, women should submit themselves to

men. This is not suppression but a necessity for discipline and good

governance. God told Eve, "Your desire will be for your husband, and he

will rule over you" (Gen. 3:16). This does not mean that man should

ill-treat woman or be cruel to her. But governance is within the scope

of husband's responsibility. Wife should be submissive to her husband.

Abraham governed his wife and his household righteously. Sarah too was

obedient to her husband calling him, her Lord. The Bible calls such

women who respect and obey their husbands as daughters of Sarah (I Pet. 3:6). It is explicit in the writings of Apostle Peter and John that

husband enjoys superior authority and that wife should be submissive to

him (Eph. 5:22-23; Col. 3:18-19; I Tim. 3:9-15; I Pet. 3:1-7).

Neither is this an outdated doctrine as some might imagine nor has this

been annulled but will last till the end of this world. This is also

very useful to the present times. Both husband and wife will be good

models to the world, to the extent, this law is followed by them in

letter and spirit. Their family life will then be one of great joy. To

practice this teaching that wife should be submissive to her husband is

essential for peace, morality and the well-being of the church and the

society. Let us also compare both sexes on their respective qualities.

It should not be said that one sex is greater than the other. Each sex

has what the other sex does not have. One fulfills the deficiency of the

other. One is made complete by the other. In none of the attributes both

are alike. The perfect happiness of both depends on asking and receiving

of one from the other. This kind of asking and receiving can happen only

between one another. Man's energy is active with capacity for

advancement and self-protection. Man is superior in implementation,

creation, invention and protection. His intellect probes deeper and

deeper and invents new things. His energy accomplishes acts of valor.

If war is the only prudent course of action, it will wage war and emerge

victorious. But the energy of a woman is not meant for war but is meant

to be ruled. Her intellect is not to discover or create but to issue

pleasant commands, to arrange and to plan. Therefore the exalted status

of woman is in taking up maternal responsibility (motherhood).

Many people contemplate creating job opportunities for women in

order to elevate them. If there is anything worthwhile for them to do, it

is to set the thoughts of women towards the responsibility of family life

as determined by God and nature. Though it is good to open up fresh

avenues for women to enable them advance in this vast world by taking up

profitable enterprises, the first and foremost job for them is to create

and maintain the family which is the most noble and sublime duty.

Nothing in this world is comparable to the artistic creation of a

blemishless and complete family. A woman should accept that taking up

the responsibility of teaching and guiding a family is the most noble

task in her family life. Woman's education should be programmed

appropriately to equip her for this task. Women are suited in the

structure of their body, mental and emotional make-up for taking up

this responsibility. For a good family life, they should be persuaded to

do their duty in accordance with the word of God.

On the contrary, these days as sales trick, women are employed as

sales staff in commercial establishments to attract people. Everywhere

there are women, even in police field. However for their own protection,

they need men. It is a sorry state of affairs that women have become

objects of merchandise because of their greed for money. May God bless

them to build their homes like Rachel and Leah whom God used to build the

house of Israel!

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some

evangelists and some pastors and teachers for equipping of the saints

for the works of ministry, for the edifying of the body of the Christ,

till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son

of God to be a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the

fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-13). "And God has appointed these in the

church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that

miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of

tongues" (I Cor. 12:28). A man desiring the position of a bishop,

desires a good work. A bishop must then be blameless, the husband of one

wife" (I Tim. 3:1-4; Titus 1:5-9). "Deacons, likewise, are to be men

worthy of respect. In the same way their wives are to be women worthy of

respect" (I Tim. 3:8-13). Among the apostles, among the officers of

authority in the church,and in the spiritual kingdom of God, there had

been no woman. "In the church that was at Antioch there were certain

prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of

Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and

Saul" (Act 13:1). There was no account of any woman being prophet or

teacher. There was no woman as preacher or prophetess. We read in Act 6:1-7, that seven deacons were appointed among whom Stephen was one.

Similarly in order to strengthen the churches, the early church sent

only the prophets Judas and Silas to accompany the apostles. No woman

was sent (Act 15:22-35). The bishops Timothy and Titus too were men.

In churches, even in the positions of elders, there were no women.

There were only men occupying the positions of elders and not any woman

(Act 20:17-35). Ap. Peter writes, "To the elders among you, I appeal as

a fellow elder" (I Pet. 5:1-5).What is the reason? We will see it

later. Notwithstanding being an elder, can a woman do the evangelical

ministry in the church? From the works of evangelists like Philip,

Timothy and Titus we come to know of the nature of the ministry of

evangelists. Their main responsibility is to preach the gospel to people

and turn them over to Christianity. Another responsibility is to gather

the disciples in a particular place and establish them as a church. If

it were so, the responsibilities of evangelists include educating the

members of the church in their responsibilities and the regulations of

the church, appointing and training workers and pastors for the church,

setting right the ungodly ways, warning the ministers and generally

correcting their drawbacks and preparing them to perform the ministry in

a systematic and disciplined manner, filled with the power of the Holy

Spirit. Besides the above functions, can a woman do the ministry in the

capacity of a pastor? Elders are also known as pastors (overseers,

shepherds) (Act 20:17,28). The Bible stipulates that an elder should be

the "husband of one wife" (I Tim. 3:15; Titus 1:5-6). Can a woman be the

husband of one wife? It is not possible.

Now let us come to the conclusion. Can women be the authorized and

elected pastors, overseers and evangelists of the church? Can they be

sent into the world to preach the gospel, to impart doctrines to those

who repented, to listen to their confessions and baptize them, to

establish the churches, and to teach and lead the church from the row

of ministers? This had been likened to women playing volleyball with men

according to a revelation given by the Lord. Unless the word of God is

forsaken, a woman can not be a teacher, pastor, evangelist, ruler,

leader, speaker or prophet. The place and duty of women in the church of

our Lord are as below: In the church women can pray, sing, prophesy and

testify. But they have no right to teach or rule. The Bible says so (I

Cor. 14:34; I Tim. 2:11-12). Similarly women like Priscilla, Apphia,

Phebe, Persis, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Syntyche and Euodia ministered in the

church of the New Testament by offering their assistance. But they did

their ministry by doing the work allotted to them within the

regulations. Many among them were jointly ministering with their

husbands. Similarly the women mentioned in connection with ministry were

wives of the deacons (I Tim. 3:11).

In the church and related organisations, women can do the ministries such as conducting Sunday classes, ministering among women and children,

helping the sick, cooking etc. The primary place of a woman is to build

her home. She has the great responsibility of giving birth to godly

children, bringing them up in the ways of the Lord and moulding them as

renowned members of the church and the world. If a woman wants, she can

become like Sarah the mother of Isaac, or Jochebed the mother of Moses,

or Hannah the mother of Samuel or Mary the mother of Jesus. The most

appropriate and important duty of a woman is to be a truthful wife and

build her home. If she does like this she would fulfill the aim for

which she was created (Ruth 4:11). Amen! Even if she fails to do so, it

is good for her at least to avoid being deceived by satan by intervening

in unnecessary affairs. Some unmanly ministers encourage and support

women by training them in ministry and teaching them to preach. They

have begun to serve women and place them in prominent positions as if

there is dearth of men. Some old ministers get women to sing, preach

from the stage and seat them in the ministerial row (women sitting with

men in the row of ministers). This is a matter of shame to Christianity

itself.

As mentioned earlier, the Lord has revealed to us that this is like

women and men playing volleyball together. As some males have projected

them to the front in this manner, they are emboldened to issue highly

critical statements against men. This state of affairs is brought about

by ministers who have no clear knowledge about Scriptures. They invite

women to the stage and show them off. Quoting the example of God

speaking through a donkey as the male minister failed to do the will of

God, they give various reasons such as God uses women as His instruments

and through them performs miracles and saves thousands of people. By

acting contrary to the will and word of God, though signs and miracles

are performed and thousands of people were blessed, we will not accept

that as the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. In course of their

journey through the desert, Israelites were left with no water to drink.

Demanding water, the people quarreled with Moses. The Lord told Moses,

"Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile and go ahead

of the people. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.

Strike the rock and the water will come out of it for the people to

drink". Moses did likewise and water gushed forth to quench the thirst

of the people. This happened at Rephidim. That place was called Massah

and Meribah (Ex. 17:1-7). Another time in course of their journey,

when the Israelites were camping at Kadesh, again they lacked water and

quarreled with Moses and Aaron. The Lord told Moses, "Take the staff,

and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together, speak to

that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water". Moses

struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out and the community

and their livestock could quench their thirst. However Moses and Aaron

were held guilty. God rebuked them for having failed to uphold his

holiness in their lack of trust in God and decreed that they would not

lead the congregation into the land of Canaan (Num. 20:1-12).

Jesus Christ the rock can be struck only once. It is not necessary for

Him to be sacrificed again. As Moses modified the word of God slightly,

he lost the privilege of entering Canaan. Just because blessings are

abound through the ministry of women, it is not necessary that it shall

be accepted as the will of God. What is important is the fulfillment of

the word of God and His will. "I will worship toward Your holy temple,

and praise Your name, for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You

have magnified Your word above all Your name" (Ps. 138:2).

We have given some reasons as to why women should not become teachers,

bishops and popes. Further reasons are:

1. At the beginning of creation of world, God created various animals

and birds in pairs though woman was not created that way.

2. God created Adam directly from the dust of the ground. However, Eve

was made from one of the ribs of Adam (Gen. 2:21-22)

3. The curse pronounced on Eve is still not annulled. "In pain you

shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and

he shall rule over you" (Gen. 3:16)

4. Woman was the first to bring sin into humanity by transgressing the

commandment of God and to become a slave to satan (Gen. 3:1-16)

5. Woman gave the forbidden fruit to her husband and made him also a

sinner (Gen. 3:6).

6. Woman does not enjoy separate right. A woman's word can be approved

or annulled by man (Num. 30:3-16).

7. Among the two who stood against the will of God, only the woman was

subjected to severe punishment, having been afflicted by leprosy and

thus she earned her reward for competing with men (Num.12:1-10).

8. There are regular periods for a woman which at times may last

longer, when she has to keep away (Lev. 15:25; Luke 8:43).

9. When the census of the children of God was taken the number of women

members was not indicated in the Scriptures (Ex. 38:25-26; Num. 1:20-41;

Mat; John 6:10)

10. Among the saints who were taken to heaven bodily, not a single

woman could be found. All were men (Enoch, Elijah, Our Lord).

11. In the ministry of Lord, there was no provision for women to

perform priestly duties.

12. In the new testament, our Lord Jesus Christ did not choose a single

woman to be with Him (Mat. 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)

13. The Lord sent seventy persons, two by two, for His ministry but

among whom no woman was sent (Luke 10:1-20).

14. When the Lord established the new covenant, He did not invite a

single woman to take part (Luke 22:14-20).

15. In the early church, while seven deacons were appointed, God did not

allow even a single woman to be considered (Act 6:1-7)

16. After His resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ commanded only the

apostles (men) to preach about Himself, to build the church and to

commit the souls to the Lord. He did not grant this authority to any

woman (Acts. 1:1-3, 10:40-42)

17. When apostle Paul was writing the doctrine to prove the resurrection

of our Lord Jesus Christ he mentioned only "that Christ died for our

sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised

on the third day according to the Scriptures and that He appeared to

Peter and then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five

hundred of the brothers at the same time" (I Cor. 15:1-5).There was no

mention about His appearance to women, because that was about doctrine.

We are all aware that He first appeared to the women after His

resurrection.

18.The Scripture says, "One man among the thousand I have found, but a

woman among all these I have not found" (Ecclesiastes. 7:28).

19. A woman should cover her head (I Cor. 11:5).

20. Woman is the weaker vessel (I Pet. 3:7).

21. Women should be submissive to their own husbands (I Pet. 3:5-6).

22. Women should not have authority over men (Gen. 3:16; I Tim. 2:12).

23. Women should not teach men (I Tim. 2:12).

24. Women should remain silent in the churches (I Cor. 14:34).

25. Only women were mentioned to have been "always learning but never

able to acknowledge the truth" (II Tim. 3:7).

26. Man is not created for woman. It was woman who was created for and

from man (I Cor. 11:8-9).

27. Among the 66 books of the Bible, God did not allow a single book to

be written by women. See: "...No prophecy of Scriptures is of any

private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but

holy men (NOT WOMEN) of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit"

(II Pet. 1:20-21).

28. In the church that was at Antioch wherein the first batch of

missionaries were ordained and sent, there were certain prophets and

teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,

Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrach and Saul (Act

13:1). In the church of the New Testament, there was no woman teacher or

prophetess (Acts. 11:27-28, 13:1, 15:32, 21:10-11).

29. Every man should be master in his own house (Esther 1:22).

30. Though women prophesied, whether what they said were fulfilled was

not mentioned in the Scriptures. When apostle Paul was staying at the

house of Philip, the Holy Spirit did not use women to counsel him.

Prophet Agabus came and foretold of what was going to happen to the

apostle and it happened so (Acts. 21:7-40). In the same place it was also

mentioned that at the house of Philip the evangelist, he had four

daughters who prophesied but the Holy Spirit did not use them to counsel

the apostle. When filled with the Spirit, any one can prophesy. But not

all those who prophesy are prophets. In the Scriptures, it is mentioned

that in the church of the New Testament there were prophets but there

is no mention of prophetesses. In the building of the church, Scripture

only says that "You have been built on the foundation of the apostles

and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone"

(Eph. 2:20). Scriptures do not mention of "apostles and prophetesses".

If you are the true church, you would obey Christ the bridegroom, though

false churches would not obey.

The type of ministry performed by women was also recorded in the

Scriptures. Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron took the timbrel

in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with

dances" (Ex. 15:20-21). They performed some services related to the

tabernacle (Ex. 35:25-26). There were women who followed our Lord and

His disciples and ministered with their wealth (Luke 8:2-3). The word of

God has life and is sharper than any double edged sword. Carnal minded

people distort them. They vote and elect women as bishops. They too

claim to be the true church. The churches without apostles do not have

apostolic doctrine. In the verses such as Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:10-11; I

Cor. 7:3; 11:8, the apostle means only that in the sight of God all

believers are alike and there is no difference between them in

conforming to the image of God. Here he refers only to their spiritual

privileges but does not mean that man and woman are equal nor does he

mean that they enjoy equal rights. "Now I want you to realize that the

head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is man, and the

head of Christ is God" (I Cor. 11:3)(NIV). "If anybody thinks he is a

prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am

writing to you is the Lord's command" (I Cor. 14:37). Therefore, Children

of God, come out of the disgrace and curse of being ruled by women!

The prophet had written well, "And in that day seven women shall take

hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread, and wear our own

apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach"

(Isa. 4:1)(KJV). These false churches do not need the food and cloth

offered by Jesus Christ, the bridegroom! They act according to their own

counsels and adorn themselves with their self-righteousness. They keep

the name of Jesus Christ just to take away their disgrace! It had been

prophesied that in the same way, the false churches too would just keep

Christ's name but forsake His word. This is being fulfilled in fake

churches. We shall however hold on to the Holy Scriptures and glow like

lights. Whatever we do we shall do in accordance with the will of God

and His word. Let us be ruled by the word of Christ and His will rather

than by women!

The reason for the raging controversies in the present day Christian

community is the absence of apostle! God gives apostle only to the true

church (I Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11-13). God raises the church only by the

true apostle. In the true church everything will be proper. Don't place

woman in the position of man and man in the position of woman. Behold

the Lord comes!

The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (Rev. 17:15)(KJV)