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)
|