What is the biblical teaching on women being ordained as officers of the
church?
The battle of the sexes in
marriage, in church leadership, and in society is a direct result of sin, the
curse God put on Adam and Eve, and all of humanity after they rebelled,
disobeyed God and sinned for the first time in the Garden of Eden. God told Eve; “…Yet your desire will be for
your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16b) A deeper study of this passage conveys a struggle
for power will be a battle between men and women as a result of the Fall. John MacArthur says;
“Eve
resisted her husband's headship originally. She sinned, she led him to do her
will, right? Essentially. She convinced Adam to do what she wanted him to do,
eat the fruit. God wanted them not to do it, she wanted him to do it. She took
the lead. She convinced him to do it. She usurped authority, she took the place
of leadership. He submitted to her and he was therefore sentenced to have to
deal with such rebellion on a permanent basis. The wife then seeks control. She
seeks to have her way what she wants when she wants it. The husband resists and
tries to maintain his control and that, of course, is not always balanced, it's
not always loving, it's not always kind. And therein lies the conflict of marriage
that is so universal. Man no longer has harmony in the home. She no longer
follows graciously.”1
So from the first occurrence of sin
began an authority issue, because we became selfishly driven and unwilling to
yield; to God or to anyone else. It’s
not surprising that this has become a church issue also.
The bible is clear in teaching;
“…I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to
remain quiet.” (1 Timothy 2:12) This is
God’s authoritative Word on the issue.
This does not mean women are inferior (Galatians 3:26), or men are to
lord their authority over women. He
designed the sexes for specific roles because He is loving, and wise. His organization for marriage, the home, and
the church is a healthy, positive structure.
The requirements for pastors and
deacons in Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9) all clearly state that
this role is for men only. “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man
aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An
overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,
temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…” (1 Timothy
3:1,2) Having a woman in this position
defies Scripture, it’s wrong, and puts the female pastor and the whole
congregation in opposition to God and His Word.
Women are vital in the church,
there is much they can do, and unique ways they can serve the body of
believers. “Older women likewise are to
be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine,
teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to
love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject
to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” (Titus 2:3-5)
Women are able to teach, not in the context of church leadership but to
children as Sunday School teachers, to other women, in formal teaching
opportunities and in life by example, counsel, and through family life by
blood, and in Christ (church family) passing on knowledge and wisdom from one
generation to the next.
This male headship model for the
home and church are designed by God in love to provide stability, and a
structure that glorifies God and illustrates Christ’s leadership for the
church. “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of
the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23) God’s standard in this area needs to
recognized, respected, and obeyed, otherwise a church cannot run biblically.
1http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-244/the-curse-on-the-woman-part-2
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