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To everyone, including myself.

Colossians 4:6

King James Version (KJV)


Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

(2) A woman will fulfill her ministry in the church when she operates in the sphere which God has ordained for her. The primary sphere for the woman which God has ordained is the home. Now I know that some wives are better mechanics than their husbands, and that some husbands are better cooks than their wives. But this does not do away with the fact that God has ordained the home as the primary sphere of the woman. It should not be necessary to document this, but I think perhaps I should. In his instructions to Timothy, Paul has this word concerning young widows: “Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach” (1 Tim. 5:14). Notice these women are told to keep house. We find a similar expression in Paul’s letter to Titus where the older women are to teach the younger women to: “… love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored” (Titus 2:4b-5).

If there were ever a picture of the fully ‘liberated woman’ it is that drawn for us in Proverbs chapter 31. It is obvious that this woman is given a great deal of latitude and responsibility by her husband, but it is also clear that the central base of operations is the home. This is the sphere which God has appointed for the woman. The home and its related responsibilities are even the central thrust of the ministry of the woman who is more mature and perhaps gifted to teach. We just read the portion of Scripture from Titus 2:4-5 where the older women are to teach the younger women to be good wives and mothers, and housekeepers. It is a sad thing when young girls are raised in Christian homes which teach them to disdain the womanly arts of food preparation, sewing, and rearing children. There is a desperate need for this kind of ministry today as many young mothers did not have the opportunity to observe their mothers being housewives, because they were out working to support the family.

Now I can hear some of those single or divorced women saying, “But what about me? I’m not married. What can I do?” My answer, in short, is this, do what you see the godly women doing in the New Testament. In the New Testament we are taught and shown by example that we have an obligation to those who are orphans and widows, to those who are sick and destitute. Although Timothy is instructed to teach the older and younger men, and the older women, he is not told to teach the younger women (Titus 2:1-8). Women can surely minister more effectively to other women. Notice with me the requirements which Paul sets down for the widow who is to be put on the role of those who are regularly supported by the church: “Having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work” (1 Tim. 5:10).

In Acts chapter nine we are told of Dorcas, who worked with the widows making garments, I would assume for use either by the needy or by those who ministered in the church.

Conclusion

According to the New Testament women cannot be leaders in the church, but they can help their husbands lead. Women should concentrate their efforts in the sphere of the home, and they should concentrate in the areas of ministry and service to others. Fulfillment is knowing your assigned role and then doing it to the glory of God. May God raise up godly women who will minister to and through their husbands, young women who will minister to those in need, older women who will minister to younger women, teaching them to be godly women and wives and mothers.

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18 Ralph H. Didier, “Paul’s Views on Women,” The Presbyterian Journal, 12-4-74, p. 7.

19 William O. Walker, “1 Cor. 11:2-16 and Paul’s View of Women,” Journal of Biblical Literature, March, 1975, pp. 94-110.

20 Ibid., p. 109.

21 Wayne A. Meeks, The Writings of St. Paul: A Critical Edition (New York: Norton, 1972), p. 38.

22 “Paul seems to have been an impetuous, gutsy, sometimes cranky guy.” Joyce Erickson, “A Biblical View of Women,” Seattle Pacific College Alumni Magazine, Autumn, 1974, p. 1.

23 Richard C. Devor, “When We’re Blindsighted by the Gospel,” Encounter, Autumn, 1974, p. 368f.

24 Ibid., p. 381.

25 Cited from a review of “Man as Male and Female,” by Patricia Gundry, Moody Month, October, 1975, p. 36.

26 Gary North, “The Covering FOR the Woman’s HEAD: Another View,” The Banner of Truth, October, 1971, p. 26.

27 The source information on the first sentence in this quote is unavailable.

28 William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, [revised edition], 1976), p. 168.

29 Linda Sellevaag, “Jesus and Women,” HIS, May ’73, p. 10.

30 Elisabeth Elliot Leitch, “A Christian View of Women’s Liberation,” Interest, November, 1975, p. 5.

31 Ibid., p. 4.

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Zechariah 12:3,9:
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
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Steven

Good one Bob,
But let us consider what Jesus had to say to the Pharisee....ye vipers, ye white washed tombs, who consider the outside of the cup while the inside is filthy. You serpents who are of your father the devil, who won't enter into the Kingdom yourself and prevent others from doing so.

It is not okay to just dismiss the Truth. That is the whole problem with our pastors and preachers and modern day lukewarm churches. We must look inside ourselves and deal with our own spiritual messes before we point fingers at others and tell them to just behave like a Christian, and the rest will come. Are you into the fake it until you make it crowd? What was being pointed out in Arlene's article was the truth about what is inside of us all...male or female...it was not about our roles in the Church, the literal church, it was about our roles as saved souls in the Body of Christ. That should not have been difficult to see, if you really read what she had to say.

One thing I will say that is really positive about women, they sure seem to be able to SPIRITUALLY DISCERN MATTERS MUCH BETTER THAN MEN. I would love to meet a man who really takes His role in the Church as SPIRITUAL LEADER, seriously and stops with everything being materially based. Where are these men? It would surely be nice to happen upon one.

Please forgive me, but I am shocked by how this subject got so far removed from its original topic, which had nothing to do with Churches or husbands and wives, but did have to do with looking at the inside of one's cup, not just polishing the outside!!

Praise the Lord!

Patti C.

Hi Bob,

Excellent comment and post!


Hi Patti,

I'm sorry to see this comment since Bob was doing all he could to keep peace and be a peacemaker.

Yes, we all know that MEN and WOMEN have made errors in interpreting scripture and yes Jesus did let the Pharisees have it, but Jesus also gave GRACE to the HUMBLE and JESUS did resist the proud.

Thanks Bob, for your effort to keep peace without insulting anyone or anybody.

Also for trying to let the WORD of God instruct us.

God Bless

Steven