Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach? C

Individualism has so perverted the culture and the culture has so perverted the church that the churches are increasingly rejecting the will and command of the more when the word of God is so crystal clear rights.

It's no surprise that women would take on the traditionally male role of church pastor. They might argue why should an intelligent, articulate woman be kept out of the pulpit shouldn't knowledge of the Bible and the ability to communicate biblical truth be the only qualification for someone to lead a congregation. John MacArthur considers those questions today as he delivers a message. He recently preached at his home church titled, does the Bible permit a woman to preach and with that message. Now here's John go back to first Timothy two. So women are called immodesty discretion good works.

Godliness and what is that look like it means that they quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness entire submissiveness, but I do not allow woman to teach or exercise authority over a man to remain quiet. That is so absolute it's unbending, no preaching, no teaching, no leading position in the church say will this again this is quirky Paul is this just fall no.

But in verse 13.

This was designed by God, for it was Adam who was first created and then Eve.

This is the divine order was Adam who was first created and then Eve. God created Adam, he was alone. He took a rib out of Adam. He made a woman and the woman was to be Adams helper but not only was this God's creative design.

It was basically affirmed in the fall. Verse 14, it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. This is a very severe warning very severe warning, a woman out from under the protection of her head is vulnerable because of typical women's sensibilities, passions and compassion because of their tendencies toward kindness and mercy and care they become more vulnerable when unprotected.

That is, that is a reality today that is in no short supply being exhibited by the fast number of women running around single who have neither a father nor a husband to protect them from deception, but the role of women in this authority submission partnership was designed by God in creation and confirmed in the fall.

What happened was he got out from under the protection of Adam. She was vulnerable. She was deceived and Adam was not deceived. He basically ate willingly.

Why she said because she was deceived by Satan. He sin because he couldn't live without her. You understand that she had become everything to him and when the roles are reversed, the women are deceived bad things happen. The men are made week. Worse things happen. The whole human race went down with Adam tamper with this order. Chaos is unending. So where does that leave women for the men are in charge of everything.

Where does that leave us verse 15 first Timothy 215, but women will be in the Greek verb dear so-and-so it's me and saved the very word for save like spiritually saved women will be saved for the bearing of children, there's the balance right you get to have the babies you get to nurse the babies you get the hold them in your arms get to spend every day with them. You get the nurture them. You get to develop them.

That's your marvelous privilege. In reality, there is a depth of influence at that level that no man will ever have with his children. What is it mean shall be saved through the bearing of children are member and I was in Bucharest, Romania some years ago was a pastors conference about 12 or 1500 pastors and their wives in this church and they wanted after I spoke a lot they want to have a Q&A so that one of the guys asked the question what is this mean women to be saved through childbearing and I said well just blurted out. Well, of course, it doesn't mean spiritual salvation doesn't mean you're gonna go to heaven. If you have babies you know you don't get eternal life by having babies, and all of a sudden the room got just dead flat was like somebody sucked out all the oxygen and I could see confusion on the faces of men and women in the moderator sitting next to me said the you just drop the bomb because you know in our theology. You can lose your salvation. And one way a woman loser salvation. They had been taught was my doing anything to prevent a pregnancy.

So that's how they misinterpreted that.

That's why they all had 15 kids.

These poor beleaguered women and they're looking at their husband said you had to be wrong about that verse of all the options possible could you been wrong about like sprinkling or something. So I spent the next 20 minutes sorting that out, then those dear people, of course, they would one reverse anything because they love their children and even with a faulty theology they had done what godly women do.

They had brought children into the world when he stepped out from under the authority and protection of Adam. She was vulnerable and she fell in Adam, bound by his heart to her abandons his own authority and becomes weaker and plunges the whole human race into corruption. Adam was not deceived Eve was deceived if we stay in the order that God has designed us. Everybody flourishes men and women, by the way, as a result of the fall are equally sinful. Adam needed Eve so much he sin willfully get that we need leadership of men, though it was established in the creation and reaffirmed in the fall. No daughter of Eve should follow her path into forbidden territory of going out from under her authority. Her God-given authority and trying to live independently.

You too much danger abounds actually all human relationships are built on authority and submission, you would know that right. You have a job you get it right, authority and submission summaries in charge, women are saved to go back again by bearing of children littering the Greek be getting children.

This is the woman's high calling if this is important if those women continue in faith and love and sanctity or sanctification with self-restraint. Here we go again. Women are constantly being told. Get a grip on yourself, be submissive, subject yourself have some self-restraint because the impulse of your fallenness is to overpower your husband and his reason for that because your husband is not perfect and you can find a lot of reasons that you'd like to get power right woman's high calling is to save herself from the stigma of the fall. She led the race into sin by being deceived. How does she reverse that. How does your life count for something good when it was a woman who led the whole race in the into sin a woman reverses that by raising godly children. This is the highest and most influential life possible. I understand that God is one every woman to be married. There is a gift of singleness, Paul talks about enforcement in seven and sometimes their married couples that the Lord doesn't give children, but as a general principle. This is the high calling of women have children for your soul and your life into those children. That is the greatest of all influences. Meanwhile back at the church chapter 3 verse one. It's a trustworthy statement. Everybody knows this.

If a man aspires to the office of overseer or pastor Elder.

It's a fine work he desires to do. Meanwhile, men are in charge of the church and in overseer pastor Elder must be above reproach must be a one woman man, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money and here comes verse four must be one who manages his own household well. Just as he manages the household.

That's the proving ground for him to be able to be given responsibility in the church is the next verse says verse five of the men does know how to manage his own household. How we take care of the church of God, since men are called by God to manage the house they are in being qualified to do that qualify to rent to to be managing the church, no woman is the head of the house. No woman can be the head of the church in the summer is going to say will what about first Corinthians 11. So let's look at that now.

So far it's it's abundantly clear what Scripture says about life in the church as regards women preachers, but here in first Corinthians chapter 11 in the very same book will without any confusion. Paul says in verse three first Corinthians 11 three but I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of a woman God is head of Christ, God the head of Christ. Christ had a man man, head of the woman that's the order that's the divine order. That's how it has to be. Then he says this.

Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. Every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying, disgraces her head.

She is one of the same as the woman whose head is shaved.

That's strange kind of thing. What what's going on here in the course of life as believers. There will be times when women pray obviously that they're not in doing in the church in the order of the church in the service of the church, which that's crystal clear of children everywhere says that but in the fellowship of the saints, and in the opportunity to preach the gospel proclaim the gospel give testimony they're going to be times in homes in social gatherings or whatever, that women are are going to be praying.

That's going to happen and and a great host. The Old Testament is a great host of the women who publish the good news so all of us men and women are called to pray out where to be praying for people were to be praying together with people were were to be communicating the truth of the gospel were to be nurturing one another, speaking to one another in edifying ways.

Paul says when you're doing that and just the normal life of the church. Men don't want to have something on their head. Women do is talk about the head covering.

This is apparently a local custom mental how far extended.

But about a show you how important it is.

If a man has something on his head when that is traditionally what women do. Then a man is acting in the effeminate way and he is doing some kind of spiritual praying or proclaiming the truth but he's got a covering on his head he's just honoring his his Lord and himself because in that culture. Women were head coverings and men did not give the woman uncovers her head while praying or prophesying. She disgraces her head, for she is one the same as the women whose head is shaped what women shave their head lesbians prostitutes. Sometimes they shaved the head of adulteresses, in other words, what Paul is saying when you act as a believer in any setting publicly maintain the visible symbols of your manhood and womanhood, will, and we live in a culture where they're trying to rub that out right where androgynous hairdos and androgynous close and who knows what that person is transgendered. Rejecting the reality of gender. All of this is a complete assault on God's divine order. While these kind of rebellions were part of the ancient world. Paul is just saying look as a believer you need to make sure people know you're a man or you're a woman. If you didn't know that was under attack in the past, you would know it today would you not man with a head covering was effeminate. A woman without a head covering was masculine. Symbols are important, our culture has popularized fashions that blur those lines when you go shopping guys go to the men's department and if you can't tell whether you're in the men's department are not go somewhere else, please go to the ladies department the place for transvestism cross-dressing gender confusion when woman dressed in socially female style. She was declaring her understanding of God's order. She was declaring her understanding of the divine uniqueness of being a woman and she was testifying to her submission to that divine design and her submission and devotion to her husband and for a Christian. Further, she was declaring her devotion to Jesus Christ but but as is clear in this letter of the Corinthians had a hard time separating from their former lifestyle than they needed to be instructed to do this. Head coverings aren't the issue wearing those symbols that clearly designate you as a woman that's an issue wearing those kinds of symbols that clearly declare use a man that's an issue. This is God's design for seven anything other than that is disgraceful.

Verse six is verse seven says a man ought not to have his head covered since he is the image and glory of God the woman is the glory of man, God is the creator of man out of nothing.

God is the creator of woman out of men. The man's glory is in the image of God. The woman is that she is created by God from man, a man doesn't originate from woman, but woman from man.

For indeed man was not created for the woman sake, but woman for the man sake would keep these distinctions clear authority submission and culture so clearly recognizes this that all cultures have those kinds of distinctive marks and then this verse 10. Therefore, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the Angels flat what is that mean the most submissive, the most holy submissive creatures in the universe are the Angels right.

What are the Angels there ministering spirits right who serve the Lord constantly so they are that they are the purest and highest of all submissive creatures and when women demonstrate their submission.

They put their obedience on display to that most submissive of all creatures.

The holy angels. How disappointing. It must be for angels to look down and see rebellious women trying to usurp leadership preaching roles overpower their husbands where ever you have that kind of woman you have weak husbands wherever you have a collection of those kinds of people leadership.

You have weak men, where you have weak men, you have the inevitable destruction of whatever that entity is back to first Corinthians 11.

Let let's talk spiritually though verse 11. However, in the Lord now were not talking more about just sexual distinctions here, but in the Lord.

Neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman is the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth of the woman in all things originate from God. So what he saying there is spiritually were mutually dependent men at the base of life were mutually dependent so this isn't making one less than the other is a just God ordained roles and in the Lord. That's why Galatians 328 says in there is neither male nor female. In Christ you are all one in him spiritually speaking.

We are all one. There is no hierarchy so verse 13 he asked the question judge for yourselves.

Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered no does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has longhair to dishonor to him. But if a woman has longhair to glory to her for her hair is the testimony to the covering that symbolizes her submission you like this, verse 16.

If one is inclined to be contentious that you we have no other practice.

Sorry. Nor have the churches of God. There's a phrase again, this is it for every church in every place all the time. We have no other practice.

This takes us back to first Corinthians 1433. Universal standard for all the churches of all the saints only let me give you perspective K humanity is made up of families by God's design and where God ordained families are strong. If a strong culture. You have strong church, the relations and those families following the society, and you have an ordered society's relations follow into the church and of an order church men lead feed, protect, provide women support and nurture children obey. So the church should be the highest manifestation of that divine order and that's what Paul says in Ephesians 5 is husbands love their wives and wife submit to their husbands.

The church is seen in that marriage is that's the relationship that it has to its Lord that's that's God's design. However, the world tickly the world we live in is very different. It is not made up of families anymore. It's made up of individuals. Individuals it started some years ago, maybe with women making sure they maintain their maiden name in a marriage so that was sort of a symbol of power and now it's reached the point where we deny gender exists. Individualism has so perverted the culture and the culture has so perverted the church that the churches are increasingly rejecting the will and command of the Lord.

This is not unclear. They have no interest in the honor of the Lord, rebellious women pastors and preachers flood the church and the roles that were four men same thing they're doing in the secular world is being done in the church. How can you do that when the word of God is so crystal clear. Oh, Paul anticipates how they could do that go back to first Corinthians 14 verse 35 if they desire to learn anything but them as their own husbands at home port is improper for a woman to speak in church that was a burden on the phone on the husband to be the teacher but then verse 36. Why would you define this.

Was it from you that the word of God first went forth. Well that is just sarcasm.

Did you write the Bible, was it from you, but the word of God, when are you the source of divine truth because if you defy this. You're acting as if you are God and you have overruled the revelation of God because you are a higher authority or may be more sarcasm or has it come to you. Only you had a private revelation. I see Jesus came to you Jesus told you to do this, you're getting private revelation is that most famous woman preacher says I didn't surrender to a calling of man when I was 18 years old. I surrendered to a calling of God. It never occurs to me for a second not to fulfill it. I will follow Jesus.

Jesus tells me what to do really the only defense is either you're the author of Scripture or you're the author of the higher Scripture than God or you get personal revelation. So here's the last word. Verse 37 and 38 if anyone thinks he's a preacher or spiritual led by the spirit and matter because anybody thinks he's a preacher or spiritual letter and recognize the things which are right you are the Lord's commandment. If you don't recognize when I've just written is the Lord's commandment. You are neither a preacher nor spiritual verse 38 if anyone does not recognize what I've written is the Lord's command.

He is not recognize. If you don't recognize the command of God. We know recognize you as a preacher or spiritual person what Paul wrote is the Lord's command violate that command. You're a preacher you're not spiritual. Your fraud, the word of God is clear that's John MacArthur here on grace to you. John is Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. Today's lesson answered this question, does the Bible permit a woman to preach John, you've made it clear and you stressed it many times, that just because women are not called to preach that doesn't somehow mean that they are inferior. The fact is they are gifted to serve the church and their families in unique and indispensable ways. But, of course, understanding that unique role in embracing it can be two different things, especially when the spirit of ages encouraging women to be leaders wherever they can. Yeah and look this goes back to the whole purpose of Satan. God designs authority and submission. The man is the head of the home. The woman follow submits to her husband. He loves her. She loves him is a perfect combination. The man leads the man rules the man provides the woman nurtures the woman influences the woman loves the children the woman provides a haven for the husband or a spiritual haven for the children. She reaches out to care for people. This is the beauty of God's design and of course because that kind of family passes all unrighteousness to the next generation that kind of family leads to civilization. It leads to a civil society where people understand authority and submission where they understand love and care and nurturing when nobody is at home, nurturing, and nobody is at home caring for the family. Nobody is sacrificing herself as a godly mother would for her husband and for her children. They don't know what sacrifices when everybody's out to fulfill his own agenda for the husband goes to build his career. The woman goes to build her career.

This communicates a horrific message to the children who are the victims of this in the next generation has no idea what a family supposed to be and were living that out in our society so when women do what God designed them to do. Not only is God honored and glorified and righteousness passed on from believing parents to the next generation.

But even the culture benefits by the stability at that produces and you raise discipline, submissive, well socialized children, not a bunch of delinquents so when Satan can get an entire culture to make women think that their fulfillment is outside the home. He has literally created the demise of that society, that civilization and I would just like to remind all of you who are listening that I wrote a book a number of years ago and its title is the fulfilled family. This book is based on the most in demand study series that we have ever done in grace to use history. The fulfilled family. We took the material from the fulfilled family, which is still available. You can download the whole series of the fulfilled family, but we took the material from that series and put it into a simple handbook that distills the heart of what Scripture teaches about the most essential of all earthly institutions, the family, the fulfilled family. You can order today and do order this book is a quick read but it touches on critical truth for the family, helping you answer questions like how can I better serve my spouse and how can I point my kids to Christ to order the fulfilled family contact us today. The fulfilled family is reasonably priced and shipping is free.

It's a great resource to give to newlyweds or someone preparing for marriage. You can order by phone, dial toll-free 855 grace or order your copy at our website TTY.4 if you have a Bible question. You haven't found an answer for the grace to use sermon archive can be a great help. You'll find it at TTY.3500 sermon covering every verse of the New Testament as well as many parts of the old. You also find answers to questions on nearly 75 biblical topics like the great commission election heaven and hell, evangelism, and much much more. Again, all of those resources are free at TTY.that website one more time.

TTY.now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you.

Staff on Phil Johnson. Keep in mind you can watch grace to you television this Sunday on DirecTV channel 378 or check your local listings for channel and times and then be here tomorrow as we honor Mom's and motherhood from a biblical perspective. John's focus Hannah godly mother. Don't miss the next half hour unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace