All talks » Church: Male and Female Roles in Church

Date: 27 May 2020
Bible:
Speaker: Andrew Sach

Male and Female Roles in Church

Are men and women the same? DISTINGUO!

 

Men and Women are equal in value in Creation and Redemption

1)   Men and women were created to share God’s image

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

2)   Men and women are both redeemed for the same inheritance

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus…. God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 3:28; 4:4-6)

3)   Equality must be safeguarded particularly because there are differences

“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)

 

Men and women are nonetheless deliberately different in ways that point us to the gospel

4)   Remember the principle that THEOLOGY IS INTERCONNECTED

5)   God’s plan is for men and women relate asymmetrically in marriage

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands… 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33; see also 1 Peter 3:1-7)

6)   These differences in the household are to be displayed in the household of the church

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)

7)   We must not so redefine servant leadership that we eviscerate it of lordship

You call me “Master and Lord.” You say “well,” for “so I am.” He was a servant master. He was a servant lord. He did not use His service to erase His lordship, but rather to define it. Why do we find it so easy to speak of servant leadership, but we would choke on something like servant lordship? (https://dougwils.com/books-and-culture/s7-engaging-the- culture/the-lie-of-servant-leadership.html)

 

Women are to flourish in church (as in marriage) under male leadership.

8)   Leadership in the church is given to men, and for that reason women should not teach men in an authoritative way

11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a

man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2:11-15; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

 

9)   But both men and women are to exercise ministry in the church! Among other significant roles, women have an important teaching ministry to other women and children.

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is

good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5)

 

We should seek to celebrate and embrace these differences rather than minimize them, for the good of men and women and the church and the world!