Women spiritually leading men is an agenda supported and promoted throughout our country. But, have they reasoned correctly? Should women biblically take the lead in the following areas?
In the Home. Men and women are both spiritually equal in the sight of God, “…neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). However, men and women are assigned different roles. Women were created as a “help meet” or helper of the man (Gen. 2:18). “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man” (1 Cor. 11:9). “For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (1 Tim. 2:13). Nothing inferior is intended as she is his counterpart and they are to fulfill God’s will together (Gen. 1:26-27). Nevertheless, women were sentenced to child bearing and submission, “…thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16). Further evidence that God intends for the man to take the lead in the home is, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church…Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing” (Eph. 5:22-24; cf. Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1,5).
In Preaching. Joel foretold of women prophesying (Joel 2:28). Philip had four daughters that prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). The church of Corinth had women that prophesied (1 Cor. 11:5), but the point of her subornation was made a couple of verses prior, “…the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man” (1 Cor. 11:3). Even the prophesying women speaking under divine inspiration were to be submissive to their male counterparts. The prophesying women were told in the congregation where men were present to, “…keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law” (1 Cor. 14:34; see v. 35). Silence is the Greek word sigao which means to hold one’s peace. The prophesying women had to be quiet and let the men do the teaching and preaching (1 Tim. 2:11-12). This is the way God wants it done when and where both men and women are present. The Bible’s reference to creation signifies this arrangement is not cultural but continuous (1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 Cor. 11:8-9).
In Teaching. Women can teach women and children publicly in assemblies without men or privately teach anyone (Tit. 2:2-3; Acts 18:26). In 2 Timothy 2:2 the Bible says, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). The word “men” in this passage is anthropos meaning human beings, male or female. The point is clear that God intends for women to teach others too. But, men are supposed to teach publicly in mixed assemblies of men and women, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2:11-12). God intended for spiritual men to publicly lead as in this immediate context of public prayer, “…that men [male/aner] pray” (1 Tim. 2:8).
In Church Leadership. Elders (Acts 14:23), bishops (Phil. 1:1), shepherds (1 Pet. 5:1), pastors (Eph. 4:11), the presbytery (1 Tim. 4:14), all refer to the very same office of the Lord’s church leaders (Acts 28:17, 28; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17). Women could not qualify for church leadership as elders since the individuals must be male, the husband of the one wife (1 Tim. 3:1-2; Tit. 1:5-6). The same is true for deacons (1 Tim. 3:12).
