THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH

Garden City, Michigan church of Christ

THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF HOW WOMEN ARE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN WORSHIP. IN I TIMOTHY 2:11-13 WE READ, “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. FOR ADAM WAS FIRST FORMED, THEN EVE.” GOD’S WORD SAYS IT IS NOT PERMITTED, WHICH MEANS IT IS FORBIDDEN. WHEN WE DO THINGS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN BY GOD IT IS SIN, WHICH SEPARATES MAN FROM GOD AND WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO BE LOST ETERNALLY. IN GENESIS 3 WE SEE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN EVE TOOK THE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OVER HER HUSBAND AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ADAM FAILED TO EXERCISE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OVER HIS WIFE. BECAUSE OF THIS, SATAN WAS ABLE TO INTRODUCE SIN INTO THE WORLD.

DURING THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH, WOMEN ARE NOT PERMITTED BY THE LORD TO PREACH, LEAD PRAYER OR LEAD SINGING. I CORINTHIANS 14:34 SAYS, “LET YOUR WOMEN KEEP SILENCE IN THE CHURCHES: FOR IT IS NOT PERMITTED UNTO THEM TO SPEAK, BUT COMMANDED TO BE UNDER OBEDIENCE, AS ALSO SAITH THE LAW.” THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE WOMEN FROM SINGING IN THE WORSHIP SERVICE OR TEACHING CHILDREN OR LADIES IN THE BIBLE CLASSES. BUT THEY ARE NOT TO TAKE A LEADING ROLE OVER A MAN IN THE WORSHIP SERVICE. MANY PEOPLE DO NOT APPROVE OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE, BUT THIS IS STILL GOD’S BUSINESS. WHO ARE WE TO QUESTION GOD?

GOD INTENDS FOR WOMEN TO BE SUBORDINATE TO MEN IN WORSHIP. WHEN A WOMAN GETS UP BEFORE THE CHURCH (WITH MEN PRESENT) TO TEACH, PREACH, LEAD PRAYER, OR LEAD SINGING, SHE IS IN VIOLATION OF WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED. SHE IS PERVERTING THE WORSHIP OF GOD. AS A RESULT OF THIS REBELLION, GOD IS NOT WORSHIPPED IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. WORSHIP BECOMES VAIN OR USELESS WHEN WE FOLLOW THE DESIRES OF MEN INSTEAD OF WHAT GOD HAS SPECIFIED (MARK 7:7). FOR US TO IGNORE WHAT GOD HAS SAID ON THIS MATTER OR ANY OTHER, IS SPIRITUAL ANARCHY AND WILL RESULT IN HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES. LET’S ALWAYS FOLLOW THE BIBLE. GOING TO HEAVEN MUST BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN THIS LIFE.