Let the woman learn in silence
with all subjection. But I suffer
not a woman to teach, not to
usurp authority over the man,
but to be in silence. For Adam
as not deceived, but the woman
being deceived was in transgrassion.
Notwithstanding she shall be saved
in childbearing, if they continue
in faith and charity and holiness
with sobriety.
1Timonthy 2:11-15
It may seem that I am "picking" on women: I am not! But, I will "pick" on men. How, how, can a woman learn in silence? Is she just to read the Bible herself? Is God going to impute some sort of vision or revelation supernaturally as some teach: i.e., The Bethel School of the Supernatural." Yes, women must learn the principles of Christianity, to learn about Jesus Christ, to learn the Scriptures: but how is this to be done? Here is a problem: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought hem, and bring upon themselves swift destruction" (2Peter 2:1). "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake" (Titus 1:10-11). There are those who call themselves "Christian," yet are not Authentic Christians and we all must beware of them. But women are told to learn in silence. Well, men, husbands, you have a responsibility: first, it is your responsibility to take your wife, your children to hear the word of God preached, how else can one come together with like believers to learn of God and sharpen one another, setting an example that it is God first, second, third, last, it is God: "How then shall they call on him in whom they ahve not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher" (Romans 10:14)? Paul wrote to the Ephesian Church: "Submitting yourselves one to another in fear of God. 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: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to heir own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.....So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church"......And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 5:21-25;28-29; 6:4).Husbands are not to "lord" over a woman or a child, no, husbands are to do the very same thing Jesus did and that is to love, for He loved the Church and taught the Church, and husband have the responsibility to do the very same thing. Women, children, are to study themselves, but the man, the husband is to lead in this study, to be prepared to answer question, to aid them to be able to defend their faith according to Scripture.
What to we see far to often in the Church? A lack of home Bible study, a lack of prayer with wives and children. No real intentional time to be with the Lord, no set aside time to be evangelistic, no time except when there may be such as Vacation Bible Study, important but often is an excuse for not spending time in silence to learn of God. Entertainment has become so important in this culture and Christians spend way to much time entertaining themselves forgetting or making time for personal study. Or, the push to become successful above all other things, maybe saying: "you will have time after you get your education and become successful", or running a child to all kinds of events as though this will make a better human being, or citizen, to make them achieve. We can make time for those things after we make time to be with the Lord.
An interesting statement by Paul: "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." (vs. 15). How are we to understand this? Does this mean a woman can be saved if she bears a child? Paul just wrote that the woman, Eve, was deceived and transgressed, so Paul is writing about the promise to Eve about childbearing, both in regards to the pain of childbearing but also that the Savior would come to save by means of being born, a childbearing. It is by this childbearing that a woman is saved and is true also of men. Paul is speaking of this extraordinary event, the birth of Jesus Christ, a miracle that she shall be saved even though by a woman, Eve, Satan had his way with her then Adam bringing sin into this world and by birth this sin, Satan, all would be atoned for and demolished. The entrance is through a woman, the means for salvation. Therefore in faith, holiness, charity, with sobriety a woman is to recognize her role in the coming of the Savior, but this is not to rise her up over her husband, no, she is to submit to him. Now husbands, this word to submit does not give you the right to abuse, to lord over you wife anything, rather you are to teach, to love, as a co-partner in the eternal life to come. Men are to exercise their authority in gentleness, tenderness and affection.
And I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and
between they seed and her seed;
it shall bruise they head, and
thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto
the woman he said, I will greatly
multiply thy sorrow and they conception;
in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;
and they desire shall be to thy husband,
and he shall rule over thee.
Genesis 3:15-16
Love is to be manifested: not lordship
Richard L. Crumb
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