“I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” (1 Timothy 2:12, ESV)

Yet Another Attempt To Circumvent God’s Word

This piece was originally to lend a shoulder to a fellow contributor at the old Slice of Laodicea, Jim Bublitz, who also has the excellent site Old Truth.com, as well as to also bring a little further attention to his important post concerning women in the pastorate which was entitled “She’s a Teacher and a Preacher?”

Oddly enough, this issue is yet another “hot button” issue within the Body of Christ, although if we adhered to what God has actually said quite clearly within the text of the Bible itself it wouldn’t be. When will the evangelical community recognize Satan’s oldest and most effective strategy: “Yea, hath God said?”

The absolute Truth is that no amount of textual gymnastics and humanistic compromise will ever actually change the fact that women cannot possibly be ordained to the office of pastor-teacher without violating God’s Word. And we will do well think about what happened when Adam and Eve tried ignoring what God had instructed them in the Garden of Eden? It lead to the LORD God Almighty expelling them from it, and their foolish decision would then plunge the entire race of mankind irreversibly (on our own power) into sin.

However, this issue of women pastors can actually be resolved rather easily by a quick look at the context of a few relevant Scriptures. In Hebrews 13:17 we read: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls.” Here we can clearly see that within the setting of the local church these elders rule over church members, and that God the Holy Spirit instructs Christians to submit yourselves to them because as the Lord’s under-shepherds they watch for your souls. The NIV captures this well when it reads – Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.

Male Elders Represent God’s Created Order

But if we ordain women to this office then we will find ourselves in hopeless contradiction with the Scripture in 1 Timothy 2:12 that I opened with: I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.” Since in context the passage from which this verse comes concerns the public assembly within the local church, this would also be in harmony with Hebrews 13:17 because the congregation is to submit to the rule, or authority of these elders who preside over the congregation and watch for their souls.

 However, if a woman were to be in this role she would then have authority over a man. We also know from the larger context of 1 Timothy 2:12-14 that this was not simply Paul’s personal opinion based on first century culture because God the Holy Spirit guides him to appeal to the created order itself in his argument. Verse 12 – I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. Why is this?

Verses 13 and 14 – For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (ESV). As you can plainly see the argument pressed forth here has to do with God’s plan for men and women in general, and not with any of mankind’s capricious cultures. Next we consider that the pastor is actually the senior teaching elder, and the qualifications for the office of elder disqualify women because 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 require that if married the elder must be a the husband of one wife.

We Must Return To What The Bible Says

Now when we look further at the Lord’s plan for the wife we can again see why a woman cannot hold the office of pastor. Ephesians 5:22 tells the wife – submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (see also–Colossians 3:18). If a woman is ordained as a pastor it then creates a reverse of this command because the husband would now be required to submit to his wife.

No, how much better that we be wise enough not make the exact same mistake that Adam made when he submitted to his wife and thereby opened her up to being deceived by the Devil. The truth is that he should have been protecting his wife Eve as God had ordained. And what’s been happening for years now is that these denominations who have been ordaining women to the office of pastor in violation of the clear teaching of Holy Scripture are making the identical mistake Adam made.

You need to understand that just as God will never truly bless the churches in the seeker sensitive movement who are watering down His message’ and neither will the Lord approve denominations that are obliterating His plan for male leadership in His local churches. This is really not a minor issue at all.