It is true that the Bible teaches that the roles of men and women in
this day and age are different, whether it is in a marriage
relationship, or insofar as teaching or preaching in Church is
concerned. The Bible says that the husband is the “head” of his wife (1
Corinthians 11:3), and it is stated in God’s Word that a woman is to be
silent during Church services (1 Corinthians 14:34-35). But the
different roles and responsibilities assigned by God to men and women
IN THIS DAY AND AGE do not make women in any way inferior to men!
Please note that not only a woman, but also a man, unless he is
ordained, is not to preach to others in Church. This task is reserved
for the ministry (Romans 10:14-15)–but again, this does not make
ministers in any way “superior” to non-ordained members–men or women,
alike. [For more information on the different roles and
responsibilities of men and women, and especially husbands and wives,
please be sure to read or re-read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families!”]
Christ
said that God the Father is greater than He (John 14:28). So, there is
different authority even within the Family of God (1 Corinthians 11:3).
BUT, it is also said that God the Father and Jesus Christ are “ONE”
(John 10:30), and that they are “EQUAL” (John 5:18; Philippians 2:6).
They are both God beings, sharing the same glory and essence. And even
though Christ will always be the FIRSTBORN among many brethren and He
will, therefore, always be higher in authority than any of His
born-again brethren, they will still become EQUAL with Christ and with
God the Father (1 John 3:1-2. The Greek words, translated as, “we shall
be like Him,” actually mean, “we shall be equal with Him.”). Again, we
see that different levels of authority do not make a being superior or
inferior.
The fact that the husband is “head” of the wife (1
Corinthians 11:3), does not make him superior to the wife. Rather, both
men and women are EQUAL in Christ. We read in Galatians 3:28-29: “There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is
neither male nor female; for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus. And if
you [both men and women, Jews or Gentiles, employers or employees] are
Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise.” Men AND women are the temple of the living God, and God
the Father receives us as His sons AND daughters (2 Corinthians
6:16-18).
It is true that if a woman has a spiritual or
Bible-related question, she should ask her husband about it, if her
husband is converted (1 Corinthians 14:34-35). This requires that the
husband has the answers or can find out the answers. But it also
requires that the woman herself has enough spiritual understanding of
God’s Word, so that she can recognize the answer as being in accordance
with the Bible. She is not just to take her husband’s word for it, but
she is to show herself approved in the Word of God, so that she can
distinguish between error and truth. Far too many wives have left the
Church, when their husbands did. They did not have enough spiritual
knowledge to recognize the error of their husbands’ ways, and rather
than remaining faithful to God’s Truth, they followed their husbands,
when they departed from it.
We also need to understand the
limits of the husband’s “authority” or leadership. For instance, a
woman is to submit to her husband IN THE LORD (Ephesians 5:22).
Submission does not necessarily mean obedience. All of us are to submit
to, or be submissive or subject to, worldly authorities or governments
(Romans 13:1), but we are not to obey them if they order us to do
something which is contrary to God’s Word. Peter said that we must obey
God, rather than men or human governments (Acts 5:29; 4:19). The same
is true for wives–they are not to obey husbands who insist that they
do something that is against God’s Will. But this requires that a woman
knows whether a request is godly or ungodly. Such knowledge can only
come from an intimate and deep study of God’s Word, including its
“hidden secrets,” coupled with meditation and contemplation as to how
to apply God’s instructions in our daily lives.
As we point out in our booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families!,”
the physical and spiritual responsibility of a woman in this day and
age is of tremendous importance. And it requires that the woman becomes
intimately familiar with all aspects of God’s Word.
In this
context, it is important to realize that women ARE to teach in the
future. Both men and women are called to learn today how to become
teachers in the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 30:20-21). At that time, they
will be called upon to teach all of mankind. They have to prepare for
this task now. It is therefore very important that men and women in
God’s Church study the Scriptures to learn as much as they can from
God’s Word. God IS revealing His hidden truths to God’s people
today–men and women alike (Romans 16:25-27). The converted woman’s big
task of teaching others WILL COME in the Kingdom of God. Students
preparing to become instructors learn today, so that they can teach
later, what they have learned. They would turn out to be bad teachers,
if they would not acquire knowledge today, which is necessary for their
later occupation.
We also read that women are to teach today as
well. Older women are to teach younger women (Titus 2:4). Mothers are
to teach their children (Proverbs 1:8; 29:15; 1 Timothy 2:15).
Converted wives are to teach their unconverted husbands (1 Peter
3:1-2), generally through their conduct, rather than through words.
But, in order to be able to conduct themselves in a godly way, the
woman must study God’s Word to learn how to live righteously.
A
most important task for a young mother is to teach her children to
learn the fear of God. The Bible contains many examples about righteous
mothers who were able to bring up their children in the admonition of
the Lord, even though they were single, or their husbands were opposed
to God’s Way of Life (compare 1 Corinthians 7:14; 2 Timothy 1:5). But
in order to bring up a child in God’s Way of Life, the young mother had
to have learned God’s Way of Life herself. She had to have continuously
study ALL of God’s Word–because Paul tells us that ALL Scripture is
inspired by God, to be used for doctrine, reproof and correction, and
for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). We all need to study
God’s Word for our admonition and example (1 Corinthians 10:11). We are
not to pick and choose, differentiating between what Scriptural passage
may seem to be interesting or important to us, and which one may not
be.
Even though a woman is not to teach or to preach during
Church services, Paul nevertheless emphasizes that she is to LEARN
God’s Word (compare again 1 Corinthians 14:34-35). And as a married
team, both husband and wife can advise others, in private, about God’s
Way of Life and related issues (compare Acts 18:24-26). If marriage
counseling is necessary, married ministers will have their wives
participate in the counsel of the married couple, whenever possible.
And a man is most certainly well advised to listen to the wise counsel
of his wife (Proverbs 31:26).
In addition, both men and women
are called by God to inherit salvation, and a woman must work out her
own salvation with fear and trembling, as much as a man is required to
do (Philippians 2:12). We are all told to “Test all things; hold fast
what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Men and women alike are to be
ready to give a defense or an answer to anyone WHO ASKS about the hope
that is within us (1 Peter 3:15). It may just be that a child or a
teen, a relative, a co-worker, a neighbor or a friend, wants an answer
to a question which the woman did not study into, because it did not
seem important to her. And it could very well be that the kind of
answer which is being given might initially decide whether or not the
person asking the question will positively or negatively respond to
God’s Truth–whether or not his or her interest is kindled to learn
more about God’s Way.
We are to be ready to give a defense or
an answer to EVERYONE who asks (see again 1 Peter 3:15). The questions
which we might be confronted with may not just relate to our daily
Christian way of life. They might very well include doctrinal issues.
We might be asked questions regarding evolution and the creation of
man; the Trinity; Christmas and Easter; Sunday and Sabbath worship;
God’s annual Holy Days; Heaven and Hell; the Destiny of Man; the
resurrections; the Immortal Soul; the Gospel; the Inspiration and
authority of the Bible, including the Old Testament; Noah’s Flood;
whether or not we are already born again; the Family of God; the time
of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection; Christ’s return; what the
Bible says about World War III; abortion and fighting in war; etc. etc.
etc. The list of potential questions is seemingly endless–and a
converted woman, as well as a converted man, needs to know, from
Scripture, the answers to these questions, so that they CAN give a
“defense” to those who ask.
We have prepared numerous booklets
and Q&As with the intent to help the body of Christ, as well as
those who are being called by God–men and women alike–to learn more
about God’s Truth. Converted members of God’s Church–regardless of
gender–should make good use of these tools, by studying them very
thoroughly. We strongly recommend that you study our literature
together with the Bible. Scriptures quoted in our literature should be
checked and perhaps even marked in God’s Word. All of us–men AND
women–are admonished to study God’s Word to show ourselves “approved”
to God (2 Timothy 2:15, Authorized Version).
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
