As I am striving to be a godly woman in all areas and in learning many things, I see more clearly how far society (and with it Christianity as it is linked to the world) has fallen in this area; the area of who a woman is and how she should live because of that. As a born again believer made a new creation by the Spirit, I can see from studying God's Word what God wants from women. And the Lord gives me desire and power to obey it. Praise God for telling us so we don't have to be confused or not know the answers!
Looking in Genesis, we see first why God even created woman. God Himself created woman from the man and for the man.
We all know well how that it was the woman who was tempted and first fell into sin by disobedience to God's clear command. Paul writes "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (1 Timothy 2:13-14)
We can learn much from this fact as to how a godly woman is to be because of what Eve had done and how God had created her for Adam, to be his helper and not the other way around.
And so it is to this day, though the world seems to think the opposite in many cases. It ought not to be so among God's daughters who know better and have the Holy Spirit. And if a woman is a true believer she will diligently study and consider these facts and strive hard to put them into practice for the glory of God.
Yes, in Christ, both man and woman are equal spiritually for salvation etc as in Galatians 3:28 but certainly not in her place in the body of Christ nor in the physical how God Himself created her.
We see God telling Eve how things would now be with her after she had disobeyed Him. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." (Genesis 3:16)
In 1 Corinthians 11, we further read the order God has set in place for man and woman. "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. " (3)
Simple enough; God, Christ, man, then woman. (And because of this order, women are also to cover their heads as further commanded in that chapter).
Moving on. In Paul's writings we see the command for women to be silent in the gathering of the believers. This is because man is to be the head and the spiritual leaders and teachers as it has been from the beginning.
"Let your women 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. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
(1 Corinthians 14:34-36)
The truth is God's Word is clear on this so we ought to take it very seriously indeed. I understand most women do not want to hear it and what it fully means to them but I trust that all claiming Christ would obey their Creator in this and all things.
Furthermore, we see this verse. "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 Timothy 2:11-12)
Again very clear there.
And for women with husbands we see submission and respect is commanded by God in many places of which these are a few.
"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;" (1 Peter 3:1)
"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." (Ephesians 5:22-23)
All believers are to be submitted to God and His commands of course. So also ought a married woman to submit to her husband in all things (except sin of course).
So this is all very interconnected right from the first woman in the world and so it is today as there are no commands that say God changed this to allow for women to rule and have authority over men as is happening all over today. Nor is there any place in scripture that says women can teach in the body of Christ (except older women ARE to teach younger women in the areas mentioned in Titus 2).
So how to put in practice and live daily in this role God has for women?
There is much more to this than I can possibly share here for now but if you are a woman claiming to have been born again by the true gospel (see that here) then examine your life to see how you are going at this and pray that the Lord would help you to see where you are falling short and repent.
As a personal testimony, I knew women church leaders were wrong but I had a wrong view of what the body of Christ actually is so now that effects my beliefs and actions in this subject as I have learned about the true body of believers. But it doesn't only affect how we women relate to brothers in the body but also to all men even in the world to whom we ought to be quiet and reserved around.
I am still young and learning many things out of God's Word. And although written by Apostle Paul to young Timothy, this verse "Let
no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in
word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12), comes to mind and is still appropriate perhaps, as I certainly am striving to be an example of the believers in all these areas. I don't want to bring reproach on Christ's worthy name, nor blaspheme the Word of God as it says in Titus 2 how we women can do that if we don't obey. "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Titus 2:4-5)
I am learning how to respond in each situation that I face and being careful with my words and remembering that silence could be the way to go rather than words in some cases. Not to say a godly woman ought to be silent and allow others to push her around into sin etc. No, she ought to be strong and bold for the truth of God and not swayed into sin. This requires that she is well studied in the Word and is ready to give an answer if necessary though not using her knowledge and understanding of scripture to teach men but to live holy and to be pleasing to her God. If you think more before you speak and ask yourself what your motive is for wanting to say something then you will not regret saying something wrong.
Feminism (basically a woman being out of her God created place) is nothing but sin seen right from the beginning in Eve. A woman striving to be godly will be constantly examining her life for any traces of that and if she finds any will repent and forsake it. Only when a woman wants to be disobedient to God first of all and to His ordained male headship would she want to usurp authority from the men.
Yes women pastors and leaders in the church are obviously sinful from the Word. But there are many other subtle ways just as the serpent was subtle in his enticement of Eve that there can be feminism today.
Having said all this, it does not mean that a woman of God is not being active in the body of Christ. She just has to do it in the right way as God commands of her. We see Paul praising many godly sisters for their faithful service of helping and ministering among the believers and in that was support of those men labouring in preaching the gospel.
I hope and plan to write more on this and similar subjects in time as the Lord leads...and in His will. "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:15)
Yes we live in a mixed up, deceived world full of sin and darkness...but a woman who is the Lord's can find the truth of who God created her to be. She can be a shining light of God's pure and holy ways in a crooked generation. She submits to God's ways for women. She doesn't compromise if scorned by the world. She delights to be who God says she is and where God says she should be. This is how she will be a godly woman in a feminist world.
As in this verse below, may we women fear God. And that would be obeying His place for women and not doing what we in our flesh might want to do. Is there not a verse that says they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh? Yes that would include feminism I am sure. And the more we strive and mature in this day by day, we will be glorifying our Lord until He takes us home if we endure.
Love in Christ...to all sisters in Christ striving to be obedient in this and all other areas.
...from a daughter of God
