MPC, 15th October 2000.1 Timothy 2:8-15 - The Gender Agenda
Phil Campbell MPC, 15th October 2000.
I think the technical term for it in football jargon is a HOSPITAL PASS. There's a bunch of 200 kilo front rowers bearing down on mate over there, and he flicks the ball over to you just in time. I don't want it, I don't want it. Crunch. They land on top of you. And YOU go to hospital.
And I've got to say I feel a bit like that with our passage this morning. There's Paul writing to Timothy this stuff about WOMEN SHOULD BE SILENT, women getting saved through childbirth, women this, women that; and Timothy goes, HERE PHIL... YOU TAKE IT. Here Phil... you stand up in front of 100 people in Mitchelton Presbyterian Church in the 21st Century, and YOU TELL EM what it means. I can almost feel the bones crunching.
So can I ask you before we start, please be MERCIFUL. As we come to this passage together. Respecting one another. Understanding there are historic HURTS involved. Realising that in lots of ways it might be a DIFFERENT WORLD. But realising as well that in spite of that, THIS IS GOD'S WORD. And whatever else might have changed. GOD HASN'T. And PEOPLE haven't. So we need to be listening.
And there's stuff that you might find is un-comfortable - because it might address your situation directly. I want to ask you to DEAL WITH THAT. And HEAR IT. And let God's word CHALLENGE YOU... before you CHALLENGE GOD'S WORD. That's what God's word's meant to do. I mean, if we're only going to hear things we agree with, nothing will ever change, will it.
But as well as that, there's stuff maybe that you'll hear and you'll be uncomfortable maybe because your situation is DIFFERENT. Issues addressed to MARRIED WOMEN and you're single, maybe. Issues assuming you have a family. And you don't. And so you'll need to realise that sometimes things are generalised. And you have to think a bit harder about how you can take the same principles on board for your own situation.
But MOST OF ALL as we look at a passage that has some stuff to say about WOMEN this morning, I want to say something first of all about MEN. And that is, Christian men need to be VERY CAREFUL... about going beyond what's written. About even REVERSING what's written. To the point of in a very ugly way IMPOSING things on their wives and on their families in a HEAVY WAY... that's maybe meant to be volunteered LOVINGLY by a Christian wife. And there's ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD in that.
THE MODEL CHRISTIAN MAN
Now the fact is, the passage I just read says a couple of things about WOMEN that are just SCREAMING for our attention. That are so COUNTER CULTURAL to the world around us here in the 21st century that they jump out of the page. And I'm aware of that. But before we dip in there, I want to talk to MEN FIRST.
Because there's a wider picture. There's a picture Paul paints of the Christian family that you might want to say is OUTDATED. There's a picture Paul paints of the Christian family that you might even want to say is DISCREDITED... you've seen it in practice; and it doesn't work. Except I think there's maybe a confusion between some of the CULTURAL STUFF that's been there in the past that we've ASSUMED is the Christian model. And is nothing like it.
Especially when it comes to MEN.
a) A Leading Man
So can we take a moment to think about the MODEL CHRISTIAN MAN. I mean, you've already noticed Paul says MEN SHOULD BE LEADERS. Verse 12 that we read, he says, I don't permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; verse 4 in chapter 3, if he's going to lead in the church he's got to LEAD IN HIS FAMILY. But what sort of guy is he?
a) A Prayerful Man, a Holy Man.
Glance back up the page to verse 8 where we started, here's the first part of the model. Model Christian men, says Paul, aren't disputing men. Aren't ANGRY men. They're HOLY men. Prayerful men. Men who are ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS about their commitment to Jesus.
Read what he says. Verse 8. I want men everywhere to lift up HOLY hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
Everyone put their hands up to pray back then. That's not his point, whether you stand up or sit down or hold your hands up or put them down. The point is, the SORT OF HANDS THEY ARE. It's that they're HOLY HANDS. Hands set apart to serve GOD.
There's another verse I want to turn over to as well while we're thinking about the MODEL CHRISTIAN MAN. And it's just over the page in chapter 6. Where Paul's winding the letter. It's verse 11. 1 Timothy 6 verse 11. He's just given Timothy a warning that chasing after MONEY is a sure way to mess up your FAITH. And then he says this.
But you, model Christian man, "But you, man of God... flee from all this, RUN AWAY... and pursue this stuff instead. Pursue righteousness; pursue godliness; chase after faith and love and endurance. You, man of God, PURSUE GENTLENESS.
Guys, I want to ask you this morning before we say anything about WOMEN, do those words describe YOU? And your AMBITIONS? Because if they don't, there's a problem. Easy to pursue WEALTH. Trot off to the office and put in hour after hour after hour. Because you say, well, I've GOT TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY. Got to GET AHEAD.
When it's really just making excuses for the fact you've got ALL THE WRONG AMBITIONS. The things to be chasing are righteousness and godliness and faith and love and endurance. While you LEAD YOUR FAMILY... with GENTLENESS.
Incredibly hard balance to get, I think. Which is why most of us don't get it right. But there's the MODEL. And guys I'd suggest when it comes to what a passage like this one has got to say about WOMEN, the whole issue would be a lot less sensitive if some more of us blokes were a bit more serious about being what we're meant to be. Gentle, godly family leaders.
2. The Model Christian Women
Now having said that, let's take a look at what Paul's got to say to Christian WOMEN. And as we do that, can I say to people who want to say, listen, this is all just stuff that comes from the way SOCIETY WAS BACK THEN, can I say, if that's the case, WHY DOES PAUL HAVE TO SAY IT? The reality is, he's spelling out a model of relationships that's WAY DIFFERENT to the way men and women related back in Ephesus 2000 years ago. And is way different to the way non Christians Australians relate now. There's particular stuff we need to be aware of, and understand. But the bottom line is, he's telling Christians HOW TO BE DIFFERENT.
1. Women who are Beautiful on the Inside
So have a look what he says from verse 9. Someone who's been reading ahead said to me last week, BETTER NOT WEAR MY PEARLS TO CHURCH next Sunday. I'm not sure that it matters if you do or you don't - but Paul says what matters is, that's NOT where your beauty's meant to come from.
Because the beauty of a Christian woman, he says, doesn't come from outside stuff like braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes. The beauty of a Christian woman comes from the way she lives. From her attitude. And her actions.
Verse 9 and 10. "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."
See - worshipping God is all about HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE. A life of good deeds. With a beauty that doesn't come from adornments - but runs right to the core of who you are.
In other words, Christian women are meant to be different. Different from the rest of the world. He's spelling that out right from the start. And the interesting thing is, what he's saying was just as out of step with the world back then as it is now. They mightn't have had the Women's Weekly back then and Country Road and Katies. But women were exactly the same. Fashion slaves. With a passion for dressing up the outside and neglecting the inside. And Christian women... are meant to be different.
b) Women of Quietness
Well, here comes the REALLY controversial bit. The bit that gets feminists really riled. Read from verse 11. Which is where Paul says this. "A woman should learn in QUIETNESS AND FULL SUBMISSION. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be SILENT."
Now the typical thing you do with a verse like this, is you try to explain it away by looking up the original greek words. Which I thought was worth a try. And I've got some good news and some bad news.
The bad news is, Paul says women should learn in QUIETNESS and SUBMISSION. And the original word he uses for QUIETNESS actually means QUIETNESS. It's a word that means PEACE AND HARMONY. It's a bit like our word SERENE.
The slightly better news if you don't like the sound of that, is that he uses exactly the same word in the next verse as well. Which might change the sense of it a bit. Our NIV translation, it says I don't permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be SILENT. Which sounds harsh. When really it says "I don't permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be SERENE. Quietly PEACEFUL.
But for some people, just as un-politically correct, isn't it.
But can I say without developing the whole thing too much, it's part of the whole coherent biblical model that says, LEADSHIP IN THE CHURCH is exercised by TEACHING GOD'S WORD. And the role of TEACHING GOD'S WORD TO MEN belongs to MEN.
Now there are lots of points of view about that. And in a week or two you can look at it in more detail in the Growth Group studies.
But that's what he's saying. When it comes to the role of TEACHING GOD'S WORD... then part of the male role of GENTLE LEADERSHIP is to TEACH GOD'S WORD. And so Paul says at that point, women should LISTEN IN PEACE.
You've got to know there's been a lot of debate about this stuff over the last 20 years. Still is. And one thing that's always being said is, but where are the blokes who are DOING IT. In the family. In the church. Good question. But I'm not sure the answer to a lack of godly male leadership is to WALK OVER THEM.
Paul says, I don't permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be in quietness. Because, he says, Adam was formed first, and then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived - it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.
He says look back at Adam and Eve and you'll see how God's whole design can come undone. He makes Adam, and ADAM NEEDS HELP. So he makes Eve to HELP HIM; and she does the opposite. She's deceived. And takes over the leadership role; and says, here, TRY SOME OF THIS.
Paul says, the whole thing went out of whack. And there's been a battle for domination ever since. So let's turn back the clock. To have MEN WHO LEAD LOVINGLY. And WOMEN WHO SUBMIT WILLINGLY.
I mean, if you're listening with 21st century ears, it sounds almost incredible, doesn't it. But maybe on a deeper level if you let yourself listen there's a real appeal.
And so if I asked the hypothetical question, if you were a woman who had a husband who's a Holy, Gentle LEADER to you and your family, would you VALUE THAT? Or not? Would you count it a GREAT THING? Or say it's outdated? If you had a husband who LED YOU and GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR YOU in a way that was modeled on CHRIST WHO GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US... but leads us... would you say that was a GIFT FROM GOD? Or would you sneer at it and say "that's old fashioned."
Paul says here, when it comes to leading the whole church, men should be LOVING TEACHERS of God's word; and women should be submissive listeners.
And I reckon the biggest reason there's been so much disputing and debating about the whole issue, is that the MEN HAVE MESSED UP SO BADLY. And want to lead by throwing around their AUTHORITY. And acting like they're somehow more important. And in the end not being anything LIKE the Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us. And even if it's just in the Christian leadership in our families, maybe there are men here who need to repent of their FAILURE TO LEAD. Or the FAILURE TO LEAD WITH LOVE.
SAVED THROUGH CHILDBIRTH?
Now that brings us to verse 15. Which is I'd say one of the most difficult, weirdest sounding bible verses I can think of. Not many people have this one framed in cross stitch on their kitchen wall.
Maybe you should. Have a look what it says. Verse 15. But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Really weird. Because every time he opens his mouth Paul wants to tell us the only way you can be saved is by FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. And one way of reading this, it sounds like he's saying that for WOMEN there's another option. Get saved by making babies.
But he says the other thing so many times, that we're saved THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, that I think you've got to look for other some other options.
And you could read it to be saying, well, if you're a Christian woman you won't DIE IN LABOUR. Which I'm sad to tell you isn't true. Because the statistics for Christian mums dying in childbirth is exactly the same as for non Christians. And always has been. So women being saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness with propriety, it doesn't seem like it's a guarantee for the maternity ward.
There's one idea you can find in the commentaries, and it's not a bad one, that goes all the way back to Genesis. And it's my second preference. Because Paul's just been talking about Adam and Eve. And the very next thing that happens back in Genesis is God says to Eve, you'll bear children in pain. But this serpent that's tempted you, your offspring will CRUSH HIS HEAD. And he'll strike his heel. And so you can read that to be a promise pointing forward to JESUS. Who gives up his life at the cross; and crushes the devil at the same time. Could be that.
But I reckon it might mean something else. I don't want to labour it. But there's another verse here in 1 Timothy that links up women and childbirth and MAKING IT TO THE FINISHING LINE as a Christian.
Because it seems like Paul's writing to a church where there are some women who are getting DERAILED. And aren't going to end up SAVED at all. There are some women who've lost the plot. Or are in danger of it. And things are in a bit of ferment. There are these women, and he says they're YOUNG WIDOWS; though maybe it's just as accurate to call them younger women LACKING A HUSBAND. Which is what the word for widows literally means. Take a look down at chapter 5. And you'll see from verse 9 there's some stuff about the way the CHURCH should be looking after WIDOWS OVER SIXTY. If they've got NO OTHER MEANS OF SUPPORT.
And he goes on. To talk about these YOUNGER WOMEN. Husbandless. And the way they're filling in their time. Instead of working and being productive, he says they're IDLE. And they're using their idle time to SPREAD AROUND WRONG IDEAS. He says in verse 13 they're GOSSIPS. But it seems like there's more than that. Because the church is being RIDDLED BY DIVISIONS AND WRONG TEACHING. Which Paul calls back in chapter 4 verse 7 OLD WIVES TALES.
And it's the sort of idle gossip, the sort of lifestyle that's leading them away from the faith. Which is a tragedy.
Pick up in chapter 5 verse 13. He says, these women, they're getting in the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also GOSSIPS and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So what should they do? Well, he says, here's my advice. He says, I counsel YOUNGER WIDOWS to marry, to HAVE CHILDREN... and it's exactly the same word as the one we're looking at in chapter 2. To manage their homes. And to give the ENEMY no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
Funny, there was an article in yesterdays paper, the title is CHILDLESS BY CHOICE. And it says this. It says lots of couples these days aren't having kids. Because they're more interested in their CAREER, and travel and financial freedom. They interview a couple called Karen and Andrew, and Karen says, "I get so much enjoyment from OTHER THINGS in life. I'd imagine it will be the same when I'm 50 or 60."
Well, back in Ephesus where Paul's writing to, they're saying, no marriage and kids for me. I don't want to CRAMP MY SOCIAL LIFE. A social life of sipping drinks, going from house to house and gossiping around the latest false teachings.
Paul says that's the way devil's getting a foothold. And his advice in that situation is, HAVE A FAMILY INSTEAD. Marry. Bear Children. Manage your home. And you won't have anything like the TIME to give the devil a foothold.
And we say, sounds very FIFTIES, doesn't it.
And yet we need to be careful that we don't devalue something incredibly significant... that's part of the way God designed us.
Back to chapter 2 verse 15. I just wonder if it's the same idea. It's obvious it's FAITH IN JESUS that saves you... because he says, you've got to continue in FAITH. And live a Christian sort of life. The only other thing you need now to make sure you're saved is not to be DERAILED BY THE DEVIL. And it's almost the same idea as we just saw in chapter 5. Devote yourself to YOUR FAMILY. Instead of idle house to house gossip. And make it to your final salvation. Women will be kept safe to the end by devoting themselves to REARING THEIR KIDS. If they continue in the faith.
No small thing. And you'll notice if you run your eye back to what he says about the OLDER WIDOWS in chapter 5 verse 9, they only qualify to go on the widows list and get looked after if they've been FAITHFUL WIVES... well known for their good deeds. Number 1 of which is BRINGING UP CHILDREN.
CONCLUSION
Now if you're a mum, can I ask you this morning is that the way YOU SEE IT? That your number 1 good deed in life is the way you bring up your kids. That if you're a mum, the thing you're doing is better than any number of gossip sessions with your friends; even better than making it to the top in your career.
I mean, I know this is the HOSPITAL PASS sort of stuff and there's probably a whole bunch of women waiting to CRASH TACKLE me when I get out the door. But ask yourself this. How bad is it if people are saying, THOSE CHRISTIAN MEN really know how to CARE FOR THEIR WIVES. Those CHRISTIAN MUMS, they REALLY KNOW HOW TO BRING UP THEIR KIDS.
Here's a passage with a model for Christian families. With men who LEAD GENTLY AND IN LOVE. With women who submit GLADLY. Devoted to their kids. And the 21st century is whispering in our ear, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.
But you know, a friend of mine was telling me about a Barn Dance they had at their church. A night where they invited all their non-Christian friends and neighbours, and lots came. They had a great night. And it's interesting, here's what someone said afterwards. One of the non-Christians who'd come along. She said "The amazing thing about you Christians, is that I look around at all the couples, the husbands and wives, anjd THEY ENJOY EACH OTHERS COMPANY." She said, "there's a sort of love here that I haven't seen anywhere else."
I wonder if they're saying that about us? Or we've become just the same as everybody else?