Biblical rules for women in society

The "Proverbs 31 woman" helps answer this question, as do the following verses:

Acts 16:14-15 "Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us."

Acts 16:40 "So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed."

Acts 18:2 "And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.

The rules for church leadership are rules for church leadership. We focus on the fact that (as we complementarians read the Bible), women should not pastor, be deacons, or teach adult men. We fail to focus on the fact that most MEN should not pastor, deacon, or teach adult men. Only those who meet the stringent qualifications in 1 Tim 3, Acts 6, and Titus 1, (and other scriptures) and who possess the requisite spiritual gifts fall into these categories. James warns us of the solemn responsibility of teaching (James 3) in the church.

However, the rules for leadership in life are not based on gender or qualifications, only that leaders and managers, as well as workers should heed the Bible's instructions (Proverbs, Eph 6, et. al.).

When Maggie Thatcher was the PM of the UK, she was the only "real man" in England anyway! (There I go being boorish again!) Unlike many other men my age, I've worked for women (in the military), and, by the way for every ethnic group imaginable, and the only factor by which I judged leadership was competence. I had female subordinates and male subordinates and superiors alike who weren't worth the bullet to send them on, and I've had female and male subordinates and superiors who, in Air Force jargon, were so good, they could "nail jello to a wall."

 

Lets see I hope this is what you were wanting in your question. I beleive that in the church the women can teach the younger children and an all womens class. My previous Pastor would let women teach older kids but our church was very small but my Pastor now has a man over the teens since it is a mixed class. I also don't beleive a women should pray outloud in church or make a motion type things during business meetings etc...

At home is where I think a lady should work. I know some can not due to divorce and other things but children need their mom and I think husbands need there wifes to be there for them when they come home. I have been a sahm ever sence I was pregnant with my first child and I don't regret it one bit.

I do not think women are second class I just think like men we have our place. I hope this makes sence.

 

Karen, I agree with Showard that a (married) woman's place is in the home. I also believe Proverbs 31 supports this. I'm sure numerous people will come and use that exact scripture to support women working outside the home.

I believe IN CHURCH that women are to not teach,. preach, be deaconesses, elders, etc. unless it's teaching younger women and children. I believe those women who are teachers should be held accountable to the scriptural guidelines. I would not sit under a female teacher who had divorced her husband 'because we grew apart', etc... I would consider a divorced teacher who had been deserted, etc. and who attempted reconciliation.

Women, in my understanding, are free to discuss scripture with men and women freely in a non-teaching capacity, such as this open forum. My own husband will ask me my take on many things because I was raised in a Southern Baptist church, attending S/S, Training Union, Sunbeams, G.A.'s, church camps, Bible Studies, two services on Sunday and Wednesday night... while he was raised in an American Baptist church and only attended one hour weekly with no training. I gladly show him scripture that supports what I understand and then step back and let him read for himself..... I don't think I'm wrong in doing so either.

Diane

 

100 years ago, the overwhelming majority of folks in the US still lived on farms. Everybody in the family worked, and they worked at home. Such was the case with my grandparents and great-grandparents.

 

Amen to showard93 and Diane!!

Women are no less than men, but we do have our place, especially in the home and church. It is just like any team, we all have different functions. As far as outside the church and home, the Lord doesn't give any restrictions to my knowledge.

Diane, I don't think there is anything wrong with you showing your husband Scriptures and then stepping back and let him go to the Lord with it. I think it's all the attitude. It's that meek and quiet spirit.

hsmom3

 

The BASIS for our thoughts on this is the BIBLE. God has sets of rules for the family, for business, for society, and they complement, but each realm is different, and the rules apply to that realm. Let me illustrate by my own situation.

1. As a father and husband, the passages that guide me are such passages as Gen 2:18-25, Eph 5:21-33, 1 Pet 3:1-7, Eph 6:4, among others.

2. As an employee, there are many relevant verses in Proverbs, plus NT references such as Eph 6:5-8.

3. As a supervisor, Proverbs also applies, as does Eph 6:9.

4. As a citizen and as a military man (bearing the sword for the state as a minister of God), I am guided by Rom 13.

5. As a member of a New Testament church, I am guided in general by passage such as 1 Tim 2:1-3:15 and Titus 1.

6. As a leader in the local church, I am guided by the passages in (5) above, plus such verses as 1 Pet 5:1ff, 2 Tim 3, and 2 Tim 4, as well as others.

Rather than being tedious and continuing, I hope you get the point. God guides us in each situation of life, and His rules in one realm don't necessarily affect those in another. God's rules for how we act in the church apply to that realm.

[ June 19, 2003, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Major B ]

 

I think we can follow the example of all the great women of God who fully lived their lives for God. Again, after three days Jesus appeared to two women and sent them to speak to his disciples who were hiding in fear of their lives. The 11 disciples were gathered together as a group but not in 'church'... and yet it was women sent to tell them 'He is Risen'... 'We have seen HIM'....

Diane

 

Karen,
I think this applies to outside of church too. But, of course you knew that is how I would answer.
God wants women to be gentle AND quiet.

 

I agree that what the Bible shows to be God's Ideal Woman (Proverbs 31) applies as a whole, in church or out of church.

I believe that it is society (the world) that has thrown in all the other stuff.

Did I make any sense?

 

Good question, and one I've thought about quite often lately.
Let's see. I step into a church and I cannot teach a male or have any authority over him. Step out and I can be his boss and give him orders, or go to his house and teach him doctrine.
LOL
Something's not quite right with that picture. The most sensible answer is that our place is applicable both in and out of the church, but is nearly an impossibility in our culture.
Gina

 

Gina,
Those are good word pictures you used. I know for me my husband will at times ask me where a verse is located. But, he never likes it when I tell him what any of them mean.

 

I agree that no matter what a woman's position is out of the church, she should always be graced with a gentle and quiet spirit.

hsmom3

 

As a DUDE I will be the first to admit that women just seem more spiritual overall. They just seem to be more in touch with those sensibilities. Now what they do with it....