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May 4, 2020 4:00 am
There's no lack of clarity with regard to what the Bible says about women who preach but in spite of the clarity of Scripture. This has become a monstrous issue in our day and I think by the time you're finished you will understand what God has to say and have consistently says prevents women from using their God-given gifts.
What is God's word say, should women lead congregations will today on grace to you. John MacArthur is going to answer those questions from Scripture as he begins a message titled, does the Bible permit a woman to preach John today's lesson is one we've never broadcast before because it's fairly new. You delivered the sermon to your congregation just a few months ago, and as a way of setting the stage, take a moment to let our listeners know why this subject is so important and why you preached about it recently.
While the subject you're talking about. Phil is about women preachers. What does the Bible say about women preachers does the Bible permit a woman to preach the reason I preached about that is because that has become such a hot issue to me is all over the Internet. There are people advocating for women preachers. There are many women pastors women preachers have a high profile and most I think most Bible conferences. Not all but most Bible conferences feature women preachers and they have for number of years and and now there's much more advocacy for that and that the question has been asked to me. What about that is it okay for a woman to preach. Should a woman be a pastor. I talked to man when he said, look, my church just hired a woman and they called her a pastor is that legitimate. So, it's because the culture is pushing women into positions of leadership and let me just say this. The idea is not to give women equal rights, that the idea is to give women power to make women feel un-empowered to make women feel second-class that's what the enemy of souls desires to do when women are extraordinary. In God's design, and men can't begin to do what women can do. But Satan wants to upset all of that so because there is this push for women to be empowered.
Obviously, the pulpit, then, is a place of empowerment.
So we have the pressure coming on churches and church leaders to let women preach and be pastor. So that's why I thought I needed to address it and it it stirred up no small controversy.
I might say yes one of the longest messages you are preach to house an hour and 15 minutes because I wanted to cover everything. I basically just looked at the Scripture. What does the Bible say about women preaching and the Bible is crystal clear.
There's not any ambiguity about it. It's not unclear, and it is one of the longest message that I preach and that I was because I want to get it all into one message, so I think this is an important moment for us the grace to you. I know there are to be people who are not gonna like this series but but it is the word of God and to be faithful to the Lord.
We need to air this so for three days starting today were going to be presenting to you that message that I gave on does the Bible permit a woman to preach. You need to listen each day. Yes, and you won't want to miss a message. Now John's going to be looking at many different Bible passages. Today he starts in first Corinthians 14.
If you have your Bible turn there now and here's John today I want to address a very important issue that has been stirred up on the Internet with me. Kind of in the middle of it.
I I do not like to give the short answers and let's get put in the position to do that because I feel like that just escalates confusion, so I want take the opportunity to address the issue of women preachers and to give you a more thorough answer from the word of God on this very very important subject and I think by the time we are finished you will understand what the word of God has to say and how consistently it says it, so to begin with. Let's open the word of God to first Corinthians chapter 14 first Corinthians chapter 14 and I want you to look down at verse 33 verse 33.
For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. And then this sentence really begins the text.
With regard to our subject, as in all the churches of the saints.
The women are to keep silent in the churches, but they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves just as the law also says if they desire to learn anything with them as their own husbands at home port is improper for a woman to speak in church, was it from view that the word of God first went forth, or has it come to you only if anyone thinks he is a prophet or preacher or spiritual, but that person recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment, but if anyone doesn't recognize this.
He is not recognized just from that passage alone. There's no lack of clarity with regard to what the Bible says about women who preach but in spite of the clarity of Scripture. This has become a monstrous issue in our day.
One divine statement answers the question, what does the Bible say about women preachers. It's in verse 35 the last part of verse, it is improper for a woman to speak in church that's not ambiguous. That's not at all unclear. It is improper for a woman to speak in church that is an absolute prohibition in the word improper is chosen very, very carefully by the Holy Spirit to leave no lack of clarity as to the force of the statement, the word that is translated improper is ice cross in the Greek it really is a word that means disgraceful or shameful. It's something more than just improper.
It's disgraceful. In fact, that is the way it is translated in first Corinthians 11 six by the word disgraceful. That is the way it is translated in Ephesians 5, verse 12 as disgraceful or shameful. It has the common sense of something that is known to be a disgrace in the fifth chapter of Ephesians in the fourth verse, the word from the same root is used here. I'll read the verse. There must be no filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting, which are not fitting again. It's the same root disgraceful or shameful.
So filthiness, silly or low talk coarse jesting, which is usually sexual innuendo. These are disgraceful sorted disgraceful, shameful. That's what this word means what we read. Then in verse 35 is it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church is shameful. That is a recognized judgment on all such behavior the same as teaching for sordid gain and in Titus 111 disgraceful shameful gain. It's sort of like false prophets doing what they do for money and this unmistakable divine law and command is so absolute that we go back to verse 34 in the section actually begins.
As you will note, if you have an ESD as in all the churches of the saints. The women are to keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, then verse 35 it is improper for women to speak in church as in all the churches of the saints always and everywhere. This whole section starts with that statement at the end of verse 33, as in all the churches of the saints. Paul is giving us a universal principle here.
This is not some local thing.
This is everywhere and at all times when Paul says that he is talking about something that is universal and I'll show you that from some other portions of first Corinthians go back to chapter 4 in first Corinthians, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, and he says I'm going to send Timothy to you. Verse 17 I'm gonna send Timothy who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. The same expression what Timothy was going to bring to them concerning the believer's relationship to Christ was what Paul taught everywhere in every church.
This is divine doctrine that this is the.the true doctrine of the gospel and he taught it in every church, and it didn't vary from church to church. This is Paul saying he's going to teach you about my ways. In Christ, which I teach in every church, what it means to live in Christ. That's for all believers in all churches over chapter 7 the first Corinthians. There was some discussion among the Corinthians about when you become a believer. What if you're married to a nonbeliever. Do you divorce or do you stay with a nonbeliever.
But what if you are circumcised or uncircumcised you you do something about that.
Is it necessary to then be circumcised. Do you dump your unbelieving spouse. What you do about your social situation and he says in verse 17 only as the Lord has assigned to each one as God has called each in this manner.
Let him walk if you're married, stay married or single stay single. Don't worry about circumcision. He says that in the next verse, verse 18.
These things do not matter down in verse 20. Each man must remain in that condition, in which he was call listen becoming a believer is no excuse for a divorce, even if you have an unbelieving spouse. What's important about this is the end of verse 17 Paul says so I direct in all churches. Again he's teaching the same doctrine and all the churches, which should Timothy will reiterate to them, he setting up the same exact standards when one becomes a believer you don't alter your life circumstance. Now your believer doesn't mean you have to get married.
It doesn't mean you should get a divorce.
You stay in the circumstance you're in.
That's the same for all believers in all churches then over in Chapter 11. In verse 16 will get back to this chapter later. But Paul is talking here about a woman submitting any talk about a woman submitting in a way that's manifest by how she dresses.
But by what she looks like by wearing this, the cultural symbols of womanhood to show her submission, but he knows that there will be women who fight against that. So in verse 16 he says, verse 16. If one is inclined to be contentious. We have no other practice nor have the churches of God. The same for all women in all churches in all times. You are to demonstrate manifestly your submission to your husband and thus to the Lord. So when Paul says, as in all the churches he means the universal doctrine that is taught in the church, he means the universal behaviors that are taught to all believers, which means they stay in the social situations therein. Christianity is no excuse to disrupt life and a social level, and it essentially means that women are to maintain submission to men and all churches in all times now that there is no lack of clarity again I say go back to first Corinthians 14 that Paul's words could be mistaken is impossible, as in all the churches of the saints in winter to keep silent in the churches there not permitted to speak. It's disgraceful for a woman to speak in the face of that it might be shocking to you to know this, but in a survey conducted in 2017. About 80% of Americans are comfortable with a female pastor, 62% of practicing Christians are open to women pastors 40% of evangelicals are fine with women pastors in pastoral training. There is a degree graduate degree called a master of divinity. It's generally speaking, a three or four year degree to prepare you for pastoral ministry 50% of women enrolled in seminaries 50% of I should say M.Div. students in seminaries or women preparing for pastoral ministry 25% of seminary faculty's are women. That means you have women faculty members teaching women students to be pastors, 11% of seminary presidents are women, 27% of pastors across this country are women. This is an explosion in 1962% of clergy were women. The women's movement has basically just erupted in the church in the last frontier for the movement is the evangelical church last frontier to fall victim to the rebellion of feminism, along with cultural Marxism. Perhaps women pastors and women preachers are the most obvious evidence of churches rebelling against the Bible. I can't think of anything at this far-reaching and transcends all denominations as the woman's rebellion against the word of God with regard to women preachers women who pastor women who preach in a church are a disgrace, and they openly reflect opposition to the clear command of the word of God. This is flagrant disobedience. It has been acceptable in our culture and now acceptable, even in the evangelical world read an article written by a woman. The title is have M.Div. will preach and this woman writing this article said the article is designed to answer this question. How does sexism play a role as your congregation works to embrace the pastoral leadership of women, so if you're not willing to embrace the pastoral leadership of women, you're not biblical you're sexist. Why is this such a far-reaching vast rebellion against the word of God. Why will he answer comes all the way back in Genesis chapter 3 so turn with me back to Genesis 3 and will see how it all begins will know the story of Adam and Eve great in the garden innocent. Eve comes out from under the protection of Adam has an encounter with Satan. She is seduced, deceived, she sends Adam follows up since the whole human race catapulted into corruption so the Lord curses the participants and that the serpent is cursed in chapter 3 verse 13 and 14 and even 15. The man is cursed in verses 17, 18, 19, but the woman is cursed in verse 16.
In this very important to the woman he said this is the curse of the fall.
I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth and pain you will bring forth children get your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you is pain in childbirth, universal death, yeah, every woman who ever has a child has pain that universal. That's the curse that the first half of the second half is equally universal. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you was talking about the tongue, nuts, sexual desire, physical desire, no, because physical desire was there before the fall because when God created Adam and Eve, he said, be fruitful, and what the multiply filled the earth will have babies relates to babies is desire. There's nothing wrong with a woman desiring her husband in that way that is not the point. The point is, there's a curse on the woman and the curse is that she has a desire toward her husband and he has to rule over. If you have a sexual desire for your husband innocently to him ruling over you that lease to joining together in an act of love that produces a child what what is this desirable woman that forces the husband to have to dominate. This is a curse. This sexual attraction and marital love is not a curse, but whatever this is, it's it's a bad thing and it leads to conflict. The answer comes in chapter 4. This particular phrase is only used twice in the Pentateuch. The Old Testament here is second one Lord says to Cain in chapter 4 why you're angry he can your member offered an acceptable sacrifice to God. Why are you so angry. Why is your face so fallen. If you do well if you do the right thing would not your countenance be lifted up if you had obeyed and offered the right kind of sacrifice, not the fruit of your labors, but an animal sacrifice, you wouldn't have this issue and if you do not do well. Here's why sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you but you must master it.
It's exact same expression as in chapter 3. Here it's sin, desiring to have you and you must master it.
That is exactly what is meant in chapter 3 verse 16 sinful desire to dominate your husband, and he is going to have to exercise rule over you. As a result of the fall woman bears a curse in two areas one in its ubiquitous and universal pain in childbearing.
Secondly, a desire because of her fallen heart to upset the divine order of authority and submission and to want to dominate her husband. This is the universal reality in marriage to 1� or another. The woman will desire to control the man will have to rule over her. That's as universal as pain in childbearing refers to a desire to sinful desire to control.
This is why there is constantly the effort of women to overthrow the authority of their husbands or the authority of men in the culture and obviously there is a multitude of women in the church trying to overthrow male leadership in the church that in mind, go back to first Corinthians chapter 14 verse 34. Women are to keep silent in the churches for the not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves just as the law also says you have to get a grip on yourself because you're fighting against your own fallenness in your own fallenness would would cause you to want to overthrow the order of your own marriage, authority and submission you are in the church is women. It says to keep silent in the churches what you mean.
Keep silent, not hard to understand. Is it you don't say anything.
He's used that already twice in this chapter. Once back in verse 28. In the case of someone speaking in a toner language.
Verse 28. If there's no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church that means exactly what it says he is not to speak in verse 30 where you have several preachers and people rendering judgment on them.
If a revelation is made to another who is seated. The first one must keep silent can have chaos with all kinds of people speaking at the same time somebody has to be silent while someone else speaks of this is talking about actual silence in the church so women are to keep silent in the church.
They are not permitted to speak and then verse 35 the last half of the verse.
It's actually disgraceful for a woman speak in church not this is from the apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit with a command from God for bidding women everywhere and always to speak or preach in any church so that the answer to the question we can close the book and go home. That's it. It's an absolute prohibition. They are not permitted to speak in the church now, does that mean that women can never teach.
Let's look at Titus chapter 2 Titus chapter 2 has the apostle Paul gives instruction here to various groups in the church.
Older men older women younger men younger women we focusing on the mature women verse three.
Titus 23 mature women are to be reverent in their behavior.
A reverent behavior would be obedience to the word of God right.
Would you be a reverent woman. If you are of woman preacher that doesn't reverence God there to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine teaching what is good to see that course women can teach women are called to teach their call to teach other women teaching what is good. Verse four so that they may encourage the young women, older women teach the younger women and obviously they teach their children. Yes women teach yes they teach what is essentially good and what is that that they teach what is that good that they teach. They teach young women. Here's the lesson. Love your husband love your children be sensible, pure workers at home kind being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored when women are not subject to their husbands visually in a marriage or women are not subjects of their leaders in the church collectively, the word of God is dishonored, you can't say you're a woman preacher preaching the Bible and be, by virtue of that very role dishonoring God and his word.
Yes, women teach, they teach out of a life that is reverent in its behavior and that means it references God to the point that it obeys the word of God, they're not malicious gossips are not enslaved to much wine they teach what is good and what is the good they teach.
They encourage young women to love their husbands, love their children be sensible, pure, that means holy workers at home, kind being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be zoning. That's the great teaching responsibility older women to teach younger women, the necessity of the home being the priority loving husband's loving children being subjected to your husband so that the word of God will not be dishonored if women don't behave in that way than the word of God is what dishonored all these women running around as preachers supposedly teaching the Bible are defining what the Bible says in their propagating some kind of Christianity that is whimsical about how it handles the word of God.
This is grace to you with John MacArthur.
Thanks for being with us. John's been grace to use featured speaker for 51 years now.
He's also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. Today's lesson answered this question, does the Bible permit a woman to preach now to review today's lesson again or to share this link with a friend. Just go to our website Jide TY.org.
There you will find all of John's sermons, including transcripts, many of them with video take advantage of the sermon archive at our website today. A web address again. Jide TY.org. In addition to today's message on women preachers look for the series. The fulfilled family and God's high calling for women.
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