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1 Tim. 2:13-15
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Paul is telling Timothy how to deal with the false teachers in Ephesus who are spreading lies and causing some of the women there to act in less than a desirable way during worship. It should be noted up front, the problems Paul deals with here are not to be blamed on the women being addressed. The truth is some of the church leaders in Ephesus had diverged so far from sound Biblical doctrine they had, as one writer so succinctly says, “lost all semblance of godliness. They were apparently influencing women to follow them in their practice of contentious, self-seeking rebellion. Paul wanted to see the practice of serious Christianity make a return to Ephesus.” We might say today, Paul was encouraging and praying for revival in Ephesus. As often as not when women depart from sound biblical teaching and doctrine, it is because of ungodly men who have taken advantage of them. It should also be noted that not all the women in the Ephesian church were out of line. There were a large number of spiritually mature women who worshiped there. His message addresses:
I. THE DIVINELY ORDAINED STRUCTURE V. 13. Paul goes clear back to creation to use biblical history to show the chronological order in which God created man and woman. Paul is pointing out in Gal., and he does so again in Eph. that just because Adam was created before Eve, she, nor any other Christian woman is deemed to be less important in her ministry in the home and now in the local church! Remove the ministries that women contribute to a biblical NT local church and it will likely shrivel and die. By the fact that Paul instructs women to learn quietly and submissively – meaning without interrupting the service, and having a teachable spirit – he is not only addressing their behavior, he is at the same time – if you will – “putting pressure” on the men to submit themselves to Christ in the fear of God. It is the responsibility of the men to teach the women how to be submissive. We teach our wives and daughters how to be submissive by showing them that we submit to God, and all His Word in our daily lives. Biblical submission is not one of those things a man tells a woman “do as I say, not as I do,” but rather “watch me and I’ll show you.” We also show our wives how to be quiet before the Lord when we demonstrate to them we have a teachable spirit. A teachable spirit is an attitude that says, I can and must learn from God and other godly Christians. A teachable spirit is a major prerequisite for anyone to hold any position of leadership in the home and especially in the local church! If my relationship with God is not as one of His adopted children, my fellowship with Him is as His enemy. If my fellowship with God isn’t right, my fellowship with others can’t be right. If I mistreat others to have my own way, then God will withhold His favor, blessing, and many other benefits of life from me. Paul also teaches in v. 14,
II. DECEPTION LEADS TO SIN. He again refers to OT history returning to the Fall. He makes a distinction between “how” Adam and Eve fell into sin. The Greek words Paul uses for “deceived” could be translated “utterly deceived,” meaning completely mislead in such a way Eve thought she was not wrong. We might say Eve believed Satan because what He was telling her seemed so right, it couldn’t be wrong. Ever think like that? Paul himself was deceived by sin into thinking putting Christians to death was actually what God wanted him to do. Even though Paul’s heart was changed, and he became one of God’s greatest champions; all the evil he caused, and those who died because of his hatred for the Gospel, was not undone after his salvation. Paul ends this section exalting the high position of women when they display a
III. DEDICATION TO SCRIPTURE – 15. I said a few weeks ago, No one in their right mind believes Paul is teaching women receive salvation through childbirth! If you think about it, Scripture tells us salvation is purchased by Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, not His birth! Women are encouraged throughout Scripture and especially the NT to exercise their spiritual gifts in the ministry of the local church. They are also instructed how to properly exercise those gifts so they don’t misrepresent God’s ordained order in creation and in the family structure. When a Christian woman exercises her spiritual gifts in the right way she receives great reward and satisfaction from God. We must always remember, as God’s adopted children, our life is not about us, it is all about Him!
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