The Submission of the Woman
Seeking reason as to why
By David Cox
[fam07] v1 ©2006 www.coxtracts.com
For non-profit this tract can be freely reproduced
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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. 1Timothy 2:11-12
God has established an order between the woman and the man, and in this, the woman should be subject to her husband, “thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” Gen 3:16 Equally in the church, God has commanded “ 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… also… if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” 1Cor 14:34-35. Neither man nor woman always likes what God tells them to do, but a movement of rebellion to this commandment has been extremely pushed to be a “racism between the sexes” when really it is just plain disobedience.
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Rebellion against the Creator
Isa 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand. God as Creator has the right to decide the use and final disposition of His creation. If a painter paints a Mona Lisa, and he decides to use it to polish his shoes, we can complain that it isn’t a good use for his work, but in the end, he is within his rights to make these kinds of decisions. The movement to redefine the woman’s place in relationship to the man has its foundation in a rebellion against what God has ordered. There is no other way to see this. God has spoken, and those who are not in agreement think that they have a better way of doing things are exactly taking Satan’s position, rebelling against God, against His authority and rights, and against His character.
The Biblical Order of the Home
1Cor 11:3 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. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. God has imposed an order in the home, and in this order, the woman has to be subject to the man, as an ideal helpmate, and not as somebody who is in authority over the man. Adam didn’t like being thrust into the role of leader and having to be strong, and Eve wanted to take that leadership role to decide their fate, and to administer and direct their lives. In Genesis 2, and 1Timothy 2, it is very clear that God emphasized the work and place of the woman is to be under the authority of her man. Any woman who does not take this position in life is in rebellion against God.
The Differences in Mission
One argument set forth is that “the woman cannot be a slave of the man,” as if this would make her of a lesser value. Gal. 3:28 says “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Some Christian women argue that we are all equal before Christ. But to be of equal value to the Lord is not to say that we have the same mission, o role before God. (Jesus came as a servant or slave, and he is not lesser.) Genesis 2 and 3 make it very clear that the woman’s mission and function in the family and in society (especially church matters) is very different from the man. Even in Gal 3:28, we even see the mention of slaves and Paul teaches (1Co 7:21-22) that slaves are not to be striving to free themselves at any cost (run away). If they can legally free themselves, then go ahead, but if not, they are not to take an attitude that God has declared them “free”, and ignore their actual situation. In other words, the freedom and position of equality before God doesn’t dissolve our responsibilities or mission (place).
In heaven (Mat 22:29-30), there is neither husband nor wife (death is what dissolves all these relationships, but in life, we live under them). This makes it obvious that there are different missions or roles for the man and woman, and for the time being, each has to submit to these God-ordained roles just as He has ordained different roles within the Trinity. God the Father has His will and commands, and God the Son is very clearly marked for his SUBMISSION to this will. God the Holy Spirit is marked for ministering without a strong focus on His own glory (he is silently working like a good woman in a home). There is no difference in “value” or “glory” between the Persons of the Trinity though, and God “functions” with each person of the Trinity taking a different role. Equally the family functions according to this order that God imposes. An army equally cannot function with all as equals, and even the highest ranking generals, which ARE EQUALS, will make one among them to be the commander-in-chief. Why? Because the order is necessary to achieve things, and so that all runs according to a plan or objective without confusion.
The Compassionate Woman
Let’s be frank. God has made the man and the woman very different physically, AND SOCIALLY! This difference concentrates in the purpose that God has given the woman to reproduce children. In 1 Timothy 2:15, God says “Notwithstanding (the woman) shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” In this, we recognize that the woman’s body is in a menstrual cycle where God has made it possible for her to become pregnant until 40 or 50 years of age. The same hormones that cause this also define the woman’s physical-social difference from the man. These are part of the woman’s character and nature. In order to be a perfect “helpmate” and to be the mother of children, these differences make the woman a compassionate and loving person far beyond the ability of most men. Tenderness, compassion, sympathy, etc. are character results of these emotional highs and lows which work to make the woman the perfect emotional parent that has first and closest care of newborns. (1Thess 2:7 “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children”). When we speak of understanding, judging, analyzing, and other functions in which a cold emotional nature better serves, this is typically the character God has given men. Emotion, compassion, and sympathy in general work against, or trip up, logic and reason. Additionally, we see this difference of the women in God’s commandment to be modest (1Timothy 2:9, 15). The word means to be prudent (sane or healthy) in the mind, or to be sober, with the central idea of caring or controlling the mind and emotions (which control the entire life) under a rigid logical mental control, i.e. not letting the emotions hijack your life. God especially commands this to women because they have more hormonal (emotional) alterations and extremes than men normally do being “pushed” emotionally to euphoria or depression by these hormones. The godly woman controls herself so that these physical factors don’t destroy her life.
Analytical Men
Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
God has made the man with another role in this life, which is to serve God, to do God’s bidding. The principal point here is that the man also has to obey God’s will (he is not a dictator, but also “a slave”). He must voluntarily submit himself under God’s will. It is important to keep in mind that God has the power to change the impotent to give them the ability to obey what God commands them to do. It is also important to note that God sees motives and attitudes as very important. We don’t disobey God on one point to serve Him better on another. God judges our hearts as well as our works. Saul did things as he wanted and saw fit, but he was rejected by God because of this attitude (1Samuel 15).
“But my husband isn’t…”
1Pet 3:1-6 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; … be won by the conversation of the wives;… behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it be… the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Many women use the excuse that their husband (or men in their church, work, civil matters, etc) are not good leaders, and do nothing, or what they attempt to do, turns out bad. Sarah is our example of a submissive woman, and when we study the lives of Sarah and Abraham, we encounter that Abraham lied to a king about being married to Sarah twice (Gen 20:2; 26:9). This wasn’t “good” what he did, but Sarah didn’t reveal their secret nor overtake their family affairs because of it. Apparently, it wasn’t until God intervened that it was straightened out. Regardless of man’s errors or faults, God does not permit the woman to take the man’s role, nor the man to take the woman’s role; else God will judge that home with punishment and not bless it.
God well knows that many men are not going to be good leaders before Him as they should be. But the point is not to take away his responsibility, but to build him into a good leader. A “helpmate” helps one to do what God puts before him to do. She doesn’t do his work for him. By reinforcing and building his relationship with God, the woman helps him become what God commands him to be. Normally women have little patience when it comes to men taking their sweet time to be godly men as God commands them. Wait on God.
1Pet 5:5… Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
More Tracts from the Family Category
- fam01 Biblical love: How Christians should love
- fam02 Seeking a Christian mate
- fam03 Biblical principles for a solid marriage
- fam04 Resolving without Divorce
- fam05 Disciplining our Children
- fam07 The submission of the woman
- fam08 Abortion: Permitted by God, or is it sin?
- fam09 Why is abortion an abomination in the sight of God?
- fam10 The covetous that hordes
- fam11 Pious Mothers: Oh How we need them!
- fam12 Common law marriages
- fam13 Polygamy: Is it biblical to have multiple spouses?
- fam13 Polygamy: Is it biblical to have multiple spouses?
- fam14 Fathers that Please God
- fam16 Christmas: Is it for Christians?
- fam17 Submission and Head Coverings
- fam18 Is divorce permitted?
- fam19 Is remarriage permitted after divorce?
- fam27 Dress of a Christian Woman
- fam31 “Pastor, I am going to get a divorce”
- fam37 Manliness: Acting like a Man
- fam42 The Foolish Child
- fam50 The Christian as a Worker
- fam62 How to be a Feminine Woman
Author Pastor David Cox
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