Nov 20
1
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 56:1–8
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely separate me from his people’; and let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ For thus says the LORD: ‘To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’ The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, ‘I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.’” (Isaiah 56:1–8, ESV)
Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 2:8-15
“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Timothy 2:8–15, ESV)
*****
Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
As we consider this passage today it is important that we remember Paul’s purpose in writing to his co-worker, Timothy. Paul’s purpose for writing can be discerned by simply reading the letter, but it is stated directly in chapter 3 verses 14 and 15. There we read, “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” So, Paul’s primary concern was to encourage Timothy to promote good order in the church in Ephesus. He wrote so that the members and ministers in Ephesus would know how they ought to behave within the church of the living God.
First, Paul addressed Timothy directly and charged him to fulfill his ministry in the church of Ephesus. Among other things, he was to “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (1 Timothy 1:3–4, ESV). He was to “wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:18–19, ESV).
And then after this Paul urged Timothy to see to it that the church fulfill its calling. And the first thing he urged the church to do was to pray. Chapter 2 verse 1 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…” (1 Timothy 2:1, ESV). The church is God’s temple or household. And the church is to be a house of prayer for all nations.
But here in verse 8 the apostle turns his attention to the genders. First, he addresses the men, and after this he addresses the women in the church. Both are to pray. Both are to offer up “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings… for all people”. But they are to do so being aware of their particular propensities to sin. Both are to lift up “holy hands” to the Lord in prayer. But the men are to teach and have authority within Christ’s church, as we will see.
Yes, brothers and sisters, I am well aware of how offensive this is to many within our culture. And yes, I am aware that many within the professing church have also taken offense and have, in one way or another, attempted to explain this text away. Most of these will say that Paul’s views concerning gender roles belong to a bygone era, but we have progressed beyond them. But this interpretation will not stand, for here Paul roots his teaching, not in the ever-shifting tides of culture, but in the Triune God’s fixed design at creation. In the beginning, God (who is one in three), “created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, ESV).
God is one, and yet within him we may distinguish between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And so too humanity is one, and yet within humanity we may distinguish between male and female. Brothers and sisters, both the unity and the diversity within humanity are beautiful. Both are to be celebrated, for in the unity and diversity we see the image of the Triune God.
Men and women are of equal dignity and worth. Both are human. Both are image-bearers. Never can we lose sight of this fundamental unity. The result will be oppression. But neither can we lose sight of the diversity. Men and women are not the same. They are different physiologically. They are different emotionally. And according to God’s design, they are to fulfill different roles within the family and the church. To lose sight of the fundamental unity that exists between men and women will lead to oppression. But to lose sight of what differentiates men and women will lead to disorder.
Disorder is what we are witnessing in our culture, in our families, and even in our churches, for many have rejected the distinctions that God himself has made at creation. When contemplating the human race, and when considering the unity and diversity of the male and female genders, nothing is more fundamental than this. In the beginning, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, ESV).
As I have said, Paul’s stated purpose in writing to Timothy was to promote good order within the church in Ephesus. It is not surprising, then, that he addresses men and women from the outset. As Paul considered the members of the church in Ephesus (members who stood before God and Christ as equals), he classified them as men and women, males and females, and rightly so. For though they are one, they are also diverse. Both men and women have a particular role to play in Christ’s church, and this is according to God’s design.
*****
Men Are To Pray
First, Paul addresses the males within the congregation, saying in verse 8, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
The whole church has already been exhorted to pray. In verse 1 of this chapter we read, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…” (1 Timothy 2:1, ESV). But here the apostle addresses men in particular. The men of the church must pray. In fact, they are to lead in prayer. This is why Paul mentions them first. And this is why [aul explicitly urges them to pray, saying, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
Sadly, in many churches, it is the women who pray while the men remain silent or absent themselves from the prayer meetings of the church. Perhaps this has something to do with pride. To pray, one must be humble. For in prayer we acknowledge the One who is higher than us. In prayer, we admit that we are under his authority. In prayer, we admit that we are not in control. And in prayer, we confess that we are needy. If a man is prideful he will not pray. But if a man is humble before God, he will bow the knee before his Father in heaven. Undoubtedly, there are other reasons for prayerlessness, but pride will certainly keep us from prayer.
Notice that the apostle says that men are to pray “in every place”. Of course, men are to pray in private and with their families. But when the apostle says “in every place” he likely has in mind the various meeting places of the church. As we will see, the apostle has the church gathered in mind as he writes this passage. The men are to pray whenever and wherever the church assembles.
And when they pray they are to lift up holy hands to the Lord. No, this does not mean that when men pray they must lift up their hands. In fact, there are many postures for prayer mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. Men may pray with their faces bowed to the earth, they may kneel, they may look heavenward. There is not one posture appropriate for all prayer. But posture does matter, for it is an expression of the disposition of the heart. We should be mindful of our posture in prayer, brothers and sisters. To pray with hands lifted up expresses neediness and dependence. Christian men should not hesitate to express that they are needy and dependent upon our Father in heaven.
The apostle is not here demanding that we always pray with this posture, but he is demanding that we be holy. What kind of hands are we to lift up to the Lord? We are to lift up “holy hands”. Of course, this means that we are to come to the Father having been made holy through faith in Christ, having been washed in the blood of the Lamb. But more than this, it is also an exhortation to be holy. We engage in the activities of life with our hands. And we are to be sure that our hands are holy, meaning that our way of life is holy and our conduct pure. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16, ESV).
Brothers, pursue holiness in the whole of life. Live in obedience to the Lord in thought, word, and deed. When you sin against God, repent sincerely, knowing for sure that your prayers will be hindered should you go on living in unrepentant sin.
Peter speaks to this reality in 1 Peter 3:7, saying, “husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7, ESV). A man’s prayers will be hindered if he fails to live with his wife in an understanding way. A man’s prayers will be hindered if he fails to honor his wife as a co-heir of the grace of life. The same is true for other sins. It is appalling to God when a man lives in unrepentant sin and then lifts his filthy hands to him in prayer. Yes, the Father is merciful and kind. He is eager to embrace the prodigal son. But turn from your sins, brothers. Believe upon Christ. Pursue holiness. Pray, lifting holy hands to the Lord.
Specifically, the apostle insists that men put away “anger” and “quarreling”. Of course, men are to put away all sin. But why do you think the apostle highlights these sins — the sins of anger and quarreling? It is not difficult to see that these are sins that plague men more than women. There are indeed exceptions to the rule. But men do tend to struggle with anger and quarreling.
“Anger” might also be translated as “wrath”. “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without [wrath] or quarreling”. Certainly, this is what the apostle has in mind. He is forbidding wrath, or anger that has burned out of control.
There is such a thing as righteous anger, brothers. For example, it is right for you to be angry about injustice in the world. But that righteous anger turns to sinful anger when it overflows its boundaries. Explosive anger is sinful. Anger that festers in the heart leading to bitterness is sinful. And anger that moves us to take vengeance against another is also sinful. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19, ESV). As I have said, there is such a thing as righteous anger. But men do sometimes struggle to control their passions. Instead of exercising self-control men do sometimes allow their emotions to drive them to wrath, bitterness, and vengeance.
The apostle also forbids quarreling or arguing. As with anger, there is nothing sinful about presenting an argument. One may argue a case in a righteous manner. If presenting an argument were inherently sinful, then Christ himself would be guilty of sin, and many of Paul’s letters would be filled with sin, for both of these men did argue for sound doctrine and confront others concerning sin. Clearly, Paul is not forbidding men from making an augment. Timothy would obviously need to do this very thing when he opposed the false teachers in the church in Ephesus. He would need to warn them to teach no other doctrine, and he would need to argue his case should they persist. Paul is not forbidding the art of argumentation, but rather an argumentative spirit. The word “quarreling” gets to the point, doesn’t it? There is a clear difference between presenting an argument and being argumentative. And the difference resides within the heart. The one who is quarrelsome makes little effort to understand the other, is reckless with his words, and cares more about winning the argument than promoting the truth. As is the case with the wrathful person, so it is with the quarrelsome person — both lack self-control. Both are driven by their passions. As James says, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel” (James 4:1–2, ESV).
Brothers, if we are to live lives of holiness before the Lord we must learn to control our passions.
God has made us in such a way that we have affections. As humans we perceive the world, we consider things to be either good or bad, and our affections move us to celebrate and draw near to that which is good and to grieve and reject that which is bad. The trouble is, now that we are fallen into sin our affections are often bent out of shape. We often consider what is bad to be good, and what is good to be bad. And even when we get things right in this regard, our affections often overflow their proper bounds. And when they do they are properly called passions. Fathers, it is right that you are angry with your son when he disrespects his mother. But it is wrong when this righteous anger drives you to rage. When you explode in anger, you are being driven by your passions. Passions are affections misdirected. Passions are affections overflowing their proper bounds. Brothers, we must learn to control our sinful passions. We must not be driven by them. We must develop self-control. We must be governed by the word of God and driven by his Spirit.
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” (1 Peter 1:14–15, ESV). “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:22–23, ESV). And remember that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit”(Galatians 5:22–24, ESV).
The wrathful and quarrelsome person is driven by his passions. But we must develop self-control in Christ Jesus. For the apostle has said, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.” The same applies to women, but Paul is here addressing besetting sins.
*****
Women Are To Pray
Secondly, Paul addresses the females in the congregation, saying in verse 9, “likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”
The word “likewise” at the beginning of verse 9 is important. It indicates that Paul’s command for the women is similar to his command for the men. Women are also to pray in every place. And women are also to lift up holy hands to the Lord. When Paul urged “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…”, his desire was that both men and women pray within the Christian congregation. The word “likewise” links the instructions for man and the instructions for women together. Both are to lift up holy hands to the Lord in prayer.
This is because men and women are one in Christ Jesus. Both are united to Christ by faith. Both have been reconciled to God the Father through the Mediator, Christ Jesus. Men and women are heirs together of the grace of life, as Peter has said. Both have bold access, therefore, to the throne of grace. Women, like the men, are to pray, lifting holy hands up to the Lord.
Paul’s instructions for men and women differ in two ways. One, the men are addressed first. And concerning the men Paul explicitly says, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray” (1 Timothy 2:8, ESV). I think it is right, therefore, to urge the men to lead in prayer within the Christian congregation, while at the same time urging the women to pray also. Sadly, the opposite is often true, as I have already said.
Two, Paul’s instructions for men and women also differ in regard to the besetting sins that he identifies. Men are warned to cease from anger and quarreling. And the women are warned concerning vanity and immodesty. There are of course exceptions to this rule. Men may also be vain and immodest. But in general, women do care more about their physical appearance and outward beauty than do men. And throughout the history of the world cultures have pressured women to obsess over outward appearance. Ours is no different.
And so the apostle says that “women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…” “Respectable” may also be translated as “suitable” or “proper apparel”. Women are to dress in a manner that is proper. Proper for what? you might ask. Verse 10 will answer that question saying, “proper for women who profess godliness…” Christian women should dress in a way that fits their profession of faith. Their dress is to be modest, the text says. Their dress should correspond to a heart that loves God more than the things of this earth. In their dress women should be careful to not lead others to sin. And their moderation will be the result of their self-control — that is to say, of their good judgment and decency.
The positive command is that “women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…” And the same command is stated negatively with the words, “not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire…” (1 Timothy 2:9, ESV).
No, this text is not forbidding Christian women from ever braiding their hair or wearing gold or pearls. Instead, this is text is forbidding extravagant dress and immodesty. As one commentator puts it, “it is the excess and sensuality that the items connote that Paul forbids… and not braids, gold, pearls, or even costly garments in and of themselves” (Knight, The Pastoral Epistles, 136). When Paul piled up these terms — “braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire” — the original audience would have thought of the way that the wealthy in society dressed, or even the dress of the harlot. Christian women should avoid this extravagant and sensual style. Instead, they should dress with modesty. Of course, the way that men and women dress will differ from culture to culture, but this word of warning can always be applied. “Women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…” no matter what the cultural norms may be.
Instead of clothing themselves in an extravagant and sensual manner, Christian women should dress in a way that “is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works” (1 Timothy 2:10, ESV). Sisters, clothe yourselves with “godliness”. Clothe yourselves with “good works”. And teach the younger women to do the same. That is what the apostle is encouraging! He is urging you to see that true beauty is not external but internal.
This sounds a lot like something Peter wrote. To Christian wives, he said, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:3–4, ESV). How important it is for women, and particularly young women, to learn this lesson. True beauty resides within. And the beauty within is beauty that is imperishable. It does not fade but increases with the passing of time as you grow in godliness.
So, both men and women are to pray within the Christian congregation. Both are to pray “lifting holy hands” to the Lord. Men and women are to live holy lives, being mindful of besetting sins, and being eager to develop self-control. Neither men nor women can be driven by the passions of the sinful flesh now that they are in Christ Jesus.
*****
Women Are To Learn But Shall Not Have Authority Over Men Within The Church
Thirdly, as Paul considers the genders and seeks to bring order to the church of the living God, he commands that women learn while forbidding them to teach or to have authority over men within the church.
Verse 11 says, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.”
The command is “let a woman learn”. It is not only the men who are to be taught but the women also. In our modern age, this probably does not strike you as being all that impressive, but at certain times and in certain places throughout the history of the world women have been excluded from learning. Paul insists that the women are to learn alongside the men in the Christian congregation.
This certainly corresponds to what Jesus himself modeled in his earthly ministry. Not only did he teach his twelve disciples, who were all men, but he taught women also. In fact, it would seem that some of his closest friends were women. Think of his relationship with Mary and Martha, for example. This teaching also corresponds to the record of the book of Acts — women played a very important role in the expansion of the church in those early days. Women are to be given a place alongside men in the Christian congregation. They are to sit side by side under the ministry of the word. They are to learn together. They are to pray together. And they are to work together for the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom.
But notice that Paul commands women to learn “with all submissiveness”. So up to this point, the unity between men and women has been stressed. Both are to pray, lifting up holy hands to the Lord. Both have equal access to the Father as image-bearers redeemed and reconciled by the blood of the Lamb. But here the apostle acknowledges the differences between males and females and commands that the women learn quietly within the church with all submissiveness.
The positive command is “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.” And the matter is stated negatively with the words, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”
It is important to note what Paul does not say. One, he does not say that a woman is never to teach. Instead, Paul has the authoritative teaching ministry of the church in view. A woman is not to teach in an authoritative way when the congregation, consisting of men and women, is assembled. In that context, she is to remain quiet, the apostle says. But it may be that she speaks and teaches in other settings. Two, he does not say that females may never have authority over males. Again, Paul is addressing teaching and authority within Christ’s church. And three, Paul is not saying that women must remain absolutely quiet. In fact, they were just urged to pray! Again, he is clearly addressing authoritative teaching when the church is assembled. Remember, he wrote to Timothy so that he may “know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
That women have an important role to play in the church, and may even be used of the Lord to teach in certain contexts, is illustrated by that story concerning Apollos found in Acts 18:24ff. In fact, the New Testament is filled with examples of women being used mightily by the Lord. But this story is most pertinent. “Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:24–26, ESV).
Isn’t that interesting? First of all, this event transpired in Ephesus, which is where Timothy ministered when Paul wrote to him. But more to the point, both Priscilla and her husband Aquila were used of the Lord to teach Apollos, who was an “eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. Both he and she explained to him “the way of God more accurately”. In no way does this passage suggest that it was improper for Priscilla to be involved with this. But pay careful attention — “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” Do you see that Priscilla did not hold the office of pastor/teacher but was used of the Lord to teach others, even this gifted leader within the church named Apollos?
Now, it goes without saying that this teaching which distinguishes between male and female and commands that women take a place of submission within the church, being forbidden to teach or to exercise authority over a man (which means that women cannot hold the office of elder or deacon), is countercultural. Our modern and progressive culture scoffs at this. They consider it to be oppressive towards women. In fact, certain factions within our culture are even more radicle than this. They scoff at the way in which the scriptures distinguish between the genders.
So here is the question: is the church permitted to go with the flow of the culture by dismissing this teaching from Paul as belonging to a bygone era? It the church permitted to ignore this text claiming that these were the cultural norms in Paul’s day, but we have progressed beyond them?
Indeed, there are some things described in the scriptures that are not timeless but belonged to a particular era or culture, and we are right to move on from them. For example, we do not sacrifice animals at the temple in Jerusalem, and rightly so. But there is a reason for this. Temple worship was instituted, not at creation, but under Moses. Furthermore, it foreshadowed Christ who is the true temple and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. When the Christ came he fulfilled the Old Covenant and established the New Covenant, and temple worship was rightly taken away.
But what about this teaching concerning males and females within the church. And though it is not our focus today, we might ask the same thing concerning the biblical teaching regarding the roles of husbands and wives within the family (you would do well to notice that they mirror one another). May we dismiss these teachings as old fashioned and out dated? The answer is no, for Paul roots this teaching, not in the Old Covenant, in culture or custom, but in creation. Men and women are to be considered equal, and yet women and wives are called to take posture of submission in the church and family because this was God’s design from the beginnig.
Look at verse 13: “For Adam was formed first, then Eve…”, the apostle says. The word “for” is important. It indicates that Paul is about to explain why things are to be this way. Women are to take this posture of submission within the church and are forbidden from teaching and having authority over the men in the congregation “for Adam was formed first, then Eve…”.
Not only is Paul drawing our attention to the order of creation — first the man was made, then the women. But he is reminding us of the whole creation narrative. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” And what did he do with the earthly realm that was at first “without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep”? He brought it into order. Our God is a God of order. And the order of the natural world was established by him at the time of creation. And that includes the order that is to exists between husband and wife within the home and males and females within the church of the living God.
Adam was formed first, remember. But he found no one suitable for companionship. All of the animals were living creatures, but they were not human. They were not image-bearers. So God created women. She was taken from Adam’s flesh, meaning that she shares his nature. She is human. She is an image-bearer. And furthermore, she was not taken from his feet so as to be his slave, nor was she taken from his head so as to be his superior, but she was taken from his side to be his companion. God made the woman to be a helper fit for him. And what was Adam’s response when he first saw her? “Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23, ESV).
And so this order that was established at creation will remain for all time. Men and women are of equal dignity and worth. They stand side by side on an equal plane as image-bearers of God. And they stand side by side as co-heirs in Christ Jesus. But they are not the same. They were made different so that they might correspond to one another, thanks be to God.
When men and women rebel against God’s design disorder and wickedness prevail. In verse 14 Paul reminds us, not of creation, but of man’s fall into sin when says, “and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” Adam fell into sin because he failed to be the head that God had called him to be. The covenant was transacted with Adam. He was the one responsible. He was forbidden from eating of the tree of the knowledge of God and evil. He was commissioned to keep and expand the garden temple. When he ate of that forbidden fruit, he ate willfully and defiantly. But the woman was deceived. She failed to be the helper that God had called her to be.
When Paul reminds of the order of creation he is urging us to live according to God’s design.
When Paul reminds of man’s fall into sin he is reminding us of where a disregard of God’s design will inevitably lead — to sin, to disorder, and death.
Before we conclude let us very briefly consider this little remark found in verse 15. Concerning the women Paul says, “Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”
What does this mean? In fact, there are about five different interpretations of this verse. I will give you the one that I agree with. Given that Paul has just mentioned man’s fall into sin through the deception of the woman, here in verse 15, he reminds us of the gospel that through the offspring of the woman a Savior would come into the world. Eve was deceived leading to Adam’s sin. But she — that is Eve along with those women who would descend from her — would be saved through the process of childbearing. Eve and the Virgin Mary, along with every woman that bridged the gap between them would be used of the Lord to bring the Savior into the world. And through that process of childbearning all women (and men) will be saved “– if they continue in faith [in the gospel] and love and holiness, with self-control” (1 Timothy 2:15, ESV).
The word “yet” at the beginning of verse 15 is important, I think. It clues us in to the irony. Through the woman, Eve temptation was brought to Adam, and through him, sin and death came to the human race. But in though the woman Mary the second Adam — the Christ — was brought in the world and through him salvation to men and women from every tongue, tribe, and nation.
*****
Conclusion
You know, one thing I am a bit tired of is Christians in this culture acting as if they are ashamed because they hold to these old, traditional views concerning men and women in the family and church. Brothers and sisters, why would you be ashamed of living according to God’s design? His design is clearly revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture, but it is also revealed in nature. An unbiased consideration of marriage and the family clearly reveals that this is how things are meant to be. Do not be ashamed of this, brothers and sisters. Instead, put the beauty of God’s design on full display! Men, do your part in the church and home. Women, do your part in the church and home. Love one another. Honor one another. Thrive together so that the world may see the glory of God and the image of God in his creation.
