First of all, men and women are loved and esteemed equally in the sight of God; neither is one better, or more important, than the other (Galatians 3:28). But— God is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:40, Colossians 2:5), and every person has his own place, ministry, and function in the kingdom of God; and when people violate that order, it is confusion (Leviticus 18:23, 20:12, 1 Samuel 20:30, Ezra 9:7) and abomination (Deuteronomy 22:5, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26,27, Leviticus 18:22), and rebellion, which is the same as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23, 2 Kings 9:22).
One of the ordinances of which the apostle Paul spake in 1 Corinthians 11:2 was that which he went on to explain in verses 3-16, which was ordained of God in the beginning (Genesis 3:16). It pertains to the God-ordained order of subjection, as it is written,
“The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”
1 Corinthians 11:3.
Isaiah wrote these words from the LORD:
“The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws
(given by Moses from God),
changed the ordinance
(the divine order of God which he ordained from the beginning),
broken the everlasting covenant
(Genesis 9:16).
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate…” – Isaiah 24:4-6
God will hold men accountable for their actions, whether they have heard the law or not, because the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1-3, Romans 1:18) and the law is written in the heart, or conscience, of every man from his birth (Romans 2:12-16), and they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). How much more the church of God?
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…”
1 Peter 4:17
“And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women…and begin at my sanctuary.”
Ezekiel 9:5,6
With this in mind, let us search the scriptures, let the traditions of men be washed from our minds and hearts by the word of God (Ephesians 5:26), and believe and obey that which is written in the holy scriptures. As it is written,
“The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”
Proverbs 13:14.
The woman was made for the man, not the man for the woman.
Genesis 2:18, 1 Corinthians 11:9, 1 Timothy 2:13
The man is the head of the woman.
Genesis 3:16, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 14:34, 1 Peter 3:5,6, Ephesians 5:22
The man is to love and cherish the woman, and lay down his life for her, and the woman is to be humble and submissive to the headship of the man.
Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 3:1-7
The woman is not to wear men’s clothing (pants, vest, blazer, etc…), just as the man is not to wear women’s clothing (Deuteronomy 22:5). It is abomination, and the abominable shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).
It is a shame for a woman to cut her hair
Isaiah 3:24, Jeremiah 7:29, 1 Corinthians 11:6,
…because the woman is the glory of the man, and her long hair is given her for a covering
1 Corinthians 11:7-10, 15.
The fact that her hair is given her for a covering by nature illustrates to us that she ought to cover her head when she prays or prophesies
1 Corinthians 11:5,6.
If she refuses, she is dishonouring her head, which is the man; and to do so in the house of God is confusion and rebellion, which is the same as witchcraft
1 Samuel 15:23.
The woman, although she may most certainly evangelize to the lost, and labour in the work of the ministry
Romans 16:1,2, Phillipians 4:3,
…is commanded to be silent in the church
1 Corinthians 14:34-38, 1 Timothy 2:11-15,
which simply means not to attempt to teach, preach, admonish, testify, read scripture, or in any wise disrupt the God-ordained order of the meeting of the church in the house of God; the only Biblical exception being if she is given a word of prophecy for the church
1 Corinthians 14:31-33;
…in which case let her head be covered
1 Corinthians 11:5,
…and let the word come forth. Then let the others judge
1 Corinthians 14:29,
…and let her again hold her peace.
Jezebel, the daughter of Eth-Baal king of the Zidonians, was the wife of Ahab king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). It was against the law of God for Ahab to marry her (Deuteronomy 7:3), and when he did, she brought him, and the whole nation, into Baal worship (1 Kings 16:32,33). Jezebel was a usurper of authority (1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Kings 21:5-15). She was a murderess. She painted her face, as all whores do (2 Kings 9:30, Ezekiel 23:40,44, Jeremiah 4:30). And her ways were called of God (by the mouth of Jehu king of Judah) “whoredoms” and “witchcraft” (2 Kings 9:22).
Today, in the modern Laodicean churches (Revelation 3:14-22), ungodly women are:
- usurping authority over the men,
- standing in the pulpit to teach and preach,
- reading scripture and giving testimonies in the congregations,
- cutting their hair,
- wearing men’s clothes (or dressing lavishly like whores to show off their bodies and their wealth),
- painting their faces,
- growing their fingernails out like dragon’s claws,
- and driving the churches farther and farther into error.
“As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O, my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”
(Isaiah 3:12)
There are testimonies of great women of God in the Bible.
Rahab was a woman of great faith.
(Hebrews 11:31).
Ruth was grafted into the line of Messiah.
(Matthew 1:5).
Deborah was a prophetess, and a mother in Israel.
(Judges 5:7).
Abigail saved the lives of her entire household.
(1 Samuel 25:32-34).
…And the list goes on and on. But if we search the scriptures, we can clearly see that NONE of these holy women wore men’s clothes, tried to usurp authority over men, or in any wise stepped out of the character of a woman of God, as he has set forth in his word.
Some have asserted that women may be deacons in the churches, by misusing the scholarship of “theology”; recognizing that the word “servant” in Romans 16:1, referring to a Christian woman named Phebe, is translated from the Greek word “diakonos” (#1249). Diakonos means,
“a runner of errands, an attendant, a waiter of tables or in other menial duties.”
Yes, it is true that in some places, the word diakonos is translated as “deacon(s)” in the Bible, once in Philippians and 4 times in 1 Timothy. But in every one of these instances, the word “deacon(s)” is used to mean an officer of the church, as the assistant to a bishop, pastor, teacher, or overseer; and in each case it is quite plain that the apostle Paul was referring to men, and not women, as deacons.
In 1 Timothy 3:8-13 the word “deacon(s)” is used 4 times, speaking expressly of those who must be,
“the husbands of one wife” (v.12).
“Even so must their wives be grave…” (v.11).
In the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it is said of “diakonos” (#1249)-
“(techn. a deacon or deaconess)”.
There is absolutely NO such thing as a “deaconess” in the Holy Bible, or in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ; and this is one of the many areas of the Strong’s Concordance (and other Bible dictionaries) in which the error of a particular scholar has been accepted as truth in the modern churches, although it clearly contradicts the scripture.
We must always remember that,
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”;
…and that although some Bible dictionaries may be helpful to a degree, we must always judge them in the light of the scripture, and not receive their teachings as authoritative.
“Every word of God is pure…”
Proverbs 30:5,
…and the Holy Bible (King James Version) has NO words which have been mistranslated!
Let us never take the word of some supposed “expert” over the God-inspired scripture! Phebe (Romans 16:1) was a servant of the church. She was NOT a deacon, or a “deaconess”.
Paul said of her,
“For she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”.
Webster’s Dictionary defines “succourer” as “one who or that which gives help, relief, aid, etc…”. That means she was a helper, or assistant, or attendant. There is no evidence anywhere in the scripture that Phebe, or any woman, was ever a deacon, pastor, teacher, or in any form an officer in the church. And that fact is made quite evident in Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:34-38 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
Beware lest any man deceive you.
True, holy women of God do not:
Speak in the church (except for the word of prophecy, with head covered)—
1 Corinthians 14:34,35, 1 Timothy 2:11,
Usurp authority over the man—
Ephesians 5:24, 1 Timothy 2:12,
Wear men’s clothes—
Deuteronomy 22:5,
Paint their faces—
2 Kings 9:30, Jeremiah 4:30, Ezekiel 23:40-44,
Cut their hair—
1 Corinthians 11:5,6,15,
Or wear overly expensive or immodest clothing, or jewelry—
1 Timothy 2:9, 1 Peter 3:3-5.
Rather, to the godly woman, her desire is to her husband:
Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:33, Titus 2:4,5
And the Bible teaches that the desire of women is to bear children.
Daniel 11:37, Genesis 18:10-13, 19:31,32, 30:1, 1 Samuel 1:5-18, 1 Timothy 2:15
***”What?”***
“Came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only?
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 14:36,37
Women of God have a gift and ministry most vital, and one which men can in no wise perform: that of bearing children, guiding the house, and being a help meet for their husbands (Titus 2:4,5, 1 Peter 3:1-7). How can the church of God, or even the world itself, continue if women cease to act as women?
Let us follow the divine order of God, that we may know the life and blessedness that he has in store for his obedient children, and that we may escape the fiery wrath and fury he has reserved for the abominable!
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”
Proverbs 31:10
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
1 John 5:3
AMEN
