When I describe some of the amazing things being done by women in the Kingdom of God, or when I explain an alternative understanding of the challenging passages on women, I sometimes hear this comment from both men and women who are trying to be obedient to the Scriptures:
“It’s more important that a woman obey the Scriptures.” The obvious implication from the context of the comment is that a woman should stop what she’s doing if it involves teaching or having any kind of authority over men in order that she can observe 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
So what’s a woman to do?
It gets up close and personal.
Should I stop writing books? Should I stop blogging? (I can’t help it if men choose to read the stuff I’ve written!) Should I stop training church planters around the world? Should I not give advice to men when they write and ask me questions? That’s the logical conclusion of the argument.
I’ve come to peace with it all. The challenging Scriptures are not unequivocal, and they go against the general trend and tenor of the overall message of the Bible. They can be understood, with integrity, to have an alternative meaning that doesn’t inhibit women. I’m free to obey the Holy Spirit’s leading.
12 replies on “What’s a woman to do?”
Thanks, Felicity, for doing this series. It’s encouraging to hear that people are thinking through the scriptures and making a way for women to serve in the body of Christ.
Lori, I’ve been totally amazed at the response to this series. Example: my bounce rate has dropped to below 1.5% and readership has trebled. I can only account for it as something the Lord is doing.
Yes and amen!
that’s the most important thing to do–follow gods being that lives in you–listen and then walk
Kenneth, thank you. Listening and obeying is the only thing we can do that makes sense.
Felicity, I have felt for a long time what you wrote: “The challenging Scriptures… go against the general trend and tenor of the overall message of the Bible.”
I thank God for your ministry, all of it, and pray for ever-widening influence worldwide.
Bruce, thank you. Your constant encouragement is a huge blessing to me.
you are so courageous! I am loving these posts. And God certainly has seemed to free you from people-pleasing (IF you ever even dealt with it like the majority of us women!) I look forward to reading all these posts I missed regarding women & the Church. I really don’t know what to DO with the scriptures of the Bible that are often used “against” women leading. I saved all these posts & hope to come back to them ASAP, thank you for your courage!
Randi, thank you for your encouragement. That’s huge! I’m so glad these posts are proving a help.
I continue to feel lead to come back to your blog when I feel anxiety about the I Cor 14 passages. I wrestle with these passages every so often. not sure what the Lord is trying to work out of me. I’m not sure why it causes me anxiety…. I think it is out of a good motive to make sure I’m not being disobedient/rebellious…. idk! 🙂
when you say… “They can be understood, with integrity, to have an alternative meaning that doesn’t inhibit women”
I want to know — what can be an alternative meaning of these passages!?
🙂 thanks for whatever you can offer.
Check out two series of blog posts, one beginning here http://bit.ly/YCBUwZ on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and the other beginning at http://bit.ly/WCXH4C on 1 Timothy 2:11-12. I also highly recommend a book by Philip B Payne (not an easy read) called Man and Woman: One in Christ.
thank you so much….. those were both helpful!… i apparently had read them before – because I saw a comment of mine. hehe it didn’t sink in apparently. hopefully it did this time.