Do Men Have Authority Over Women?

[reformed1689]

To put it simply, if you follow Scripture, yes.

Wives are to submit to husbands.
Women are not to have authority over men in the church.
Women are to remain quiet in the church (yes that means women pastors is wholly against Scripture).

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

I have seen men who should submit to their wife's because they are such fools ! that's it's better for all in fact.

But by rights Scripture is right, all tho that does not mean the man can be a thug at all to her.

 

[kcnalp]

To put it simply, if you follow Scripture, yes.

Wives are to submit to husbands.
Women are not to have authority over men in the church.
Women are to remain quiet in the church (yes that means women pastors is wholly against Scripture).

Yes, but Christian men do not abuse the right. They LOVE their wives.

 

[Cristo Rei]

To put it simply, if you follow Scripture, yes.

Wives are to submit to husbands.
Women are not to have authority over men in the church.
Women are to remain quiet in the church (yes that means women pastors is wholly against Scripture).

Feminists hate this truth and have worked hard over the decades to abolish such order. Now its about equality which means whenever there is a disagreement couples break up

 

[Michiah-Imla]

If the majority of women obeyed this one instruction the world would be a better place.

 

[Lambano]

Whoever has ears to hear, let 'em hear.

 

[reformed1689]

Yes, but Christian men do not abuse the right. They LOVE their wives.

Agreed but that is not the focus of the thread.

 

[Cristo Rei]

Feminism is like the snake in the garden of Eden trying to turn woman against man. "You will be like gods" The promise of power. "You can be like men" Feminism pits woman against man

 

[Behold]

The bible talks about "order", as God is a God of order.
God is a God of divine authority.

Consider that Man was created, and woman was taken FROM man.
The Bible teaches that the woman is made for the man.

Then Jesus arrives, who is the 2nd Adam, and now we have this...Galatians 3:28

And we are also taught that the man is the "head" of the woman as "Christ is the head of the Church", but this is not in the sense of slavery or domination.
Its simply the divine order of creation, not a license to abuse.

Read Galatians 3:28 carefully, as it gives context to the authority of the male as the head of the household or the head of the Church building.

 

[reformed1689]

The bible talks about "order", as God is a God of order.
God is a God of divine authority.

Consider that Man was created, and woman was taken FROM man.
The Bible teaches that the woman is made for the man.

Then Jesus arrives, who is the 2nd Adam, and now we have this...Galatians 3:28

And we are also taught that the man is the "head" of the woman as "Christ is the head of the Church", but this is not in the sense of slavery or domination.
Its simply the divine order of creation, not a license to abuse.

Read Galatians 3:28 carefully, as it gives context to the authority of the male.

Agreed. But this is not a thread about that authority being abused or potentially abused. This is in direct response to women who say men do not have authority over them.

 

[Josho]

Genesis 2:18

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”


Who is also called Helper?

John 14:26
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Also again in verse 26 in John 15

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.


Both man and woman were created in God's image, they were created in the image of the Holy Trinity. Just because wives are to submit to husbands, doesn't make them any less, and just because man is the head of woman doesn't make the woman any less, just like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all equal, man and woman are also equal.

The Church of Christ is the bride of Christ, and whether male or female Christian believers we are all still the bride or Christ.

 

[Cassandra]

Well, there are those who take this to an extreme.
On one of the threads in this forum, a member was posting his opinions, which is fine. A female member responded, and this is what the male poster wrote:

"Maybe some of the women I encounter are devils and maybe some of them
aren't, I don't know; but I am not allowed to give women the benefit of the
doubt. I must assume the worst about them.

Here's an example of a man who let his guard down:

• Gen 3:6d . . she took of its fruit and ate.• Gen 3:6e . . She also gave some to her husband, and he ate.

The important thing to note at this point, is that the woman was unaffected
by the fruit-- she experienced no ill side effects and went right on naked as
usual; feeling no shame about it whatsoever."

I see that your footnote says you are a pastor. Do any women participate in church services? Do you have Sunday School teachers who are women?Depending on how far you feel about this, do you think that's a good idea?

 

[reformed1689]

Well, there are those who take this to an extreme.
On one of the threads in this forum, a member was posting his opinions, which is fine. A female member responded, and this is what the male poster wrote:

"Maybe some of the women I encounter are devils and maybe some of them
aren't, I don't know; but I am not allowed to give women the benefit of the
doubt. I must assume the worst about them.

Here's an example of a man who let his guard down:

• Gen 3:6d . . she took of its fruit and ate.• Gen 3:6e . . She also gave some to her husband, and he ate.

The important thing to note at this point, is that the woman was unaffected
by the fruit-- she experienced no ill side effects and went right on naked as
usual; feeling no shame about it whatsoever."

I see that your footnote says you are a pastor. Do any women participate in church services? Do you have Sunday School teachers who are women?Depending on how far you feel about this, do you think that's a good idea?

Women teach other women and also children, but no not in the service.

 

[Cassandra]

Women teach other women and also children, but no not in the service.

No women lead the song service or the prayer?
So you have seperate classes for the men and women and only women teach women? how about spiritual gifts? Do women receive the gift of wisdom, knowledge, teaching, and if they do , they are not allowed to use them on men?

 

[reformed1689]

No women lead the song service or the prayer?
So you have seperate classes for the men and women and only women teach women? how about spiritual gifts? Do women receive the gift of wisdom, knowledge, teaching, and if they do , they are not allowed to use them on men?

Paul prohibited women teaching men

 

[Cassandra]

Paul prohibited women teaching men

You didn't answer my questions.

Here they are again..
No women lead the song service or the prayer?
So you have seperate classes for the men and women and only women teach women? how about spiritual gifts? Do women receive the gift of wisdom, knowledge, teaching, and if they do , they are not allowed to use them on men?

Also, it is perfectly ok for women to teach Sunday School,I'm assuming, but at what age are males not allowed to receive instruction from a female teacher?

Are your adult classes mixed and have a male teacher? That's fine, but are women not allowed any input when questions are asked?

 

[PinSeeker]

Yes, but Christian men do not abuse the right. They LOVE their wives.

Yes, but even that is soft-pedaling the responsibility of the husband to his covenant wife. Christian men are to love their wives even as Christ loved (loves) the church ~ He (Christ) gave Himself up for her (His church). Worth pondering deeply in the heart, right?

Grace and peace!

 

[reformed1689]

No women lead the song service or the prayer?

Correct

So you have seperate classes for the men and women and only women teach women? how about spiritual gifts? Do women receive the gift of wisdom, knowledge, teaching, and if they do , they are not allowed to use them on men?

If joint only men teach.

Also, it is perfectly ok for women to teach Sunday School,I'm assuming, but at what age are males not allowed to receive instruction from a female teacher?

5th grade.

Are your adult classes mixed and have a male teacher? That's fine, but are women not allowed any input when questions are asked?

Questions are fine. Input, no.

 

[PinSeeker]

You didn't answer my questions.

Well, he actually did, but just didn't expound on it. Plus he probably didn't answer them the way you wanted them to be answered. Appropriate roles for women in the church is an ongoing issue these days, so you shouldn't expect ~ and you probably don't; I'm just saying ~ anyone here to resolve them in this thread...

No women lead the song service or the prayer?

There are appropriate (Biblical) roles for women in the corporate church. Preaching and teaching are not.

So you have separate classes for the men and women and only women teach women?

I'm not speaking for R1689, but regarding corporate church activities, I'm quite sure this is not the case. I'm also quite sure that only men teach them. Most churches do have separate men's and women's ministries, and men lead the men's ministries, and women lead the women's ministries. And both are overseen by the overseeers ~ the Teaching and Ruling Elders, who, yes, are men.

how about spiritual gifts? Do women receive the gift of wisdom, knowledge, teaching...?

Sure they do. And there are most certainly Biblically appropriate ways to use those gifts in the life of the church.

... if they do , they are not allowed to use them on men?

Well, I would take a bit of an issue with the "use them on" language you use here, regardless of gender. But teaching, no.

Also, it is perfectly ok for women to teach Sunday School, I'm assuming...

Sure.

...at what age are males not allowed to receive instruction from a female teacher?

In our church it's any age beyond elementary school.

Are your adult classes mixed and have a male teacher?

Yes.

That's fine, but are women not allowed any input when questions are asked?

Well, it depends somewhat on what you mean by "input." But just generally speaking, sure they are, and many times even when not asked. I guess that gets into the "keeping silent" thing that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians, but many go overboard with that.

Aside from all that, I think at least part of the problem is the term 'equality,' and what that means to certain folks. It does not mean 'sameness.' 'Equality' and 'sameness' are not synonyms.

I will say this, that I think my church, regarding these things, seems to be a little left of where R1689's is. A little. In this discussion, it sounds like R1689's church might be what we would label "TR" ("Truly Reformed," which is a somewhat pejorative, albeit good-natured, term). Sorry, R1689; no offense intended.

Grace and peace to you, Cassandra.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Yes, but Christian men do not abuse the right. They LOVE their wives.

Well Christian men are still human and sometime they abuse their position, just like Christian women sometime abuse their position! Being a certified counselor, most marriage problems I have encountered are simply because men are abusing the authority and women rebel or women do not want to be ruled over!

My best advice I give couples is to practice Ephesians 5:22-33 without hesitation and without any caveats and come back in a month and we will talk! It is amazing how much turmoil ends when believers obey the very simple to understand instructions in the bible!