INTRODUCTION
God cares for women as much as He does men. Yes, women are significant to the home, church, and society as men are. In Christ, women enjoy equality in spiritual blessings before God as men do. This does not mean, though, that there is to be no difference in men and women in their appearance and responsibilities. There is the reality which needs to be obvious in the church and society today; men and women were obviously created by God differently.
KNOWING HER RIGHTFUL POSITION
The Bible affirms that men are to be leaders in the home and church. Women were not made, after the fall, to rule these institutions; men were. The five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 was so designed in the Scriptures for men, and not for women.
In the beginning, man and woman were equal in their position before God. But when Eve fell in transgression when she listened to the serpent, the covenant was changed. The woman was now to be under subjection unto the man as evident in the succeeding Scriptures:
1 Timothy 2:14-15 – " And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."
Genesis 3:16 – " Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire (shall be) to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"
Ephesians 5:22-24 – "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so (let) the wives (be) to their own husbands in everything."
The prophet Isaiah was condemning Israel when he said that women ruled over them ( Isaiah 3:12). The prophet Elijah was also condemning Ahab because his pagan wife Jezebel was overpowering him. Samson was turned out of the will of God because he listened to the dictates of Delilah. And Adam himself failed God because of listening to his wife Eve.
In the church, according to the Bible, no woman is qualified to be a pastor or a deacon or in any other leadership position over men. Who says that? The Holy Spirit spoke these through His New Testament mouthpiece, the Apostle Paul.
Many religious people say that since Jesus Christ came to die for all, it is no more important to let the woman be under submission to the man in the church. This thinking is not Scriptural. Jesus Christ did not die to condemn His Word. His Word can not be broken. Take note that when Paul was preaching and setting the church in order, the Lord had already died for us and had been raptured. Paul kept the Word pure and warned that if anyone comes after him and brings another Gosple contrary to what he has preached, that fellow should be cursed (Galatians 1:7, 8). The danger in adding to the Word and taking away from the Word is spelt out in Revelation 22:18, 19.
Others say the woman who met the Lord at the well went to preach. No, she didn't go to preach in the church. She knew she couldn't break the Word. She went to testify in the city where there are a mixed multitude of believers and unbelievers. However, the Bible says that when the brethren (the church) come together, she should not usurp authority. The reason is that the authority of the man is not only at home but in the church also. The Bible says if the man can not rule his home, how can he rule the house of God.
1Timothy 2:11-15 clearly states:
"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. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."
I Corinthians 14:34-37 states:
"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, as also sayeth the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
How could a woman possibly be a pastor of a church when she is forbidden to teach or have any authority over men?
Women can only become pastors if churches willfully and openly reject the Bible's teaching. Unfortunately, churches today, even the Pentecostals, are often infected by worldly temperament. Women liberation has invaded the churches. Thus, the rebellion of women in the world is provoking similar problems in the churches, and we find women desiring and demanding leadership roles in many churches.
In a typology, God is a man, and the church is a woman. Therefore, the woman ought to be under subjection to the man as the church is under subjection to Christ, and not vice versa.
WOMEN IN THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY?
The main issue can be summarized as follows: "can a woman be ordained to the pastorial ministry?"
If the Bible is your final authority, the answer is a solid NO!
The Bible speaks very plainly on this subject leaving no room for speculation and confusion, or even, debate. The problem is that churches today too often are looking to sources other than the Bible to justify their vain convictions. The result is an intoxication of ideas that reject the authority of scripture.
Though women may serve in the church in various capacities, as long as those capacities do not violate the principles of authority and order and male leadership, then that is all right. Women may be in spiritual authority over other women and children but not over men.
I do not negate the fact that there are many women that have great abilities. But it is important to remember that this issue has nothing to do with worth or ability. It has everything to do with order and authority. God has placed the family unit, and the very church itself, in proper order.
1st Corinthians 14:40 states "Let all things be done decently and in order." Hebrews 13:17, "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you".
Women may serve with great results in the church however, not as pastors, elders or deacons. Jesus chose twelve men to be the foundational leaders of His church, and the apostles were bid to choose seven men also to be deacons.
To ordain women as pastors / elders/deacons is a violation of the Word of God and due to either a lack of scriptural understanding, or simply an attempt to make the Bible say what meets man's carnal desire. We must not allow cultural pressure or political correctness to dictate to the church, its authority structure.
Since the qualifications listed in 1st Timothy 3 also states that a deacon must be "the husband of one wife" (1st Timothy 3:2), it is therefore clear that the office of a deacon should be held by men.
A very important scripture concerning who is to be an elder or pastor is the following one; 1st Timothy 3:4-5 "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)". This passage clearly links the authority of a man in his home to the authority of men in the church. It is clear that God also put men in charge of His church. God has established His authority structure and has clearly placed men in leadership over women.
WHAT BROTHER BRANHAM TAUGHT CONCERNING THE MATTER:
Here are a few doctrinal issues and nuggets concerning women preachers,
Laodicean Church Age-Church Age Book Cpt. 9 – "Now a woman is not meant to have an iron disposition. She is, according to the Holy Scripture, to be submissive to the male. That is commanded for her. Woman who is truly female, all female, will be of that disposition. Not a door mat. No real male makes a female a door mat. But she will want to be under authority and not rule over the male, for he is the head over the house. If she breaks that image that God made for her, she is perveted. Any male that lets the woman take authority has also broken that image and he is perverted. That is why a woman cannot wear that which pertaineth to a man (Deut. 22:5) or cut her hair (1 Cor. 11:6, 15). She is never to wear garments that pertain to a male or cut her hair. When she does she is intruding into the male domain taking authority and perverting herself. And when a woman invades the pulpit which it is commanded she must not do, she shows what spirit she is of."