A
language instructor
was explaining to her class that some Latin nouns, like chalk or pencil
have a gender association, although in English these words are neutral.
One student raised his hand and asked, “What gender is a computer?”
The teacher wasn’t certain so she divided the class into 2 groups,
male & female, and asked them to decided if the word computer should
be masculine or feminine. Both groups were asked to give 4 reasons for
their recommendation. The women concluded that computers should be referred
to in the masculine gender because:
1 In order to get
anything out of them, you first have to turn them on.
2 They store a lot
of data, but are still clueless.
3 They are supposed
to help you solve your problems, but half the time they are the problem.
4 As soon as you
commit to one, you realize that if you waited a little longer you could
have had a better model.
The men, on the
other hand, decided computers should definitely be to referred in the
feminine gender because:
1 No one but their
Creator understands their internal logic.
2 The native language
they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to
everyone else.
3 Even your smallest
mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.
4 As soon as you
make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck
on accessories for it.
Now I thought,
given the topic of today’s sermon, that it might be wise to start
off with a little bit of humor. For the topic of authority is not really
a difficult one to properly interpret, but it is a delicate one. In
an age of radical feminists, to teach from this passage, at least to
interpret it biblically, is a dangerous thing to do. If I veer off in
either direction, some of you will label me a liberal, and some of you
will label me as a radical conservative. It’s like walking through
a minefield with a map. As long as I keep with the context of the verse,
even though some of you may not like what I have to say, I’ll be
safe because I’ll still be in the center of God’s will.
Nothing in this
portion will be difficult for us to understand, but the content of it
is highly explosive. It is charged with things that have brought much
controversy, particularly in local churches throughout our land here
in America. Also, because it’s controversial, some of you are bound
to disagree with me on some points. But that isn’t going to stop
me from doing my job. My chief job is to interpret and expound the Word
of God as honestly as I can. And I will seek to do that this morning.
The role of women
has become a battleground in our society, and the battle has even filtered
into the church of Jesus Christ. One attitude that has filtered into
the church is that many people today, especially among modern day feminists,
feel that Paul was the greatest chauvinist that ever walked upon the
face of God’s earth. To combat this mindset, we always have to
keep in mind that this letter was written in reply to another letter
where the Corinthians asked several questions of the apostle Paul.
So in the section
we’re going to look at today and next Sunday, Paul is answering
a question that was sent to him asking if women should attend the worship
services veiled or unveiled. In today’s setting the question would
be should women wear hats during a worship service.
We just finished a section addressing the liberty that we have as Christians.
We learned that many of the Corinthian Christians had turned their liberty
into a license to sin. They were taking their freedom in Christ to a
wrong extreme. And this is what was happening with the women in the
church as well. They felt that their liberty and freedom in Christ allowed
them do some of the same things that men could do. To the point that
they were no longer willing to submit to the authority of men.
It seems that some
of the ladies, based on v. 3, now believed that submission to men meant
that they were somehow inferior to men or less than a Christian to God.
So these early days feminist, in their attempts to get some of the other
women to come to their side, were causing divisions in the body. The
remarkable thing to Paul was that rather than have the church divide
into a church of women-libbers, and another church of male chauvinist
pigs, they first sought the help of Paul--v. 2.
This shows that
they respected Paul’s apostolic authority and divine wisdom in
this issue. According to the book of Acts, Paul spent about 18 months
in Corinthian after planting the church. During that time, he had been
like a parent to them. And like any good parent, he drilled certain
truths into their minds so that no matter what else they forgot, they
would never forget what he considered to be the most important spiritual
truths.
All of us remember the some of the truths our parents drilled into our
minds. We know that we shouldn’t go out wearing dirty underwear
in case we’re in a car wreck. So even if our underwear is full
of holes, at least they are clean. All of know that we shouldn’t
run with scissors in our hands. And most of us don’t because we
had that truth planted deep into our minds so that it effected our behavior.
So along with teaching
them the truths concerning Jesus Christ and salvation, Paul also spent
some time teaching them about the specific principles they needed in
order to have a proper worship service. In the next couple of chapters
we will discover what Paul considered to be the most important truths
concerning proper conduct in a worship service. He is going to talk
about the importance of communion. He is going to talk about the importance
of the gifts of the Spirit. He is going to talk about the importance
of preaching the gospel. But first he talks about the importance of
the roles of men & women in a worship service.
Not only was Paul
impressed that the people sought his advice, but he was also impressed
that the majority of them hadn’t drifted away from these teachings--v.
2. The problems that were going on in the Corinthian church was not
that the majority of the people were following heretical teachings.
The problem wasn’t even that most of them were disagreeing with
the instructions he had given them when he was among them. The problem
was that some of the people had decided that they didn’t need to
follow the teachings Paul had given them while he was with them. And
those who were falling away from his right teaching were trying to lead
others in wrong living.
The fact that Paul
uses a Greek word that means tradition shows us that perhaps the ladies
were saying that what Paul was teaching was his opinion and not God’s
truth. Don’t let the word ‘traditions’ cause you to think
that you don’t have to follow what Paul is saying here because
this is Paul’s opinion and not a commandment from God. Sometimes
this word is used negatively in the New Testament when it is talking
about man-made practices. Once, when Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees,
he said that they were “Making the word of God of no effect through
your tradition which you have handed down.” (Mark 7:13)
But here the word
“traditions” is used for truths that came from the Lord Jesus,
that were being passed on by the Apostles to the universal church. In
this letter, Paul twice says that he is “Passing on that what he
has received from the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:23 & 15:3) And
when Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he told them to “Stand fast,
and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word,
or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
Another popular
misintrepretation of this word tradition has caused some people to say
that headship & headcoverings were cultural issues that were exclusive
to the Corinthians. I disagree with that because the issue of headship
& headcoverings are not the only issues that are addressed in this
passage. As we’ll see in a couple of weeks, Paul talks about the
Lord’s Supper.
Since he brings
up all these issues in the same chapter, if we think that the issues
of headship & headcoverings are cultural issues that are exclusive
only to the Corinthian church, then that also means that the symbols
of the bread and the cup are symbols that are also only to be used solely
by the Corinthians as well. Obviously no Christian believes that.
They’re symbols
that are used universally by all Christians! So to make the statement
that the issue of headship & headcoverings are symbolic of the Corinthian
cultural is erroneous. And by sticking with the rules of sound Bible
intrepretation, we must interpret what Paul says about headship in the
same way we interpret what he says about taking communion. In other
words, we must put into practice what Paul preaches.
The reason I wanted
to clarify what the word tradition mean is because through the study
of what is called higher criticism, many of today’s pastors &
theologians have come to the conclusion that it is up to you to decide
what part of the New Testament you have to obey. As much as I have studied
the Bible, I am not smart enough to set myself up to be the judge and
jury as to what part ought to be adhered to in my life today, and what
part I can dismiss as being cultural and customary to an age which is
now past.
And that is something
that I urge you not to do when you study the New Testament part of the
Bible. When you study the Bible, start off with the belief that “All
Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of
God may be adequate,
equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
It is because I believe that God has inspired the writers to write his
revealed will for our lives, I believe that I have the right to challenge
you to obey what God has said. It is for that reason that I too want
to give you a word of commendation. I don’t know how many of you
realize it, but in many of today’s churches, a pastor isn’t
free to challenge the parishioners to holy living. I know that many
of you, if not all of you, still make some mistakes. But I am so thankful
that despite the mistakes you make, you are here this morning, wanting
to hear what God wants to say to you about the way you are to live your
life.
And that is a rarity
in today’s church. Far too many Christians are going to churches
that merely tickle their ears. But the fact that you come to a church
like this, shows that you consider the Bible to be an important part
of your life. Otherwise, you’d go to a church that merely entertains
rather than edifies and equips the saints for the work of the ministry.
After Paul thanks
them for their commitment to the Lord, he goes on to express his concern
about the issue of submission--v. 3(a). The introductory phrase in this
verse shows that what Paul is about to say is vitally important. It
seems that what Paul is about to say is not something that was based
on previous biblical teachings. In other words, there is no previous
discussions on whether or not women should wear a hat during the worship
service. This was a new issue that was arising from what was going on
in the Corinthian church.
Since this issue
had never been addressed by any of the apostles, Paul first reminds
them of the pattern of authority which God had established--v. 3(b)
The Greek word for “head,” when used in the context of relationships,
means the one who stands over another. This is the way Paul uses this
word when he says that “The husband is the head of the wife, as
Christ also is the head of the church.” (Ephesians 5:23) Paul wants
us to understand that at the very core of our freedom in Christ is the
principle of submission to authority.
Perhaps you’ve
never thought about it, but this principle is at work all around you
in everyday life, and it’s necessary for maintaining order. Suppose
when you went to your favorite restaurant for lunch this afternoon you
discovered that everyone wanted to be a server, but no one wanted to
cook or clean up. Or suppose when you went to WalMart this afternoon
and discovered that everyone wanted to work in the bakery instead of
stocking the shelves or working at the checkout stands. You wouldn’t
be able to shop til you dropped. In fact, both places would be in such
chaos, that they couldn’t function. So you see, we need the principle
of authority to work in order for our world to work as well.
Notice that the
issue of the relationship between men & women, a highly emotionally
charged debated issue, is placed between 2 non-debatable issues: the
relationship of Christ over man, and of God the Father over God the
Son. A very wise & Spirit led decision.
By the placing
of this issue, Paul shows us that to be under someone else’s authority
simply means that you have less authority than they do, not that you’re
worth less than they are. Paul is not saying that men are worth more
to God than women are. That is why he includes the fact that Jesus is
under his Father’s authority.
Please understand
that this has nothing to do with who is more superior in God’s
eyes. By placing the issue of women under men’s authority, between
us being under Christ’s authority, and Christ being under his Father’s
authority, shows us that submission is not a demeaning thing. Women
are equal to men, just as Jesus is equal to his Father. But women are
to be under men’s authority, just as Jesus was under the authority
of his Father.
Since we believe
in the doctrine of the Trinity, we believe each part of the Godhead
is equal in essence and in being, but each part has a distinct role.
And when God the Son came to earth as the son of man, he willingly made
himself obedient to God’s authority. Paul says, about Jesus willingly
putting himself under the Father’s authority, that “He humbled
Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross.” (Philippians 2:8)
Since Jesus is
not a second-class part of the Trinity, the fact that he was willing
to submit himself to God the Father’s will doesn’t make him
any less God. Therefore, in the same way, for women to submit to the
authority of men, in society or in the home or in the church, never,
and in no way, says that they are second-class beings or second-class
Christians. Paul wants us to understand that women are not inferior
on any level.
So despite what
many feminists think, or what many male-chauvinists pigs think, or even
what John Kerry thinks, the problem going on in America is not whether
or not women should paid the same amount as her male counterpart. For
according to God’s plan, the answer is yes, since she is not a
second-class citizen. But the problem in general is that we would rather
have chaos then to submit to any of God’s authority. Mankind in
general doesn’t want to submit to the authority of God by making
Jesus the Lord of their lives. But God knows that for a society to function
as he designed, then the people must follow his rules of order.
Now for those of
you men who may be male-chauvinists pigs, who may think that what I’m
saying is an explanation you have been looking for to give you the right
to boss your wife around, or treat her like dirt, you’ve got rocks
in your head. For there is nothing in this verse that is detrimental
to women, or that exalts men. Feminists and chauvinists have done that,
but not Paul. Both feminism and chauvinism are non-biblical nonsense.
When it comes to
gender equality, God has done more for promoting the spiritual equality
of women than anyone, or any organization that has ever existed. In
fact, most women are far more spiritual than most men are. Most women
are more in tune to the voice of the Spirit then men are.
And they are more
open to living out their faith in their homes and where they work. Most
women I know, are not only biblically smarter than most men I know,
but most of them live more godly lives then most men I know. They quickly
learned that the only real way to enjoy all the blessings of God is
when we walk in total obedience to his Word. They believe the words
that King David wrote when he said that if you will “Delight yourself
in the LORD; He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm
37:4)
It is because of
this that we men don’t need to be frightened to treat women in
general, and treat our wives in particular, as our equals. If we will
do that, then they won’t try to be our coauthorities. If we would
treat them as our equals, they are not going to try to lead us around
by a ring in our nose.
Let me say something
to you men & women. First of all, men, you can’t say you are
willing to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ and at the same time
not be willing to treat women with respect, especially your wife. Nor
can you ladies say you are willing to submit to the lordship of Jesus
Christ and at the same time not be willing to submit to the authority
of men, especially your husband. And don’t be saying to yourself
that I start treating my wife with respect, or I’ll start submitting
to my husband, when he/she starts to do their part.
That kind of mindset
shows that there is a spirit of disobedience at work in your life. Paul
tells us that “We are to submit to one another out of reverence
for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21) And since he prefaced that remark
by talking about being filled with the Spirit, a true Spirit-filled
person is one who is sensitive to other’s needs, and willing to
serve them, no matter if they are male or female, or if they are their
husband or wife. And this willingness is not predicated by whether or
not the other person is doing what they should be doing. This is why
Paul used the fact that Jesus submitted himself to the authority of
God his Father.
Why did Jesus,
who was equal with his Father, willingly submit himself to the authority
of his Father?: Love. God the Father didn’t have to twist God the
Son’s arm to get him to obey him. Jesus knew that he was equal
to God, but out of love for his Father, and his love for us, he submitted
to the headship of his Father. The same reason Jesus submitted to the
authority of his Father, is the same reason men are to treat women as
equals, and women are to submit to the authority of men: Love. So out
of love, I want you men to treat women as equals. And out of love, I
want you women to respond with loving submission to the male authority
figures God has put over your lives. And out of love, I want you to
respond with loving submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ!
Finally, let me
answer a question that you might be thinking. Some of you may be asking
yourself the question doesn’t the fact that Galatians 3: 28 says
“There’s no longer difference between male and female, bond
and free, Jew and Greek,” negate and dissolve the distinctions
of the sexes within God’s eyes and within the church? The answer
is categorically no!
Because the issue
Paul is addressing in Galatians is not about authority, but about salvation.
When men and women stand before the foot of the cross, they stand before
it equal as sinners. Paul makes no distinction when it comes to the
spiritual condition of men & women. Both groups are sinners in need
of a Savior.
I want everyone
to bow their heads, and shut their eyes for a moment. Perhaps you are
here this morning and you know you are a sinner in need of a Savior.
Let me introduce you to the only one who can save you from your sins:
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who died and was buried and then rose
again to pay off your debt of sin. If you believe that, and since you’ve
already admitted to yourself that are a sinner, just tell God you want
him to forgive you for your sins. And after you do that, the last step
is to simply ask Jesus to come into your life to be your Lord. If you
will do that, I promise you that you will find your Savior. Will you
make that decision today? If so, please raise your hands up and down
so I can come and talk to you later.
Let’s
pray
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