Let All Things Be Done Decently And In Order (Part 2)

Dear Bethelites,

As we consider this topic, “Let all things be done decently and orderly,” previously we had focused on how preaching was to be conducted in the church so that it might reflect the character and nature of God whom we worshipped. Next, the Apostle Paul shifted his focal piont on the women.

I. Women and worship (How women should conduct themselves)

This was another problem in the Corinthian church, and it had to do with women – how women should conduct themselves in the church. Verse 34, 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 saith the law.

Some people think this command is only applicable to the early church, or the conservative and “Bible Presbyterian” churches. Most certainly not! Notice, the last part of verse 33 said, as in all churches of the saints. It is applicable to all churches; thus, it is not a Bible Presbyterian thing, but a universal standard and command.

Let your women keep silence in the churches - Since this was in the context of prophesy, therefore, Paul was speaking about women and prophesy (or preaching). Previously, he had dealt with the women in chapter 11; e.g. having their heads covered. So, for him to deal with the same group of people (women) a couple of times, implies that it must have been an issue in Corinth in those days. When the women gathered together for worship, they wanted to have the same authority (as men) to speak and preach.

Do we have the same problem in our churches today? Definitely! Just take a look at the number of churches having women pastors and preachers.

Why do we not have a woman to stand on the pulpit and preach to the church? Because the command was given, for it is not permitted unto them to speak. It does not mean that women are not allowed to speak and teach at all. Obviously, they can teach other women; especially the mature women to teach the immature women, the older women to teach the younger women, and they can teach the children, etc. Most of us would agree that some of the best Sunday school teachers are women. But in the context of the church, public worship and teaching men, they are not permitted to do so. This is because of submission, but they are commanded to be under obedience.

Some people think that this command, let your women keep silence in the churches is only about preaching. Therefore, as long as the women do not preach in the church, then it should be alright. But it is much broader than that, because one must remember that this is not the only place where the Bible said, “women are to keep silent.”

In 2 Timothy 2:8, Paul said, “I want all the men to lead in prayers (men must lead), and I want all the women to be dressed modestly, not to show off, not to be worldly, so as to reflect godliness,” and then he continued to say in verse 11, “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.”

Why must the women be in silence? It was a reflection of her submission. The command to submit to the man was already given in the law or the Old Testament. That was why Paul said in verse 13, For Adam was first formed, then Eve. He took it all the way to the beginning (the book of Genesis), where God first created Adam, and then He created Eve to be his helper, and to submit to his authority. Adam was to be the head, and Eve was to submit. It was God’s order and design.

What happened when God’s order and design was not obeyed? Man fell into sin! Remember how Eve took upon herself the role of the man when she took the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and then gave it to her husband Adam. So, verse 14 said, And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. That was the consequence of reversing God’s order and design. The man was to be the head, and the woman was to be the helper.

Back to our text in verse 35, 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. If it was God’s order and design, then it should be applied in the church. If the woman wanted to understand something or ask a question, and immediately raise the question in the church or public worship, Paul said, “No!” She should first ask her husband at home because he was her head, and he was supposed to be the leader and “theologian” at home (so to speak). She had to ask him, and if he did not know, he should learn and find out through a diligent study of God’s Word, and with the help of church leaders, then he would be able to teach her.

Three prevelant problems in our modern times

1. Today, the problem with many Christian homes is that the wives are more spiritual and knowledgeable than their husbands. The husbands cannot answer their wives’ questions due to the lack of biblical knowledge. Some husbands will even say to their wives, “Don’t ask me. Ask someone else.” Whenever the wife is going around seeking answers to her questions other than from her own husband, it is a sad reflection of the spiritual condition of the family. It reflects what kind of a leader the husband is. The husband should be diligent students of the Bible, and in this sense, be way ahead of their wives and children in terms of spiritual maturity so that he would be able to lead them.
2. Another problem is not because the husbands are lacking in their biblical knowledge, but rather the wives refuse to ask their own husbands at home. That was why here, the rebuke was directed at the women and not the men, for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. The implication was that the women were married and they had husbands. But what about those women who are singles or widows? There is always a proper place to ask questions, like in a Bible-study class where questions can be asked respectfully. However, here the context was about the church and public worship where all the other men were gathered together.
3. Oftentimes, the real problem is in the intention and motivation behind those women asking the questions. It is not for the sake of wanting to know the answers, but to show off their spirituality, or to bring trouble to the church, and most importantly, to usurp the authority of the men. Their attitude is, “Well, if you (men) do not know what you are saying, then let me show you what I know.” It is a shame for women because she is not reflecting her submission to her own husband, and in so doing, she is not submitting to God the Creator.

In Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng

1 CORINTHIANS 14

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1 Corinthians 14:1-6

Why Do We Not Speak In Tongues?

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1 Corinthians 14:7-19

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1 Corinthians 14:20-28

Let All Things Be Done Decently And In Order (Part 1)

Let All Things Be Done Decently And In Order (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 14:29-40

Let All Things Be Done Decently And In Order (Part 2)

Let All Things Be Done Decently And In Order (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 14:29-40