THE BIBLICAL ROLE OF WOMEN

I.                    Position

A.                Galatians 3:26-28 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

B.                 I Corinthians 11:1-12 “Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.  For as the woman is of the man,  even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.”

C.                Revelations 1:5-6 “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

D.                Revelation 5:9-10 “Thou has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

E.                 Ephesians 2:13-14 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”

II.                 Relationship

A.                Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting one to another in the fear of God.”

B.                 I Peter 5:5 “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with       humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

C.                Philippians 2:3 “In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than       themselves.”

D.                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.”

E.                 I Peter 3:1, 5 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands…After this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord:”

F.                 Colossians 3:18 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.”

G.                I Corinthians 16:15-16 “I beseech you brethren, (they that have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)  that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to  everyone that helpeth with us, and laboureth.”

H.                I Timothy 2:12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

III.               Role

A.                Role in individual relationship to God

                                                1.                  Galatians 3:26-29 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  There is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

B.                 Role in personal spiritual disciplines

                                                1.                  Walk in daily repentance and confession

a.                   I Corinthians 11:31-32 “If we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

b.                  John 15:3 “Ye are clean through the Word.”

c.                   Ephesisans 5:26 “That Christ might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the Word.”

d.                  James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another.”

e.                   I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

                                                2.                  Be continually filled with the Spirit

a.                   Ephesians 5:18 “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be ye filled with the Spirit.”

                                                3.                  Be in the Word

a.                   Read: Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, heareth and keepeth those things which are written.”

b.                  Hear: Romans 10:17 “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

c.                   Study: II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”

d.                  Memorize: Psalm 119:11 “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

e.                   Meditate: Psalm 1:2-3 “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he mediate day and night.”

f.                    Obey: I John 1:4 “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

                                                4.                  Be equipped for spiritual warfare

a.                   Ephesians 6:10-18 “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

b.                  II Corinthians 10:45- “Pulling down strongholds; casting down imaginations.  Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience to Christ.”

c.                   Matthew 6:13 “Deliver us from the evil one.”

d.                  Philippians 4:4-9 “Jesus stand guard over your hearts and minds.”

e.                   Romans 6:13 “Yield your members as instruments of righteousness.”

f.                    James 4:7 “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

g.                   Matthew 4:4,7,10 “It is written…”

h.                   Romans 12:1-2 “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice…”

i.                     Ephesians 4:18 “Be filled with the Spirit.”

j.                    Matthew 8:5-13 “Be under godly authority…”

                                                5.                  Pray

a.                   Ephesians 6:18 “Praying in the Spirit.”

b.                  I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

                                                6.                  Fast

a.                   Matthew 9:14-15 “The days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and they shall fast.”

b.                  Acts 13:2-3 “They fasted and prayed…the Holy Spirit spoke…they fasted and prayed.”

                                                7.                  Worship

a.                   Acts 13:2 “They ministered unto the Lord.”

b.                  John 4:20-24 “Worship in Spirit and in Truth.”

c.                   Psalm 100:2 “Come before His presence with singing and into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful unto Him and bless His Name.”

                                                8.                  Witness

a.                   Acts 1:8 “Ye shall be witness unto Me…”

C.                Role as Wife

                                                1.                  Genesis 2:18-24:“It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and God took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto man.  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and is mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

                                                2.                  Titus 2:4 “Teach women to love their husbands.”

                                                3.                  Titus 2:5 “Teach women to be obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.”

D.                Role as  Mother

                                                1.                  Genesis 3:16 “Unto the woman God 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.”

                                                2.                  Titus 2:4 “Teach women to love their children.”

E.                 Role as Housekeeper

IV.              Titus 2:4 “Teach women to be keepers at home.”

A.                Role in Business/Vocation

                                                1.                  Acts 9:36-42 “There was in Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did…widows showed the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.”

                                                2.                  Acts 16:14-15, 40 “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.  And she was baptized and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.  And she constrained us.  And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.”

V.                 Ministry

A.                Silence

                                                1.                  I Corinthians 14:34-35 “Let the 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.  And it they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

                                                2.                  I Timothy 2:11-12 “Let the women 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.”

                                                3.                  I Peter 3:4 “Even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the  sight of God of great price.”

B.                 Service

                                                1.                  1.  Luke 2:36-38 “There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of   Pharnuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age, and had lived with an   husband seven years from her virginity.  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.  And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

                                                2.                  Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, with his brethren.”          

                                                3.                  Acts 2:17-18 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:”

                                                4.                  Acts 21:8-9 “Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”

                                                5.                  I Corinthians 11:5 “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head:”

                                                6.                  Philippians 4:3 “I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel

                                                7.                  Romans 16:1 “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”

                                                8.                  I Timothy 3:11 “Even so must women be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”

                                                9.                  Acts 12:12 “Peter came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.”

                                            10.                  Acts 16:14-15, 40 “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatiria, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.  And she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.  And she constrained us.  And Paul and        Silas entered the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren,  they comforted them and departed.”

                                            11.                  Acts 18:26 “And Apolos began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

                                            12.                  Titus 2:3-5 “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of  good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

                                            13.                  II Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.   But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,”

                                            14.                  I Timothy 5:2, 10, 13-14 “Entreat the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.  Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. Learn not to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.  I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.”

                                            15.                  I Corinthians 11:5, 6, 13, 15 “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: let her be covered.  Is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?  Her hair is given her for a covering.”

                                            16.                  I Timothy 2:9, 10, 15 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.  But which becometh women professing godliness with good works…continue in the faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

                                            17.                  Ephesians 5:1 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

                                            18.                  Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”


© Copyright 1999 New Testament Church