Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. But women shall be saved (preserved) through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. 1 Timothy 2:9-15

Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says. And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper (disgraceful) for a woman to speak in church. 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35

Horrible. Horrible! Passages like these make me wince. I doubt they were surprising, provocative, or controversial in the First Century, though. A patriarchal society was the norm for the Jews and most of their neighbors. A patriarchal society is what God established and ordained, throughout the Word, Old and New Testaments. Here’s the divine order:

GOD

MAN

WOMAN

CHILDREN

Several years ago, I had set my heart on devoting some serious study to the roles of men, women, and children in the home and in church life. I had a lot on my mind--divorce and abortion statistics, the widespread acceptance of preventing life (birth control), the fact that moms are working instead of raising their children. I remember feeling very grieved because the church of Jesus Christ seemed to possess the same attitudes and behaviors as the surrounding culture. Instead of the church affecting the world, the world was affecting the church. These thoughts and prayers were what was swirling around in my spirit just before Inscrutable Girl reached out to touch me for the first time.

Now I am thinking about them again.

Women have gotten used to covering their husbands, instead of the other way around. And men are accustomed to letting women run the works, thinking they’ll somehow escape responsibility, accountability, work. The church is up to its eyeballs in the lie of the culture. The lie is very simple: men as fathers, husbands, and leaders are basically unnecessary.

Masculinity in America is a handicap, a social problem. A boy's inherent maleness needs to be trained out of him, sedated, withered. He needs to learn to be nice, even when that means lying or keeping silent.

God is calling men. He wants men to lead. This isn’t a new revelation. There isn’t going to be any way to compromise what God has said or find a middle ground to make everyone happy. No. Either the church will embrace the plan and purpose of God in humble submission to His strange and marvelous ways, or else it will stagger and reel into bed with Babylon the Harlot.

Paul: “I want the men...to pray.” 1 Timothy 2:8