1.14 The Role of Women in the Church (& Other Passages Describing the Attitude of Women)

Most of the teaching in the New Testament applies to men and women, with a few exceptions.
All of the verses on this page are passages that apply to women specifically. Several have corresponding passages that apply to men specifically. In the first section, there are three passages that show commands from God for all women in the church. In the second section, the passages describe wives specifically. I suspect that is why the two sections are separated here.. the top verses would have been things for me to apply and follow at the time, and the bottom would have been for the future. However, I appear to have realized that many of the attitudes that God commands for wives also apply to all women in the church.

• 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
• 34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.
• 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
• 1 Timothy 2:9-12
• 9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
• 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
• 11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
• 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
• Titus 2:3-5
• 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
• 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
• 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

During worship (context of 1 Corinthians 14), the women are not to speak. This follows a section on preventing confusion in the assemblies - it seems the assembly at Corinth was allowing multiple people to talk, teach, and prophesy at once, often in multiple languages! God is not a God of confusion, and several rules for an orderly assembly were laid out, including these roles - men as worship leaders and women as followers and participants. 1 Timothy also addresses this - men are the leaders of spiritual instruction.

Women are also given special directions by God to focus on the appearance of their heart rather than their outward self. Our outward selves are to clothed properly, modestly, and discreetly, rather than improper or seductive clothing. I'm reminded of the daughters of Zion from Isaiah 3&4 - no amount of outward garments can create true beauty, but God can give true, spiritual beauty to those who follow Him with purified hearts.

• 1 Peter 3:1-6
• 1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
• 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
• 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
• 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
• 5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;
• 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
• Ephesians 5:22-24
• 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
• 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
• 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
• Proverbs 14:1
• 1 The wise woman builds her house,
• But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

The role of women in the church is a reflection of the role of women in the home. Women submit joyfully to husbands, who are to love, lead, and care for them. This is a reflection of the church's subjection to Christ -the church submits joyfully to Christ, who loves, leads, and cares for it. If women pridefully distort this order, then the picture of submission to Christ is distorted. The church is not oppressed by choosing to be led by Jesus, and neither is a wife oppressed by choosing to be led by her husband. 

I did not (and still do not) have the role of a wife, so my understanding of submission comes from this image of Christ and the church, and from the examples of many Christian families that I know. I have also been taught about a woman's role in a Christian home by many faithful older women, so that my heart may be prepared to follow God's instructions if I do take on that role. Even without the jobs of wife and mother, I still train my heart to submit to God, Jesus, and the men who He has given authority to lead me. I am training myself to build up, rather than tear down. I am adorning my heart and spirit, rather than my outward self. I am seeking to humble my pride and independence into quietness and gentleness, so that others may see Christ living in me.