This sermon examines the reasons why some say 1 Timothy 3:11 permits woman deacons. It discusses the role of women in the church and the relationship of progressive ideology to theological liberalism in regards to gender integration in the pulpit and deaconate.
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“ Dear Judy, about Matthew Henry's commentary... ” This is not just for Judy's benefit, but for any dear sister in Jesus Christ.
Judy wrote:
"Matthew Henry says women were created equal to men until the Fall."
I realize you didn't get your ideas from the world, as others who commented here have mistakenly thought, but from men in the church.
What Matthew Henry wrote is unbiblical. Women were always under the rule of men, as per God's good design. Mr. Henry is teaching what is called Gnosticism, which holds to a feminist view of Adam and Eve. I suspect he gets his ideas from those who were influenced by Augustine. Augustine brought many Gnostic ideas into the church.
There are many preachers who are unknowingly teaching the false feminist doctrines of Gnosticism, and it's clearly causing confusion among the women, and men don't understand this. It's not you, it's them. They don't see it. They need to repent and stop teaching Gnosticism, which will greatly benefit you and other women so that this kind of confusion will cease from happening in the church.
If men teach feminist doctrine, unaware, then they will end up blaming the women simply for following the false doctrines they teach to their logical conclusions.
Judy and other dear sisters in Christ need to stop listening to any preacher who teaches Gnos
Roy Consuelo (5/17/2018)
from NY
“ What could you expect from Pastor Sean Harris? ” This is another attempt to align to the theme of our culture. Remain biblical !!! Women deacon qualifications are NOT stated nor found in the bible.
noname (9/26/2013)
“ Sublimal Feminist Agenda in our midsts ” Not to sound disrespectful, The manner that Judy simply disregards and attempts to criticize the Apostle Paul's writings in a an extremely negative shows her lack of utmost discernment and proper obedience to the Scriptures already. If she does sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then every written word and teaching from the Apostles of Christ in the New testament should be taken into deep and most serious considerations instead of writing anyone of the Disciples of Christ off due to being a "sinful human being".
judy (6/7/2013)
from Canada
“ Reply to Pastor Bill ” I do appreciate what you shared but have heard those verses expounded often and have submitted to them for 35 years. I did appraise the scriptures you gave by attempting to draw your focus away from a one-two-verse view and highlighting instead the overview of all scripture. Evidently I failed to reveal to you a vision of the God we serve who does not see our genders, but our hearts, and who came to set His people at liberty. Can God endorse unequal ways (Ezekiel.18:25)? I agree with all Paul’s teachings, but not with formulating his teachings to appear to make God’s way unequal, when He says it is not, or with mistranslations of some of Paul’s Greek words that change the meaning. To say women have more than one Mediator between them and God, and other masters than Christ, contradicts Jesus and the intent of the Reformation. Consider Jesus' treatment of women, He who loves, uplifts, and nurtures women. You may come to see who women are in His sight and how Paul, who was taught by Him, also saw women. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, in His image. Do you discount that? Some do. Pray, if you must, that God will set us all straight and that His Will will be done. I, too, will end my discourse here. God will conclude it in us all.
Pastor Bill (6/7/2013)
from Fayetteville, North Carolina
“ Reply to Thomas ” Humanly speaking, we have much to gain from this putrefying, godless world by letting more and more things transpire in the name of equality.
Well contended, brother. Join me in tenderly praying for Judy.
Pastor Bill (6/7/2013)
from Fayetteville, North Carolina
“ Reply to Judy ” Judy,
I am a guy of few words when it comes to print. I am not interested in endless exchange of paragraphs-long discourse when I am already convinced of what I believe. I believe the church is voluntarily submissive to the Head. I believe the wife is the "church" figure in the relationship. I am very, very sorry that you have felt undervalued. However, I am equally as sorry that you do not appreciate or appraise the Scriptures I have chosen to share with you. I am not angry, but further discourse on this subject will be deleted. Please pray for me if you are certain I am wrong. I would love to know if I were wrong. I have nothing to gain by being wrong.
Judy (6/7/2013)
from Canada
“ One Mediator? Two Masters! ” Is the doctrine wrong or do men prefer to control women? You say,“(2)Jesus and God are equal, yet the incarnate God was in a subordinate role as mediator,…” The key is, Jesus “chose” this role, temporarily, in the protected, holy, environment of the triune “sovereign” Godhead. In human terms, choosing subordination opens a historically proven excess of abuse and horror, as Jesus demonstrated. Also, “having graduated from ‘fine seminaries’” where gender bias is guaranteed has nothing to do with it, I guess? And coming out of Roman Catholic tradition (the Reformation and Puritanism) where women were burned at the stake as witches wouldn’t have anything to do with it either, I suppose? Did God approve? The tradition that women, exclusively, are evil, unequal, unclean and inferior has persisted through our carnal traditions, and unlike the soul liberty that men claimed in the Reformation, women are still shut out, quenching the Spirit of God in them. Then there is the cruelty (both sexes) found in many so-called Christian homes where inequality isn’t rebuked. 35 years immersed in your view causes me to grieve over the often resulting ‘male’ sin of pride, entitlement and arrogance. How many mediators do women have to go through to get to God? How many masters must they serve?
Thomas Sullivan (6/6/2013)
from Jenison, MI
“ Interesting Discussion ” I have found the discussion intriguing. I was waiting to see, since the two chapters that lay out the qualifications for an elder, 1 Tim. 3, and Titus 1 speak of him being "the husband of one wife," how the texts will be handled by the female antagonist. I found it interesting that one cries FOUL because 15,000 S.A. speakers have never preached on Huldah. I suppose they haven't preached on Segub in 1 Chron. 2:22 either, so I guess the prejudice works both ways. I think a more important question is how it is that 15,000 speakers who have studied Greek and Hebrew and many graduated from many fine seminaries also fail to see that women are called to be pastors. If I am outnumbered by that many scholars, it would at least, I suppose, make me wonder if my darling doctrine might be wrong. (2)Jesus and God are equal, yet the incarnate God was in a subordinate role as mediator, and if He had not assumed that role, we would all be lost in our sins. There is much more to say on this, but in the case of Pastors Harris and Sturms, who I love dearly and keep being edified by, why preach to the choir? To another, I despair of making a convincing argument anyway. I fear the mind is already made up. T M S puritanaudiobooks.com
judy (6/5/2013)
from Canada
“ WHO IS OUR GOD? ” Titus 1:6 doesn’t rule out women. Note, women “presbuteros” in 1 Tim 5:2.
Paul doesn’t mention women in Gal 2:4-5, yet that transfers logically from Galatians 3:28. Context cannot deny the heart of God whose Way is Equal:
“12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men (people) should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law…” Matthew 7:12
“Love thy neighbour as thyself” quoted 8 times!
If ye respect persons ye sin. James 2:9, and “God is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord…hath anointed me to …preach deliverance to the captives,…to set at liberty…”.
Luke 1:52: “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.”
Matt. 23:8 “…for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”
“by reason of the bondage”…“Let my people go that they may serve me” (Exodus)
“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage” Gal 5:1
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; …not …for an occasion to the flesh… Gal 5:13
Submit yourselves one to another…husbands…as Christ (gave himself Gk: paradidomi: to place oneself into the hands of another = submit) Ephesians 5:21-33.
Inequality is described but equality
Pastor WJSTURM (6/2/2013)
“ Judy and context ” I looked at Ezekiel 18. So, uh, you don't see context between the two verses you cited which may qualify your argument? Of course you may find difficulty with an "equal God" not showing "equality" to bishops of any kind whose children are "unruly" (Titus 1:6). Btw, I do agree that it is odd that nobody has dealt with those Scriptures. Thank you for pointing that out.
Judy (5/29/2013)
from Canada
“ Important subject ” Who is sacrificing scripture? 1 Tim 3:11 (in the Greek) teaches that "the women likewise" can be deacons (and elders), subject to the same limitations as the men. Why has that teaching been sacrificed?
Furthermore, you will observe that if the scriptures regarding Huldah the great prophetess (2 Kings 22:14 and 2 Chronicles 34:22), are entered in SermonAudio.com in, "Sermons by Bible", you will find that, out of approximately 650,000 current and historical sermons on the website, there are “0”sermons dealing with this great woman. That confirms a striking sacrifice of the inspired words of God, by approx.15,000 speakers! Using the same feature on the website, you will note that Ezekiel 18:25, 29 and Ezekiel 33:17 and 20 wherein God declares that His Way is equal and Our Way is unequal, has also been totally ignored by the 15,000 + speakers on this website. When this number of ministers ignore two key passages of interest to over half of the church (women) one cannot say God didn’t ‘lead them to preach them’.
We try to justify a sinful “respect of persons” in injuring the hearts of women by inferring in our churches that God prefers men to women. How could Paul say “neither male nor female” and not infer, “female and bond” in Gal. 2:4-5, as he did with “Greek”?
Pastor Bill (5/17/2013)
from Fayetteville, North Carolina
“ Reply to Judy ” Judy,
You do not have the right to define "liberty in Christ" as "women can now be deacons" when it means sacrificing the inspired words of the apostles. Maybe in Canada they can do this, but not in heaven (Psalm 119:89) or in places filled with those who wish for His will to be done "on earth as it is in Heaven."
Have a nice day.
judy (5/16/2013)
from Canada
“ Pastor WJS ” So the words of God Himself,Jesus, are just as weighty as those of a God-saved sinful man, Paul, in your eyes.
But that is not the point! Proper exegesis of scripture is to compare scripture with scripture. The prophets are subject to the prophets, as your beloved Paul says. If our understanding of Paul's words contradict the teachings of many other prophets in scripture we have to balance our interpretation so that it does not fly in the face of the whole counsel of God. Is that not so?
Since Jesus nowhere taught female submission, and since God presented Huldah the prophetess as a teacher of men and a king, as well as presenting Deborah,likewise, and taught that God's way is Equal (Ezekiel 18:25-29 and Ezekiel 33:17-30)how then do we find such weight given to the interpretation of Paul when he appears to take away the liberty Christ gives to women?
With Paul, then, I concur as he says of the Judaizers, Gal.2:4 ...because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you..."
-likewise with Jew, Gentile, male and female! Todays misogynist yesterday's Juda
Pastor WJS (2/25/2013)
“ Reply to Judy ” Judy,
Did you notice how you placed a higher importance on what Jesus said (or didn't say) than you did on what Paul said? Right away, we don't agree. They are equally God's recorded Word.
Bro. James (2/23/2013)
from Texas
“ Great Sermon Pastor Sean !! ” Judy from Canada,
have you madam been sipping the kool-aid passed out at your public school too long perhaps? Or was it "liberalade"?
Samantha M (2/23/2013)
from Georgia
“ Great Sermon! ”
judy (2/23/2013)
from Canada
“ When is equal unequal ” I was teaching math the other day and was telling the child that for something to be equal to another thing, they have to be the same...if I add something to one side of the equation it becomes unequal. So it was interesting for me to learn that women are equal to men but unequal. And this was told with such 'delicacy'. Why didn't Jesus teach women this? Matthew Henry says women were created equal to men until the Fall. Are Christians still under the rule of Satan and in the Fall then? Has God changed from when He was the creator and decided to keep women unequal even though redeemed?
Al Lorentz (2/21/2011)
from Fayetteville NC
“ Scriptural, bold and kind ” In this day and age when sermons are swayed by the pendulum swing of public opinion, it is noteworthy to see delicate subjects as this handled so well. Using the scriptures, this sermon gives both encouragement as well as Gods clear limitations to show that women have an exceedingly important role in the body of Christ and service to the Lord. Thank you pastor for speaking the truth in love!
Pastor Sean Harris has been the Senior Pastor for Berean Baptist Church and Academy in Fayetteville, NC since 2006. He served as a member, lay teacher and deacon at Berean from 1987 until he became the Senior Pastor. As the Senior Pastor, he oversees Berean’s ministry to over...
