Chapter # 2 Paragraph # 2 Study # 4
Lincolnton, NC
October 24, 2004

• I. The "salvation" of the woman is, in this text, not "justification, sanctification, nor glorification". The problem of the text is the woman's sense of worthlessness that she is attempting to compensate for by her method of dress and her aspirations to be a teacher in the church at large. That Paul forbids her "to teach" and to exercise authority over men puts her at a huge disadvantage in terms of gaining any sense of value from her "contributions" to the work of the Church. Thus, she needs to be "saved" from the sense that she has been relegated to a position of having nothing significant to contribute to God's work.
• II. The "child-bearing" issue is identified by Paul as her area of contribution. If she bears children, she has some possibility of making a significant contribution.
• III. However, simply bearing children won't do it.
  • A. If the children turn out to be enemies of the Church, her "contribution" will be at least as worthless as her style of dress and her "deceived" doctrine.
  • B. But, if the children turn out to be examples of faith, love, holiness, and sober mindedness, the next generation of the church will be greatly impacted for the good and her contribution will be obvious.
    • 1. Faith and Love are one statement of fundamental characteristics required to have a good impact upon the Church.
    • 2. Holiness and Sober-Mindedness are a reversed restatement of the same basics.
      • a. Holiness speaks to focused commitment in the same way that Love does. Holiness and Love address the "what is important?" question.
      • b. Sober-Mindedness speaks to clear thinking in the same way that Faith does. Sober-Mindedness and Faith address the "how shall we achieve it?" question.
• IV. This is a hotly resisted doctrine in a "unisex" culture...
  • A. A "unisex" culture is the final result of long-term rebellion against God's style of life.
  • B. Women, as well as men, in a culture of rebellion have one fundamental goal: to be on the top of the heap in terms of personal sovereignty and influence upon others.
  • C. To put the woman into the role of motherhood and to insist that her influence on her children be in the directions of faith, love, holiness, and sober-mindedness seems to the rebellious to be the ultimate put-down.
    • 1. Nonetheless, God, Who created woman to be man's helper in being fruitful and multiplying and filling the earth, is the One Who has determined the boundaries and no amount of rebellion can overturn them.
    • 2. The fact is that God created woman to be a nurturer, not a sovereign, and there is no woman who can find the joy of life outside of her created nature.
    • 3. The bottom line is, after all, the Joy of Life: no one resists experiencing Joy...it is the goal of all who exist. The resistence is to be found in the methods: almost no one believes that God's methods work to that end. God's methods are of two fundamental characteristics. First, God's method of Joy in Life involves a great deal of hard investment labor. Second, God's method of Joy in Life involves a requirement of patience until the "time of fulfillment". Joy is rooted in faith and hope -- not in permission to do this or that. So, the real issue is not the nature of God's created order or assigned task: the real issue is that humanity does not link Joy to Hope and resists having to work or endure.