How should we worship God? #6 Preachers and Teachers

Preachers and Teachers

There is one Scriptural requirement, not observed nowadays in many churches, concerning those who are to teach and preach in a congregation when there are both men and women present. Because of what happened in Eden, the apostle Paul explains that it is men who are now charged with the responsibility of public teaching from God’s Word.

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (1 Timothy 2:11-14).

This does not preclude women teaching children, or from speaking when there are only other women present, but it shows that the legacy of Eden is far-reaching and will not be wholly resolved until the Lord Jesus comes again. Nor does it limit the role that women can play in the Christian community; it merely defines that role as excluding public speaking in mixed assemblies. In the last chapter of Romans Paul sends personal greetings to those members of the congregation he already knew and nine out of the twenty six persons greeted by name are women. We know that from their names. Four of the nine are described as prominent in the work of the congregation at Rome. For example, it is said of Priscilla (or Prisca) that she is Paul’s “fellow-worker” and of Phoebe that they were to give her whatever help she needed

“for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well” (16:2).

So there is evidently plenty for everyone to do in the Lord’s service, whether we are men or women.

When baptized believers meet together to worship week-by-week, they are to remember the Lord Jesus Christ. So the exposition of God’s Word should always be helpful in that respect and should direct the minds of those present towards some aspect of Christian discipleship. Early believers broke with the Jewish practice of meeting on a Saturday – Sabbath keeping by the Jews began at sunset on Friday and ended at sunset on Saturday. Jesus rose on the first day of the week and, to celebrate that great victory over sin and death, Sunday morning marked the start of the day when believers met together to remember Jesus.

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Preceding

Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)

To Glorify God and His Son

To Glorify God and His Son #2 Governance and objectives of the ecclesia/charity

How should we worship God? #1 Appreciation for God

How should we worship God? #2 Spiritual Worship

How should we worship God? #3 Spiritual Transformation

How should we worship God? #4 Christian Congregations

How should we worship God? #5 Congregational Worship

Today’s thought “A blessing and a curse” (April 25)

Judeo-Christian values and liberty

Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian

Breathing to teach

Memorizing wonderfully 2 Biblical Reasons to Memorize Scripture

Next:

How should we worship God? #7 The Breaking of Bread

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Additional reading

1. Reflections on Existence and Teaching
2. Time to sit still or to pass on
3. Fellowship
4. When God Moved a Mountain
5. The Most Appropriate teacher and Scoffers in our contemporary age
6. Evangelizing in the “Time of the End”
7. Certain Catholics claiming that the power of the priest is equal to that of Jesus Christ
8. The Ecclesia
9. Integrity of the fellowship