Women in Ministry-Headship

It cannot be avoided. If we are going to talk about women in ministry we need to address the subject of headship. It is going to help us understand the upcoming Bible passages of 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9.

Immediately there are going to be Egalitarians that are going to see the word Headship and immediately jump to Galatians 3:28 as their key text to stand against the concept of headship. There are some that are going to see the word Headship as meaning manipulation, control, dictatorship and every negative word imaginable, associating it with misogyny. Some will go as far as saying Paul was a misogynist and thus anything he writes regarding women should be tossed out.

Sadly, there are going to be those on the Complementarian side that will say yes, men are to have headship/lordship over women and women are to submit, and thus women should not preach, teach, speak, and just fall into submission. In their mind headship is all about ruling over, dominating over, having complete control over.

Sadly when it comes to Women in Ministry and the topic of Headship the extremes on both sides have a distorted, tainted view of Scripture. Nothing I will write on this topic will change their mind. However, I believe we cannot let the extremes take control of the topic of headship but let Scripture speak for itself.

Sadly there has been much abuse that has taken place because of the misuse of the concept of Headship/Submission and there has been an unbiblical overcompensation to deal with the misuse and abuse. It would take several articles to address the hot topic of Headship/submission within the body of Christ. I will just take a stand and state I believe the New Testament Scripture on Headship/submission is the inspired Word of God and when understood properly and implemented properly there is a healthy relationship between husband and wives and men and women. I also believe when understood properly it does not interfere with women walking out the giftings and callings that God Himself has put upon them. Father God knows what He is doing. It is man that brings confusion, not God.

Neither Male or Female?
Many Egalitarians use Galatians 3:28 to say there is no longer such a thing as headship when it comes to husband and wife, male and female. The problem is the passage is not addressing the topic of headship, it is addressing the topic of salvation. The chapter is addressing the law versus salvation by faith. When Galatians 3:28 is taken out of context it is used to justify homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism, ordaining of homosexuals/lesbians.

If the main intention of Galatians 3:28 was to remove the concept of headship it would be in direct opposition to the New Testament Bible verses on submission and headship. The Bible would be contradicting itself.

Galatians 3:28 NKLV
here is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

The Amplified Bible reflects the true meaning of Galatians 3:28. The biblical concept of headship/submission has nothing to do with spiritual superiority. That somehow men are more superior than women. That certainly was not the intention of God Almighty when He inspired the words written by Paul.
Galatians 3:28 AMP
 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority].

The Beauty of Ephesians 5:21-33
When one reads this passage in context, looking at the headship of Christ over the Church, His love for the church, the benefit of the church when it submits to his headship, the topic of headship regarding husbands and wives should be seen as something beneficial, not detrimental. It should be seen as a beautiful concept, not something inspired by the devil and written by men. In fact to make such a statement is close to being blasphemy of the Holy Spirit because it is calling the things of God of the devil.

Ephesians 5:21-33 NKJV
²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God. ²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. ³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ³¹ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Christ the Head
If Jesus is truly the head over every man, how in the world can that be harmful and damaging to a woman? The issue is not headship, the issue is mean not being totally submitted to Christ and thus either being a immature leader or an abusive leader.

1Corinthians 11:3 ESV
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

Christ the Example
The context of 1 Peter 2 is who we are in Christ, submitting to authorities, and Christ is our example. It ends with 1 Peter 2:25
²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 3 immediately goes into the topic of headship/submission. Is that coincidental or was it to show a principle. Sadly, as soon as some see the word obey it is seen in a negative way. Interesting it is not seen negative when submitting to authorities, or Christ submitting to the Father to be the sacrificial lamb.

In regard to the reference of adornment, Peter was addressing wives to not dress how the prostitutes were dressed at the time.
1 Peter 3:1-7 NKJV
¹Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, ² when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. ³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. ⁷ Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Older Women
Some will try to use Titus 2:3-5 as a proof text that women should just stay at home, can only teach women and children. However, if that is the case then in vs1 older men and younger men are not to teach at all.
It should be noted that vs5 does talk about submission and when a wife is in godly submission the word of God is honored. Headship/submission matters to God. To say it does not would require the reading of the Bible with a box cutter and white out.
Titus 2:3-5 AMP
¹ But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians]. ² Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in steadfastness [Christlike in character].
³ Older women similarly are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor addicted to much wine, teaching what is right and good, ⁴ so that they may encourage the young women to tenderly love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, makers of a home [where God is honored], good-natured, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. ⁶ In a similar way urge the young men to be sensible and self-controlled and to behave wisely [taking life seriously].

Summary
In this series there is no way to fully address the topic of Headship/Submission. One main reason is because there are such extremes on this topic. There has been extreme abuse by men and there has been total rebellion to the concept of Headship/Submission. The end result is it breeds false doctrine to defend ungodliness by both men and women. Extremes confuses the topic of Women in Ministry.

In regard to ministry there is a big difference between a woman in ministry who is in total rebellion to the concept of Headship/Submission, you will see the negative fruit, and a woman who believes there is a proper role for women submitting to godly male leadership, there will be positive fruit.

It needs to be mentioned that male leaders in a church setting who are not submitted to Christ, who are ruled by flesh have caused extreme damage to the body of Christ and specifically to women. Sadly, too many times the body of Christ, men AND women, have given these men ‘free passes’, especially when they are strong believers in Complementarianism regarding women in ministry and Headship/Submission. However, these abuses do not justify a movement to abandon the biblical principle of Headship/Submission to the point of fueling extreme Egalitarianism that becomes totally unbiblical. These extremes is why I coined the term Isorrorpiasim-balance in regards to the topic of Women in Ministry.

In our next few articles I will be addressing women teaching, preaching, being elders. I will covering 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9. Is there a Scriptural biblical Balance? I believe there is.

Women in Ministry Series
Women in Ministry, Introduction-Why the Topic?
Part One-Women in Ministry, Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, And?
Part Two-Women in Ministry, Isorropiaism-HUH??? Balance
Part Three-Women in Ministry, Bible Passages
Part Four-Women in Ministry, Extremism
Part Five-Women in Ministry, No Speak
Part Six-Women in Ministry, Prophecy
Part Seven-Women in Ministry-Spiritual Gifts
Part Eight-Women in Ministry-Examples
Part Nine-Women in Ministry-Headship