“Victory Does Not Depend on Gender” ~ ✨
In some local churches, they do not allow sisters to preach during gatherings, nor do they permit them to pray aloud or lead hymns. Their argument cites two passages from the Apostle Paul—1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12; while 1 Corinthians 11:5 is a related scripture.
Regarding whether women can preach aloud, lead in prayer, or present hymns in gatherings, this article will reference biblical records, according to the revelation God has given us, to more clearly understand this very important topic. Let us first look at the relevant scriptures:
1. 1 Corinthians 11:5 – But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head…
2. 1 Corinthians 14:34 – Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
3. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 – A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
If these three passages are interpreted literally, they seem to have contradictions. I will try to understand the principles behind these scriptures.
I will examine them from the two elements of “reason” and “occasion”, and I will consider the issues of women’s head covering, women praying, and women preaching as three separate topics.
First, the basis for women covering their heads comes from the order of God’s creation of the universe. Simply put, it is to show the reverence and submission that humans ought to have towards the authority of their Creator; therefore, the rule for women to cover their heads is indisputable.
God’s purpose in creating humans was for them to manifest His glory on earth; disappointingly, humans disobeyed God’s authority and fell short of His glory. God sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to save the world, with the aim of restoring humanity to its original state at creation. The mission of being a Christian is to let the radiance of God’s glory be manifested in us through submission to His authority.
The order of creation is that man was created first, then woman; and the purpose of woman’s creation was to be a helper suitable for man (Genesis 2:18). Paul points out that woman is the glory of man (1 Corinthians 11:7). Looking at this from the perspective of creation’s definition, man needs woman to help him to manifest his glory; therefore, a man without a woman is deficient. In this world, woman cannot do without man, nor man without woman (1 Corinthians 11:11). In other words, without women, men are incomplete.
God created male and female in His own image and likeness. The two of them have the quality of being “one flesh”, but each has different roles and responsibilities. In the order of creation, the created submits to the Creator, and the first woman comes from the first man. According to the order of creation, woman submits to man; in traditional family concepts, the eldest brother is like the father, and other brothers submit to him. Or the succession principle in a kingdom, “if there is a legitimate heir, establish him; if not, establish the eldest,” also originates from God’s order of creation. Besides the order of creation, I see that the form of woman having long hair is a sign of submission to authority. This order of creation, its form and the relationship between man and woman, establish the basis for sisters in the church to cover their heads later.
Man is the head of woman, and woman is created for man (1 Corinthians 11:3, 9). Christ is the head of the church, and the church is established for Christ. The relationship between Christ and the church is like the relationship between man and woman being “one flesh”. A woman’s submission to her own husband illustrates the church’s submission to Christ. The church’s submission to Christ’s authority is demonstrated through the sign of sisters covering their heads.
Paul points out that woman is the glory of man, which also reflects that the church is the glory of Christ, the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 1:23); fullness is the content of glory, and glory is the manifestation of fullness. The original relationship between God and humanity was for humans to live in fullness to manifest God’s glory. Now the testimony of Jesus Christ manifests God’s glory. This testimony of enabling people to live more abundantly is passed down by the disciples of the Lord Christ.
In the church, the sign of a sister’s submission to authority is, outwardly, head covering, done for angels and the world to see; inwardly, it is done for God to see. We know that Satan, originally the archangel, rebelled against God because he sought to elevate himself to be equal with God (Isaiah 14:13-14). When Satan fell, he dragged a third of the angels with him (Revelation 12:4). In other words, they fell because they did not submit to God’s authority. Therefore, God uses humans, originally made a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7), to bear witness of submission to authority for angels to see, demonstrating that God has received the glory due to Him in those He has redeemed.
Therefore, the “reason” for women covering their heads, women praying, or women preaching is the same: to conform to the order of “submission to authority.” The order of submission to authority is: God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of every man; and man is the head of woman. The relationship between Christ and the church is like the relationship between man and woman being one flesh. A woman’s submission to her husband illustrates the church’s submission to Christ. Therefore, when women serve in the church, they must do so according to the rules of submission to authority.
The other element to consider for these three topics is “occasion”. So, on what occasions should these teachings be applied? 1 Corinthians 11:5 does not specify on what occasions a woman should cover her head when praying or prophesying, but from the context, I would interpret it as during church gatherings. 1 Corinthians 14:34 specifies that in church gatherings, women are not permitted to speak, but from the context, I interpret it as when women are in the audience, they are not to speak. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 also does not specify the occasion where women are not permitted to teach. By interpreting these two verses in Timothy together, the occasion referred to here may broadly be any occasion where men and women gather in the Lord’s name, and women, as part of the congregation, are to learn in quietness. Paul wrote the letter to Timothy several years after writing 1 & 2 Corinthians. His reiteration of the teaching from 1 Corinthians 14:34 in 1 Timothy might reflect that the local churches at that time still did not have completely uniformed practices.
To this day, the requirement for women to cover their heads is only practiced in a very small number of local churches. Many churches do not have women to pray or preach in gatherings, but there are also quite a few churches that have female pastors or female evangelists serving in such capacities during gatherings, yet they do not cover their heads. This shows that there are still differences in practice regarding this aspect.
I contemplate the basis of Paul’s teaching in this regard along with the “fundamental nature” of God’s creative order and will.
Starting from the Old Testament era, we have already read about God’s order and will in creation, and we have seen that God shows no partiality. God said to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and increase in number, and fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27-28; see also 2:18). The authority to rule the earth, from the moment of creation, was given to both male and female; but the woman’s role is to help, not to lead, the man (Genesis 2:20).
I chronologically cite some examples from Scripture that record women speaking aloud to lead the people in singing praises to God, serving as judges, or prophesying and preaching.
Exodus (15:20-21):
After crossing the Red Sea, the prophetess Miriam spoke aloud to lead the Israelite women in singing to the Lord God.
Judges (4:4-19):
The prophetess Deborah was a judge raised up by God for Israel. Her testimony can be read in Judges 4:4-19. God gave her the authority and ability to judge the people, to relay God’s messages, and to go to battle with the army. She bore a good witness; that is, a woman in leadership is not to take away man’s glory, but to cause man to receive glory.
Psalms:
In the Psalms, we again see the Lord greatly using women to proclaim good news to the Israelites. Psalm 68:11: “The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host.”
Joel (2:28-29):
Through the prophet Joel, God declares that He will pour out His Spirit on all people. Their sons and daughters will prophesy, their old men will dream dreams, their young men will see visions. Even on his servants, both men and women, He will pour out His Spirit in those days.
Luke (2:36-38):
There was a prophetess, Anna, who served God in the temple. She spoke about the child Jesus to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Acts (2:17-18):
The Apostle Peter, the leading disciple of the Lord Christ, quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel, saying that “in the last days, God will pour out His Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy…” Peter does not say that women cannot prophesy in the church. Peter says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God…” (1 Peter 4:10-11).
Acts (21:8-9):
During his missionary journey, Paul arrived at Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. Philip was one of the seven deacons chosen along with Stephen (Acts 6:5). He was also the one led by an angel of the Lord to the desert to preach the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Afterwards, Philip preached the gospel in various cities until he reached Caesarea. He was a disciple of great gifts, and God blessed him with four daughters who prophesied. Paul stayed with them and likely witnessed Philip’s four daughters exercising their gift of prophecy. Scripture does not record Paul negating their service.
Besides the two accounts in Acts, which occurred before the church of Christ was fully established, the scriptures cited above show many precedents of God’s Spirit being poured out on both men and women. There were prophetesses who served as judges, judging Israel according to God’s law and delivering God’s word; and there were also prophetesses serving God in the temple, proclaiming the gospel to the people who came. When the church was established, God appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, etc. It is a reasonable inference that Philip’s four daughters who prophesied also served by preaching in the church.
Service within the church, whether as deacons, or in prayer and preaching, or as Bible teachers; whether men or women, all act according to the gifts and directions of the Holy Spirit as He wills. Paul instructs us to eagerly desire the greater gifts; that is, “love” (1 Corinthians 12-13). If our practice of submission to authority is to be in accordance with God’s heart, it cannot be separated from beginning and ending with love.
Therefore, based on all that God has revealed to us, my conclusion from contemplating 1 Corinthians 11:5, 14:34, and 1 Timothy 2:11-12 is that a woman covering her head to pray or preach in a gathering, or even to lead in singing hymns praising God, does not violate God’s creative order and will. Based on the principle that “man is the head of woman”, women should exercise self-control when praying or preaching in gatherings. The content of prayers or the topics of preaching should not involve matters of governing the church or exercising authority over men. Sisters should respect that the oversight of the local church belongs to the brother-elders. Their prayer or preaching should be done according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and should not be regular, routine service. Christ is the head of the church. Members, whether male or female, should be united, holding to faith and submission, imitating Christ’s gentleness and humility, being examples among all people that the church is an ambassador of “making peace.”
Poetry is composed in pairs, line corresponding to line; man or woman, they reflect each other’s brilliance. I conclude with this poem👇🏻
“Too Lazy to be Smart” ✨
The beginning of wisdom is to know wisdom
Wisdom makes one smart
Smartness makes one shrewd
The smartness of the lazy is to be too lazy to be smart
Those too lazy to be smart include both men and women
Smart or lazy — the difference is not in gender
Wisdom begets smartness
Smartness produces shrewdness
Wisdom or shrewdness — it is not divided by gender
It is passing from generation to generation
✨✨💖 ~
en yan hua fang 