God Clearly Delineated Between the Sexes
All throughout God’s Word, we see the different roles between the sexes. God didn’t hide this from us but clearly delineated between the sexes! He chose men to be the leaders throughout His Word. He created Adam first. Then He chose men to be the Patriarchs, Priests, Prophets, Kings, the forerunner of Christ (John the Baptist), Christ Himself, the Disciples (Apostles), the Authors of the Bible, Elders, and Deacons.
As I have been reading through 1 Timothy, something else stood out to me. Women are commanded to adorn themselves in “modest apparel, with shamefacedness, and sobriety, and good works” (1 Timothy 2:9, 10), plus “learning in silence with all subjection” and not teaching nor usurping authority over the man, but to be in silence (1 Timothy 2:11, 12). These instructions are specifically for women, but I also found the discussion of widows very interesting.
In this discussion of widows, it is only concerning female widows. There’s no discussion about men who have lost a spouse. Why is this? Is it because women are naturally created to be cared for by men? Women want to use widowhood as a way to justify women having careers, but let’s examine the Word of God to see what He has to say about it.
The first people commanded to care for the widows are the “children or nephews” (1 Timothy 5:4). Did you notice that it wasn’t “children or nieces”? It’s because all throughout the Word of God, it was the men who are the providers and protectors of families and culture.
What about an older widow? Is she supposed to go out and get a job to support herself? No! The Apostle Paul never once recommends this to young or old widows. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). Therefore, family members, specifically the male family members, are to provide for their families and mothers if they are widows.
What is an older widow to be known for? Is she to be known for having a career and making a paycheck? “Well reported of for good works; if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work” (1 Timothy 5:10). Older women and widows are to be known for acts of service and helping others. This is our ministry! Society has suffered greatly since older women have left this ministry to join in the workforce.
What about the younger widows? Certainly they will be admonished to go out and get a job! “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14). God didn’t want them to be “idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which ought not” (1 Timothy 5:13). God’s will is for women to be protected and provided for my men. They are never called to leave their homes for a job to provide for themselves.
I understand that this isn’t popular in today’s culture. Women can have careers and make their own money. They can be completely independent from men. If they lose their job, they can receive social security from the government. If a wife loses her husband, she will receive financial compensation from the government. The churches and men are no longer needed to support widows because of our social construct but we should never live our lives based upon our culture but upon the Word of God which never changes.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Psalm 18:30
19 thoughts on “God Clearly Delineated Between the Sexes”
Speaking truth here. We are equal in terms of eternal status but there are differences designed by God. Men are the leaders/providers/protectors/pursuers. Women are the respondents/nurturers/helpers. The word is clear on the differences but the feminist movement (work of the enemy) has totally distorted everything.
I have also understood that if a widow is without sons or nephews, that the church is supposed to provide for her.
Hmmmm…do we see this happening?
Not in all churches, but it should be happening. I know John MacArthur’s church supports widows so I am sure there are others. I think since government (other people’s money) has become involved, family, relatives, and churches no longer feel like they have to support widows which is a shame. The Bible should dictate how believers live, not culture.
I would like to focus on a practical and more pragmatic aspect of this post. Starting in 1964 and spearheaded by greedy industrialist. women entered the workforce in mass. The labor force participation grew from 59 percent in 1964 to 67 percent in 2000. Since 2000 the labor force has shrunk back to around 61 percent, largely due to automation, globalization and worker productivity increases. While worker productivity levels have increase 81 percent since 1971, real wages have only increased 10 percent over that time.
Women working has destroyed earnings for workers by creating an oversupply of labor. This was the real reason for feminism in the first place, to create cheap labor for companies.
Automation is going to destroy the labor force over the next 30 years, so much so that Democrats are now pushing for universal income as a way to combat this problem. With the moral decay of American children at a zenith, now more than ever, we need to resurrect the nuclear family.
Imagine if millions of women went back to the home and cared for husband and children, it would save this country from its coming economic collapse. Fewer workers means better pay, more job security, and less money wasted on job related expenses, e.g. work clothes. Why not sent women back home to take care of our children, they can save our economy and give our children the time and attention they so desperately need.
Isn’t the church money other peoples money as well? That might be why the church no longer feels it necessary to provide when now, people who are not part of the church can help provide.
Seven years ago I was in a very conservative church that spoke this message loud and clear. They believed firmly that family, then church should take care of the widow, NOT the government. It was such a thrill to be part of that. My husband and I had always supported that idea and put our meager resources where our mouth was. We gave generously to widows and orphans funds. We spoke to people, challenging them, and showing them in Scripture that it was the church’s job to take up when a person was struggling. We had a personal benevolence fund with $1,000 in it at a time when we had no savings and struggled to buy food.
And then, my 46 year old healthy husband had an accident at work, which led to surgery. He died suddenly from a blood clot, leaving me with alone with 5 children ages 5-14.
All of a sudden my pastor saw the greatness of the system, and urged me to go on it. In my confusion, I did. (You don’t expect to be suddenly widowed at 44, and in the shock and extreme grief I was in, I literally ran red lights, couldn’t even balance the checkbook, forgot how to cook, etc.)
Several years later, when I came to my senses, I tried to get off the system. I started a natural soap and body product business from home (which is finally in the black, but not yet the green), and contacted a Christian lawyer who saw things the same way. I was told I needed to bring in an income of about 70k to get off the system (I am Scottish, and can live on far less than that.). The lawyer warned me if I tried to get off the system it would be considered abuse and I would likely have my kids taken from me!!!
God has been faithful through all of this, but I know that church missed a blessing from God for not being obedient to the Scripture. And my children have missed the blessing of seeing God’s people being obedient to the Word!
I am still home, homeschooling, and running a start up business, and doing my best as a mother, but the load I carry has been too heavy for a woman’s shoulders.
But again, God was, is, and will be faithful, in spite of human failings and sin.
The churches’ money is money that people have willingly given to support the church, its missionaries, and other needs. The churches can oversee widows and be of help in multiple ways that an impersonal government can not be.
It sounds good to me. Healthy nations are built upon healthy families, not women in the workforce.
Hope,
I am so sorry that you lost your husband at such a young age. May God bless you and grant you much success in your business.
The denial of the differences between men and women have led to social decline and an outright denial of science!
Hear hear??? I say let the women come home and care for children, orphans and elderly family members. Let churches care for the community as God intended rather than leaving it to the government.
Let all giving be done individually, willingly and cheerfully according to everyone’s means. That will, among other things, beat back the ever growing, ever encroaching hydra of big government which under the guise of benevolence simply breaks the eighth commandment egregiously by flouting the sacred principle of private ownership of property, taking by force (under the cloak of exorbitant taxation) from some (hardworking family men) to distribute to others (fornicating single mothers, frivolous divorceés, and the willingly unemployed). Is it any wonder that we now live in a society strongly in the grip of covetousness? Class envy, a false sense of entitlement and the evil social justice gospel movement? Always looking to the government to give to us, to solve our problems rather than looking to God’s Word. God’s ways are the best ways. I pray for the day when a mass exodus will bring women back home. Lord, hear our prayer ??
Amen!!!
You are still young. You should marry. The Church truly did let you down bumy encouraging you to go on the system instead of supporting you through your initial grief and encouraging you to marry again as would have been Biblical. I hope you find a good man to help should the weight upon your shoulders.
Keep it up, Lori!
Do you have a website you can share where you sell your soap?
If you think about the feminist movement, churches(corrupt ones) benefit from women working outside the home, because it brought in more tithes for greedy pastors! Pastors weren’t thinking about what’s good for families, but their pockets!
I wanted to ask you if you’ve heard of Mrs Midwest. She’s a YouTuber and she makes videos about being feminine and being a homemaker. There is another YouTuber who is an atheist named Jaclyn Glen. Jaclyn makes a lot of videos on Christian youtubers like Mrs Midwest, Girl defined, and Paul and Morgan, staring they are spreading harmful information and viewpoints. I’m not sure if that is something you’d be interested in commenting on.
No, I wouldn’t be interested in commenting about someone slandering others. It’s best to ignore them and not give them the publicity.
Yes, I’m interested, too! I would love to try your soap!
And also, so sorry for your loss.