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Chosen no: R-1075 , from: 1888 Year. |
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"AS BECOMETH WOMEN PROFESSING GODLINESS"
--(No. 1.)--
The thought has recently been suggesting
itself, that as the sphere of Christian
women differs somewhat from that of our
brethren, a few observations in the TOWER
bearing upon the duties, privileges and
obligations of Christian women, and how
we may best fulfill our mission might
prove beneficial and helpful.
The sphere of Christian women is by
no means a narrow one, as many seem to
regard it; and if we would properly fulfill
our mission, it behooves us as members
of the Church of Christ, and in the
earthly relationships of wives, mothers,
daughters and sisters, as well as neighbors
and friends, to consider it with care
in the light of the divine revelation and
particularly in the light of our present
position as the prospective heirs of God
and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. As
stewards of God we all have some of his
goods--some talents--however great or
small, entrusted to our care. And if we
would be wise stewards and meet the
Master's approval when we come to render
up our accounts, we must study the
best ways and means for investing our
talents so as to have them yield the largest
possible increase.
A merchant who simply invests his capital,
be it large or small, in business, and
pays no further attention to it, will never
succeed. If he would be successful he
must study to learn the best possible ways
of turning everything to account. So
must we do if we would be faithful stewards
of God.
As members of the church, we, in common
with our brethren, are even now
privileged to be co-workers together with
our Lord and Head. The question therefore
naturally arises first of all, What department
of Christian work may properly
engage the activities of Christian women?
To rightly judge of the matter we need
first to observe the natural position to
which God has assigned woman; and
secondly to inquire whether the new relationship
into which we are called as
members of the church of Christ, in any
degree modifies our duties and responsibilities
under the natural order. Let us
therefore first consider the divine order of
headship as expressed by the Apostle Paul
--1 Cor. 11:3.
THE DIVINE ORDER OF HEADSHIP.
"I would have you know that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head of
the woman is the man; and the head of
Christ is God."--1 Cor. 11:3.
The Apostle Paul here uses the human
body as an illustration of God's order
and arrangement among his intelligent
creatures. The symbol is an apt one, and
[R1075 : page 7] suggestive of perfect harmony. The head
is the director and care-taker of the body;
every interest of the body is taken into
consideration by the head, and every possible
provision made and applied to meet
those interests. And in turn, the members
of the body are always at the prompt
and willing service of the head. And
such is the sympathy between the various
members that if one is disabled the other
members, are ever on the alert to execute
the plans devised by the head for its
recovery.
The headship of Jehovah was expressed
to Adam in his perfect condition in Eden,
when God said: "Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat; but of
the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the
day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt
die." (Gen. 2:16,17,--margin.) Here
was an expression of Jehovah's rightful
authority, his loving care and generous
provision--his headship. Man in turn
should have expected to reverence, respect
and obey the authority, to reciprocate
the love, and to gratefully accept and
enjoy Jehovah's bounty. In the obedience
expected, the idea of base servility
was absent. Love commanded, and love
should have delighted in obedience.
Even Christ Jesus, highly exalted as he
is, delights to acknowledge the headship
of Jehovah, saying, "My Father is greater
than I;" "I came not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent me."
And again: "I delight to do thy will, O
my God; yea, thy law is within my
heart" (Psa. 40:8). In harmony with
this thought of the headship of Jehovah,
the prophet Isaiah represents Christ as the
"Arm of Jehovah" (Isa. 53:1; 59:16),
and in obedience to Jehovah's will he
was active, prompt and willing, even unto
death. Thus our Lord set us an example
of the true relationship which should exist
between himself as head and the members
of his body.
Since Christ has redeemed mankind
from death, all judgment, authority and
power is given unto him. The office of
the head is now vested in him; hence
Paul declares: The head of man is Christ.
And whatever is implied by this term in
expressing the relationship between our
Lord Jesus and Jehovah, his head, is also
implied in that relationship between Christ
and man. He, then, who would be perfect,
must find his chief delight in learning
and doing the will of Christ, even as
Christ Jesus delights to do the will of
Jehovah. It should be his constant aim
to bring "into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5)
And to do the will of Christ is to do the
will of Jehovah; because the will of Christ
is to do Jehovah's will.
The next step in God's order indicated
by the Apostle, is, man the head of woman;
or as shown in Eph. 5:23, the husband
the head of the wife. Many who see
clearly the headship of Jehovah, and the
headship of Christ, fail to see the headship
of man in the domestic relation.
Prejudice, public sentiment and the abuse
of power, have made this and similar expressions
of the faithful Apostle quite unpopular.
And this is not surprising, in
the present fallen and disordered condition
of humanity. Because of his teaching
on this subject, the Apostle Paul is
variously charged with being a despiser
of women, and as speaking without divine
authority; and this even among
Christians. But when rightly viewed,
Paul, as usual, is found to give faithful
expression to the divine order dictated
by unerring wisdom for the highest good
and happiness of all.
If the husband is the head of the wife,
it implies exactly the same responsibilities
on the part of each as named above.
The husband should be the protector,
provider and director in the affairs of
life, and the wife the cheerful, willing co-worker
in harmony with his will. He,
therefore, who would assume the position
of husband, should see that he is capable
and willing to fill it after the divine pattern;
and she who would become a man's
partner in life, should see that she is ready
to fill such position according to the divine
arrangement.
Yes, says some dear sister, that would
all do very well if men were perfect, but
we know that it not unfrequently happens
that the wife has more ability and judgment
to act as head than the husband.
That is doubtless true in many cases, but
that should be considered before such
contracts are made. If unhappily it has
not been considered in time, such wives
should make the best of the situation and
quietly assist in the office of head, with
as much modesty, and as little appearance
of doing so, as the circumstances will
admit. It also happens, says another,
that the husband's will often runs counter
to the Lord's will; how then? We answer,
If the husband is consecrated to the
Lord, and yet his will appears to be out
of harmony with the Lord's will, he will
be very ready, either to prove his course
to be in harmony with the Lord's will or
to change it. And here we see the wisdom
which dictates that we should not
be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14).
But if such contracts have
been formed before we became consecrated
believers, we must bear in mind that
our first responsibility is now to our Lord,
our Heavenly Bridegroom. The worldly
husband is not the head of his wife as a
"new creature" espoused to Christ. Her
first allegiance, is, therefore, to her real
though invisible Lord, but in so far as may be consistent with this new relationship she should endeavor to fulfill the old
also--a thing not possible in every respect.
For one of those consecrated to God as
living sacrifices to thereafter become unequally
yoked with one of the world's
children, is to violate the direct command
of God (2 Cor. 6:14), and to take a
long step toward ignoring union with
Christ, "for what communion hath light
with darkness?" The children of this
world strive for the things of this world
and delight in the world's approval, while
the consecrated child of God has renounced
all these and should be striving
only to obtain those things which are beyond
and entirely unknown to the world.
But if both are united in the Lord, studying
to know and do his will, and walking
after the Spirit, to do the will of the consecrated
husband is to do the will of
Christ.
The consecrated wife sustains the same
relation to the consecrated husband that
the husband sustains to Christ, and that
Christ sustains to God who is head over
all. Should submission on the part
of any be regarded as mere servility?
By no means. Christ did not so regard
it; why should we? There is neither servility
nor tyranny where love rules. Love
is neither boastful of its authority nor
ashamed of its submission. The true
Christian husband will delight to honor
the wife as the weaker vessel, and the
wife will reverence her husband. The
wife will look up with a lawful pride in
her husband's manly strength and goodness,
while he will regard with admiration
and affection her womanly grace. If the
relationship between husband and wife in
the divine order stands thus, it cannot be
true as some claim that man and woman
are exact equals in every respect. They
are not equal in all respects, but each possesses
and should recognize those qualities
of heart and mind which make them companions
for each other. Under such circumstances
the wife will be subject to the
husband because she recognizes such to be
the divine arrangement for their mutual
good; and further, because it will be her
delight to serve for love's sake. And the
husband will delight to honor and bless
the wife.
[R1076 : page 7]
God never makes one the head over
another exact equal. Jehovah is superior
to Christ, Christ superior to man, and
man superior to woman, the weaker vessel.
Man's superiority consists mainly in
his greater strength, both physical and
mental. These various steps are in God's
order. True, in the present fallen,
imperfect condition, many women are
superior to many men, but such women
should be very sure not to become wives
of such men; for in so doing they must
either violate the divine order (Eph. 5:22),
or else submit themselves to an inferior
which is also out of harmony with
the Lord's design.
When after the fall God said to Eve,
"Thy husband shall rule over thee," some
claim that he there established domestic
slavery. Truly domestic slavery has followed;
but God did not establish it.
Man, created to bless by his power to rule,
too often falls into the error of tyrannical
misrule, and the desire of the wife toward
her husband--for his love, appreciation
and approval--alas, too often ends in bitter
disappointment just as God foretold.
In view of these considerations, let us
note the instruction of the Apostle Paul,
and see that its object is the very same as
that contemplated in the union of the
first perfect pair in Eden: "Wives submit
yourselves unto your own husbands
as unto the Lord; for the husband is the
head of the wife even as Christ is the
head of the Church, and he is the Savior
[preserver, care-taker] of the body. Therefore,
as the Church is subject unto Christ,
so let the wives be to their husbands in
everything. Husbands love your wives
even as Christ also loved the Church and
gave himself for it, that he might sanctify
and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word [the truth]: that he might
present it to himself a glorious Church,
not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish. So ought men to love
their wives as their own bodies" (Eph. 5:22-28).
Children may then obey both
parents, since each will be in harmony
with the other and with the Lord.
In recognition of the same principle,
the headship of man, Paul further states:
"I do not permit a woman to teach or to
assume authority over man, but to be
quiet" (1 Tim. 2:12). Surely Paul does
not mean that a woman's lips must be forever
sealed that she may not declare the
good tidings of great joy to others. Does
not the same Apostle say: "There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female; for ye are all ONE in Christ Jesus.
And does not the prophet Isaiah teach
that all the anointed, are anointed to
preach the good tidings. It is in harmony
with these, then, that we must understand
the above words of the Apostle.
His idea, therefore, seems to be, that in
no case, however important the truth we
are commissioned to bear, is woman to
assume a position of authority or headship
over man. She may tell the blessed
tidings of great joy and teach the principles
of truth anywhere and everywhere,
and to whomsoever she has opportunity;
but always with becoming modesty, stating
the truth so clearly that of itself it
may carry conviction with it and her own
individuality be lost sight of. This element
of character is one which naturally
belongs to woman, but is generally very
soon lost by those who attempt to work
in a public way. The work for the majority
of women is the individual, quiet
and none the less effective work. Her
greatest influence is that exerted strictly
within her divinely appointed sphere. If
necessity, opportunity, and ability should
indicate a more public sphere of usefulness,
she may fill it as long as such necessity and opportunity lasts, if in so doing,
she bears that modest, quiet demeanor, in
action, word, and apparel, which becometh
women professing Godliness. By emphasizing
necessity, we mean that never should she seek or prefer publicity to the
less obtrusive and equally effective ways
of making her influence felt for truth and
righteousness. It is the assumption of
authority and dictatorship, which is so
unbecoming.
Again, we see that in this relationship
of husband and wife, is prefigured the
beautiful relationship between Christ Jesus
and the church. And as in the type, so
in the antitype, the church, the bride of
Christ is to be subject unto him in everything;
earnestly seeking at all times to
know, and then delighting to do his will.
As the woman is not to assume authority
and direct her husband, so the church is
not to assume authority and to attempt to
direct the Lord's work, but is to be
"quiet," searching diligently to know his
plan and methods, and then endeavoring
faithfully to execute them.
When God's plan shall be brought fully
into execution, we see that loving authority
and joyful submission will fill the universe
with blessed peace and everlasting
joy--and "God shall be all in all"--
Head over all--his will done in earth as
it is done in heaven. (1 Cor. 15:28.)
Seeing this to be God's ultimate design,
it should be our endeavor, so far as
it is in our power, to carry out and illustrate
that purpose now. It can only be
fully illustrated, however, by those who
are "united in the Lord." The covering
of the head by the woman (1 Cor. 11:10),
signifies submission to authority; a
recognition of God's order of headship.
It symbolizes the relationship between the
church and her head, Christ Jesus. The
same thing was illustrated in the attire of
the priesthood: the high-priest wore a
mitre or crown and the under-priests (representatives
of the church, the bride),
wore "bonnets" or head coverings, indicating
that they were not the head but
under authority to the Chief-Priest.
The Apostle's high regard for woman
and woman's work is shown by his mention
of several faithful co-laborers and
helpers among them--see Rom. 16:1-6,13;
also Phil. 4:3: "I entreat thee...
help those women which labored with me
in the gospel...whose names are in
the book of life." And Acts 1:14:
"All continued with one accord in prayer
and supplication with the women." And
1 Cor. 11:5: "Every woman that prayeth
or prophesieth [teacheth]."
These scriptures show that women did
a work in the Apostles' days which was
approved and appreciated by them and by
the Lord. Yet women usually spoke only
at the smaller gatherings; and when Paul
said, "Let the women keep silence in the
congregations," he probably had reference
to the public gatherings at which it
was the custom to have more or less debating.
In these public debatings, Paul
[R1076 : page 8] thought a woman's voice would be out of
place, and this is the opinion of most
thinking men and women to-day, though
it has by many been carried to an extreme,
forbidding them to pray or teach
on any occasion, even in more private
assemblies of Christians; which certainly
is an error.
When Paul urged that the women keep
silence in the churches, and if they would
learn anything to inquire of their husbands
at home, he must be understood as
referring to a principle to be observed
only so far as practicable--and possibly
to curb some unwomanly women who
were a disturbing element in the church
then. To rigidly apply the rule would do
violence to the general spirit of Paul's
teaching. Where the spirit of Christ is
there is liberty--not liberty to violate
God's law and order as expressed both in
nature and Revelation, but liberty to progress
and to grow in grace and knowledge
under the wholesome restraints of God's
law and established order.
Because God has arranged that the man
and woman are representative of Christ
and his bride, the church, probably this
is one reason that men have always been
given the more active and public work of
the ministry, and women the work of assisting
and the more private teaching,
which is equally acceptable to God. So
Christ is the active agent in carrying out
God's plan. He is the great minister of all,
and we as his Church are permitted to be
helps meet for his use: to do an humbler
part, and yet an acceptable part, well
pleasing to God. MRS. C. T. R.
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