by Chris Reeves
Synopsis: Following his last article that addressed the progressive attitudes of some regarding the role of women, Chris sets forth the rich and varied ways in which Christian women may be of service.
In the August 2018 issue of Truth Magazine, I published an article outlining what a woman is not authorized by the New Testament to do in the church. She may not preach or teach in a mixed assembly of men and women (1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:11-12) nor serve as an elder or a deacon (1 Tim. 3:1-2, 12). In this article, I want to outline the many good things that a Christian woman may do in and out of the local church assembly. When I say "may," I mean of course what she is authorized by the New Testament to do. The Old Testament contains many good lessons of what godly women may do in the Lord's service, but because of space limitations, we focus our attention in this article on lessons from the New Testament. What may a woman do?
The first thing a woman, young or old, should do is become a Christian. This is the first and foundational step to all else that she will do in life. All women should be like Lydia (Acts 16:14-15), the chief women of Thessalonica (Acts 17:4), the honorable women of Berea (Acts 17:12), and Damarus (Acts 17:34) and obey the gospel. She should not be like Herodias (Mark 6:17), the women of Antioch (Acts 13:50), Drusilla (Acts 24:24-25), or Bernice (Acts 26:30) who put off obeying the truth.
What may a single Christian woman do to be faithful to the Lord and help others go to heaven? She should tell others the truth like Pilate's wife (Matt. 27:19) or Rhoda who was called mad for telling the truth (Acts 12:13-15). She should dress modestly with shamefastness and sobriety and profess godliness through good works (1 Tim. 2:9-10), and she should stay away from "old wives' fables" (1 Tim. 4:7). She should not be like Salome, the daughter of Herodias, who danced in a loose and immodest way (Matt. 14:6; Mark 6:22), like Sapphira who was deceitful (Acts 5:1-11), or like the "silly women" who are sinful and lustful (2 Tim. 3:6). Like the Samaritan woman (John 4:28-30, 39), a Christian woman may give a defense of her faith and share her faith with others (1 Pet. 3:15).
What may a Christian wife do to help her husband go to heaven? She should be subject to her husband as the church is to Christ (Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5). She should be faithful in all things herself to help her husband become and remain qualified to be an elder or a deacon (1 Tim. 3:2, 11-12). She should love her husband (Titus 2:4). She should work to keep her marriage honorable and pure (Heb. 13:4). She should help her unbelieving husband be converted through her proper manner of life (1 Pet. 3:1-6). She should fulfill her husband's sexual needs (1 Cor. 7:2-5) and remain with him for life (1 Cor. 7:10-11, 39).
What may a Christian mother do to help her children go to heaven? She should continue to live before them each day in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety (1 Tim. 2:15). She should rule her household, meaning one who manages the affairs of the home (1 Tim. 5:14; Titus 2:5). She should teach her children God's word from infancy to adulthood (2 Tim. 3:15) as Eunice did with Timothy (2 Tim. 1:5). She should love her children (Titus 2:4).
What may a Christian grandmother do to help her grandchildren go to heaven? She should be a faithful Christian like Lois (2 Tim. 1:5).
What may a Christian widow do to help others go to heaven? She should be like the widow, Anna, who continued to serve and worship God faithfully in her old age (Luke 2:36-38) and like the widow who sacrificed her all (Mark 12:41-44). She should continue to be a member of a local church despite the difficulties of old age (Acts 6:1). She may be helped financially by the local church because of her previous life of service in good works and because of her present hope and prayer toward God (1 Tim. 5:3-16).
What may an aged Christian woman do to help others go to heaven? Whether she was married or not, whether she had children or not, an aged Christian woman should set a powerful example for others and teach and train others (Titus 2:3-5).
What may a Christian woman do as a member of the local church of which she is a part? She may attend congregational meetings where the work is discussed (Acts 6:2). She should be full of good works toward others like Dorcas/Tabitha (Acts 9:36-39). She may open her house for spiritual activities like Mary did for prayer (Acts 12:12) or Lydia did for encouragement (Acts 16:40). She may teach a man, under certain circumstances, provided she remains in subjection like Priscilla did with her husband in teaching Apollos (Acts 18:24-26). She should not be like Martha who was more concerned with physical things than with the Lord's spiritual teachings (Luke 10:38-41; 12:2). She should be like the women and Mary who continued steadfastly in prayer (Acts 1:14) and the wives who prayed for Paul (Acts 21:5).
She should be a servant and helper doing what needs to be done to keep the local church going, like Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2), Prisca or Priscilla (Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3-5; 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19), Mary (Rom. 16:6), Junia (Rom. 16:7), Tryphaena and Tryphosa (Rom. 16:12), Persis (Rom. 16:12), Rufus' mother (Rom. 16:13), Julia and Nereus' sister (Rom. 16:15), Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2-3), Claudia (2 Tim. 4:21), and Apphia (Phile. 2). This is the kind of important ministering that Mary, Joanna, and Susanna did with Jesus and his apostles (Luke 8:1-2; 23:55-56; 24:10) as well as Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:31). The godly woman should be a servant of the Lord, like Elizabeth, the mother of John, and Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:38, 46-48).
What else may she do as a church member? She may say "Amen" to the prayers (1 Cor. 14:16). She may teach and admonish through her singing (Col. 3:16). She may encourage other members who are down (1 Thess. 5:14). Like Philip's daughters who taught (Acts 21:8-9), she may teach others God's word (2 Tim. 2:2; the Greek word here is anthropos, referring to faithful men and women, see also Heb. 5:12), provided she does not violate 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12. She may teach and train younger women how to be good wives, mothers, and Christians (Titus 2:3-5). She may confess her sins to others (Jas. 5:16).
As you can see from the New Testament, there are many good works that Christian women may do today to promote the cause of Christ. The Lord's church still needs godly Christian women who will do these great things for themselves, for others around them, and for the Lord.
I am a Christian, a husband, a father, and a preacher today in part because of my mother. She never preached a sermon or taught a class for a mixed assembly of men and women. She never served as an elder or a deacon. Nevertheless, I am what I am today, in part, because of all the good things she kept doing in the Lord's service that were authorized by the New Testament. Thanks be to God for all the godly, Christian women in the home, in the church, and in the world!
Author Bio: Chris preaches for the Warfield Blvd church of Christ in Clarksville, TN. His Bible study website is thegoodteacher.com. He can be reached at chrisreevesmail@gmail.com.
