God’s protection and men’s stewardship.

Scripture Read: 1 Timothy 2:15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Application: I love the fact that You Lord place statements in Your Word that require us to be honest with it and spend time considering it’s meaning. This verse has really caused issues over the years, simply because sloppy handling of the Word. The word for preserved is σώζω sṓzō – and is used throughout the New Testament, many times referring to eternal salvation. Due to careless hermeneutics, some have come to believe that women can be eternally saved through giving birth to a child. This of course is totally opposite of the teaching in all of the Scriptures on the topic of salvation. The Word is clear that we are saved by grace, without any works on our part. Christ did all the work. The other idea that has come is that women will continue to exist simply because some of the children born will be females. That’s true, but it does not fit the context of this scripture. That is the key to understanding this. 

Women are physically weaker for the most part then men. They are also less aggressive. So, of the two humans we have in the world, males can dominate and conquer easier. Now add to that that God has ordained that women in families are to be submitted to their own husbands. Add to all of that, woman fell into sin first and part of her judgment was an even greater submission to her husband. In a society where the strongest survives, women could easily end up being nothing more than sexual slaves and treated as trash. Sadly, this does happen in many parts of the world today, but the Word of God has done much to change that when it enters a society. Here in this Scripture we see how God has countered that natural law in society by making women the key to the survival of all humanity! Men know they need to keep women safe so they can continue their line. Men also are tied to their mothers in a special way from You Lord and that elevates womanhood to most. One of the clear marks of a society that is being impacted by the gospel is how the value and treatment of women in that society changes. The Scriptures make it clear that only in role and position women are different than men, in essence they are both creations of our Lord. So even in a society that does not honor You Lord, women are better protected in a tough world due to child bearing which makes them valuable to society. How much more should that be true in the world of believers? These women are not only our mothers and lovers; they are our sisters and joint heirs in eternity. So even though in position in the Body of Christ they are not to be the shepherd of the local Body, You make it clear that women are essential to us and we should never forget that! Forgive us when we do Lord!  

Meditation Questions: what is your view on the difference between men and women? Is there any difference in worth? If so, why? If not, why? If God built in protection for the weaker sex in humans, how should not affect how men treat women?  Does protecting and providing for women make them inferior in any way to men? If so, why? If not, why? What does that say? What does the word stewardship mean to you? Are men stewards of women in our society? What does your answer say about what you believe?