Morning everyone. 

Psalm 32:8 says, "The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." This is called All the Way Home. 

Fishing with Daddy, late in the day. Sun's sinking deep in the sky. Got through the woods; it was scary and dark. And I'm trying hard not to cry. Daddy, what if there's a snake or a bear? What if there's things I can't see? Daddy just smiled. He said, "Son, you'll be fine. Just walk and stay close to me. Just follow me, cause I know the way. You would be lost on your own. Keep me in sight, you'll be alright. I'll lead you all the way home." 

Sitting in church, singing just as I am. This time it's more than a song. The preacher says I must give Jesus my heart. I want to make heaven my home. And I said, "Lord, what if I still make mistakes? Sometimes I don't read or pray." And a sweet wave of peace swept right over me. Said, "I'll be there each step of the way. Just follow me, cause I know the way. You would be lost on your own. Keep me in sight, you'll be alright. I'll lead you all the way home." 

Now Daddy's in heaven with Jesus his Savior. And I know someday I will be. And I still hear those words when I'm facing the darkness. Keep walking and stay close to me. Just follow me, cause I know the way. You would be lost on your own. Keep me in sight, you'll be alright. I'll lead you all the way home. And I'll lead you all the way home. 

I have more hair than I've had since college, so I'd like to get that taken care of if we could get back to work. 

We're going to be looking at 1 Timothy 2, verses 8-15 this morning. Last week we studied a most important and encouraging passage in the first verses of chapter 2. The main message of this section is that God desires that every man be saved. 

We saw that it's God's will that the church be the channel through which the gospel message goes out to every creature. The offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone and what he accomplished on the cross is made to every man. 

And we saw that in the church this all begins with prayer. Prayer for all men, for kings and those in authority over us, every man. For God desires that every man be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. 

And this is a most important thing for us to understand that our God has a central purpose for the church today. To bring his good news message to the world that men might believe Jesus and be saved from the wrath to come. 

We also saw in this text that Jesus is the only one, the only mediator between God and man who can bring us to God. He's the only Savior, and it's only through faith in him that we can be saved. God's plan of salvation was to pour out his wrath on Jesus on the cross as the innocent Lamb of God stood as a substitute in our place. 

Taking the penalty that we deserved so that God might remain just, punishing every sin and be the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ. Bringing them back into a right relationship with him. So Paul wrote to Timothy, "I exhort first of all that prayers and supplications be made for all men for their salvation." The church must begin with prayer so that we might be focused on the gospel, on evangelism. 

Fostering God's love for men that he's poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. And that we might express that love through the preaching of the gospel that men might believe and be saved. 

You'll remember that the key verse for our understanding in this epistle is found in chapter 3 at verse 15, where Paul said, "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth." 

The context of this letter in which all instructions and admonitions are said is how life and ministry and worship should be conducted in the church, particularly in corporate gatherings. 

God created the church through the sacrifice and offering of Jesus Christ of himself and through the preaching of the gospel. By faith, men and women have been called out. This is the literal meaning of the word, "the called-out ones." 

God has called out men and women from this world to be his special people. Those who believe him, who trust him and submit to him and his lordship over our lives. He is our father. He's our papa, our daddy. And he only and always does what is best for us as the perfect father. 

And his will for us is simple and straightforward. His will for us is our sanctification, our conformation to Christ likeness and outward coming into conformity with the inward reality of who we are because of what he's done in us through salvation. 

And his purpose commission for us is to be his witnesses in this world, to bring the gospel to lost men, to accomplish his will of salvation. His means to accomplishing this is the local body of believers, the assembly of the church. 

He has designed and created the church to be a fellowship, a place of teaching and exhortation, of preparation and equipping to do the work of ministry that he has planned for us. 

So when we come together in this place, when we meet for Bible studies or for fellowship, we need to know how God intends that we should conduct ourselves in his house. And we must know and understand that the church is the pillar and the ground of the truth. 

We and every other believer in the world are part of the church universal, and each local body of believers is to be conducting itself in such a way that the individual members of that body are growing, maturing, and being equipped to go out into this world and do the work of ministry. This is God's plan. This is his design. 

And the book of 1 Timothy is meant to teach us, to show us the details of the roles and positions and organizations of the local body to accomplish this purpose. 

The scriptures often use military terms or battle language to illustrate the mission of the church in the world. And I was thinking about this as I pondered the text before us in 1 Timothy 2 because this text is a challenging one for the world and the context of our world. 

But this text is not meant to be applied to the world. This is important to understand. This text is meant to be applied to the church. And the church is a training place, a place of discipline, dedication, dependence on God, his word, his truth, his plan as the commander of our forces to accomplish his will in this world. 

So just as the army is a unique place of training, of teamwork, of brotherhood, a unique fellowship where men exercise roles and functions and discipline, trusting in and looking to those who are in authority over them, so the church is a place where the Lord's army is trained and equipped. 

Submitting to their given roles within the body, looking to contribute as each one does its part to foster the health and effectiveness of the whole body in order to accomplish the mission of God that's set out for us in this world. 

I don't know if that helps you understand as it does for me, but where we are moving in this letter is an explanation and outlining of the roles and authority positions as God has laid them out, as he has designed them, and it is key that we each as members of the church are willing to function in the roles that God has given us in order to accomplish the mission. 

Before we begin our study, I'd like to just look at two texts that I think illustrate the foundational points that I've been trying to establish here. First, Ephesians 4:11–this is a passage that we quote often: 

Ephesians 4:11: “But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

I'd like for you to look at one other passage in 1 Corinthians 12. Paul uses the illustration of the body here to explain God's plan for the church: 

1 Corinthians 12:12: “And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set members, each one of them in the body, just as he pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty. But our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members individually.”

I'd like you to pay attention to verse 18. It says, “God has designed and created the church. He has called us out individually in order to form the body, to function as a growing, maturing, healthy organism, in order to accomplish His will to bring the gospel to the world and salvation to men.” 

We have to understand these things if we're going to understand the rest of this epistle, and especially the verses before us this morning, and how it is that we are to conduct ourselves in the house of God. 

Let's look at our text in 1 Timothy 2:8. 

“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self-control." 

I have three points on my outline this morning for you for our text. First we're going to look at roles and responsibilities; second, authority and submission; and third, influence and understanding. 

First we see in our text roles and responsibilities. As we read in 1 Corinthians 12, each member of the body has been assigned a role, given a gift for the benefit of all. Each doing its share to contribute to the growth and effectiveness of the whole. And our purpose is always to glorify God, is to accomplish His will. It's never to exalt myself. 

Paul has emphasized the place of prayer in evangelism. Now building on that, in verse 8 he says, “I desire therefore,” and this is a command, a desire rising from the intellect, not a desire rising from the emotions. He says, “I command therefore, based on the priority position of prayer in evangelism, that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.” 

This section, these instructions, this whole epistle is set within the context of the worship meeting of the church. This is the context of our gathering together. So Paul says, whenever, wherever you all come together, in that corporate meeting, I command the men to pray, to do this first thing, to pray for the lost, for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, for salvation. 

And the men are to do this with holy hands. These words speak directly to the lives and conduct of the individuals, not so much to a physical position in worship. But the meaning is that the lives and conduct of the men would be consistent with their profession, who they are in Christ, and that they might come with a proper character and motive to the worship service in presenting these public prayers. 

We're going to get into more detail concerning the leadership and men called to lead and to pray, 1 Timothy 3, but the wording here speaks to how the believing men were to live their lives and how they were to come to worship and pray for the lost. 

Without wrath and doubting, he says, this speaks directly to motive and hard attitude. There was to be a common purpose in the worship meeting and a wholehearted trust in God and His provision to accomplish His will through these means. 

These words also speak to the attitude of the believer toward those who are outside. This may be very practical for us in this time, especially those who are leaders over us. We are to have an attitude of love toward them, praying for them, desiring their salvation as God commands. 

So this is the role of the men in the worship service, to offer these prayers in the context here of what Paul's talking about. Now in verse 9, Paul writes, “In like manner.” And these are important words because they help us understand the principles being applied to the role of women in the worship service as well and how they ought to conduct themselves. 

There's a key word here, the word translated adorn. The word has the root meaning of order and it speaks directly to creation, God's setting of things in order in creating the world. But here it's speaking to how a woman is to come to worship in outward appearance and concerning an inner heart attitude. 

It's evident from our text that there were some serious issues going on in this realm in Ephesus, and Paul wants to confront them head-on. Just as if a soldier came for training and exercise in the wrong clothing, the wrong equipment, with the wrong attitude, an attitude of rebellion and disobedience, this would greatly hinder the effectiveness of the exercise and would have to be dealt with. 

So there were women coming to the worship service in Ephesus who were dressed inappropriately, drawing attention to themselves by flaunting their wealth and position and had ill motives and intent in what they were doing. 

And this was having an ill effect on the plan and purpose of God in the body of Christ in its corporate meeting. Look at verse 9 again, “In like manner also,” he says, just like the men, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but which is proper for women professing godliness with good works. 

There are several points here that are clear and they make perfect sense if our goal is to submit to our Lord and His plan for the local church to equip and prepare the believer for ministry in this world. Apparently, there were women in this particular fellowship who were coming to church dressed in a wholly inappropriate manner, and the issue here, as always, is not so much a specific dress code or way to fix your hair, but it's the heart issue, the motive that underlies the behavior. 

I found a quote by Cosostom, an early church father, on this text and I'd like for you to listen to his words to these women who were coming to church, or women like them, in formal and expensive attire, drawing attention to themselves and not worshiping God. 

Listen to what he says, quote, “What? Doth thou approach God to pray with broidered hair and ornaments of gold? Art thou come to a dance, to a marriage, to a gay procession? There such a broidery, such costly garments, had been seasonable, here not one of them is wanted. Thou art come to pray, to supplicate for pardon of thy sins, to plead for thine offenses, beseeching the Lord and hoping to render Him propitious to thee. Why dost thou adorn thyself? This is not the dress of a suppliant,” end quote. 

There were two ill motives expressed in this conduct. One was to draw attention to self and wealth and position, and the other was to draw the attention of men in the church to themselves. They were getting way overdressed, wearing fancy clothes that one might wear to a ball or a wedding, and they were ornately braiding their hair and flaunting their wealth, weaving gold and pearls to show off their position in society. 

I read where some of these pearls could cost up to 20 years' wages for the common laborer. You can imagine how that would play in a congregation of common men and even slaves who had been saved along with the rich. Some of these get-ups even bordered on dressing the harlot, looking like a woman fishing for a man. 

Paul's not laying down a dress code. He's addressing a heart issue, and we see that in verse 10. He says, “That which is proper for women professing godliness with good works.” Just as men needed to come with holy hands, living a holy life during the week in the world, not bringing reproach on themselves or on Christ, and with a proper motive, not having wrath or doubt toward God or men, so the women were to come with a properly ordered heart, a right attitude of submission and supplication toward God in worship. 

And this would be manifest outwardly not only in attitude but in properly ordered outward appearance as well. The woman who professes godliness should have good works and a modest, proper arranging for herself to fit the gathering. This is really simple and straightforward and common sense. 

But there was a spirit of rebellion in the church, especially apparently with some of the women, and it needed to be corrected for the sake of the health of the body. We see this further in verses 11 to 12. 

Verse 11: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man but to be in silence.” Again, we must consider the context and the plan and purpose of God in the church meeting. In these verses, we see God's principles of authority and submission in the church. 

Now in our flesh, and particularly for the man and Adam, there's an inherent proclivity to rebel against authority. We do not want to submit to authority, naturally. However, this should not be true for the believer submitting himself ultimately to the Lord because the fact is, every single relationship in this world, as designed by God, is an authority-submission relationship. 

This is true in society. It's true in government. It's true in the workplace and in the home and in the church. That has nothing at all to do with equality or value. It has to do with what is best for function and efficiency in accomplishing the purpose and the goal of the relationship. 

For example, when I worked for APHIS, for the USDA, as a trapper, I was in an authority-submission relationship. I, along with all my co-workers, were absolutely essential to accomplishing the task of resolving animal conflicts with people. No work would have been accomplished if the 20 guys that did my job in northern Wisconsin were absent. 

My boss in Rhinelander would have never been able to accomplish all of those things. But our role was to do the work in submission to His authority. He told us what to do. He provided the equipment and resources and organization to aid us in accomplishing our tasks. He was not greater than us, better than us in any way. He just had a different role in the organization. 

But that role was essential as well, and we needed Him in order to function and be effective in our goal, just as He needed us. He had a role. We had a role. But He was in authority, and we were in submission in that relationship. 

God has designed in the church that men be in the position of authority and the role of speaking, preaching, teaching in the gathering of believers. So when we come together, it is my role to speak, to preach, to teach. You each have gifts, roles in the body, for the edifying of the body. You are essential in those roles, men and women. 

So there are those elders, bishops, overseers who are given a role in the body to teach, preach, oversee, shepherd, and they are few in number. It's true that this role has been designed by God to be fulfilled by men, however not by every man. Rather, it's a small role, few in number. 

We might have 100 people in our church, say 50 men and 50 women. Each has a gift, a role, a purpose in contributing to the health and function of the body to accomplish its purpose. But there are only maybe four or five elders, and maybe only one or two preachers, so there are 46 men here who are not in this position of preaching and teaching, and 50 women. 

You see, it's just a matter of roles and responsibilities, authority and submission, because that is how God has designed every functioning organization in this world. It does not speak to importance, or quality, or value, for all are one in Christ. 

Listen to 1 Corinthians 11:3, it says, "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." It says the head of man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Now let me ask you this, is Christ equal to God? Is Christ any less important or valuable than God? 

No, He is God. But His role as the Son of God is to submit Himself to the authority of God the Father, and this truth is absolutely essential to the whole plan and purpose of God for salvation. Galatians 3:28 says there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

We are all one in Christ, all equal in Christ. But we all have different roles in the church, in the body. So Paul says, "I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but to be in silence." 

Silence concerning what? Teaching and having authority in the corporate worship service in the function of the church. We see a similar problem in Corinth, as we see in chapter 14; apparently, women were speaking out during the sermon, asking their husbands questions, causing a disruption. 

So Paul tells them, “be silent.” This does not mean that a woman is never to teach, never speak. Certainly, there are myriads of ways, situations where women can fill these roles. But the design of God is not for women to fill the role of pastor, teacher, elder, overseer in the corporate church, nor to preach or teach, having authority over men. 

But in Ephesus, there were women who were trying to usurp this authority, were trying to fill these roles that God never intended them to fill, and this was causing all kinds of problems in that church. Just as if one of the troops in the army decided he'd just go in during basic training and sit in the colonel's chair and give orders to his fellow soldiers, it would be a great disruption to the order, to the whole organization. 

And this is true in the fellowship. When we try to assume a position that is not ours, that God has not given us, gifted us for, or empowered us to do, it is damaging to the whole body. So Paul says, “This is God's plan for the church.” 

And let me just be quick to say that if the heart of the individual, male or female, is right before the Lord and before men, then none of these things are an issue. 

And that is why he implores them to come to worship with holy hands and a pure heart. So we see roles and responsibilities. We see authority and submission. And last, we see influence and understanding. 

Look at verse 13. Paul writes, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self-control.” 

Again, I think it's important to understand that Paul was addressing a specific problem with some rebellious people in the fellowship in Ephesus at this time, and so his words are a bit pointed at this group of people. However, there are a couple of very important points in these last verses for our understanding. 

And Paul brings us back to the garden, to Adam and Eve, and the fall of man, the beginning of the curse. And I think he does this for a couple of very important and what I find fascinating reasons. First is a very straightforward and simple point. 

I remember years ago, I was involved in a church where the associate pastor left, and the pastor had a meeting, and his desire was to appoint a woman to replace the associate pastor and give her the duties that the man had previously performed. I brought this text up in the meeting, and I was immediately met with persistent opposition. 

Several people spoke of what a wonderful person this woman was, and how much she had done for them, and how good she would be in this position. I responded that all of that is tremendous, but it's completely irrelevant. She could do all of those things as she had done without being placed into an overseeing position in the church and violating the word of God. 

The main course that followed was that this is simply a cultural issue in Timothy, that God did not make this a rule or obligation to the church in our time, but that Paul kind of just had a hang up about these things. It was just his cultural norm. 

Well, that's a very dangerous method of interpretation they were employing, but also, it is directly contradicted by this text, and I think Paul did this on purpose. In bringing up Adam and Eve in the fall, and by using the linking word “for” in verse 13, Paul is explicitly stating that this is not a cultural issue but a timeless principle. 

It was true for Adam and Eve in creation, and it's still true now in Ephesus and all the churches and any time you come together, Paul said back in verse 8, the order was established in creation, and it is the basis for the order in the church. 

So this is one important reason that Paul brings up Adam and Eve. But the second reason, really the explanation of these verses I find most fascinating, links us back to the first section in chapter two in God's desire for the salvation of all men. 

The key words are in verse 15: “Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self-control.” She will be saved in childbearing, notice this, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self-control. 

Let's go back to Genesis 3, and look at this time that Paul refers to. 

Genesis 3 at verse 1. “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said you shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it lest you die.’ 

Well, God had not said that. Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die, for God knows that the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ 

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sowed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 

And the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.’ 

And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?’ 

Then the man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.’ 

And the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’ 

So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life, and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’ 

To the woman, He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’ 

Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying you shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat of the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.’” 

Well, there are actually three threads that I want to tie together that I believe that Paul has in mind in bringing up the fall in the garden. I'd like for you to stay with me now. 

I know it's a little longer than most sermons, but I think this is really fascinating. First, I want you to remember that the context and flow from verse 8 out of verses 1 to 7 is the conduct and heart condition of the men and then the women. 

The men are to pray in the assembly with holy hands and without wrath and doubting. As we said, this refers to their heart condition, their conduct in their lives, and their attitude toward the lost and those in authority as well as toward God. 

You cannot be a louse all week and live like the world and then come into the assembly and pray for people. Your conduct outwardly must match who you are inwardly, and your heart must be right toward God and man. Likewise, Paul says the women cannot come in with this crazy worldly adornment with a bad motive and be effective in worship. 

They must have a right heart, holy living, and adornment that matches this inner reality in order to be edifying in the church. Peter tells us that this is a quiet and gentle spirit which is precious in the sight of God. 

So when Paul uses the plural pronoun “they” in verse 15, he is referring to men and women. This has been the context, the men, the women in verses 8 to 12, the husband, the wife in verses 13 to 14, this holiness and outward expression of the inward reality continuing in faith, love, and holiness with self-control, we could say sanctification comes by, listen now, comes by struggle and hardship. 

We could quote James 1 or Romans 5; you're familiar with those passages, but it's tribulation and struggling that builds character and trust in God and gives us meaning in our lives, making us like Christ and useful to the cause of Christ. 

It teaches us to depend on Him, to trust Him, to abide in Him, to look to Him. So what do we see in Genesis 3 concerning the man's penalty for following rather than leading his wife? Notice it says he was there with her the whole time. He abrogated his responsibility to lead and protect her and followed rather than leading. 

His penalty was thorns and thistles, struggle by the sweat of his brow and against all the forces of the cursed creation. But watch this now, at least in a temporal sense, what is his redemption? What is his avenue to meaning and fulfillment, growth and character building? It is the struggle. It is overcoming all of these curses to make them a blessing, to provide for his family, to work and produce, and whether he eats or drinks to do all things to the glory of God. 

And what of the woman? What is her penalty for choosing to listen to the talking snake rather than to God, for being deceived and leading her husband into this most monumental sin? It is pain in childbirth. But what is her redemption? What is it that keeps her growing and trusting God, fulfilling God's will for filling the earth and training up children in the way they should go? 

She is saved through childbirth. Just as the man is saved through toil and work, without which he deteriorates, he rots away with no meaning, no struggle, nothing to turn him to God in faith and dependence, to look to God to give him the grace to succeed and provide and produce. 

So the woman is saved through childbearing as to her purpose, her good work and her most influential work of all the works in the world. And it is a struggle, isn't it? 

I mean, the struggle is real. Not just the pain in childbearing, but the constant and continual concern and struggle in raising the children, in teaching them to love the Lord. 

I want you to listen to Expositor's Greek commentary on these verses. Paul, taking the common sense view that childbearing, rather than public teaching or the direction of affairs as a woman's primary function, duty, privilege, and dignity, reminds Timothy and his readers kind of the redemption, the curse in one aspect, the curse of man that he would toil and struggle, but at the same time, his redemption is found in that as to his usefulness and his purpose to produce and to provide. 

And also for the women, their struggle would be in pain and childbirth, but also their redemption is found through childbearing. So I wanted to read you the quote. I think we cut out when I was about to read a quote from Expositor's Greek commentary. It says, “Paul, taking the common sense view that childbearing, rather than public teaching or the direction of affairs as woman's primary function, duty, privilege, and dignity, reminds Timothy and his readers that there was another aspect of the story in Genesis besides that of the woman's taking the initiative in transgression. 

The pains of childbirth were her sentence, yet in undergoing these, she finds her salvation. She shall be saved in her childbearing.” That is her normal and natural duty. And in the discharge of our normal and natural duties, we all, men and women alike, as far as our individual efforts can contribute to it, work out our own salvation. 

Now listen to this. He says, “Just as hard labor is the man's salvation in the set of circumstances and surroundings that without it, without hard labor, would cause him to deteriorate rather than making progress in character. 

So the pains of childbirth become the salvation of the woman and in the same sense and for the same purpose.” So the salvation he is talking about is not personal salvation from sin, but salvation from uselessness, deteriorating, decaying, rather than growing and fulfilling God's purpose and will for man and woman in creation–to steward, to have dominion, to produce, to be profitable and proliferate. 

However, I just want to give you one more thought and this is my own at no extra cost to you. 

In Genesis 3, in the midst of the fall and the curse and the burden of man and woman of all that was lost, there is a promise. Genesis 3:15 says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 

The promise of a deliverer, a savior that would crush Satan's head, that would defeat him in sin and death and hell to bring salvation. And how would this come about? What is God's plan and promise to bring this to pass? He says, “Through the seed of the woman,” and the seed we know is Christ. Through the pain of childbirth would come salvation. 

My brothers and sisters, God has designed all these things, including the church, including the blessing from the curse, including the labor and toil and struggle. And in all this, he is working all things together for our good. The question is, do we trust him? 

Do we believe him? Do we know that he knows what is best for us? And this is important in every area of life, every area of doctrine. What does God say? 

Do I believe him and trust him? This is faith. This is salvation. Believing God and his son, Jesus Christ, for salvation from sins and for salvation from fear and doubt and uselessness and fruitlessness every day as he works out his will in our lives. 

I'm sorry we had that break in the sermon, but that's such an important truth to see in this text as we look at how we are to conduct ourselves in the house of God and what God's plan and intention for us is in our individual roles. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we thank you for this good day of life. Thank you for the sunshine and the warm temperatures. Thank you for the contrast with the cold and the winter, and just that we can appreciate this blessing of spring and the change of seasons. Thank you for your words, your truth. For everyone who could be here, thank you for teaching us and guiding us and telling us the truth. 

What we need to know, and we just pray, Lord, that you would help us to believe you, to trust you, to depend on you one day at a time so that you might work your will through our lives, produce fruit for your glory, and that men might be saved, hearing the gospel from faithful believers who trust you, in Jesus' name, amen.