1 Timothy 2:9-15 Salvation Through Birth?????

“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women, will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety.”


The Quiver Full Movement encourages women to embrace their role of child bearer and mother. They add to this dignified position their extraordianry faith, love for all and holiness demonstrated through purity, piety, modest demeanor and dress. There is also a movement which includes women who no longer believe in the Quiver Full Movment called "No Longer Quivering." This group looks at and challenges this idea of the fulfilled Christian mother as only child bearer.

If woman is to be forever cursed by Eve's disobedience and her order of creation; I think all who adhere to this notion should thoroughly search the Scripture for complete understanding. Is a woman saved by childbirth from the ongoing condemnation of Eve's original sin? And if so, where does the crucified Christ come into play in the salvation of women?

(Below excerpts from manuscript: When Will Eve Be Forgiven?)

What does the Bible say about the importance of having children? One of the first commands given to both the man and the woman was to be fruitful and to multiply found in Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” It is clear God intended for man and woman to reproduce, but we do not have any spoken stipulation in regards to not reproducing as being a sin.

When we look at Psalms 127:3-5 we can see with even more clarity the opinion of God in relation to having children through the words of David: “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.”

We must begin with I Timothy 2:9-15 to try and decipher how Eve/woman can be forgiven. Paul states that through childbearing if they continue through faith, love, and holiness with propriety the woman can be saved. Was Paul truly saying a woman can be redeemed from her sin of being deceived in the Garden of Eden through childbirth? Paul, being an apostle of Jesus Christ fully knew the price Jesus paid for forgiveness of man that will be discussed in chapter ten. So what exactly was Paul stating woman could be “saved” from?

In the entire Bible, the Greek word for “saved” sozo (sode-zo) means to deliver or protect (lit. or fig.):- save (93x), make whole (9x), heal (3x), be whole (2x), misc. (3x) = preserve, do well. To “save” is used (as with the noun soteria, ‘salvation’) (1) of material and temporal deliverance and (1a) to save from danger and suffering etc., each use can be applied to the word saved in I Timothy 2:15. The word “saved” is used 57 times in the New Testament. Of the 57 times the word “saved” is used, 55 times out of the 57, the word has the same meaning.

In an article by Stanley E. Porter, he concludes the author of I Timothy apparently believed that for the woman who abides in faith, love and holiness, her salvation will come by the bearing of children. What importance did childbearing play in the life of the Christian woman? Were women with children viewed as less sinful than women without children?


In an article published in Salvation Through Childbirth, A Reflective Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:15, Mr. Maxey addresses a question asked by a woman:

“Brother Maxey,

Having been raised in Churches of Christ, I am having a hard time breaking away from a works-based attitude into one more grace-based. I just can’t seem to break free of this constant fear for my salvation based on the fact that I am not following perfectly each and every verse in the New Testament. For example --- I am now an older woman. My husband and I never wanted our own children for many reasons. However, now, when I read the verse about women being saved through childbirth, my heart aches over the thought that this decision of mine may be one which keeps me out of Heaven. It was a willful choice on my part not to have children, and my heart actually hurts when I contemplate where my decision may be sending me when I die, and so I lie awake at night! …any insight or help you can offer me would be very much appreciated!

This is a powerful letter to say the least. Before I write the response given by Mr. Massey to this question, I would like to look at the churches obedience to the command to be fruitful and multiply and how many Christian women are resting their salvation on childbirth.

There are many women who are Christians. I have discussed in previous blogs that women outnumber men in the Christian faith. For Christian men and women who live by the verses in 1 Timothy 2:9-15, here are statistics to the contrary.

It would be truly wonderful to live in a Christian nation that practiced what was preached, but this is not the case. Roman Catholic women have abortions at a significantly higher rate than Protestants. In 1996, about 57% of women who received legal abortions were white. The abortion rate was 55.5 per 100 live births for black women, 20.2 for white women, and 36 for women of other races.

In the Alan Guttmacher Institute it was reported in 2001 – July, 37.4% of all abortions are performed on Protestant women; 18% of all abortions are done on born-again Protestants. The survey goes on to say “born-again” believers constitute about 30% of the American adult population. The abortion index by religion during 1994-1995 was found to be: Protestants 0.69, followers of a non-Judeo-Christian religion 0.78, Catholics 1.01%, Jews 1.08, and persons who do not follow an organized religion 4.02. This information was prepared by Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, Storrs, CT, in 1995 from five Gallop polls. By these statistics alone, it is evident the limitation of conception is practiced by many Christians.

Continuing a 12-year decline, the U.S birth rate has dropped to the lowest level since national data has been available, according to statistics released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The birth rate among women of peak childbearing age has been declining. Birth rates for women in their 20’s and early 30’s were generally down while births to older mothers (35-44) were still on the rise. Rates were stable for women over 45.

In 2002, there were 4,019,280 births in the U.S., down slightly from 2001 (4, 025,933). More than one-third of all births were to unmarried women. WebMD reports there is now a new baby boom. The birth rate increased by 3% to 4.26 million between 2005 and 2006, the largest single-year increase since 1989 and the largest total number of births since 1961 which was one of the last years of the baby boom. Birth rates rose by 4% among women between the ages of 20 and 24, to 105 births per 1,000 and by 3% among those aged 40-44, to 9.4 births per 1,000. Families are now made up of more than one or two children; the ideal number of children per family seems to be three. The 1.6 million births among unmarried women represent an 8% increase over 2005 and is 20% higher than the recent low point for births in the group seen in 2002

I Timothy 2:9-15: Women, study the word thoroughly Part 1.

From my manuscript: When Will Eve Be Forgiven? I Timothy 2:9-15: “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women, will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety.” This is how it is written in the King James Version of the Bible.

The NIV (New International Version of the Bible) states a woman is not to “usurp authority” over a man. The word “usurp” is used only once in the entire Bible and it happens to be in I Timothy 2:12. Let that soak in for a minute because it is important.

The Old Testament is written in Hebrew and the New Testament is written in Greek. USURP is a Greek word authenteo (af-thane-tay-oh) which means to act of oneself, i.e. (fig) dominate. It means “to exercise authority on one’s own account, to domineer over.” The word authority is used in other parts of the New Testament as exousia (ex-oo-see-ah).

The word “authority” as it is used in this particular verse, does not have its own definition. The word “authority” and “usurp” are used interchangeably. Within the New Testament there are six uses, with definitions, of the word “authority.” Various definitions of authority include: a ruler or officer of great authority, mighty, Potentate (a high officer), in the sense of ability, privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, mastery, delegated influence, power, authority, right, liberty, jurisdiction, strength, to control, bring under the power of, have power of, commandment, an injunction or a decree, to have full privilege over, prominence, superiority, and excellency. Of all of the above definitions, none were sufficient or able to define what God meant by a woman having “authority” over a man. If we are to understand Scripture, we must allow the Scriptures to speak for itself. The word “usurp” means the woman should not act or teach a man on her own behalf. She is not to exercise authority of a man on her behalf. I find this to be sound advice for any teacher. Males should not teach males on their own behalf. Adults should not teach children on their own behalf. We teach the Gospel on the behalf of God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, and those that are lost. Teaching the Word of God has nothing to do with exercising our own authority over another on our own behalf. Can anyone disagree with putting oneself secondary to the Word of God? " I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

The use of the word "or" between teaching and usurp authority should also be taken into account. What does the conjunction "or" mean?

 a. To suggest that only one possibility can be realized, excluding one or the other: "You can study hard for this exam, or you can fail." 

 b. To suggest the inclusive combination of alternatives: "We can broil chicken on the grill tonight, or we can just eat leftovers.

 c. To suggest a refinement of the first clause: "Smith College is the premier all-women's college in the country, or so it seems to most Smith College alumnae." 

 d. To suggest a restatement or "correction" of the first part of the sentence: "There are no rattlesnakes in this canyon, or so our guide tells us."

 e. To suggest a negative condition: "The New Hampshire state motto is the rather grim "Live free or die." 

 f. To suggest a negative alternative without the use of an imperative (see use of and above): "They must approve his political style, or they wouldn't keep electing him mayor." 

If example "c" is applied a woman should not wrestle (usurp) control from a man for her own good to teach them (men) as in teaching a corrupt doctrine, remain silent. Simple huh! In example 'c' the second part of the sentence after the word 'or' goes first = usurp authority over a man to teach; she must be silent.

One may say the need to address the issue of a woman being silent should come before any discussion about a woman teaching a man. Well, what did Paul mean by the statement “a woman needs to be silent and submissive in the church?” 

The complete verse (34) reads as follows: “women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says (NIV has “law” capitalized)” 

In my religious studies, one of the first things I learned is when the word law is capitalized as in Law, the Law of Moses is the law being addressed. During the missionary journeys of Paul, Christians were no longer under the Law of Moses, but under the teachings of Jesus. The usage of the Greek word nomos (nom-os) means law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), gen. (regulation), spec. (of Moses) or fig. (a principle) law. 

 We must ask to which law Paul was referring. Was he speaking about Roman law, the Law of Moses, or an understood law of the Gospel? In Paul’s educational background, he studied with a leading teacher of his time named Gamaliel, the son of a top Jewish scholar, Hillel. He was quite familiar with the laws of Moses. Paul described himself as a zealous person when it came to honoring God. Can Paul’s statement in regards to women come from his prior education? Was Paul privy to Jesus sending the first missionary woman at the well to spread the news regarding the living water? And how can we reconcile Paul’s treatment of Phoebe and the honor he showed to her in his writings? The bigger question is the statement Paul made in regards to Eve. Women must not be in positions of authority due to the fact of Eve being deceived first and also due to the fact she was formed second. Did Paul consider Eve of less importance because she was created after the man, Adam? The main question we should ask ourselves is do we believe that God, in the totality of his revealed nature in Scripture, view all women on the basis of Eve’s sin as Paul suggests? What role did Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection play in the forgiveness of Eve in the eyes of man? Did Paul really mean a woman could be saved from the sins of Eve in bearing children as stated in I Timothy 2:15? Does the act of giving birth redeem the woman? What happens to the woman who does not have any children? Stayed tuned for part 2 of this discussion on how childbirth could save a woman as Paul suggests in Scripture.

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Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Supreme Court Justices fit to lead.

There is no argument women are qualified to lead in any position they choose outside of the church with success. In the recent years there has been what many may deem as the "dawning of the age of the woman." Women are leading in politics and political positions in almost a take over fashion.

Any one of the above named women could draw a diverse audience to a speaking engagement and I dare say to a Bible study group. Men would not object if Sarah Palin taught them a Scripture or two.

So the question is not about the ability of women to teach, but not teaching men. In my next post I will tackle the most quoted of all Bible versus against women teaching men (1 Timothy 2:12 "I do not permit a woman to teach or have AUTHORITY over a man; she must remain silent) and break it down piece by piece so be ready.

The early church fathers, great ponderers of theology and doctrine, had much to say about women in their attempt to define the role of women in creation and religion. In the fifth century Augustine pondered Eve's(woman's)role and reflected on what kind of help she was suppose to be to Adam (man) in "Literal Commentary on Genesis." He states:

"If it were not the case that the woman was created to be man's helper specifically for the procreation of children, then why would she have been created as a helper? (Gen. 2:18). Was it so that she might work the land with him? No, because there did not yet exist any such labor for which he needed a helper, and even if such work had been required, a male would have made a better assistant. One can also posit that the reason for her creation as a helper had to do with the companionship she could provide for the man, if perhaps he got bored with his solitude. Yet for company and conversation, how much more agreeable it is for two male friends to dwell together than for a man and a woman!...I cannot think of any other reason for woman's being made as man's helper, if we dismiss the reason of procreation."
From "Women in the Early Church." Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1983, 28-29.

As great as Augustine was, he failed to realize that it was not until after the original sin of the snake, Adam, and Eve that we are told Adam knew his wife (Gen. 4:1 "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.")

If Adam and Eve had sex before eating of the tree it would seem they would have not been shocked to know they were naked and try to hide their genitals (Gen.3:7 "and the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.") The knowledge they obtained from eating from the tree was the knowledge of their nakedness and shame from being naked.

The awareness of sexual organs (Sex) seems to be the original sin immediately followed by shame. From that point onward women have been portrayed as wicked seductresses, even though it took a whole conversation for the snake to convince Eve to partake of the tree and Eve just said "eat this" to Adam and he did and then blamed God for giving him the woman in the first place.

Satan pulled off the greatest trick ever in the Garden of Eden that day. He got man to turn his focus off of the true enemy--the serpent (Satan) and focus on the Woman; making her the enemy instead of himself. We cannot continue to forget who the true enemy of man is--Satan.

How do we reconcile what Paul said in the book of Timothy then about women teaching men? STAY TUNED.

Christian women lead the way

Gender differences: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm
Source for great statistics
The ratio of females to males who identify with different faith groups varies over a wide ratio. Only 38 or 39% of Seventh-Day Adventists, Buddhists, and Muslims are women; 55% or more of the persons identifying with the Episcopalian, Methodist, Pentecostal, or Presbyterian denominations are female.

This statistic shows that more women are Christians than men. We can look at gathered congregations on Sunday's and come up with a larger ratio then the one quoted above. This FACT continues to bring to the forefront: Should women be ministers? The argument against women ministers continue.

The statement below is from: www.gotquestions.org.women-pastors.html

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching men or having spiritual authority over them. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors/preachers. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them.

Should the church fail and Christianity be lost if the male population continues to decline in their attendance and faithfullness to the church? If nothing else, hopefully the presence of women in the pulpit will spur men to take their God given position within the church.

Are Women Pastors Going To Hell?

O.K. people. The genie is out of the bottle. There are tons of women already in the pastor position and yes they have won many souls for Christ. What should happen to those who were led to Christ by a woman? Does their soul remain unsaved because a man did not witness and bring them to Christ and instruct them in the ways of the Lord. Will there be one line for those taught by men and one line for those taught by men? Is the Gospel irrelevant if it is taught by a woman? Timothy was taught by women his mother and grandmother. Paul benefitted from having a young learned man ready to teach others because he was first taught by women. Where was Timothy's father in the equation? Why didn't another man rush in to teach this young man?

Women are usually relegated to teach children, but men take responsibilty later for their salvation. So women are allowed to do the prep work only? We have heard the saying "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

I ran across an article that asked the question whether women pastors would go to hell. Here is the answer.

If a woman is a pastor does that mean she is going to hell?
http://www.carm.org/apologetics/womens-issues/if-woman-pastor-does-mean-she-going-hell
by Matt Slick

If a woman is a pastor it does not mean she's going to hell. She is in sin, but it is not a sin that leads to damnation. The essentials of the faith that define our faith and form the boundaries of which a person is excluded from the faith does not include the issue of women being pastors and elders.
The elder, which is what a pastor is, is to be husband of one wife. Literally in the Greek it says, “a man of one woman,” (Titus 1:5-6). So, the elder is to be a man, not a woman. This is not culturally based because Paul clearly tells us in 1 Tim. 2:12-13, “but I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.” So, Paul ties the issue of teaching authority into the created order of God. Therefore, male eldership/pastorship is not a culturally related issue. It is based on the created order of God.
So, if a woman is a pastor she is not damned to hell for this, but she would be in contradiction to the word of God. She also would not be properly believing the word of God and what it says about this issue. How could such a person be trusted to properly represent God's word?

I would believe a woman would be out of the will of God if she sat by and watched a soul be lost in darkness due simply to the fact that a man is not around to teach. If we took a good look at the churches of today, they are not brimming to overflowing with men.

I once heard of a church of elderly women, a group of 7-9 did not have a male to teach them. What did they do? They waited for the only male child to turn 17 and he took over teaching them. Yes, following the letter of the law did not work in the Old Testament either.

If a woman preacher is in sin by teaching the word of God which we all have access to; then the power of the living word is not active. God's word does the saving and instructing. When man corrupts the word it's o.k. but we must make sure that a woman does not corrupt it.

What do you think? Are women pastors headed to hell?

Christian Woman Heritage

To understand the role women play in ministry today, we must acquaint ourselves with the role women played in ministry in the past. Education is Power!

Jesus selected and sent out the first missionary woman he met at the well. The book of Acts records the account of Priscilla, a woman specifically used of God to touch people in at least three different nations: Rome, Greece, and Asia Minor (Acts 18:26).

Many women were martyred for their love for Jesus in the first three centuries of Christianity. Lucia of Sicily, who lived about 300 A.D, was involved in Christian charitable work there. She married a wealthy nobleman. She was ordered to stop giving to the poor and when she refused she was jailed, persecuted and condemned to death.

Melania came from a wealthy family in Rome with estates all around the Mediterranean. She used her wealth to give to the poor and to build monasteries and churches for men and women in Africa and Jerusalem.

Clare lived and worked in the early thirtennth century. She was a reformer where Christianity had forgotten the poor. She founded the Franciscan order of the barefoot nuns in Italy.

The Protestant Reformation in the Sixteenth Century brought about changes in the role of women in Christianity. Reformers reemphasized that the role of women was in the home to be supportive of men. Arthur Glasser wrote that with the dissolution of the convents, women lost their last chance of churchly service outside the narrow circle of husband, home and children. In the early days of the Protestant mission most women who went to the field were wives of missionaries. Discerning men recognized that contact with women in most non-Western societies was impossible for them, so women had to undertake the responsibility. They received little recognition for their work. Leaders such as D.L. Moody, A.B. Simpson, and A.j. Gordon believed in encouraging women's gifts for public ministry.

The Civil war in the United States became a catalyst for change in the way women were sent. After the Civil War, so many men died that women were either widowed or unlikely to marry forcing women into an unusual range of responsibilities which extended into the church. Since missionary boards still refused to send women directly to work, women organized their own boards. One of the first such boards was the Women's Union Missionary Society. By 1900, over 40 denominational women's societies existed. By the eary decades of the 20th century, the women's missionary movement had become the largest women's movement in the United States. Sadly, boards were persuaded to combine with the denominational boards in the 1920's and 30's and women gradually lost their opportunity to direct the work.

Overall, probably two-thirds of the missionary force has been and currently is, female. Many mission executives agree that the more difficult and dangerous the work, the more likely women are to volunteer to do it.

David Yonggi Cho concludes from his experience; men are good for building up the work, but women are best for persevering when men get discouraged.

Women have been permitted great latitude in Christian ministry, with their work ranging from evangelism and church planting to translating Scripture and teaching seminaries. Christian women today need to know and celebrate their heritage.

How aware are you of the great works women have already done in Christian history? Should churches teach about the contributions of women to Christianity. Do you have your own great woman of Christianity that you would like people to become familiar with? If so, take a moment to tell us about her and her work.

from the book "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (Women In Ministry) by Marguerite Kraft and Meg Crossman, Pasadena: Paternoter Publishing, 1999, 269-273.