Ordination of Women and Paul | Women Ministry Truth

Does Galatians 3:28 represent the great breakthrough in which Paul proclaimed the abolition of all differences between men and women, opening the way for women to be ordained as pastors or elders?

No. Not at all.

Does Paul's commendation of certain women as “fellow workers” (Rom 16:3) and as those who have “worked hard” (Rom 16:12; Phil 4:3) in Gospel service imply that certain women served as congregational leaders in the apostolic church?

No. The same Paul who praised women for their outstanding contribution to the mission of the church also instructed women not “to teach” (1 Timothy 2:12) or “to speak” (1 Corinthians 14:34) as representative leaders of the church.

If Galatians 3:28 does not abolish all role distinctions among Christians, then what does this passage say?

The real issue in Galatians 3:28 is religious. The great concern of Jews and Christians of the first century was religious status, that is, the status of men and women before God.

Some say that Galatians 3:28 represents Paul's most mature thought while texts such as 1 Timothy 2:12-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:33-36 reflect his immature thinking, still affected by his rabbinic training. Is this true?

This tension is not in Paul nor in the Bible, but in the minds of modern critics.

Since the message of Galatians 3:28 eventually led to the abolition of slave-free differences, should the same truth lead to the elimination of man-woman differences, opening the way for women to be ordained?

Three important observations discredit this popular argument.

If Paul allowed slavery, which we today condemn, can we say on the basis of “progressive revelation” that if he were alive today God would inspire him to change his mind on both the slavery issue and on women's ordination?

Paul did not endorse slavery. On the contrary, the principles he laid down for modifying slavery led to the abolition of slavery in Christian countries.

Is it unfair or even immoral not to ordain women to the Gospel ministry or eldership if they are qualified in every other respect than gender? Galatians 3:28 claims that in Christ “there is neither male nor female.”

Some have tried to portray this as an issue of basic fairness or morality. But there is no Biblical command enjoining ordination for women, so a failure to ordain is not a violation of a Biblical injunction.

Does Ellen White support the view that role distinctions between husband and wife have been done away in Christ?

No. On the contrary she writes: “The husband is the head of the family, as Christ is the Head of the church; and any course which the wife may pursue to lessen his influence and lead him to come down from that dignified, responsible position is displeasing to God.