1 Timothy 2:1-15

God created us male and female and He designated different roles for us within the structure of the family as well as within the structure of the church.  Neither is of any less or greater value than the other, but each has different responsibilities that they are expected to fulfill.  God has designed how each of us are to worship, serve and glorify Him.
MEN ARE TO PRAY FOR AUTHORITIES AND PREACH IN PURITY: God desires that all of us pray for one another as well as for our own needs within His will.  However, He has called us in this text to pray especially for those whom He has established as authorities in this world.  All the way from the local to the national level, God has called us to pray for these men.  It is easy for us to complain about governmental leaders, but God has called us to pray for them, not complain about them.  Specifically we should pray that we would have freedom to proclaim the Gospel unhindered to the nations of the world.  God has called us to spread the fame of Christ through our words to all peoples everywhere.  Christ has made provision for all to be saved and He desires that all might come to a knowledge of Him, but that will only happen as we are faithful to proclaim His Word with boldness.  God has revealed Himself to us so we are to live pure and holy lives so that our prayer will be effective and our preaching will be used to transform the lives of men.
WOMEN ARE TO PRAY IN MODESTY AND LEARN IN SUBMISSION: I believe that Paul recognizes that women are permitted to pray in public meetings of the church as he instructs them on how they are to dress when they do so.  Women must avoid the temptation to draw attention to themselves through the clothes and jewelry that they wear.  God must be the focus in worship and not ourselves.  Women are also instructed to learn in submission within the context of the local church.  Men are to occupy the primary roles of leadership within the church and women are called to be submissive to as well as pray for these leaders.  Once again, this is not an indication that women are of any less value than men.  It simply means that God has established different roles for the orderly function of the church.  These principles will allow for the church to advance in many different cultures and demonstrate the order that God has ordained for His church.  It really does not matter what we might think about these principles; it is what God has revealed to us as His will in His Word.  We honor Him by trusting that He knows how to order  His church.

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