Does Sarah Palin present a Dilemma for Complementarians?, Part 2

It has been encouraging to have so many asking about how God's design of manhood and womanhood and relates to serving in public office.  In the midst of proliferating questions and commentaries, it seems there is confusion regarding the consistency of the complementarian position.  It manifests itself in questions such as: Can a woman preside over the Senate but not teach a Bible study for men? Do complementarians really believe that a woman could lead a country but not a local church? 

Complementarians only seem to be inconsistent if one overlooks the priority of the church and misses the distinction between the church and and civil government.  This confusion is resolved when one understands that complementarians simultaneously hold a high view of Scripture, a high view of women, and a high view of the church.

The church —the bride of Christ — is eternal, but every government is temporary.   Government has been instituted since the Fall, whereas manhood and womanhood, marriage and family, and the fellowship of all true believers are part of the design of creation. God oversees all governments and the "king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will" (Proverbs 21:1).  God establishes and sustains every legitimate civil authority to restrain evil (Romans 13:1-6). But Christ died for the church; he did not die for any government.  Even more the church is called the body of Christ, with Jesus directly as the head (Ephesians 5:23).

Jesus Christ is preeminent in creation.  All things have been put under his feet (Ephesians 1:22), and he is the head of the church.  Therefore we must put the church at the center of life and push all other things - governments, economies, houses, cars, flat-screen televisions - to the periphery.  As one author states it, "The church is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.

In this light, even though a man is elected president of the most powerful country in the free world, he is not necessarily qualified to lead a small local church, according to the moral criteria for overseers in 1 Timothy 3.  We hold a high view of women and assert that women are capable of serving as president of the United States (and inevitably will).  It is not a question of ability, but a recognition that the Bible reserves for men the final teaching and ruling authority in the church. I will not pretend to produce a reason to explain this difference in roles (i.e. men tend to be taller, are more warlike, fiddle with mechanical things, etc.), except to note that every case the Scripture defends this difference with an appeal to the original created order.

It seems God had particular things in mind when he originally designed manhood and womanhood.  I tremble at an attempt to represent the vast mind of an omniscient God, but I believe that as God views the world, his gaze is attracted primarily to the local church where faithful pastors are quietly working.  Which political party is controlling the White House or the gender of the person occupying the Oval Office is a secondary concern.

Complementarians hold a consistent view of the role of women in the church, home, and political office by keeping in mind the priority of the church with respect to civil governments.  For the same reason, we encourage you to thank the pastor of your own local church for his humble service.  Even if he did not give a rousing speech in front of a national convention this week, he does labor week after week to preach the gospel and to care for your soul.

Read Part 1, Part 3, Part 4