What does it mean to serve well? In the military, serving well means following the orders of your commanding officer and fighting valiantly for your country. Serving well in your career means doing a thorough, timely job for your boss or clients. But what about serving God well?
Instead of marching orders or a job description, God spells out what it means to serve Him well in the context of His church by giving us His Word and the example of Christ. We are called to share Christ's attitude by taking on the humble role of a servant (Phil. 2:5–8, Jn. 13:1–17), by serving one another in love (Gal. 5:13), and by using the gifts He has given us to build up the church in unity and maturity (Eph. 4:11–13).
So how do these principles shape our lives as women of Christ? Are we free to serve God any way we choose as long as we're sincere? Certainly we don't have to worry about being consumed by fire when we serve the Lord as the Israelites did in Moses' day (Lev. 10:1–2). The Bible is clear that Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice has made God approachable and accessible to everyone (Lk. 23:45, Eph. 3:12).
Nevertheless, like the good and loving Father He is, God gave us guidelines for worship and service through the Spirit-inspired writings of the apostles as they nurtured and corrected the fledgling church. Like a baby gate—blocking a stairwell from an unstable toddler who desperately wants to climb to the top—these guidelines are put in place as a means of protection for God's children. We may not like them at times, but like any child we must humbly trust that our Heavenly Father has our best interests at heart (Matt. 18:3).
Roughly ten years after its founding, Timothy accepted the rather daunting task of pastoring the Ephesian church in Paul's absence. Trouble was brewing among the congregates as they drifted toward endless division and disagreement. So Paul, a wise and caring mentor, wrote a letter to Timothy encouraging him in his task and laying out some ground rules for more formal, organized gatherings.
These detailed regulations concerning worship and church organization served to govern the Ephesians' behavior in their assemblies with the ultimate goal being the preservation and spread of the gospel. Included in the letter are practical instructions regarding prayer and worship, and qualifications for leadership roles. Paul says he writes these things "so that...you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household" (1 Tim. 3:15).
Let's take a look at how we can strive to serve God well in each of these areas. First, Paul talks about worship in the form of different kinds of prayer—prayers for ourselves and for others, prayers of request, intercession, and thanksgiving to God. All these should be present in our worship services, and in our personal relationship with Jesus.
Paul says our prayers should extend beyond ourselves and our fellow believers to everyone, because God "wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). There is power in prayer! We should never cease to pray for the lost, for as James tells us, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (Jas. 5:16, emphasis mine). We serve God well when we pray in all things and for all people.
Paul also gives some practical advice regarding dress code, specifically for women. He says women should dress modestly, not with flashy jewelry and hairdos or expensive clothes, but decently and properly (v. 9). The point here is not overdressed, but also not underdressed. Modesty searches for the middle ground.
The way we dress is important because the apparel we choose can say something about our hearts. It communicates our attitude and can betray pride and immodesty quicker than any word or action. Paul says the most appropriate adornments are good deeds, which reveal and display our heart's faithfulness to God (v. 10). We serve God well when we direct attention to Him, not ourselves.
Finally, Paul writes about leadership qualifications and the roles of men and women in the church: "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, than Eve" (1 Tim. 2:11–13). God established an order of authority in the Garden of Eden, an order that extends to the bride of Christ: His church.
The idea of authority and submission to authority are so essential to our faith that God has incorporated them into His very being! Inherent in the relationship of God the Father to Christ the Son are both authority and submission: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees the Father doing" (Jn. 5:19). Inferiority or superiority have nothing to do with the relationship; it is a matter of difference in roles. Jesus proclaimed His equal status as God when He said, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (Jn. 14:9).
Now, this does not mean that every woman must submit to every man within the church. It simply means that the pastors, elders, and deacons—those in positions of authority and responsibility—must be men, and their authority must be respected. We serve God well when we submit to Biblical authority.
Paul calls the various roles of leadership in the church "noble tasks" (1 Tim. 3:1). The character of these roles demand equal character of the men fulfilling them. The qualifications Paul lays out have nothing to do with giftedness, aspiration, or "natural" leadership ability. They center chiefly on maturity.
"Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well..." (1 Tim. 3:2–4). Paul also says leaders must have their roots deep in the truths of the faith, having first been tested before they are allowed to serve (v. 9–10).
The criteria Paul lists are not demands for perfection, but rather goals—the desires of a godly man's heart, displayed in his life and faith. While these godly qualities are used as the measure for church leadership, they are not limited to men alone, but extend to their wives as well (v. 11). Scripture exhorts all believers to pursue a life of godliness so that we may be effective and productive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:5–7)! We serve God well when we exemplify godly character.
A church that serves God well displays His truth to the world. Paul describes the church as "the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). In the ancient world, pillars were used to display public edicts; the edict would be fastened to the pillar so that it could be seen by all. "Hence the church is called, the pillar and basis, or seal, of truth, because by it the truths of God are published, supported, and defended." (Poole)
The world is watching us! We must soberly acknowledge we are God's truth in action, on display for all to see. We must remember our enemy is crafty and subtle (Eph. 6:11). He does not mind if we "play" at church so long as he can frustrate our submission to the authority of God's Word and therefore render our service ineffectual. We serve God well when we uphold and defend His truth.
"Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 3:13). When we serve well we thrive in our faith! We are confident and emboldened! But most of all, when we serve God well, His truth is preserved, exalted and spread.
Heavenly Father, help us to serve You well. May we trust Your guidelines, even if we don't always understand them. Help us uphold and defend Your truth to a watching world. May we direct others to Jesus as we pursue godly character and submit to the authority of Your Word. Guide us in our prayers—make us fervent in them, praying in all situations and for all people. May we be effective and productive servants for You and Your church! In Jesus' name, amen.
Reflection Questions
- Serving God encompasses not only our roles in formal worship services, but also our roles at home as we care for our husbands and the children God has entrusted to us. How do each of the examples above—prayer, modesty, submission to Biblical authority, godly character, and upholding God’s truth—translate into your home life?
- What are some ways in which the Holy Spirit might want to grow your prayer life?
- Submitting to authority is not a popular topic in our culture these days, especially for women. How do the relational roles of Jesus as the Son and God as the Father encourage you in the struggle to live out these principles in the church and in your marriage?
- If you were looking at your life from the outside, would you describe it as godly or worldly?
- Would you say your church confidently and boldly upholds and defends God’s truth? Why or why not?