How Order Shows the Difference Between Getting and Giving

All of us want some kind of order in our lives, but most of the time we want the order to come in the way we want it. We believe God is a God of order. All the things that make life good or keep life going, whether we see it or not, are incredibly intentional, and have order. We want order in our relationships, bodies, finances, families, country, and even in what we understand and believe about God.

What a Jesus community believes will shape how it behaves.

The problem is that we are good with order as long as it goes our way. When it doesn’t and we’re not at the top of the order, things get chaotic.

What happens when kids don’t get what they want? Chaos. The same can be said for some adults.

God is a God of order – in creations, in His own consistency and faithfulness to us, and in His sovereignty. He doesn’t change moods or waffle. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He calls His people to reflect His way, and to live that way before the watching world.

This is God’s desire, and ours too, but our struggle with exactly whose order this should be or who gets to decide what that looks like, gets in the way.

1 Timothy 2
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Some of us read this and think, “What in the world is going on here!?” Some might see this as unrealistic, old-fashioned, or even oppressive. The problem is that this passage has been used by men to oppress women, but that’s because we’re good with order as long as we’re at the top – if we’re trying to use order to push others down, we’re missing the Gospel, the Way of Jesus, and actually acting counter to Christ.

The Context
Paul is writing to Timothy about a specific set of situations in a specific local church at a moment in time. It could be very easy to use this as an excuse to say, “this was for them, not for us.” However, that misses the true intent and meaning, and why it was given to and written for us. There’s always a principle that transcends the context that extends to us in our situation. Sometimes it feels easier to avoid passages like this or choose our understanding of them so we get to stay at the top of the order.

We can’t pick and choose where we are going to be faithful followers of Jesus.

We are each called to look in the mirror, and there’s a lot more going on here than it seems.

• Petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and those in authority. (2:1-2) Thinking freedom means not answering to anyone, but the realization is that the lack of order isn’t freedom, it’s chaos.
• Men everywhere to pray without anger and disputing (2:8) Paul is telling the men to quiet themselves and remember that they’re worshipping God and are under authority not on top of the order.
• Women – don’t draw attention to yourselves with what you wear on the outside, but what you wear on the inside (2:9) There was this situation where women, who actually occupied a prominent place in Ephesian culture and religion, were flaunting their wealth and position (top of the order).
• Women should learn in quietness - Some think Paul was talking about a specific woman in the Ephesian church or a group of women. The principle here is that some of the women were using what they thought were their newfound freedoms to start meaningless arguments, be disruptive in public worship, and throw their weight around. It became a distraction in worship and to the witness of the Gospel.
• Adam/Eve - The whole idea here is that you shouldn’t get too impressed with yourself – we are all under authority. Men are. Women are. We didn’t create the order, God did. Our freedom in Christ doesn’t free us from order, but for a better one. One that brings life and peace.
  
  

The Authority
It’s about who is above us and who we think we’re above. None of us really like authority except when we get to be it. The Bible talks a lot about authority. It’s used 103 times in the New Testament. But in 1 Timothy 2, it’s a different Greek word that means to domineer or usurp.

Why? Because some of these believers were using what they thought was their freedom to claw their way to the top of the order.

So, if that’s not the way of Jesus, what IS the way of Jesus?

Ephesians 5

• 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
• 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 
• 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

This is in stark contrast to the world – and the religions – around them. The rule of the world around us – and around them – is, “What do I get? How can I get higher in the order?”

But the rule of Jesus is, “What can I give? How can I get lower so others can be raised higher?”

Anytime we try to use the Bible to get more for ourselves, we miss the way of Jesus.

Any relationship, marriage, or community that starts with, “How much authority and power do I get” will be littered with problems.

Pastor Michael Hoddy encourages us to ask the question, “Where am I trying to get, that I really need to give?”