Godly womanhood. And one of the hardest-to-exegete verses in the Bible.

(15) Yet she will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

This is a puzzling verse. Let’s make sure we remember the context. Paul is giving Timothy instruction about how to lead in Christ’s Church. We could summarize his instructions as such: proclaim and guide people by the Gospel, with the response being prayer and love to the world and worship to God.

And here he gives brief instructions to men and women separately; how each is to behave in God’s Church.

Now, he’s just told Timothy why women shouldn’t teach men the Bible. Then, he gave the rationale – based on creation – how God created men and women. He notes how Eve, the first woman, became a lawbreaker.

And so this verse begins with the word ‘yet.’ In every other Scripture in which the first sin is written about, Adam is the one focused on. Here, God focuses on Eve’s sin, because it was her active disobedience and Adam’s failure to lead that is in view here.

And so God gives women hope in this following verse. Even though Eve sinned, yet, she may be saved.

We need to remember that this has a context – these are instructions for pastors. And so pastors are to work for the salvation of women.

Now, salvation here has a future emphasis. Sometimes in Scripture, the emphasis is on how God has secured the rescue of his people from his wrath (Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9); but most of the time, when the Bible uses the word ‘to save,’ it’s referring to a future event: when Jesus returns and ushers his people into his Kingdom.

That future event is caused by past events- namely, Jesus’ obedience in our place, death in our place, and resurrection. And Scripture is clear that people are counted righteous and guaranteed entrance into God’s Kingdom the moment they trust Christ for it.

But often, Scripture speaks of the future component of salvation. Here is such a case.

And God says that women will be saved through childbearing. That means that women may be saved in the future by means of having children.

Paul surely doesn’t mean that, does he? It’s clear from the rest of Scripture that God doesn’t require childbearing of women for their salvation. The Scriptures are full of godly women who were infertile; and salvation is clearly through faith alone; so what does he mean?

A hint is found in God’s instruction to Timothy in chapter 4, verse 16: “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

To Timothy, Paul is emphasizing the faithful discharge of his office as a pastor. And he says that in some sense, future salvation is provided through his faithfully executing his role.

It is probable, then, that what Paul has in mind here is a woman’s desire for womanly roles. So, as opposed to desiring a role God has reserved for men, women will be saved if they grasp the roles God has prepared for them from the creation of the world (see Genesis 2).

And here is God’s charge to pastors – preach gender roles and gender distinctions, while preaching gender equality, loving and honoring all people who love Jesus as children of God.

Does this mean single women and women who can’t have kids and women who aren’t quite ready to get married or have kids cannot enter the Kingdom? No. And that’s why Paul qualifies what he’s saying with an ‘if’ clause.

They’ll be saved by means of childbearing if they continue in faith, and love and holiness with self-control.

In other words, their future salvation is dependent on their remaining in these things which are common to men as well. But God wants us to understand that faith, love, holiness, and self-control are to be expressed in uniquely feminine ways.

And so God charges pastors to preach salvation to women and a manner of life accompanying salvation that is uniquely feminine.

Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take care of the question: does this mean that our obedience is a partial basis for our salvation?

No. First, God’s end-time judgment day has already entered history in Christ – and all who have trusted Christ have already been declared righteous. Romans 5:1 – Therefore, having been justified through faith, we HAVE peace with God…

However, Scripture sometimes does put conditions on our future salvation. Consider Colossians 1:22-23. The condition in v. 23 is ‘if you indeed remain in the faith.’ That implies that someone who does not remain in the faith will not enter the Kingdom. And that’s true.

However, that condition is preceded by this statement: now he has reconciled you… if indeed you remain in the faith.

In other words – he has already reconciled you to God – past tense. And that’s true of you in the past if you remain in the faith in the future.

Or in other words, if you remain in the faith, Christ has reconciled you to God.

Or to put it more bluntly – all those who Christ has already reconciled to God will remain in the faith. They will persevere. Those who do not never were reconciled.

So what is going on in this text? Paul is exhorting Timothy to preach for the salvation of men and women alike. Once a man or woman comes to faith in Christ, their entrance into God’s Kingdom is secure. But that entrance into his Kingdom will be accompanied with some level of obedience to God’s Kingdom’s ethics.

In other words, one’s future salvation is secured the moment they come to faith in Christ. And the path that they will travel on the road towards that future salvation will be marked with certain levels of obedience that are fitting for that future salvation. They do not save – but they show what God has already done, and they show the certainty of what is to come.

In sum,
1) Pastors are to preach for the salvation of men and women without distinction.
2) Pastors are to preach to men and women specifics regarding their gender roles.
3) Women who are saved will to some degree, gladly take on their unique roles as women.
4) Women and men, though, are saved the same way – through faith. Love, holiness, and self-control will accompany that faith.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for creating men and women. Thank you for loving humanity so much that Jesus died for men and women – and you promise all who would turn to him entrance into your kingdom – and an inheritance in heaven. You’ve made us people who can enjoy you and worship you. Thank you!
Cause us who lead your church to preach your word regardless of what culture might dictate. Cause us to love people, to work for their salvation. Cause women who love you to love your word more than American culture – or any other culture.
We men are often weak and passive and irresponsible. Cause us to be courageous and run with what you’ve given us to do. And our culture lies to women about what is valuable and honorable – show them the greatness and glory of your plan.
Cause us to discharge the duties you’ve given us here, waiting for the time when our toil will be over and we will enjoy your presence forever. In Christ, amen.