Honor Our Sisters
Supporting and Strengthening Women in the Church
February 24, 2023 / Undivided Conference / Aaron Lee
This essay has been adapted from a conference workshop aimed primarily towards single men at FCBC Walnut. The following is an edited version of the manuscript. There may be spelling or grammatical errors.
Introduction
We sometimes see men on two extremes. The first extreme is someone who is very flirty and overly-friendly with women. He sees every woman as a potential mate. Women are rightfully put off by these types of men. The second extreme is someone who is frigid and unfriendly with women. He sees every woman as a distraction. Women are rightfully annoyed by these types of men. Is there a better way for men to relate to women in the church?
Context
Our actions towards each other often reveal our attitudes. Abuses of men towards women in the church seem to make the most headlines. Has this always been the case throughout church history? Surely this is not the way things are supposed to be.
Philippians 4:1-3 gives us a glimpse into the early church, and how the Apostle Paul perceived a problem between two women. We’re going to see what these women meant to him, and what this means for men in terms of relating to our sisters in Christ. The context of our passage is that Paul had just finished talking about pressing on towards Christ. He now presents to us a problem, a situation where two people are not pressing on towards Christ. These two people are women, and they’re precious to Paul. We’re going to see three reasons why we must honor our sisters — three reasons why we must support and strengthen women in the church.
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1–3)
1. Unity matters in the body of Christ
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1–3)
The first reason why we must honor our sisters is because unity matters in the body of Christ. This is actually the main point of this passage. Euodia and Syntyche were not agreeing on something. They seemed to be having some sort of argument. This was causing disunity. While the problem is between two women, it still has a bearing on the entire body of Christ. What does helping them fix their unity have to do with honoring them? Paul did not say to just ignore their disagreement, it’s not worth your time, or it’s not really that important. No — Paul thought it was important enough for the entire church to pay attention to and to help them. We dishonor our sisters when we disregard them. We honor our sisters by addressing them. Their problems are real problems. Their needs are real needs. Their issues must be dealt with because they impact the entire church.
At the heart of the problem is a need for reconciliation. These two women needed to be reconciled. They were not agreeing, and it was causing disunity in the church. In the same way that these two women needed to be reconciled to each other, so must men and women both be reconciled together to reflect the greater unity we have in Christ. If you have any broken relationships with women in the church, you must be reconciled. It doesn’t mean that you have to be best friends, but it does mean that you must make things better. All Christians must stand united as the body of Christ.
For further reading: Genesis 1:27, Colossians 3:12, Ephesians 5:21.
2. Women are fellow laborers in the Gospel
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1–3)
The second reason why we must honor our sisters is because they are fellow laborers in the Gospel. We sometimes think of Paul being some sort of solo superstar celebrity preacher, but that is not the case. Paul had a team of people he worked with, and he considered them to be his fellow laborers — workers in the Gospel. They are side by side with him, they stand together with him. And they name Clement – proof that these women were not a special case for Paul. They were part of the same team, together with Clement, and everyone else would have known he worked with Paul as well.
Seeing women as fellow laborers in the Gospel means that we must cultivate relationships together. They labored side by side with Paul – they were close to him. This means communication, connection, and camaraderie. We must work on our relationships in order to do better work for Christ.
For further reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4, Titus 2:3-5, 2 Timothy 1:5, 2 Tim. 3:14-15
3. Their names are in the book of life
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1–3)
The third and final reason why we must honor our sisters is because their names are in the book of life. Revelation 20:15 declares, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Having your name in the book of life means that you will rule and reign with God in Heaven. These sisters are fellow heirs of the Kingdom of God. They deserve to be honored because they are citizens of Heaven and daughters of the King. Note that Paul did not shame these women when he was writing to them. He showed them respect.
Affirming our sisters of their worth is of utmost importance. We witness to the world by declaring and defending their dignity. Christ prizes and cherishes women in the church as a part of his bride. The church is a place where women belong as valuable, precious, and irreplaceable members in the family of God.
For further reading: Galatians 3:26-28, 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Ephesians 5:1-2
Main Truth and Practical Applications
The main truth of our talk today is that men must honor women in the church because we are united in Christ, labor together for Christ, and are valued by Christ.
We’ve seen 3 reasons why we must honor our sisters — 3 reasons why we must support and strengthen the women in the church. What does this look like, practically speaking? Here are some examples:
Listen to, learn from, and commit to love women in the church
Embrace God-given differences between men and women
Recognize, honor, and encourage women’s ministries and discipleship relationships
Conclusion
Brothers, you don’t have to live your life on these extremes of being flirty or frigid. There is a better way:
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. (Philippians 4:1)
The third way is the way of love. We sometimes miss this verse because it says “my brothers,” but this is a statement that is towards the entire Christian community. The word love here is an affectionate love – different from brotherly love or romantic love. It’s a love that God is said to have for us. It’s a sacrificial love. It’s a love that puts others before yourself. Let’s love our sisters in the same way that God loves them, and in the same way that we are loved by God. Let’s pray for God to make our hearts like his.
Recommended Reading
Women Through the Eyes of Faith (TGC)
Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms (CruciformPress)
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church (IVP)