Introduction
One of the arguments used in favor of women’s ordination is that those opposed to women’s ordination have an underlying logic that could or should lead its advocates to become anti-trinitarian. The recent renewed push from anti-trinitarians to promote their false teachings within the Seventh-day Adventist church has led to this accusation.
Is this really a fair argument and how is such a conclusion arrived at?
First, it is helpful to review briefly what anti-trinitarians teach. They believe that there was a time in eternity past when the Father was alone. Then, sometime in eternity past, Jesus, the Son of God, proceeded from the substance of the Father. Thus, ontologically (or by nature) they believe He is subordinate to the Father because He is the literal Son. They believe He is not God. He is the Son of God. He is a divine being but only the Father is the one true God. Thus, they believe He is inferior to the Father by nature and therefore has been eternally functionally subordinate to the Father since His beginning. This concept is known as eternal functional subordination.
Furthermore, they teach that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct being. There is some disagreement among anti-trinitarians about the Holy Spirit. Some believe the Holy Spirit is the spirit that exists between the Father and the Son and they make reference to “Their” Holy Spirit. Others believe that the Holy Spirit is Jesus in spirit form. However, they all agree that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct being.
For a more in-depth review of the teachings of anti-trinitarians that I have done, check out the following two articles here at Fulcrum 7:
You may also listen to these audio presentations given at Michigan Campmeeting in June of 2019:
But what does anti-trinitarianism have to do with women’s ordination? Anti-trinitarians use Genesis 1:26 where God says “Let us make man in Our image.” They say the relationship of Eve to Adam is the same as the Son to the Father. The Son proceeded out of the substance of the Father in eternity past. Eve came out of the substance of Adam when God used a rib from Adam to create Eve. Thus, in the view of anti-trinitarians, Eve was ontologically and functionally subordinate to Adam by virtue of the fact that she was taken from his rib. The logic then extends to men and women in general, that women are ontologically subordinate to men. Therefore, anti-trinitarians clearly do not believe in women’s ordination by virtue of the fact women are ontologically subordinate to men.
Certainly, it can be seen that this is an unbiblical view and highly problematic.
Thus, the argument is leveled by some women’s ordination advocates against any Seventh-day Adventist who is opposed to women’s ordination that they are, or will be anti-trinitarian, and that they believe that women are inferior to men. We will see very quickly, that this is a ridiculous charge.
The Nature of the Triune Godhead
First, the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists who do not believe in women’s ordination are not anti-trinitarian. And for good reason. Anti-trinitarianism is not a biblical teaching and neither is women’s ordination. Seventh-day Adventists believe in three co-equal, co-eternal Beings, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who have always been. While all three in the triune Godhead are equal, they have different roles. The nature of the Godhead and its equality, as well as the voluntary submission within it, is a pattern for God’s church to follow.
In order for the Godhead to function harmoniously, there must be defined roles for each member. As we will see, Jesus voluntarily submits to the Father. He and the Father are equal but they have different roles. Jesus does not submit by virtue of being inferior ontologically. He submits to the will of the Father as an equal but voluntarily. This is part of the order and harmony in Heaven.
Notice Philippians 2:5, 6:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God..”
The Bible makes it very clear in this verse that Jesus is equal with God. Furthermore, Hebrews 1:8, 9 shows that the Father addresses Jesus as God,
“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
Jesus is equal with the Father because He and the Father are both God. Yet the Father and the Son do not have impasses in which their equality leads to a standstill or disagreement. Jesus voluntarily submits to the will of the Father because He made himself of no reputation when He came to this earth (see also Philippians 2:7).
Jesus makes it very clear in John 5:30 that He seeks not of His own will but that of the Father,
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
This is practically born out in Gethsemane when the salvation of humanity was at stake as described in Luke 22:42,
“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
The submission of Jesus to the Father is also seen in Heaven prior to Jesus coming to this world. Ellen G. White weighs in on the issue of the relationship of the Father and the Son,
“Sorrow filled heaven as it was realized that man was lost and that the world which God had created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and that there was no way of escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die. I then saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying angel, ‘He is in close converse with His Father.’ The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time He came from the Father we could see His person. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and trouble, and shone with a loveliness which words cannot describe. He then made known to the angelic choir that a way of escape had been made for lost man; that He had been pleading with His Father, and had obtained permission to give His own life as a ransom for the race, to bear their sins, and take the sentence of death upon Himself, thus opening a way whereby they might, through the merits of His blood, find pardon for past transgressions, and by obedience be brought back to the garden from which they were driven. Then they could again have access to the glorious, immortal fruit of the tree of life to which they had now forfeited all right.” Early Writings, p. 126 (emphasis supplied)
Jesus entered in close communion with the Father three times in order to gain permission to come to this earth to save lost humanity. While we have established that Jesus and the Father are equal, Jesus voluntarily submits to the will of the Father. In order for Him to come to be our Saviour, He needed the permission and support of His Father.
The quote continues and shows that it was a struggle for the Father to give up His Son but ultimately He amazingly did so out of His love for humanity.
“Said the angel, ‘Think ye that the Father yielded up His dearly beloved Son without a struggle? No, no.’ It was even a struggle with the God of heaven, whether to let guilty man perish, or to give His darling Son to die for them. Angels were so interested for man’s salvation that there could be found among them those who would yield their glory and give their life for perishing man. ‘But,’ said my accompanying angel, ‘that would avail nothing.’ The transgression was so great that an angel’s life would not pay the debt. Nothing but the death and intercession of God’s Son would pay the debt and save lost man from hopeless sorrow and misery.” Early Writings, p. 127
Within the realm of the Godhead, we also have the role of the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 offers this insightful pearl,
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
The marginal reading for “he shall not speak of himself” is “he shall not speak on his own authority.” In verse 14, we see that Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. In other words, the Holy Spirit, who is co-equal with the Father and the Son, operates under the authority of the Father to glorify Christ and to guide humanity into all truth. This is again voluntary submission by a co-equal partner in the Godhead. (See Acts 5:3, 4 in which the Holy Spirit is called God and Hebrews 9:14 in which He is defined as eternal).
This understanding of the triune Godhead as described above is the biblical understanding of Seventh-day Adventists, and it is also the understanding of the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists who oppose the ordination of women based on our understanding of Scripture.
How the Godhead and the Relationship of Men and Women are Related
Much has been written about what the Bible says about ordination to the gospel ministry and the qualifications of those who are ordained. While I will not give comprehensive coverage of the issues on this topic, I will address the relationship between men and women in comparison to the relationship of the Godhead. We will see how that relates to ordination.
The Bible is clear that men are women are equal in the sight of God (see Galatians 3:28). We also see in Genesis 1:26, 27 that God made man in His image. The creation of Adam and Eve was designed to be a picture of the relationship within the Godhead.
Inspiration makes it abundantly clear that Eve was not the head of Adam, but she was also not inferior to him. She was equal to him.
"God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided ‘an help meet for him’—a helper corresponding to him—one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation.” Daughters of God, p. 22
Some have made the claim that because Eve was equal to Adam before the fall, Adam was not head over her prior to sin. However, Inspiration has another statement that makes it clear that Adam was the head of the earthly family even before the fall,
“Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family, to maintain the principles of the heavenly family. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law that none “liveth to himself” (Romans 14:7), Satan was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this that had incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world. Where God’s throne should have been, Satan placed his throne. The world laid its homage, as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 33
Sin changed the happiness of Adam and Eve. Despite the fall, men and women remain equal ontologically, and men are to remain as the head of the household and in the church. Unfortunately, due to sin, positions and roles have been abused and misused. However, because some men have abused their roles as head of the home or in the church, this does not change what the Bible says about the nature and qualifications for these roles. Also, because some women refuse to accept the God-given roles within the home and church, that does not mean that we should set the Bible aside for the dictates of modern culture.
Just as a brief refresher, Ephesians 5 and 6 paint a clear picture of the roles within the home and of the chain of command that God has given. In Ephesians 6:1, 2, children are to submit to the authority of their parents by obeying their parents in the Lord. In Ephesians 5:22, the wife submits to the husband, who is her head within the home. And in Ephesians 5:23, the husband loves His wife as Christ loves the church, and the husband submits to Christ who is the head of the church and of the husband.
Some have said that Ephesians 5:21 teaches mutual submission in which men and women submit to each other, but that ignores the wider context of the passage. If we were to accept that argument, then parents would need to submit to their children and Christ would need to submit to the church. The submission describes a clear chain of command in which Christ is head of the church and home. The husband is the head over his wife, and parents are over their children. When all are in submission to Christ, this creates a beautiful harmony within the home and in the church.
Some have also said that Christ is the only head of the church. Therefore, they say that men are really not heads within the church and thus women can be ordained to positions of authority and leadership within the church. While it is true that Christ is the ultimate and true head of the church, He has committed authority within the church to overseers (see 1 Peter 5:2; Shepherds with oversight).
The qualifications of these overseers are clearly defined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. There are two elements in this passage that makes it clear that ordination is limited to men if you take a literal reading of the Bible. The first, seen in 1 Timothy 3:2, is emphatic: the bishop must be the husband one of one wife. The second, seen in 1 Timothy 3:4, 5, says that he must rule his own house well. Ephesians 5:22, 23 is clear that the husband is the head of the home. Thus, one clear qualification for an ordained minister is that he must be an effective head, or leader, in his own home. That immediately disqualifies women. Furthermore, the epistle to Timothy is written for the purpose of Paul instructing Timothy how to organize all churches he raises up in any location. This principle is universal in its application.
When we understand the relationship of the Godhead, it makes the relationship of men and women within the home and church much more understandable. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are co-equal, yet they have defined roles and in which voluntary submission takes place.
The same thing happens within the Christian home and church. We see that men and women are equal. Yet they have defined roles and voluntary submission, as prescribed in Scripture, in which women submit to men as the head. Wives submit to their husbands, and men are the leaders and overseers within the church.
Furthermore, what is often overlooked is the indispensable role that a woman has in the home and what happens if she neglects her part there,
“The king upon his throne has no higher work than has the mother. The mother is queen of her household. She has in her power the molding of her children’s characters, that they may be fitted for the higher, immortal life. An angel could not ask for a higher mission; for in doing this work she is doing service for God. Let her only realize the high character of her task, and it will inspire her with courage. Let her realize the worth of her work and put on the whole armor of God, that she may resist the temptation to conform to the world’s standard. Her work is for time and for eternity.” Adventist Home, p. 231
“If you ignore your duty as a wife and mother and hold out your hands for the Lord to put another class of work in them, be sure that He will not contradict Himself; He points you to the duty you have to do at home. If you have the idea that some work greater and holier than this has been entrusted to you, you are under a deception. By faithfulness in your own home, working for the souls of those who are nearest to you, you may be gaining a fitness to work for Christ in a wider field. But be sure that those who are neglectful of their duty in the home circle are not prepared to work for other souls.” Adventist Home, p. 245
Sadly, due to the rise of feminism within the church, many who are pushing for women’s ordination have forgotten just how important the fabric of the home is and how important a godly mother is within that home. Could it be that many who are seeking for a calling as ordained women ministers have lost sight of their true calling?
Concluding Thoughts
Thankfully, Jesus, unlike Satan, never tried to upset the order of heaven by questioning the authority of His Father. Followers of Christ, men and women, will cheerfully yield to His will as well.
This understanding of the triune Godhead and of the relationship of men and women is distinct and separate from the teaching of eternal functional subordination, which really teaches that Jesus is inferior to the Father and likewise women are inferior to men. Anti-trinitarianism is a false movement that is unbiblical through and through. It does not represent the beliefs of the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists who believe in the co-eternal three persons of the triune Godhead and who also do not support the ordination of women to headship in the church.
The great majority of us who do not believe in women’s ordination believe in the equality of men and women, but we believe in voluntary submission of women to men in the context of all submitting to Christ. We believe that Christ voluntarily submits to the Father, yet they are equal.
The charge that those opposed to women’s ordination are really anti-Trinitarians or that we should be is just a straw-man, smokescreen attack to make it look as if we are unbiblical and dangerous. The reality is that the anti-Trinitarians and those promoting the unbiblical view that women should be ordained are the danger to our church. Any teaching that is unbiblical opens the door to accepting other false teachings that can lead to our destruction.
The safest place to be is in a harmonious walk with Christ in which we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, and for us to reject any teachings that would lead us away from Jesus. May God find us faithful as we prepare for the soon coming of Christ.
Norman McNulty, M.D., is a board-certified neurologist practicing in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Prior to starting his neurology practice, he served for two years as a missionary at the Adventist hospital in Trinidad. He trained at Loma Linda University. He enjoys studying the Adventist prophetic message and travels around the world speaking in his free time. He has also been involved in several young adult ministries in the United States and is an elder of his local church. He is the author of the recently published book Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour. He is married to Joelle, and they are blessed with four beautiful daughters, Saralyn, Anneke, Madeline, and Ruby.