(This is a response to a pastor who wrote on behalf of other church leaders, claiming to agree with all the doctrines of the 1689 Confession except for the teaching on men-only preachers — Chapter 26 of the Confession. The pastor referred to John 20:17-18; Acts 21:8-9; and Joel 2:28 in support of the case for women preachers, “preferring” these to Paul’s teaching.)
We cannot say we prefer some passages of Scripture to other passages. All of Scripture comes from the Lord. We must correctly interpret the Scripture. One important rule is to begin with what is clear to understand what is not clear. 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 are clear passages. These are in the imperative sense, or commands. These concern public worship in the church. Teaching God’s word is wielding authority. Men are to lead, women are to support. The difference in roles is not argued from culture but from God’s will in creation (1 Tim. 2:13-15 cf. Matt. 19:4-5). For all these reasons, churches that are truly Reformed never ordain women pastors or elders, and women never preach in the public meetings of the church.
You mentioned Mary Magdalene going to tell the apostles that Christ was risen (John 20:17-18), the four daughters of Philip who prophesied, and Joel 2:28 ‘your sons and daughters shall prophesy’. These are not about worship in the church. These are not commands. These are incidental, describing circumstances and not prescriptive. Mary Magdalene was conveying a one-time message. She was not ordained to be an apostle like Matthias in Acts 1:23-26, or to be a pastor like Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:14. Similarly Philip’s daughters prophesied but we are not told that they were prophets or apostles or pastors. To perform an action is not necessarily the same as to carry out the function of an office. The ladies in our church teach the Sunday School children and do outreach together with the men of our church but that does not make them pastors or elders (cf. Rom. 16:1-2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 15; 1 Cor. 9:5; Tit. 2:3-5). Joel 2:28 is about the signs of the beginning of the gospel age, explained in Acts 2:17-21. The gospel age (New Testament age) began with signs among God’s people (like Philip’s daughters prophesying) and will end with signs in the heavenly realm.
Our hearts must be truly submitted to God and the authority of His word. Everyone claims to hold the teaching of Scripture but few truly believe that Scripture is our only authority in all matters of faith and practice. A Christian in name is not a true Christian. To hold to the authority of the Bible in name is not truly holding to the authority of Scripture. Similarly, to be nominally Reformed Baptist is not truly being Reformed Baptist. That is why we are trying to plant confessional Reformed Baptist churches, not nominal Reformed Baptist churches.
(Post-scriptum: The church leaders met again to discuss the 1689 Confession. They unanimously agreed to be submitted to the word of God, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and taught in the 1689 Confession — including not ordaining women elders and pastors. Instead, the women will help to teach on occasions other than the public meetings of the church and in home-visits. They acknowledged having gone “slightly astray” by following the practice and traditions of other churches.)