Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about Paul and his words on women, especially the part where he brings up Eve. People use it to make all kinds of arguments. But let’s slow down and actually look at what Paul was doing, because he wasn’t throwing shade at women, and he wasn’t trying to downgrade Eve. He was making a bigger point that still cuts right through our culture today.

Paul writes:

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13–14)

Why does Paul bring up Eve? Three reasons:
First, the order of creation. Adam was formed first, then Eve. That’s not a man-made idea, that’s divine design (Genesis 2). This was before the fall, before sin, before brokenness. God established order in His creation, and Paul is pointing us back to it.

Second, the nature of the fall. Eve was deceived. The serpent targeted her with lies, twisted God’s words, and she believed him. Adam wasn’t tricked, he sinned with full knowledge. He rebelled with eyes wide open (Genesis 3:6). Both sinned, but in different ways. And Paul wants us to remember that distinction, because it teaches us something about deception and accountability.

Third, the reminder of God’s design. This isn’t about worth. Genesis 1:27 makes it clear, male and female were both created in God’s image. Equal in dignity, equal in value. But not identical in role. When that design gets reversed, deception and chaos always follow.

Now look at today. The serpent hasn’t changed his playbook, the same deception that started in the garden is still working today. Women are told freedom means throwing off God’s order. And men are told leadership is oppressive, so just sit back and keep the peace. The results? Women overwhelmed, men disengaged, families fractured. The statistics back it up: depression and anxiety rates among women are at record highs, while fatherlessness has been linked to cycles of crime, poverty, and brokenness. Same script. Same destruction. And the enemy laughs, because this script has been working since Genesis 3.

And let’s be honest about history: whenever societies have rejected God’s design for the home and for leadership, they’ve unraveled. Rome didn’t fall just from outside enemies, it rotted from the inside when family order and morality collapsed. The enemy doesn’t have to reinvent strategies when humanity keeps falling for the same lies.

So the problem isn’t just “out there.” It’s in us when we resist God’s order. When we decide His design is outdated, when we treat His Word like it needs a PR update, when we convince ourselves that obedience is optional.

So here’s the truth. God’s order is not oppression, it’s protection. It’s not about who’s better, it’s about who obeys. Adam failed to lead, Eve stepped out of place, and humanity fell. But Christ, the second Adam, came to restore what was broken. He leads with sacrifice, and His bride, the church, is sanctified by His truth. That’s the design. That’s the beauty. That’s the blessing.

Ladies, rebellion against God’s design will not set you free. Brothers, silence and apathy will not keep you safe. The serpent’s whisper is still the same: “God’s way is holding you back.” But God’s Word still stands: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.” (Isaiah 1:19)

At the end of the day, it’s not about who gets to hold a microphone on Sunday. It’s about whether we’ll believe the serpent’s lies, or God’s truth. And only one of those leads to life.