Joe Biden’s Woman Running Mate?

What Does God Say about Women in Authority?

Richard Hollerman

It looks like Joe Biden will be the Democratic presidential bid for the White House. But who are Joe’s potential running mate choices for his possible election to the United States presidency?

We really don’t know the answer to this question yet, but there are several women who could be chosen. We might want to remember that Biden has already said that he wants a woman to run with him, thus probably one of the women below will become vice-president along with Biden.

Before we mention the several who have been suggested, we should offer these caveats:

First, we are not discussing whether President Trump or Joe Biden is more worthy. We know that Biden is a very liberal Democrat who supports many non-Christian cause4s. We also know that Trump is a more conservative Republican. But since the Christian looks at things quite differently from a typical Democrat or a typical Republican (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9; 1 Corinthians 2:16b), we must make a different judgment. We realize that Biden is a very liberal or tolerant Democrat who seems to have little thought about God’s will and we realize that Trump is an extremely proud and boasting president who has little interest in the Lord and His will (although he has mentioned Him on occasion). But here we are only dealing with the woman running mate that Biden may choose.

Second, we also know that all of these women give very little thought about God and His will. They are politically-minded and all of them are outspoken feminists. Thus, we will not concentrate on the spiritual or moral character of any of these women.

Third, this is not at all meant to be a deep, theological expose on these women or anyone else. This article will be quite brief because of the nature of our exploration.

Fourth, we want to emphasize that we have a great respect for women in general. Some of what we write may be interpreted as being anti-female, but it is not this at all. We have a wholesome regard for women, whether Christian or non-Christian. Perhaps it is more anti-feminist than against women, generally. We must keep this in mind as we proceed.

The Possible Female Running Mates

We notice this list from one that we saw in an article on Foxnews (see https://www.foxnews.com/politics/joe-bidens-potential-running-mates-who-are-they). But we want to go on from here and discuss the Christian view of those who may be chosen. So who are these possible choices of Biden?

First is Elizabeth Warren, the ultra-liberal senator from Massachusetts. She sought to become the next President but wasn’t chosen.

Second, there is Kamala Harris, the senator from California. She was a former prosecutor who debated in the summer of 2019.

Val Demings is a democrat Representative from Florida. She was involved in President Trump’s impeachment trial.

Catherine Corez Masto, a senator from Nevada, who was the first Hispanic in the Senate.

Stacey Abrams unsuccessfully ran to become governor of Georgia in 2018 (but failed). She says, “I would be an excellent running mate,” according to her statement in Elle Magazine.

Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan and apparently Biden said of her, “Gov. Whitmer is an outstanding governor. She is one of the most talented people in the country in my view.

Maggie Hassen, senator from New Hampshire, was formerly a two-term governor, thus she does have some experience in governing.

Michelle Lujan Grisham is the New Mexico governor. She comes from a “political dynasty” in her state

Sally Yates is former Deputy Attorney General and a career lawyer.

Jeanne Shaheen, senator from New Hampshire, is seeking a third term in the Senate. She is the only woman on the Senate Foreign Relations panel and Armed Services committees.

We don’t know who Biden will choose for his running mate, but since he has said that he wants a woman to run with him, one of these is probably the one to be chosen. Of course, as we have pointed out, all of them are outspoken feminists and none of them are Christian or near-Christian.

Maybe there is no problem that you see at this point. Maybe you think that one or any of these leading women could become the next vice-president. And, of course, if something should happen to Biden when he is president, the vice-president would become the next president of the United States—the most powerful position in the world. Would you be prepared to receive such a person and submit yourself to her leadership?

What Would God Say?

Let’s now ask what God would say about having a woman as either president or vice-president. After all, this is the most important thing that we can determine. If you believe that the Bible is God’s Word to us, this will be one thing. But if you reject the inspiration of the Bible or just think that it is either good philosophy or maybe some advice from a bygone era, you will probably reject what I am writing. So it is determined by what you believe to be God’s Word. We are thoroughly convinced that the Bible is not man’s word but God’s divine Word (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15-17). With this assumption, let us ask what God thinks about this feminine perspective.

First, the Scriptures plainly say that God has an order that must be observed if we are to find His will in this matter. For instance, we read in God’s Word: “Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:3). Is Jesus Christ “inferior” to God the Father? No. But there is an order of submission here. Christ is under the headship of God the Father but is not inferior to Him. Likewise, the woman is under the man’s headship even though she is of the same level as he is. The question then is this: would having a woman as vice-president make her the “head” over any man? Of course it would. A woman could not in any way be the vice-president. Feminism of any sort would be an abomination to God.

Second, God wants a portion of His creatures (the woman) to be submissive in nature. In other words, the Lord has planned in His wise design for the woman to manifest a submissive spirit rather than a leading or domineering one. This is brought out in many different passages. This is true in both the marriage as well as in society.

For instance, we read: “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church. He himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. . . . The wife must see to it that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:22-24, 33b). Although this is speaking specifically of the wife as being subject (or submissive) to their husband, so she is to be submissive in general (see also Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:4-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6). Here we see that the woman is to be submissive to the man.

We realize that this sort of teaching is anathema to the majority of women. Let’s also realize that when they do reject this, they are rejecting the God of the universe as well. He created the woman in this way and when we reject this, we are rejecting God Himself. Thus, a woman who would even think of being a vice-president (or possibly future president) is an abomination to the Living God.

Third, the woman is to develop a “gentle and quiet” spirit rather than a boisterous, loud, domineering one. As Peter puts it, the woman is to have “the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3-4). She is even to have an obedient spirit as well as a submissive one (see vv. 5-6). As we can see, this is the very opposite spirit from what we see in the world where the worldly attitude is that a woman should not at all be gentle or quiet or submissive. How different are the ways of God!

Fourth, a woman is to “receive” instruction rather than “give” such instruction to the man. We read this: “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:11-12; see also 1 Corinthians 14:33-37). In other words, the woman is not to “exercise authority over a man” but the man must have authority in such situations. Some women, of course, actually hate the term “authority” and would utterly rebel against the idea that the woman is under authority. All of the women whom we listed above would be like this. Do you really want a feminist to have authority over you?

Fifth, it is also probably good to remind ourselves that the woman (the wife) is to “keep house” or be domestic in nature (see 1 Timothy 5:14). Women are to be “sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored” (Titus 2:4-5). Again we must observe that most women would rebel against God’s will here.

We realize that in this age woman look forward to a career and having a public life. Instead, according to the Lord, she is to have domestic duties, under her husband, while raising her children. Obviously, many (probably most) woman would rise up against these instructions, considering them to be outdated or mid-Victorian or puritanical. These “modern” women would rather put their children in a day care center and eventually place them in thirteen or fourteen years of secular schooling. How different are the ways of God!

Sixth, we must remember that God limits the woman from filling major positions among God’s people. For example, an “overseer” (episkopos) must be a man/male (cf. 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:5-7). And this overseer is also called an “elder” (presbuteros) (cf. Titus 1:5; Acts 11:30; 14:23; 20:17). The elder or the overseer must be a man (cf. Acts 20:28) and the one who fills this position is also called a “shepherd/pastor” (poimen) (see Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 5:1-3). The relevant question would be this: If God forbids the Christian woman from being an overseer, an elder, or a shepherd, would He approve of a woman filling the position of being a vice-president or president, which would require much, much greater public participation and involvement?

Seventh, along with the Lord’s prohibition of women engaging in certain public roles, she is also not to participate in basic public activities. For example, she is not to pray publically (cf. 1 Timothy 2:8). She is not to exercise authority over the man (1 Timothy 2:11-15). She is to “keep silent” in the assemblies of saints and not speak in the assemblies (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:33-37). If these sorts of restrictions are placed on the Christian woman, would it not be inconsistent for God to promote a worldly woman into a public role such as the presidency—requiring other public activities?

These are a few of the teachings that show the right demeanor of the woman, especially in the presence of the man. We know that most women would consider these godly standards and Biblical instructions to be demeaning and “old fashioned.” They long to be “free” of laboring under the male supervisors.

The point that we wish to make here is that women are not to be masculine in appearance or masculine in behavior. They surely are not to be anything like the ideal presidential candidate might be. This is why we must say that surely all women would totally reject the kind of restrictions that God places on them. In no way would a woman be able to fulfill a position of being a vice-president (or president)! Her whole manner of living would be opposed to the duties demanded of a president. The women whom we mentioned earlier who would want to be Biden’s running mate would be unable to fill this position. She would hate to be restricted by the inspired Word of God!

We hope that this short teaching will be sufficient to show us that a woman must not even think of filling the role of vice-president (or president)! Such a role is diametrically opposed to the ways of God. We are not taking a legalistic position here but a Biblical one. We are merely opposed to the rank feminist position that has become so popular and “normal” in our age. After all, how many Americans would oppose a woman as president or vice-president in our age? How many Democrats would oppose any of the women mentioned earlier? Regardless of how liberal the Democratic party has become for years now, even “conservative” Democrats (if there were such a position) would probably welcome a woman running mate for Biden.

Regardless of what the secular world may think of us, let us be willing to put God first and take His Word as our instruction. Let us find refuge in Him and be content with His will rather than having a woman fill a masculine position. We are not suggesting that a Christian man should fill the role of being a political president today, but we have emphasized that a woman in no way should consider being a political authority over others! To do the will of God is the only way!