Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”
Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”
We are God’s creation, we were created for God’s pleasure and purpose. Yet since the fall (Genesis 3), man has rebelled against God.
God made the first human being, Adam, out of the dust of the ground. (Genesis 2:7) Everything that God made, He proclaimed good. However, there was one thing He said that was not good. God said it was not good for man to be alone. So God made a woman from the rib of Adam. Woman was not taken from the ground. She was created from Adam’s rib. Up to this point, all of creation was from the earth, but God specifically made woman to be Adam’s help meet. (Genesis 2:18)
There is a poem I’ve heard. I do not know the author, but I’ve heard it many times in regard to the creation of woman. I do think the poem somewhat helps to explain God’s intent for woman.
“God made woman from man’s rib, not from his head that he should command her. Nor from his feet, that he should walk upon her. But rather from his side, to be his partner in life. From under his arm, to be protected by him. From near his heart, to be loved by him.”
This little poem has a nice sentiment to it, but God’s purpose for creating woman is by far greater than this poem describes. As we read earlier, we were created for God’s pleasure! When we begin to live out our place in this world with our own desires or when we start allowing cultural influences and ideologies to influence our beliefs, we are walking in rebellion to God’s will and purpose for our lives.
The role of womanhood has become a controversial subject in our culture. Gender roles have become a point of hostility in our society. Popular culture is trying to neutralize gender. We are seeing this aggressive push for gender neutrality in marketing, entertainment, sports, and politics. The most disturbing push in recent years, is that we are seeing these ideologies drift into the church too.
The fact that churches are compromising, reveals the lack of Biblical literacy and of a Biblical worldview. The Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation reveal God’s designed order for His creation. This subject should not even be questioned.
Womanhood can only be truly understood within the context of the Gospel. We can only understand our purpose as a woman by understanding our Designer. God made us for His story. We are privileged to be a part of His plan! Yet our sin nature is not content with God’s will.
God’s redemption story is seen throughout the Scriptures. If we disconnect any portion of God’s story, it will become distorted. This is what we are seeing in some churches. Folks will look at a text of Scripture through their own selfish desire without looking at the Bible as a whole.
God has created order and authority between men and women, but this does not mean one sex is inferior to the other. We were created in His image, after His likeness. (Genesis 1:26) Created equal, with different functions, but for the same purpose. To glorify Him!
We are His creation, reflecting His glory. He created us to be relational. To have relationship with Him and with each other. God created marriage as a holy covenant that mirrors the covenant Christ makes with His Church. (Ephesians 5:22-33) God is relational with us through Christ, but He is relational within Himself as Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is woven throughout the Scripture. This doctrine brings our salvation. Each member (relationship) in the Trinity has a different function in the accomplishment of our salvation. As one function of the Trinity is equal to the other, each function is equally important. Each function of the Trinity is also equally necessary!
In 1 Corinthians 11:3 we read “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God”
As God is the head of Christ, the man is the head of the woman. Is Christ less valuable than God? Of course not! Each role of the Trinity is of equal importance, and each role is necessary for our salvation.
When we try to alter the God given roles we have as women and men, we are no longer reflecting the glory of God. We are tampering with God’s created order and purpose. God’s sovereign plan created woman from the man. Woman was created to be a help meet. This is our function in God’s story. We are both created in the image of God to reflect His glory. We are created equal and equally valuable.
Satan was the first to distort God’s designed order by tempting the woman. The weaker vessel. (Genesis 3:1-5, 1 Timothy 2:14, 1 Peter 3:7) The woman had been beguiled by Satan. God then foretold of His redemption plan through the woman’s seed. After the fall and curse of God were given upon His creation, Adam named the woman Eve. The name Eve means “life-giver”. Mother of the living. The work of her seed is Christ, who broke the curse of sin and brought everlasting life.
The very first commandment God gave man and woman was to be fruitful and multiply. (Genesis 1:28) God also made us “help-meets”. Fulfilling our roles are necessary in order to accomplish the purpose for which God designed us. The enemy has taken this glorious design that God made and inverted it. Our culture has become confused and corrupt.
When we no longer follow the precepts of Scripture, and instead we follow the ideologies of the world, we have this: Isaiah 3:12 “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” Who is leading today’s culture? Who is leading churches?
Ladies, God made you for Himself. You are not your own, you have been bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:20) God created marriage, God created the Church. Both covenants are designed with a specific order and specific functions within. Each function is necessary to accomplish God’s purpose for which He created them.
The office of Bishop (pastor) is for a man to hold. 1 Timothy 3:1 “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
God did not design women to rule over or teach men within the Church. This is not our function. 1 Timothy 2:12-13 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.”
Our functions were given in the beginning. We are “help meets” and “life givers”. The functions of women are described more specifically in Titus 2:1-5 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Ladies, are you functioning within your design, or are you trying to take on a role that was not meant for you?
This subject has so much supporting Scripture throughout the Bible. I’ve only shared a glimpse of what the Bible reveals on this matter. I encourage you to go into my past devotional archives (Are You Awake?) and watch a documentary I shared about the “Divine Feminine”. The enemy is working hard to distort God’s created design. Why would we want to contribute to his efforts?!
Embrace your design and purpose to the glory of God! 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
In Times Like These 