THE
BIBLE STILL HAS THE ANSWER
The
Male-Female Relationship
Today’s Star Telegram (April 14, 2007)
carried an article entitled, “Evangelicals argue about roles
of God, Jesus.” The
article says that some “egalitarian” (feminist) proponents
claim that since Christ the Son and God the Father are equal
regarding their deity, this means that the man and woman
are fully equal in every way--regarding their position, roles,
and activity. When
will we learn that so many of our theological and practical
questions can be solved if we take Scripture seriously, as
inspired of God, without addition or subtraction, and authoritative
to all of our life and relationships!
The Bible speaks to both issues discussed
in the article. First,
God’s Word says that Jesus is both divine (fully God in His
nature) as well as submissive to God His Father. Scripture
says, “The Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1, 14; 20:28). But
the Bible also says, “The Son [Jesus] Himself also will be
subjected to the One [God the Father] who subjected all things
to Him, so that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). This
reveals that Jesus is fully divine or Deity, but He is also
subject to God the Father. Thus,
there is equality of His nature and the Father’s nature,
but Jesus has a different role and position in relation to
God.
The Bible also clearly speaks of the relationship
of man and woman. Male
and female are equal regarding their nature: “Male and female
He [God] created them” (Genesis 1:27). “In
the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man
independent of woman” (1 Corinthians 11:11). Yet,
at the same time, there is a difference in role and position
of the man and woman: “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). “Man
was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s
sake” (verse 9). Thus,
man and woman are equal regarding their nature (as well as
being equal in intellect and blessing from God) but different
regarding their position and role in marriage, in spiritual
pursuits, and in society.
The parallel is clear: Jesus
can be submissive to God His Father while, at the same time,
be equal with God regarding His essential nature. Likewise,
God says that the woman is to be submissive to the man (and
especially the wife to the husband) while, at the same time,
be equal with each other regarding their nature and position
before God in Christ. Are
these truths really that difficult to understand? They
may be hard to accept for some people, but they are quite
plain.
If we accept God’s Word as truly inspired
of God and given for our good, let us willingly believe and
accept all that the Scriptures reveal.
Richard Hollerman
STAR-TELEGRAM
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