[Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16]
"submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
"Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God."
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
Does the culture of the world shape your view of relationships or does God shape them?
We live in a time where people want to minimize the difference between men and women. Gender differences don't matter... other than the plumbing. Sexuality is a choice. If we want, we can change genders. This is the voice of our times. We are free to do as we wish.
But we believe that God has made us men and women for a purpose. That there are differences and God designed them. There are those who think they can do as they wish with no repercussions. But that is not how we should do it. We should act with respect to God's design of the sexes. We were designed differently and we have different roles to play.
Some may find this offensive. But God is the designer and the LORD. The word is true. Can we consider God bigoted? Can we consider God flawed in His design?
Thesis
God created man to be the head his own family and God's family, the church.
God created woman to be helper in her own family and God's family, the church.
This is the complementarian view. (The opposing view is the Egalitarian view. The egalitarian view assumes that man and woman used to be equal, but in the Fall, man was given headship. But Paul always refers to Creation--before the Fall!)
Clarifying Statements:
1. This was God's good design from the beginning.
Egalitarians think that male headship is a result of the fall. They think that this is the result of sin. God created Eve as the complement to Adam. Adam was created first and is called to lead and love Eve. Headship is not domination. True headship is a serving mindset. There is also a different failure of headship; the lack of leadership and apathy. It is the total absence of male leadership. This is for you, men of the church. There are women looking for a man to lead. This is your call to step up.
2. Both men and woman are under submission to authority.
Head-covering? Clothing means something. You get a sense of people by the way they dress. Back in those days, when men had long hair, it meant he was a homosexual. For a woman to have no head-covering meant that she was either sexually promiscuous or a lesbian. The woman who wore a head-covering was showing respect for her husband. To have no head-covering was saying that she rejected submission to her husband. This is why Paul called the lack of a headcovering shameful.
But here's the thing. Both men and women are under authority to Christ. Men are given authority and responsibility to lead his wife and household. Men are not supposed to just order around their wives to do whatever. Their authority is delegated from God. Men are to lead them as God would desire... not as they would selfishly desire.
3. Male headship does NOT mean that women are inferior -- they are equal.
Woman was created later. But women are NOT inferior. How is this so, you may ask? We are equal, even though we have different roles. There is a hierarchy, but there is still equality. While the leaders of this church have different roles, we are all equal... whether we are elders or pastors.
4. Male headship does NOT mean that women are not needed -- they are vital.
Adam needed Eve. Eve needed Adam. Eve was Adam's perfect complement. When women are weak, men are strong and where men are weak, women are strong. It is not independence but interdependence. This is how we are designed. The work of the home and the church is a partnership. I've been recently reading a book on the role of women in the church called Feminine Threads. Women's contribution to the ministry is vital.
5. As we each play our part, we display the beauty of Jesus.
Jesus covered us and protected and cherished us. He protected us at his own expense. He's humble and caring and patient. That is the type of leadership men are called to.
Even if others may consider it old-fashioned, it is beautiful to see us playing our parts well.
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