"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you all one in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
I will never understand how educated people – I should say super educated - I will never understand how the educated of North America believe and teach that the Bible puts women down! There is no reasonable explanation for their behaviour and teaching; only a spiritual explanation that involves Satan and his ability to deceive and lead people into destruction.
This verse in Galatians is the only verse that I am aware of, in any “holy” book of any tradition or religion, that teaches that men and women are equal in God’s eyes. Just a glimpse into the situation in Nigeria and the rest of North Africa, a glimpse into the Muslim world, the Hindu world, the Buddhist world, will surely inform us that these belief systems (opposed to the gospel) teach and practice subjugation of their females.
Stop for a moment and consider the countries of the world - not just in our age but in the ages past - and ask yourself this question: “Where are females the freest?” They are the freest in the countries where the gospel has had influence the longest! The gospel is that all who come to Christ Jesus in faith, both male and female, all humans who approach Christ Jesus in faith, believing that He is the Son of God, and asking Him to save them, they all become part of who He is.
When God sees a male who is “in Christ Jesus”, He sees Christ. When God sees a female who is “in Christ Jesus", He sees Christ. The gospel truth is that our Lord Jesus Christ died on a cross so that men and women could be equal before God in Him! There are no second tier Christians, we are all equal in Christ. In the kingdom of God, we are all equal before our King, because we are all in our King; we are joined to Him spiritually, and we are one in Him.
Christ will come in power and impose His Kingdom on this earth, but now as we wait for Him, He waits for us to obey His will concerning women. He waits for us to implement His kingdom on earth, to have God’s will done here now in our lives, and in our broken world. So it is that as men and women understand this truth by faith, we begin to voluntarily put into practice what our King desires to see in male and female relations in His kingdom. Then slowly over time as we obey the Word of God, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ influences us, our cultures change, and women get freer and freer.
You say: “Wait a minute John. My issue with the Bible is that it teaches that men are to be the leaders and women need to submit. I reject the notion that women are to be doormats for men!” Friend, men are the leaders and we are called to lead as Jesus leads the church. Our Lord has never made you do anything! He speaks and speaks, and guides, and blesses. He influences. This is the role men are called to – to honour - to bless - to lead. All other behaviours are not the fault of the Bible, they are the result of sin! In Christ and ONLY in Christ are we one!
No comments:
Post a Comment