Feminism and Christianity - The Christian Arsenal

A Christian Business Woman Looks at Feminism

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We have reached an age where women have broken all traditional molds in society. Women can work at any job they choose, they can be schooled at any discipline they like and women choose their family life at their convenience. Women today have it all. But, can you be a feminist and a model of a Biblical woman? Through the Bible, we can shed light on God's distinctive design for women and the great responsibilities we have been given.

The Bible has a lot to say about the roles of men and women. Men and women were designed to mutually support each other. God designed us to work together to help fulfill His will here on earth. This earthly life is not a permanent situation. Nor are these roles the same ones we will probably have in the afterlife. However, God did set a standard for the here and now.

James 4:14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

The feminist movement began a long time ago. However, it was pushed to the forefront in 1966 with the creation of the National Organization for Women (NOW). NOW had many noble causes in their beginnings. However, these causes were seeded with several anti-biblical issues. NOW’s original efforts were focused on fighting for equal employment opportunity, eliminating sexual discrimination, advocating decent day care services, helping battered women, promoting equal education, and a campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. These seem like very noble causes. But they also were defending abortion rights and sexual freedom. These issues were the beginning of their platform to separate women from men, not equalize them. Their purpose statement says “The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men.”

The NOW organization now supports many more anti-Biblical causes. They promote and support homosexuality, adolescent sexual activity, give condoms to middle school students, defending the rights for a non-relative to transport a minor over state lines for an abortion, actively fight for the distributing of the drug Mifepristone (RU-486), and much more. You only need to visit their website to see the quick trip that they have taken down the slippery slope of immorality. From this evidence we can say that the NOW feminists views are not Biblical views. A Christian woman has no place supporting or being a part of this organization. They are diametrically opposed to the Christian beliefs and Biblical values.

Feminism is now thoroughly entrenched itself into our society and culture. Society supports and applauds non-marital sexual relationships and children outside of marriage. One of the national news channels recently interviewed college girls about their view on women and the abundance of “meaningless sex”. The student responded that the sex “was not meaningless, we just don’t know what it means.” Women have not become men’s equals; they have pushed men out of the picture. One news organization proclaimed that women now dominate the home, church and the political structures of this nation. But that is not how God intended the family to operate. We must remember that God created man and woman for certain unique purposes.

Let’s examine what those roles are. But, before we examine what the Bible says about the roles of women, we need to examine what the Bible says about the family and the roles of men. The first institution that God created was the family. He set the man as leader and protector of the family and the woman as the caretaker and nurturer of the family. The family was formed in the beginning with Adam and Eve and there has been no Biblical edict to change it’s structure since then. Throughout the Old and New Testaments we see clear instructions about what roles men and women are to take.

When we follow the formula that God has given us for the family and marriage everything works well. When men and women refuse to follow their Biblical roles, the whole family suffers. The feminist movement was not pushed forward just by women. The lack of strong Christian leadership of men and husbands helped the feminist movement more than ever.

God’s design for men was to be the leader and keeper of the family.

Ephesians 5:23-33 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. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, … So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; … Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Why did God choose a leader for the family? Why can’t we just be equal and run the family as a team? Well, let’s ask that same question about your workplace. If there were no bosses and no one to lead, everyone would have different, conflicting goals and agendas. The same is true for the military. Where would they be without a leader? God put man in place as the leader of the family to guide the women and children spiritually, to protect them physically and spiritually, and to provide for their physical and spiritual needs. When a man fails to perform these duties the family structure fails.

Marriage is a team effort, with both members striving for a common goal. The roles are different, just like on any team. If either member of the team is not pulling in the right direction, the whole team suffers. Whether in business, military or marriage, each member of the team has a role to perform. When both partners are trying to lead, nobody is following.

The woman’s role is the family is quite different. Woman was originally created to be the “help meet”.

Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Genesis 2:21-23 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

According to these verses, woman was not made at the same time as man. She was instead made later for man. Her role and reason for being was to be a “help meet” or “helper” for man. She was designed and built to help Adam. Man and woman were made with a distinct purpose.

The Bible also clearly states the hierarchy in the family.

1 Corinthians 11:3 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.

Here is clearly stated that God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of the man and the man is the head of the woman. There are also several places in the scripture that command woman to submit to, be obedient and love their husbands.

Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Titus 2:4,5 That they [aged women] 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.

Now would be a good time to discuss the word submission. The dictionary states that submit means to yield, surrender or acquiesce. The Greek translation hupotasso means to be in subjection or to subject yourself. This means to yield yourself and your will to your husbands when he makes decisions. It does not mean you are a doormat or that you do not intelligently discuss family issues with him. It does mean is that when a decision is made, you graciously submit your will to his. This is a perfect picture of Jesus Christ and the salvation process. Jesus submitted his will to the Father’s on the cross. We then submit our will (sinful nature) to Christ’s for salvation and redemption.

Luke 22:42 "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."

This is the way a marriage should work. Each person has their designed role. The man is the husband, father, protector and spiritual leader. The woman is the wife, mother, comforter and nurturer. The Bible has given us a clear Biblical role model in the “Proverbs 31” woman.

Proverbs 31:10-31 Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax And works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength And makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all." Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.

This woman was virtuous. Virtue is the divinely formed strength of spiritual and moral character from which godly qualities and actions develop. The Greek translation arete means Godly excellencies. Virtue is spiritual and practical devotion to God, which permeates every area and relationship of our lives. Virtue is the depth of character, which gives us stability and steadfastness in our everyday walk.

She is good to her husband and children. She cares for their physical needs. She is careful with her purchases and buys the best for her family. She is not lazy, works hard and profits from her labors. She sees that her family is well fed and well dressed. She is sensitive to the needs of others. She is well spoken and wise. She has no worry about the future, because she prepares and plans for her family. Her children and husband love and respect her.

She works and cares for her family. There is a lot of debate in the Christian community about whether a woman should work outside of the home. Many believe that she should stay at home, while others believe that she should pursue her own career. Well, the Bible says you can have both. But, you must have that Biblical balance that God has designed for it to work. Whether you’re a stay at home mom or a career woman, you must put God first, your family second and your job third. If you keep all of these things in proper balance you will be the Proverbs 31 woman.

Keep in mind that the Biblical woman does not forget about her family because her outside work has taken priority. Many women today don’t cook or clean anymore. Many women brag that they don’t know how to cook or clean. We must go back to the roles that God set in place at the beginning. Each person must fulfill their role in the marriage for it to be successful. How can a man be the leader he needs to be if he does not have a caring, supportive and nurturing wife? How can a woman be the wife she needs to be if her husband is not a strong physical and spiritual leader?

God’s design is for the family, men and women was laid out over six thousand years ago with Adam and Eve. When women take over the God given roles of men, we have unstable family structures. Unstable family structures lead to unstable children and adults. Unstable children and adults lead to an unstable society. The only way to rectify this problem is to return the family to the way God designed it. Then and only then will God bless our nation and heal our country.

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