Words of Jesus Christ in "Red" 
Introduction to this Study From even the most casual look at our society today, it’s evidence that love and marriage are not regarded in the same light as these institutions were 50 years ago. Men and women marry, thousands every year, with many of these same couples divorcing within one to five years later. Disgruntled men and women have sought other solutions than God’s Plan of Marriage, moving into homosexuality and alleged same sex marriages. Divorce, lust, and evil have become a national disgrace, breaking families apart while emotionally scarring children. Before you say, "We're Christians, and it can't happen to us", you'd better realize that Christians from all denominations are experiencing the same problems of divorce. We personally know many Christians who, rejecting God's Plan, are divorced and remarried. We know of licensed ministers within the Southern Baptist denomination that have been, or are experiencing divorce, even though the tenets of that group frowns on divorce among it’s leaders. Marriage is not just a Christian concept: it’s an institution that God established for the human race. Divorce is not just an unbeliever’s nightmare: it’s a blemish on both believers and unbelievers. As Marriage originated from God’s Plan, divorce prevention also originates from God’s Plan. Many that seek marriage today aren’t educated on what marriage entails. They believe that marriage won’t effect their lives, that it requires no behavioral changes for either the man or the woman, that it’s just the realization of an alternate lifestyle. Some seek marriage while too young. Others, too set in their ways. A good marriage begins with two people that understand each other; knowing what their God given roles are to be in the marriage, and who are willing to sacrifice for one another in order to function within the framework of that marriage. If you want to avoid divorce, you must get back to the wisdom of God’s Word. The Bible teaches all of us, believer and non-believer alike, the proper roles of the man and woman in marriage; the meaning of marriage; sexuality and perversity in marriage; who must lead and who must follow; and how to achieve the happiness that God designed for you both when He looked on Adam, took pity, and created him the perfect mate Eve. God give you the humility and attentiveness to follow His teachings in marriage, and in salvation.
To start to understand anything, we must naturally start at the beginning. The beginning for marriage starts at creation, found in the Genesis account: Genesis 1.26 "And God [ Elohim, a plural form of the word GOD used whenever the Godhead, i.e., the Trinity is being designated ] said, [ Amar, Kal Imperfect, literally "decreed". The Triune God decreed a certain order in creation between man and woman, long before man's creation or before the need for salvation ] let us make [ Asah, Kal imperfect, "To make something out of something, to manufacture the body". Not to be confused with Hebrew "Barah", meaning to make something out of nothing. God also used the words "Jatsar" and "Banah", the former used for the creation of man's body while the latter only for the female's body ] man [ Adam, used for mankind, or man and woman in unity ] in our image, [ Tselem, a shadow image, with a real but invisible essence. Refers to the creation of both the Soul and Spirit in man ] after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over everything creeping that creepeth upon the earth..” Genesis 1.27 "So God [ Elohim, see above ] created [ Barah, Kal imperfect, meaning to make something out of nothing ] man [ Ha Adam, the first male ] in His own image, in the image [ Tselem, see above ] of God created [ Barah, Kal imperfect, meaning to make something out of nothing ] he him; male [ Zakar, Body of a man complete with soul ] and female [ Neqebh, body of a female with a female soul ] created He them.." The creation account in Genesis chapter one has been hotly debated over millennia, some theologians even attempting to discredit it’s teachings. Genesis is, in fact, a critical text for determining God’s Plan as regards love and marriage (between man and woman. We will not consider same sex unions as marriage, as this is contrary to God’s Plan.). In Genesis 1, God gives us a chronological account of creation (verses 1-25), and follows that with a summary of man’s creation (verses 26-28). This summary is what we will start this study with. "And God (Elohim) said", (Amar).... The Triune God, Elohim, presided over the creation of both man and woman. Jesus the Son was the actual Member of the Godhead that performed the act of creation (see John 1.3; Colossians 1.16; Hebrews 1.10), the Father was the Planner of that creation, and the Holy Spirit was the agent of creation as Jesus directed (Exodus 8.19; Luke 11.20). To those who dispute the Trinity's existence I draw your attention to the plural pronouns that the Godhead uses: us, our. The Trinity created mankind (a term we will use for both man and woman) as Tselem Demuth, a shadow image after a model or pattern of the original one. Mankind is, in essence, a model of the Godhead, triune in his makeup: body, soul, and spirit. But mankind is, in fact, only a shadow image, and not triune in the sense that the eternal Godhead is. In the creation account we see that God created "Adam" first out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2.7), and we know that God did not create woman at the same time. Woman, whose seed is seen in the broken rib of "Adam", lay dormant inside of her man from creation until "Adam" recognized his need for a mate. You know as well as I do that God could have created man and woman at the same time, both out of the dust of the ground, and breathed life into their nostril simultaneously. "Was woman created second because she's a second class citizen, a slave to man, subservient to her master? No!" In Genesis 1 we see that the Godhead was equally concerned with the creation of both man and woman, that both were just as important in the scheme of life and to the Divine Plan. Woman lay dormant in man until man recognized his need for a mate, and then and only then did God create beautiful life out of a rib. Both man and animal have life, but whereas animal has only a format soul that gives it temporal life, man possesses body, soul, and spirit in shadow image to God. An animal will rut with any of it’s species of the opposite sex. Man is higher than the animal in that, like "Adam", he must recognize the need for his specific mate, then depend on his God to create that mate for him. Animal can never become man by evolution, cannot do evil, cannot do good, cannot attain salvation. "But man can become animal when he, rejecting God’s Plan, lowers himself to the behavior of the animal by following base lust and sexuality for sexuality’s sake." Male and female animals were created simultaneously, did not ask for one another’s company: the female did not come from the male animal’s rib (Genesis 1.20-22; 2.19-20). But when "Adam" made his need known to God, God drew forth a broken rib and created him his specific mate. That mate had to be called for, but was equally important to both God and man. Man, however, was first in creation, and being so was expected by God to be the leader in the union called marriage. Isaiah 43.7 "..Even every one that is called by My name, I have created [ Barah, meaning to make something out of nothing ] him for my glory; I have formed [ Jatsar, used for the creation of man's body ] him; yea, I have made [ Asah, Kal imperfect, To make something out of something, to manufacture the body ] him.." Man was created out of nothing, out of dead dust, out of red clay. Woman was manufactured out of a piece of her mate, and as coming out of that mate was to recognize him as the leader in their union. The Women’s Liberation movement would have us believe that such a leader-follower role is demeaning to the woman, and puts too much strain on the man. But remember that mankind was created in God's (Tselem) image. In the Trinity God the Father is the Head, the Leader, and neither Son nor Spirit are demeaned by this reality. The Son created under the Plan of the Father, while the Spirit did the Son’s bidding in creation. Yet at no instance do we see any part of the Trinity railing against another. Cries of inequality, hurt or wounded pride, me-ism are all acts of sin and have no place in either the Godhead nor in our lives. "Both man and woman were, are, and will ever be equally important to the Godhead, yet man was designed the leader in the marriage union." Genesis 5.1-2 This is the book of the generations of Adam, in the day that God created [ Barah, Kal infinitive, meaning to make something out of nothing ] man, in the likeness [ Demuth, a model of pattern after God made "Asah", To manufacture or make something out of something ] He him; Male [Zakar, Body and soul of man ] and female [ Neqebh, Body and soul of a woman ] created He them; and blessed [ Barak, Peal imperfect, To give great blessing toward happiness ] them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.." Though created separately, one from dust while the other from out of the first, one to lead while the other to follow, the Bible recognizes that the union of marriage reunited the two as if they were one. As the Trinity is composed of three Members who are equal in power and substance, marriage is composed of two members equal in ability and thought. No Member of the Trinity is superior to the other, but all follow the lead of the Father. The man is not superior to the woman, but she was expected to follow the lead of her man. Though Eve had a name, God "called their name Adam", by this naming recognized that their union was as special as that of His own. During the seven days of creation Jesus followed a pattern: He created, he evaluated, then He judged. At each phase of creation He evaluated that step as Tobh, good. But when He created man the initial creation was Lo Tobh, not good, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him”. This wasn’t a mistake on the Creator’s part. God wanted to teach "Adam" that he was more than animal, much higher than those he controlled. For "Adam" to understand the significance of his mate God wanted him to pine for her, to want her, to recognize that without her he was incomplete. And after Eve was created God wanted her to understand that she, though equally important as "Adam", was to respond to and obey her mate. In order to emphasize this we see: Genesis 2.18-25 And the Lord God [ Jehovah Elohim, an Old Testament reference to Jesus Christ ] said, it is not good that the man [ Ha Adam, the man. Specifically referred to the male, later called "Ish" (husband) but not until "Isha" (wife) was created ] should be alone [ Lebadaw, alone or solitary, without mate ] I will make [ Asah, Kal imperfect, To manufacture or make something out of something ] him an help meet [ Ezer Kenegedaw, a helper responding to him ] for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought then unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found [ Matsa, Kal perfect, to find, discover, attain, acquired ] an help meet [ Ezer Kenegedaw, see above ] for him. And the Lord God [ Jehovah Elohim, see above ] caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; [ Jashan, Kal imperfect, he kept on sleeping ] and He took [ Lachach, Kal imperfect, to seize violently. To tear out or yank apart ] one of his ribs, and closed up [ Sagar, Kal imperfect, to fill in the breach - with flesh ] the flesh instead thereof. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken [ Lachach, see above ] from man, made He a woman, and brought [ Bo, Hiphiel imperfect, causative stem, caused her to be brought unto the man ] And Adam said, this [ Zoth, demonstrative pronoun, This one ] is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, [ Ishah, woman, wife ] because she was taken out of man. [ Ish, man, husband ] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave [ Dabaq, Kal perfect, cleave, adhere, have sexual intercourse with. See also Ephesians 5.31 where the same text is quoted, but the Greek Future Active Indicative "Proskallo" is used, to denote face to face sexual lovemaking ] unto his wife: and they shall be [ Hallya, Kal perfect, they are ] one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.."; Did you notice that God brought "Isha", woman, to man to be named just like He brought the animals previously? And "Adam", upon seeing his new mate, immediately named her "Isha", because she was taken out of "Ish" (man). Woman was not named by "Adam" to degrade or make her less than her mate. Rather, God caused this to emphasize that "Adam", man, was the contract head or leader of both creation and the marriage. Woman was to be the "Ezer Kenegedaw", the responder, the helper in the marriage relationship (what the King James translates 'help meet'). "Isha" was supposed to help, not hinder, the marriage. She was to respond to her man, not nag him into doing something. She was to belong to the one man who named her, not sleep around with a number of other men. And "Adam" was to care for this broken and newborn rib just as much as he cared for it when it was inside his body. If you've ever hurt yourself you know how you pamper that hurt part afterward, do anything to avoid re-injuring it. Man was to treat "Isha" as lovingly as he treated himself. Too bad that too many of us men haven't learned this part of God's Plan yet! That "Adam" fully understood God's Plan of marriage at this moment is obvious. Though they were the first humans of creation, "Adam" understood the sexual aspect of marriage, and even understood the concepts of ‘mother’ and ‘father’. I don't believe that this knowledge was experiential, or learned, because there were no children present (nor mothers and fathers for that matter). This knowledge came to "Adam" by Divine Revelation. "Adam" understood (at this point, anyway) the following concepts:
If men could understand and remember each of the concepts that "Adam" received from God, there would be no divorces. The majority of divorces are created because the man in the relationship married the wrong woman (God didn't choose her for you), allowed the woman to take over the male role in the marriage (to become the initiator rather than the responder), allowed his parents or the job to interfere with the marriage, or started chasing after other women. When man forgets the concepts that God handed down for marriage, there are disastrous consequences. When man waits on God for the right mate, there are wonderful consequences. When "Adam" saw the woman, the literal Hebrew text emphasizes how excited he was:
"Adam" was understandable excited. Here he had been pining away for a mate, and God brought just the right one for him. The rib that had been torn from "Adam" violently was now returned in love and matrimony. Suddenly he felt complete, knew what he had been missing all along. "Adam" knew God's Plan, knew what marriage entailed, and was now equipped to start a new life with Eve ruling the entire world. Only one problem: "Adam" forgot his place in the Plan. Genesis 2.15-17 "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." "Adam", as the ruling head of creation, had the job of cultivating all the plant life in Eden. We are sure that this wasn't that difficult of a job, as weeds and the 'sweat of the brow' didn't come into being until after the Fall. "Adam" was specifically warned to avoid eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that eating of that tree would cause immediate spiritual death with subsequent physical death. "Adam" had this responsibility assigned to him by God before Eve was created, and Eve's creation didn't wipe this responsibility out. Many have asked us why God put something in the Garden that man wasn't supposed to use. Perhaps it's because "Elohim" wanted to test man to see if he'd obey or not. Free will is only valid if it's truly free. Without a test, how could God ever give "Adam" the opportunity to use his free will to choose his Creator over disobedience? We don't know for certain what was in our Father's mind, but we do know what "Adam" did: Genesis 3.1-3 "Now the serpent ("Nachash", a bright and shining one) was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Satan didn’t cause the Fall of man. He may have helped it along a little, he may have tempted both "Adam" and "Eve", but he certainly didn't cause it. What caused the Fall was a breakdown in the first marriage. Each member of that marriage forgot what their roles were supposed to be. "Eve", rather than responding to "Adam", responded to the serpent. When the devil in serpent's form approached "Eve", at the very least she should have ignored his advances and turned to her husband for guidance. Instead she responded to the tempter's question by "adding to God's original decree" concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God never said that "Adam" couldn't touch the tree, just that he wasn't to eat of the tree. Of course he could touch the tree, remember that he had God's command to cultivate and tend to the garden. How can you possibly do that if you can't touch the tree? In responding to the Father of lies (rather than "Adam") "Eve" added a lie to the original command. Genesis 3.6-7 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." And "Adam", standing next to his wife all the time, gave up his leadership role and allowed his wife to become the initiator while he, the responder. She took the fruit, and "Adam" didn't stop her. She ate the fruit, again "Adam" did nothing. She gave the fruit to "Adam", and rather than reject it because of God's command he responded by eating it. Did you notice that, until "Adam" actually ate of the fruit, that in that instance the eyes of them both were opened as they fell from Grace? "Adam" was responsible for tending the Garden and keeping God's commandment, not "Eve". "Adam" was the contract head of creation and the marriage. That mouthful of food he ate condemned the whole human race to sin. As soon as their eyes were opened in sin, both "Adam" and "Eve" responded to their fallen situation not by repenting before their Creator, but by trying to cover up their error with human good. This comedy of error gets worse. When God comes to the Garden to commune with the human family He created and loves, rather than repenting both "Adam" and "Eve" respond to this situation by passing blame: Genesis 3.11-12 "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." "Adam" subtly placed blame on both the Creator and the woman for his failure. Rather than admit that he failed as leader, he said "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree". In other words, "God, you gave her to me. She tricked me, and she made me do it. But I wouldn't be in this spot if you hadn't have given her to me!" "Adam" in responding to the situation rather than to a loving Father, condemned the wife he so gratefully received just a short time before. "Adam" should have recognized that his Father loved him, and responded to the Creator in repentance rather than to the situation in fear. God's love created "Adam", and I'm sure could have forgiven him as well. Genesis 2:7 "..And the Lord God [ Jehovah Elohim, an Old Testament reference to Jesus Christ ] formed [ Jatsar, to form, fashion, or devise the body of man ] man of the dust of the ground, [ Adamah, red clay earth ] and breathed [ Naphach, Kal imperfect, to rapidly breathe, as in resuscitation ] into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became [ Halya, Kal imperfect, became and kept on being. Life was not created to be temporal, but lasting. If not in this life, then in to the life to come ] a living soul.." God took dust, fashioned it, and gave it life, life He called "Adam". Now "Adam" turned on both the One who created him and his wife in order to cover his own sins. "Eve" followed suit: Genesis 3.13 "And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." "I was tricked, it really wasn't my fault!" Well, in a sense that was true, because that lummox "Adam" should have protected "Eve" from the situation. But her actions were equally her own, and she did sin before God. Rather than respond to what she did in fear, she should have responded to her Creator in love and repentance. She should have responded to her husband, whom she was created for, rather than to the serpent. She should have done anything but what she did. God followed this "blame-fest" by cutting to the heart of the matter, and dealing out punishment as befitted each person’s crime. "Adam", who should have been following a leadership role (but wasn’t), received the harshest judgment God could give man: Genesis 3.17-18 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." God told "Adam" that he was being punished for responding to his wife rather than to His own commandment. "Adam" (and the subsequent male progeny) was required to work hard for his family's sustenance. The beautiful, care-free Garden days were gone as weeds and thorns sprung up to torment us all at every turn. This was, and is even today, a life long punishment that only the useless and unable escape. When I'm at work, sweating and suffering trials, I always remember to thank "Adam" for this gift. Even though we who are believers are under God's Plan of Salvation, the "Adamic" Curse still rests on each one of us until the day we die. "Eve", on the other hand, received a small punishment for her part in the Fall: Genesis 3.16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." "Eve" (and all women to follow) received increased suffering in childbirth. For nine months as you women experience cramping, swelling, bloating, inability to rise from a reclined position, stretch marks, tenderness, kicking, and the eventual agony of passing that large child from your body, remember to thank "Eve". This is your portion of the "Adamic" curse. And though modern medicine may cheat the final agony of childbirth by drug use, you will not escape the preceding nine month without suffering. Thanks, "Eve"! One thing I want to point out: the last part of God's statement was to "Eve" had nothing at all to do with the Curse. When God said "..thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.." God was emphasizing what "Eve" should have done and must continue to do to remain in God's Plan of marriage. The Women's Liberation Movement likes to point out that this statement was in fact a part of the "Adamic" Curse, and that salvation wipes away this directive. They erroneously point to Galatians 3.28, which states: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.." Paul wasn't saying that salvation in Christ wipes out the "Adamic" curse, nor modifies the roles that God established for men and women in marriage. If that were true then all the slaves (bond) that existed at the time of this writing would have been immediately freed by their masters. There is no historical evidence for this. In fact, the book of Philemon was written by Paul to a slaveholder concerning his runaway Onesimus. Onesimus had accepted Christ as Savior, and Paul was asking that Philemon receive him back without retribution "as a slave". Though Salvation equally applies to both men and women, husband and wife, it does not terminate roles established at Creation by God or by society (the latter in the case of slavery, which I abhor). Salvation gives the believer a new vibrant life in Christ, hope for the future, and the assurance of eternal security in the afterlife where the roles of human marriage are then negated by God, as Jesus taught us in Matthew: Matthew 22.23-30 "The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.." Which brings us to the following emphasized point: "the roles that God established in marriage (woman = responder, man = initiator/leader) are established at the point of marriage and in this life only". Single unmarried women do not have to answer to the leadership of any man outside of those that Law (God or man's) or lawfully appointed Government have established. There are certain Biblical leadership positions that are denied to women in general not because a woman is less capable or less intelligent than a man, but because they are designed by God with one purpose: to respond to her God given man. This is why God created "Eve", not because He, God, needed two people in the Garden, but because "Adam" wanted a mate. Time Magazine recently ran a cover article that declared "Men and Women really are different". No kidding, a 6 year old child knows that! All women are beautiful, never more so than when they are responding to their God appointed man. But I would be a false teacher if I didn't point out the Biblical limitations imposed on women as regards their role in the Church.
Let me begin this section by saying that the limitations that God has placed on women's service in the Church "has nothing to do with inequality, punishment, inability, intellectual inferiority, or historical prejudice." A woman may preach "outside of the will of God", may teach "outside of the will of God", may be a deacon or chairman of deacons, but all these functions are (with certain exceptions) "outside of the will of God". Woman was designed to support her God given man, and that design imposed limitations on her ability to govern within the Body. Let me also note that we personally believe the Bible to be God's inspired Word to man. What the Bible affirms to be true, we believe. We believe that what the Bible records as historical, is recorded accurately. We do not argue about whether Paul was a male chauvinist or not with a Women's Libber. What Paul and the other writers of scripture wrote, they wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: 2 Peter 1.20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.." Believing this to be true, we do not argue from or with a liberal bias. If you have any questions about what I hold to be true about the Scriptures, I suggest you read "Inerrancy of the word of God", also a part of this website.
1 Timothy 3.1-2 "This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" 1 Timothy 3.12 "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well." In 1 Timothy chapter 3 Paul gave Timothy guidance on how to select bishops (preachers) and deacons for the Churches he was establishing through his missionary journeys. One of the main requirements for either office was that the men be the husbands of one wife, ruling their households well. If God in His infinite wisdom wanted women to assume either office, I'm sure He could have worded the scripture in more general terms, i.e. "Let them be the spouse of one mate". God established the "husband of one wife" rule on candidates because He wanted men fully grounded in proper leadership abilities to lead His Church on earth, not men subject to the whims of their wives or of every wind of doctrine. (See a study on "Husband Of One Wife") We know that in today's world there are women who (unlawfully) assume the position of Pastor over alleged churches. The fact that it happened doesn't make it any more valid than same-sex marriages are in God's eyes, it is an "abomination" before God. When a woman assumes a role of leadership contrary to God's Plan, she becomes somewhat mannish, less attractive, out of sync with His Will. She starts on the road to condemnation, as Romans tells us: Romans 1.26-28 "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" You can walk outside of the Will of God for so long before it begins to take effect on your life. If you deny the role that He designed and assigned for you, eventually you are "given up" to more evil and debauched things. Fifty years ago homosexuality was condemned worldwide: today homosexuality is an acceptable alternate lifestyle. "Not to God!" When a woman assumes a role designed for man, she becomes more mannish. As time goes on she forces herself into a new matrix, and if denial continues many women turn to that "evil alternate lifestyle" that God finds so repugnant. When a woman can, within the Will of God, become "the husband of one man", she can assume the office of Bishop (Pastor) or Deacon in a Church. Until then, there is no such position open to women. I know that several pro-liberation groups point out Romans 16 to prove that deaconesses were in operation in the early Church: Romans 16.1-6 "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (Diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers (Diakonos) in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us." They point out that servant in the original Greek as used for Phebe means deacon, and that Phebe as well as Priscilla and Aquila were deaconesses in the Church. What they fail to realize is that the same word, Diakonos, means "minister, helper, deacon, servant, table waiter" in the original language". When a woman supports the ministry of Christ by serving others, she is a helper, a minister, a servant. But she does not "hold the office" of Deacon or Bishop, this office bestowed only on God's chosen men by the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 4.14; Acts 6.1-6). We particularly like this part of Romans, because it shows that Paul wasn't a woman hater nor a chauvinist: on the contrary, Paul loved women, and appreciated their service in the Church. Romans is Paul's love letter to those who served God in love and humility, not a discourse on early Church Women's Rights. Liberals will also point out that in the Old Testament God allowed Deborah to sit as Judge over Israel, clearly a position of authority over men. This is very true. But if you read the context of the scripture you will see the whole truth: Judges 4.1-4 "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time" Deborah was a Godly woman, a prophetess, one who loved her Creator. God established her as Judge over Israel because "Israel had backslidden from Him". Though Deborah was in no way to be faulted, God put a woman in authority over Israel to punish Israel, not to bless them. Each man, when he saw Deborah sitting in authority over him, was smitten in his heart with remorse and shame. God in essence told the men, "You won't do right, you won't lead, you won't honor me: then I shame you by sitting a woman above you. I temporarily revoke your role as leaders until you repent!" This was a dark time in Israel's history, and not a time to glorify women's exalted rights (as the liberals would have you believe). It was, and continues to be, a time of shame. Also, Deborah was made a "Judge" which has nothing to do with the Church itself or it's administration.
1 Timothy 2.9-15 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 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. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." Women are allowed to teach in the Church, but are forbidden by God's Word to take authority over the men, or to force their way into positions of leadership by "out talking" their opponents. "Paul, under God's leadership, again cites the Creation as the reason for his position on women." As we earlier studied, Woman was formed out of man, for man's benefit. She was to be his helper, not his leader. "Eve" was designed for "Adam", to support him. As long as women maintain this supporting role in the Church, the Church as a whole is healthy and unified. The worst arguments we have ever seen in the Church come about when women assume roles for which they were not created, usurp authority, back bite and run down God's appointed leaders. I've been in Churches where women were the Pastors, and the service was an emotional hayride while the preaching was false doctrine. 1 Corinthians 14.34-37 "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." Far from being a "chauvinist", Paul supported women's rights within their God given design. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul doesn't demand that women not speak "at all" in the Church. The original Greek for speak here is "Laleo", which means "to chatter, speak non-sensically, to (basically) lose coherent control of your tongue." The women of Corinth in leaving their designed roles of responders began to ignore God's appointed leaders at Church. Some theologians believe that these women began whispering and carrying on conversations while the worship services were in effect. They were disturbing others and failing to honor God. Paul commanded the women to verbal restraint, and reminded them that they were under God's commandment to "be under obedience, as also saith the law". Click here to go to the next article on "The Broken Rib" ( Part 2 of 2 ) or click below to return to the "Basic Training" menu. God Bless! 
 Send E-mail to Russ: webslave for Christ ( russ@jesuswept.com ) with questions or comments about this web site and it's content. Last modified: 12/11/2002 |
