H2O Church
This is part 5 in this series. What we’re going to cover in this talk is a Biblical perspective on gender. We'll talk about how culture has shaped our understanding of this topic, and examine a foundation for gender from Genesis 1 & 1.
PART ONE—What does the Bible teach?
Genesis 1:26-27 ESV
1. God created man and woman as co-rulers of the creation.
God created the universe in all of its majesty and beauty, but man and woman were clearly the pinnacle of His creation; man & woman—ruling together as king and queen over God’s creation—hand in hand, IN EQUALITY.
2. God created gender and it is good.
This stands in stark contrast to what culture teaches.
”Man” and “woman” are fictions, caricatures, cultural constructs…demeaning to the female, dead-ended for male and female both.” Andrea Dworkin
The New Understanding of Gender
(1) Biological sex has no intrinsic meaning; The real you is what you feel about yourself. The path to flourishing is to look inside of yourself, discover who you, and live that out. And no one else can tell you what they are.
(2) Our bodies are accidental, therefore, they are incidental. It is disconnected from your anatomy. Our body is not a gift, not a calling, a blank canvas they we paint on whatever we think we are. Gender is fluid and can be changed.
(3) Gender is a social construction; it is nurture not nature that makes one male of female.
Key Point: Gender is wiring that invites us to uniquely show off God as man, and as woman.
Femininity is gender-given wiring that enables a woman to relate to her world in a way that reveals God, by openness and vulnerability, inviting and nurturing relationship and soul exploration, rather than being self protective, controlling or demanding.
Masculinity is gender-given wiring that enables a man to relate to his world in a way that reveals God, taking responsibility, leading courageously, and sacrificially serving, rather than being passive or serving self.
There has been a radical shift in gender
“I am concerned that male-averse attitudes are widespread in the United Sates and that masculinity is becoming politically incorrect.” Christina Hoff Sommers, The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism is Harming our Young Men
“Men have become the Germans of gender. Women are good & nice but Men are the heavier, hairier life form.”
“The way we’re treating men today is how a culture commits suicide.” feminist Camille Paglia
Genesis 2:18-21 ESV
“a helper fit for him”=ezer kenegdo (in Hebrew)=the perfect compliment=a Princess warrior
1. It, in no way, suggests inferiority. In fact, it is the opposite. The female is the one who completes the incomplete male.
2. Ezer is a term used to describe God.
Genesis 2:21-25 ESV
The Egalitarian View is that the creation account establishes an equal partnership of men and women in the world and in the church. In Christ, God no longer sees any gender distinctions, so there is no distinct calling on men and women that are different. Scripture that seems to indicate that men should lead or take responsibility do not apply to the modern times.
The Complementarian View is that the creation account establishes an equal partnership of men and women in the world and in the church. In Christ we are equals, but gender is God’s design for male and female to function differently while they complement one another. Scripture that seem to indicate that men should lead do apply to the modern times.
What we see in Genesis
What we see in Genesis is equality between Adam and Eve, having dominion together as king and queen over creation, hand in hand, Eve alongside Adam, who had the additional responsibility to cultivate and protect the garden. So we see equality, yes, but with extra responsibility given to the male. Responsibility, not privilege. It’s as if God said, “Adam, this place is very special to me. All that is going to be in this garden--like Eve-- is special to me. You protect it!”
Jesus and Gender
Jesus chose 12 men to be His apostles, to own responsibility.
But He also invited women to be His disciples.
Jesus protected women.
He honored women publicly.
He released the voice of women.
He confided in women.
He was even funded by women.
He celebrated women by name.
He learned from women.
He respected women.
And He spoke of women as examples to follow.
He did not objectify them.
He did not put them down.
He did not make them feel like they were second-rate citizens in the kingdom of God.
