Because of his positional priority over the woman, Paul states that man is the image and glory of God in a sense that is not shared by the woman (1 Cor. 11:7). Man (the male gender) stands directly under God with no visible, earthly head. He is God’s vice-regent having authority over all other created beings on earth, including the woman. Man is God’s glory because he shows forth God’s authority over all creation. Man is therefore the crown of creation and shines forth the image and glory of God in a way no other creature does, even in a way the woman does not. What distinguishes the man from the woman (beyond the physical differences)? It is his headship over the woman. In other words, man’s authority and headship makes him the image and the glory of God in a way that surpasses all other creatures, including the woman.
Woman is made from man and for man — to be his helper (Gen. 2:18, 21-23). The woman was created from the first man; she traces her origin to him, and according to the Creator’s plan and power, she derives her existence and being from man. Man does not trace his origin or being from the woman. The stated purpose for the woman’s creation is that she should be man’s companion and helper. The text of Genesis does not say that man was created for the purpose of being the woman’s companion and helper (assistant). The creation order of the positional priority of the man is here made explicit. This is why Paul states that “the woman is the glory of the man” (1 Cor. 11:7). Paul does not say that she is the image of man; she is in the image of God. But she is the glory of man in the same way that man is the glory of God: She shows the position of man in God’s order by her submission to him. Woman (the female gender) does not stand directly under God with no visible, earthly head. She is under man’s authority and is man’s helper, not God’s vice-regent. Woman is man’s glory because she shows forth man’s position of authority over all creation, which includes his authority over her.
Mankind’s fall into sin took place in a context where the role relationship established in Genesis 1 and 2 is reversed. It is significant that the Serpent chooses to approach the woman rather than the man with his temptation to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Most likely he thought that he stood a better chance of success by seducing man’s assistant; through her he hoped to bring man down. He fully succeeded. In the Genesis account, Eve fails in that she acts independently of Adam and does not submit herself to his leadership. And Adam fails in that he heeds the voice of his wife and submits to her decision rather than obeying the Word of God.
The curse of sin disrupts the creation order’s original harmonious relationship between the woman and the man. Genesis 3:16 reveals God’s word of judgment on Eve and on all her female descendants. It is important to note that the two aspects of her judgment are directly related to her special role as a woman. The first has to do with childbirth, and the second has to do with her relationship to her husband. Because of sin, the whole process of conception and childbirth will be “in sorrow.” This means she will now experience pain and trouble in her reproductive system, and her pregnancies and deliveries will be hard, toilsome, and painful.
Furthermore, sin will cause her relationship with her husband to be corrupted by strife and antagonism. The text says “and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Note carefully, that this is a pronouncement of judgment and cursing, and it involves a disruption of the harmonious relationship that God had originally intended for Eve and her husband.
To understand the exact nature of this disruption, we must consider the meaning of “desire” and “rule”. Because of sin, the woman will now have a “desire” to her husband that she did not have previously. The Hebrew word for “desire” (teshuqa) means a longing, an urge, or a desire. The word only occurs two other times in the Hebrew Old Testament (Gen. 4:7; Song of Sol. 7:1). An understanding of its usage in Genesis 4:7 is critical for understanding its usage in Genesis 3:16.In Genesis 4, it refers to sin’s desire for Cain, i.e., sin’s desire to dominate Cain and lead him into sin. In a similar way, the woman’s “desire” for her husband is a desire to dominate him and cause him to do her will. Therefore, because of sin, the woman will no longer be content with her position of subordination to the man but will instead rise up against her husband’s authority...Therefore, the curse of sin disrupts the creation order of male headship and female submission by introducing conflict between the woman and the man. Instead of being content with her God-ordained position of submission to her husband, her desire will be to control him and dominate him.
The curse is not that a woman must now submit to a man (the word submit is nowhere used in the text), but that in the autonomy of human sin (Gen. 3:5), she will rebel against the creation order by not submitting to her husband. And so, properly understood, Genesis 3:16 provides additional support for the original creation order of male headship and female submission.
Yes, the feminization of the family has taken place in America and in the West! The Christian concept of the family has been replaced by the feminist idea of the family: easy divorce has replaced a covenantal view of marriage; egalitarianism has replaced male headship; man and woman as joint providers has replaced man as provider; the wife and mother working outside of the home has replaced the woman as a keeper at home; the mother as an employee has replaced the mother as the nurturer of her children; “family planning” and “birth control” has replaced the large family.
Two factors have greatly contributed to the success of feminists in overthrowing the family structure and practice that is based on the Bible. The first factor is the cowardice of men; yes, even Christian men. To a degree it is understandable (though still shameful) that non-Christian men have cowered before the feminists, and their attacks on them and the traditional family. But that Christian men who have the truth of the Word of God should have likewise capitulated is a sorry fact indeed. God has called men to defend His truth in the world and to live out its precepts. Yet, a look at the average evangelical Christian home will reveal that it too has been feminized to a large degree. Radical, Christ-hating feminist have transformed our homes, and Christian men have hardly objected to this or contested for the holy ground of a biblically patterned family. Furthermore, Christian husbands and fathers have also shown cowardice in their failure to lead and take up the responsibilities that God has given to them. They have been more than willing to shuck the full burden of leading and providing for their families; they have been more than to happy to share (or unload) these burdens with (or on) their wife. The family has been feminized because Christian men retreated from their duty.
The second factor is the silence and passivity of the church. The feminization of the family has taken place in large measure because the church has mostly been silent on the matter. The church has not met the assault of feminism head on with the sword of the Word of God. Rather, and shamefully, the church has retreated at the feminist onslaught, and has actually bought into many of the alien ideas of feminism. The church has been guilty of teaching such things as egalitarian marriage, “family planning,” and of supporting the idea of a career woman and working mother. Much of the blame must be laid at the feet of preachers and elders who are either deceived or too afraid to preach or stand for the truth concerning the family as God had revealed it in His Holy Word. The feminists have been successful in altering the family because the church has failed to live and teach the positive scriptural doctrine of the family and has not exposed, denounced, and answered the lies of the feminists.
What should our response be as Christians to the feminization of the family? Our response begins with the recognition that it has happened. Denial will not do us any good. Then, we must take up the task of the de-feminization of the family and the re-Christianization of the family. This task is the work of every individual Christian family; but it is primarily the work of Christian husbands and fathers who have been appointed by God as leaders in the home. Men must lead by precept and example in eradicating all aspects of feminist influence from the life and structure of their family and restore it to a biblical pattern. Men must prove themselves men and shoulder the full load of responsibility given to them by God. Men must stop being intimidated by feminist rhetoric and radicals and fearlessly promote God’s order for the family.
by Bill E. - Husband,Elder,and Father of 10 homeschooled children.
