Last week i talked about roles and how males and females have different roles but they complement each other perfectly. this week i want to focus some more on that, but also male headship, and possibly get into feminism a bit.

So male headship exists in marriage...why? because thats how God has arranged it. ( 1 Corinthians 11:3). A good way to look at this is: God the Father has authority over the Son, even both are equal in deity. Its similar in marriage the husband has authority over the wife, even though both are equal in personhood. And just in case anyone has the idea that roles and male authority came after the fall, they are wrong. Yes Genesis 3:16 (post-fall) says "Yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you", but there are a few things to point out. Adam was created first and then eve, eve was created as a helper for adam not the other way around, adam named eve, God named the human race "man" not "woman", the serpent came to eve first, God spoke to Adam first after the fall, and adam represented the human race. The curse wasn't the invention of roles, but it did bring about a distortion of them that to this day is being fought. All of these prove, in different ways, that headship belonged to the man. Personally im gratefull, how nice to have that burden lifted off my shoulders, i think i can lead in some ways, but this is one where i will gladly pass it along to jonathan and support him as he leads our family.

So why is it important for men to lead? and women, why don't we let them? We should let men lead because its their role that God has created them for. Ladies, we are great at getting things done and being supportive and empathetic and helping and nurturing and making decisions and hopefully your husband or future husband lets you in on decisions and seeks your wisdom and advice, but ultimately we do not have the final say and we need to be ok with that. The truth is that most women aren't, heck even i think i could do a better job sometimes, and the fact that im admitting that and your thinking that proves we are totally depraved human beings and we need christ. Before the fall adam ruled over eve harmoniously, after the fall we are born to want to usurp the mans leadership position. "He shall rule over us", but now we get pouty and moody and headaches and puffed up with the notion that we could do it better. when we can't because we aren't made to.

So ladies use the brain that God gave you and wait (don't find because you are to be pursued) for a good Godly man that you would want to lead you and have little to no problems submitting to. And everyone else sorry we didn't get around to feminism, we'll save it for next week.

Grace and Peace
sarah B.

Roles, for realsies

Last week i talked about the importance of personal relationships and how one in particular (the marriage relationship) mirrors God's image with the Trinity. I had said last week that the post would be about roles, and i went off topic...my apologies, i think this week will be more on topic. This week ill be focusing on the equality in personhood and importance between males and females.

Taking it back to the Trinity...The Father, Son, and Spirit have roles. Each one is just as important and special as the next, that's kind of how it is with males and females and the roles that each play. It would be really awkward if the Holy Spirit was the one to die on the Cross, and for Jesus to still be around in the flesh 2000 years later, right? It would be out of place and most definitely out of character, because the Spirit wasn't meant to die on the cross just like christ wasn't meant to still be here on earth. In the same way it is wrong and unbiblical for me (as a woman) to be the leader of the Bean household. Can i lead other things, sure, but not our household. Now does that mean that I don't have to pursue Christ with everything that i have because Jonathan is the spiritual leader...no way! In fact i have a responsibility first and most importantly to grow my individual relationship with christ, but also to grow with jonathan IN Christ as a married couple. Does that mean that jonathan rules over me with an iron fist and "puts me in my place" if i ever step foot out of the kitchen. Most certainly not, there is beauty and honor that come with both leadership and submission when lived out according to God's plan. Jonathan shouldn't lead harshly or completely by himself (because then he would be more like a daddy), just like i shouldn't submit out of fear or begrudgingly (because then i would be more like a slave).

Another thing, God created male AND female in his image equally. So were equally valuable and equally important which means, for example, that God cares just as much when men struggle with finding their identity and worth in respect where a woman struggles with finding her identity and worth in attention and being wanted. God's solution is the same for both...find your identity and worth in ME. When God created both men and women he uses both to reflect HIS character in both sexes in different ways that dont' need to be challenged because now we get to see a more full picture of the character of God.

So by having roles we get to see a bigger picture of the creator, who made us equal but with complementary differences.