Purpose of Women

Purpose of Women

1. Review of Last Week

1. Review of Last Week

1. Incompleteness of men and women

2. It is not good for man to be alone

“took one of his ribs - “She was not made out of his head to surpass him, nor from his feet to be trampled on, but from his side to be equal to him, and near his heart to be dear to him.”

Isolation is not the divine norm for human beings; community is the creation of God.

Isolation is not the divine norm for human beings; community is the creation of God.

3. Women were created uniquely

1. In equity of dignity and purpose

2. In God’s image

3. Corresponding to – (nut and bolt illustration)

4. There is an indispensable uniqueness, a singular quality to the intimacy, cooperation and bond that honors God, puts Christ at the center of and properly honors your marriage partner. This happens in both singleness and in pre/post marriage life.

Headship - the unique position of men, designed by God whereby in the work of establishing order for human flourishing. - nobody can really argue with that with any intellectual integrity

2. Review of male headship

1. Biology doesn’t mean you’re a man or a woman – my 5-year-old son is male but not a man.

The Bible tells us that men should love their wives like Christ loves the church and died for her: it doesn't get any harder than that.

Male Headship has been defined as:

Male Headship has been defined as:

2. the unique position of men, designed by God whereby in the work of establishing order for human flourishing. - nobody can really argue with that with any intellectual integrity

1. Men provide by – good of the wife, family, community and church

1. Loving sacrificially - Men give/boys take, godly men see to it that their spouses are encouraged in their gifts, callings, careers and sacrifice to make that happen.

2. Leading spiritually: at home and church

3. Providing physically – even if they’re not the primary breadwinner. You have no right to be lazy.

4. Lazy and bored men = miserable and fertile ground for living out brokenness

2. Where the idea is lacking – grace abounds

1. Amazing evidence that God responds to praying mother’s

2. It is an amazing reality – God enters the space left by men who are boys that can shave

3. What would it look like if all the men in our community took this seriously?

The Purpose of Women

So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

“At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,

She will be called ‘woman,’

and flesh from my flesh!

She will be called ‘woman,’

because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

1. Three Unique observances

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs* and closed up the opening. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,

and flesh from my flesh!

She will be called ‘woman,’

because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

1. Three Unique observances

1. Polygamy is the order for the day – if you’re rich you got wives.

2. God creates only ONE woman

1. Speaks to the singularity of man and woman

3. Scandalous to depart from your Father

1.Marriages were a matter of family honor

2.Departing from your Father was seen as a scandalous/dishonoring

1.You can’t be a Ma-Ma’s boy anymore

1.You can’t be a Ma-Ma’s boy anymore

2. You’re not released from honoring your parents but positionally – man and wife (Ishi/Ishshah)

2. You’re not released from honoring your parents but positionally – man and wife (Ishi/Ishshah)

Man was commanded to work/keep the garden

1.This is what we used to define the role/purpose of man

1.This is what we used to define the role/purpose of man

3.Phrase that describes women

1.“a helper fit/corresponding to/according to the opposite(lit.)/suitable for him”

4. The word ‘helper’ (Heb. ʿezer /ay·zer/) is loaded – it can be understood by reading the words around it.

The question and the debate around the word help is whether the woman holds a subordinate role to the man's in the task of human flourishing. 

The question and the debate around the word help is whether the woman holds a subordinate role to the man's in the task of human flourishing. 

Fast as an illustration (unmoving, abstain from food, define speed)

Fast as an illustration (unmoving, abstain from food, define speed)

1. Most often used of God being man’s help

1. , ,

To say that a woman who is helping is somehow inferior to the one with primary responsibility is to make the accusation that God is inferior for the help he gives his children. It's absurd.

-Matt Chandler, Pastor Village Church, Dallas TX. 

Since God is a helper – and he’s not inferior in anyway neither can a wife, as a helper be considered inferior in anyway.

2. Any helper worth his/her salt is not inferior to the one being helped.

2. Any helper worth his/her salt is not inferior to the one being helped.

5.God created man and woman equal in dignity, value and worth

5.God created man and woman equal in dignity, value and worth

6.We were meant to complement each other not compete

Complementarianism

1. -everyone runs to this first. But if you go back to v.15 the full sense of these verses is in mutual submission

2.

2.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.

1. The wife is hooked into setting the spiritual climate at home and church

1. The wife is hooked into setting the spiritual climate at home and church

2. The wife is hooked into what it takes to provide for the family