Biblical Womanhood

Introduction

Recap

The Good Design

Truths from the Creator:

Gender is defined by the Creator and not redefined by man.

Men and women equally share in the image of God.

Men and women have equal dignity and worth while having unique roles and purpose.

Equal dignity / Equal worth / Equally loved

Reasons why it matters:

It reveals our trust in Scripture.

It's God's good design.

It affects all of life.

It’s a gospel issue.

Biblical Manhood

Humble servant leader

Men have the unique role of exercising headship to bring about God’s glory in human flourishing.

Men accomplish this by means of humble servant leadership in the areas of provision, protection, and spiritual direction.

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man,

Men, you were made to work

Our fighting spirit is given to us to protect our wives, Families, vulnerable.

We will stand beFore God and give account on the spiritual direction of those God has given us.

The Danger in this Message

First danger in this message is I’m a man talking about womanhood.

The danger is that this message has the potential to be misunderstood or misapplied.

Misunderstood

As we go through the passage, I will need to deFine some words otherwise we may misunderstand what God is trying to say because we have our own understanding of these words.

Your personal experiences boys who are bullies may have shaped your understanding of certain words and roles that Scripture teaches.

I won’t be mansplaining. By the power oF the Spirit we will be God-splaining

Colossians 3:16 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Misapplied

Some women will have a hard time hearing this good word from God’s Word because they have been the victim oF biblical truths misapplied.

I fear that in promoting feminism (in at least its extreme forms) does not actually raise women to a level equal with men, it attempts to erase womanhood altogether

Truth to remember: Woman is equal to man in dignity and worth.

Genesis 1:26–28 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 1: Genesis 1–15 The Location of Eden

Matthew Henry’s comment comes closer to the spirit of the text. “Not made out of his head to top him, not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

Equal in dignity.

Women, you are a child of God. A princess of the King.

Equal in worth.

Women you valuable and precious.

If there were only women on this earth, God would still have seen the human race as worth the cost of His Son.

Because of this, no man can attach worth to you.

ILLUST - have you ever seen the Hallmark Christmas movie? Which one? Doesn’t matter, they’re all the same.

Princess disguises herself or is unknown as a princess and begins to develop a relationship with a guy who does not know her true identity. As the relationship develops, there comes a time when he learns her true identity as a princess. (You all can picture the scene — He has a stunned look when he realizes her dignity and worth)

Ladies, that’s the look your man should give you. Single ladies, don’t settle for anything less than that look — for anything less than a man who sees you with the dignity and worth with which Christ sees you.

Genesis 2:15–24 (ESV) — 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

The Definition of Womanhood

Women display the beauty of God’s glory through the use of her gifts and abilities in willing and joyful submission (receive, honor, support) to Christ and the godly men filling the proper roles in her life.

Women display the beauty of God’s glory through their gifts in willing and joyful submission to Christ and godly men filling the proper roles in their lives.

Joyful, life-giving supporter

The Distinction of Woman’s Role

Last week we saw man’s role was found in his provision, protection, and spiritual direction as we looked at God’s command to Adam in the garden “to work it and keep it.”

Womans’ role is empowering support, godly submission, and gospel partnership.

Empowering Support

v.18 “a helper fit (corresponding to) for him”

Helper = ezer

Here is where we need to define some words

When the Bible talks about the woman being the “helper” it does not in any way mean the woman is less important or necessary to carry out God’s work of displaying his glory around the world.

“helper” can have the connotation of less than the one actually doing the work.

i.e., “Brooks can be my helper” or Hamburger Helper is something that is supposed to help hamburgers but is actually just warmed over cat food.

This is not the way the Bible defines this term.

God is oFten described as Israel’s ezer

Psalm 115:9–11 (ESV)

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 33:20 (ESV)

20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

Helper points to position and not to role. One can be a helper and submit to another’s role.

Genesis 1–11:26 (3) The Man’s Companion, the First Woman (2:18–25)

She is called Adam’s “helper” (ʿēzer), which defines the role that the woman will play. In what way would Eve become a “helper” to the man? The term means “help” in the sense of aid and support and is used of the Lord’s aiding his people in the face of enemies (Pss 20:2 [3]; 121:1–2; 124:8). Moses spoke of God as his “helper” who delivered him from Pharaoh (Exod 18:4), and it is often associated with “shield” in describing God’s protective care of his people.

Genesis 1–11:26 (3) The Man’s Companion, the First Woman (2:18–25)

Also ʿēzer in 2:18 anticipates in an unexpected way how Eve will be a “helper” to her husband. She will be instrumental in providing salvation for fallen Adam by her “seed,” who will defeat the serpent (3:15)

Genesis 1–11:26 (3) The Man’s Companion, the First Woman (2:18–25)

In the case of the biblical model, the “helper” is an indispensable “partner” (REB) required to achieve the divine commission

Godly Submission

(This is where I get in trouble)

Ephesians 5:22–24 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

We will fully Flesh this out in a practical way next week but as a start,

This is what godly submission does NOT mean:

Godly submission does not equal subservience.

Jesus is “subject” to his Father

1 Corinthians 15:28 ESV

28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Does not mean that women submit to all men.

Ephesians 5:22 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Women also submit to the godly male leadership of the church, but women are not called to submit to all men.

Godly submission doesn’t sit under sin.

We all First and Foremost submit to Christ. When Fallen man contradicts the perFect Christ, a wiFe is to Follow Christ and not her husband.

This then means that a wiFe is not to submit to an abusive husband. It is a disgusting thing that little boys not strong enough to woo a woman through love and honor would resort to bullying her with the Word of God — justiFying sinFul actions with the very Word that calls us away From sin and holding a woman captive with the very Word that was given to us to set us Free.

Godly submission doesn’t mean to sit silently.

Godly submission is an active and not passive. Christ submits to the Father and doesn’t sit idly by.

The church submits to Christ and is commanded to GO

A wiFe is able to support the leadership of her husband according to and through the amazing giFts he has given her.

What godly submission is:

Godly submission is the willingness to receive, support, and encourage God-given leadership according to your gifts and abilities.

The meaning of “be subject to” (hypotassō).

When we look at the word that Paul used when he said “submitting to one another” in Ephesians 5:21, we find that this word (Greek hypotassō) in the New Testament is always used for submission to an authority. Here are some examples:

• Jesus was subject to the authority of His parents (Luke 2:51).

• Demons were “subject to” the disciples (Luke 10:17; it is clear that the meaning “be considerate of, be thoughtful toward” cannot fit here, for the demons were certainly not considerate of or thoughtful toward the disciples!).

• Citizens are to be “subject to” the governing authorities (Rom. 13:1, 5; see also Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

• The universe is “in subjection” to Christ (1 Cor. 15:27; see also Eph. 1:22).

• Angels and other spiritual beings have been “subjected to” Christ (1 Pet. 3:22).

• Christ is “subjected to” God the Father (1 Cor. 15:28).

• Church members are to be “subject to” the elders in the church (1 Pet. 5:5).

Wives are told to “submit to” their husbands (Eph. 5:22, 24; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:5).

• The church “submits to” Christ (Eph. 5:24).

• Servants are to be “submissive to” their masters (Titus 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18).

• Christians are to be “subject to” God (Heb. 12:9; Jas. 4:7).

Gospel Partnership

Nurturing life

Women, you hold the power of life.

Physical life

God’s call for human flourishing in the OT was centered around the mandate to “Fill the earth and subdue it”

In the New Covenant human Flourishing is more Fully worked out through the command to “make disciples of all nations.”

Spiritual life

“If womanhood cannot be handcuffed to mere biology, can nurturing be relegated to procreation? Through the gospel we see that fertility and ‘filling the earth’ is something that extends to bearing fruit that will last through discipleship — a privilege and responsibility that every Christian woman gets to enjoy.”

“In the light and power of the gospel, the goal of nurturing is human thriving in the most magnificent capacity possible — that all the nations would see and savor Jesus Christ forever. The call to nurture is the call to lovingly meet the needs of others for Jesus’s sake.”

— Gloria Furman, “The Nature of a Woman’s Nurture” in Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice.

Human flourishing cannot happen without a woman’s help.

The Distortion of Woman’s Role

The bent of the Fall leads women toward the error of comparison and control in the context of relationships.

Genesis 3:16 (ESV) — 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

The pain (toil) for a woman will be in the very place of relationships - the place of role.

Comparison

Control

The Redemption of Women and Their Role

From a woman will come the greatest redeemer of all relationships - Jesus

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Mary was a virgin. This was God’s deal through a woman. God’s plan for salvation did not require an earthly man.

Tune your heart to submit.

You do that by:

Submitting to Christ

Praying for a man to support that also submits to Christ

(may be your husband, as you look for a husband, or for godly leadership)

Live out your God-given gifts to bring about life.

This didn’t make it into the notes.

In the home mom changes everything and brings life. In the church, women, we need you for the church to flourish.

Matt Chandler Sermon Archive, 2006–2015 Part 7: Woman’s Purpose

In Acts 8:4, women are almost certainly included in the list of disciples who went everywhere preaching the gospel. Older women are to teach younger women. We see that in Titus 2. Priscilla helped her husband Aquila teach Apollos. That’s Acts 18. Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied. Then women prayed and prophesied in the gathering at the church in Corinth.

Titus 2:3–5 ESV

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Phyllis, Judy, Vickie, etc.

I need you to teach my daughters

Matt Chandler Sermon Archive, 2006–2015 Part 7: Woman’s Purpose

Ladies, we want you to thrive. We want you to grow. We want you to utilize your gifts, and we want big minds and big hearts.

Pursue Jesus as your first love.

Your highest calling is to fear the Lord.

Proverbs 31:30 ESV

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

The definition of a Christian woman begins with Christ he is the man who saves you not your husband) he is the one who redeems the brokenness caused by other men not your next relationship ) he is the one who ultimately fulfills you, completes you, and gives your life meaning in a no earthly relation ship can

Jesus fulfills all your desires.

You no longer need to compare to others when Jesus fulfills all your desires.

Jesus is safe.

It’s ok to not hide.

It’s ok to reveal brokenness.

It’s ok to not have it all together.

No matter how you’re broken, how you’ve been hurt before, where you’re hurting now and trying to control the pain, Jesus is the safe place.

You don’t need to chase value or beauty, you are valuable.

Revelation Wellness:

Through quality movement and the speaking of God's Word, we experience a new level of freedom and joy in each workout.

During our classes, you can expect to be challenged physically, mentally and spiritually as we work out our bodies and work in God's Word. Classes are open to anyone who wants to become stronger physically, who has a willing heart, and who desires to experience deeper accountability and community in their own personal faith and fitness journey. Each faith-based, boot camp-style class is different, incorporating strength training, cardiovascular training, Scripture-based teaching, and uplifting music. Light dumbbells and a yoga mat will be used in each class. Age, size and athletic ability does not matter; all are welcome.