Designed By God - 11:2-16

Introduction

Here I have a cheese grater, and a can opener.

Let me tell you about them.

Cheese grater - two different size grater. lid. easy to clean.

Can opener - soft grip handle. Easy turn. sharp blades. can opener.

Now, the big question.

Which one is better?

Anyone?

It’s an impossible question, isn’t it?

Because the answer depends on several things.

It depends on what you want to do.

It may also depend on whether you are a cheese grater or a can opener!

The bottom line is that these two items have a different role and function.

This means that it isn’t about which one is better, it’s about the purpose for which they were created.

The reality is that these both have a designer who made them intentionally and purposefully for a specific task.

They will function best when used for that purpose and in the accomplishment of that task.

The same is true of you and me.

As men and women we have been created by God.

We have been designed by Him intentionally for a specific role and purpose.

We will function best when we live out that role and purpose.

It is this idea, the roles of men and women, that is at the heart of our passage today.

Nothing difficult today, just a nice simple countercultural nuclear bomb.

laugh

Principle:

For the Church to be healthy we must fulfill our God-given roles.

Guidance:

To fulfil our roles must ground ourselves on three truths.

Outcome:

When the Church is healthy the Church is effective.

In our outline of the book we are now entering a new section.

Unity Through A Proper Understanding Of Roles

3 truths we must know to fulfill our God-given roles.

Truth #1…

1. Our Roles Have A Source vv. 2-6

In my home town the tap water is amazing.

Everyone drinks it.

We love getting to have some of that Burney water when we are there.

What makes the water so amazing is that it comes from a natural spring.

That’s right, the water you pay someone to bottle is what came out of my tap growing up.

laugh

The water was good because it came from a good source.

We must understand that our roles as men and women come from a good source.

There are two ideas that help us grasp this idea of the source of our roles.

Idea #1…

a. God prescribes vv. 2-3

1 Corinthians 11:2 NKJV

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

Paul is still dealing with our freedom in Christ, here he is dealing with it as it applies to gender roles.

So this is not a new question, but a new consideration within the question about Christian liberty.

Paul begins this section by praising them. Why?

He has said hard things and will say more hard things.

Correction needs to be mixed with praise.

A little later in this chapter, Paul will specifically not praise them.

Paul refers to them again as “brethren” grounding this discussion as a family meeting.

Why is Paul praising them here?

Two reasons.

1 - They remember Paul.

2 - They keep the traditions.

Paul just said in the previous verse that they need to imitate him.

I believe he is indicating here that they are taking steps in that direction.

They are remembering him, who he is, how he behaved, what he taught.

They are also keeping the traditions.

When Paul refers to traditions, he is referencing the revealed truth of Scripture.

They did not have the completed canon of Scripture at this time.

The Corinthian church is striving to keep what they have been taught, but they have questions and they have some areas in which they need correction.

“Traditions” here are best understood as the revealed truths that would later make up the canon of Scripture.

What is interesting here is that they are keeping them just as Paul delivered them.

There is no deviation or twisting.

There are, however, some areas where their understanding is incomplete.

That is what Paul needs to address.

This reminds us of an important point.

What we are about to study is not Paul’s opinion or, as some have claimed, “the misogynist dictates of an ancient culture.”

This is the revealed Word of God. This is Scripture.

Look at v. 3.

1 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV

3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

The Corinthian believers have done well in their remembrance of Paul and their holding fast to the traditions.

However, there is something they need to know.

Paul is correcting an error in their thinking.

Without getting too far into the grammatical weeds let me just note that the understanding of the second two statements in this verse hinges on the understanding of the first.

This means that it is vital for us to understand the phrase “the head of every man is Christ.”

There is a lot of contention about this verse and I think we can clear the air a little bit this morning.

The sense in which Christ is our head is the same sense in which the man is the head of his wife and the way God is the head of Christ.

Therefore, the question becomes, what does it mean for Christ to be our head?

To answer that, go with me to Ephesians 5:25-30.

Ephesians 5:25-30

Ephesians 5:25–30 NKJV

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

There is, of course, a sense in which Christ is our authority.

But that is not all Christ is!

Men, to be the head of our wives, the head of our family means sacrifice!

It means we nourish, cherish, and protect!

It means we love unconditionally as Christ loves us!

Christ is our head, we submit ourselves to Him just as He submitted Himself to the Father.

When a man is walking in submission to Christ, he is then a fitting head for his wife.

This is the order that God has ordained.

Now, before anyone gets bent out of shape, we must understand that the headship of a husband is not about who is better, it is about role and function.

To illustrate that, let me quote from a pastor friend of mine named Rick Gregory. In teaching on this passage he noted six truths relating to the equality of men and women.

a) Women stand before God as equal to men, being made in His image.

b) Women are fellow heirs of the grace of life, not second class citizens of God’s Kingdom – cp. 1 Peter 3:7

c) Women are as fully gifted by the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him to do God’s will as men are – cp. Ephesians 5:15-21

d) Women shared in the early church’s struggle for the progress of the Gospel – Philippians 4:1-3, and will continue in that same struggle in the church today.

e) Women fulfill a vital part of the ministry in the work of building God’s church.

f) Believers must hold every woman who serves her Lord Jesus Christ and His church in the highest regard.

This is the truth about women.

Paul does not write this verse to give permission to treat women poorly or as second class citizens.

Paul wants the Corinthians to understand the truth revealed by God.

Men and women are equal in value but different in role and function.

Every relationship has distinct roles and functions. This is part of creation and even part of the God-head.

This reality tells us that what is being discussed here is not importance or value, it is function.

God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are co-equal, however, they also have a structural function where the Father sends the Son and the Father and Son send the Spirit.

So, when we step back and look at the big picture this is what we see.

God has designed men and women to function together in specific roles as equals.

God’s design is for the men to lead as Christ leads, with loving, gracious, service.

This is the principle Paul is laying out.

We have been designed by God as men and women, as husbands and wives, to function in specific roles.

I have a God given role and function.

God prescribes. He has designed us and given us a role and function.

Christ is the head of man, man the head of woman, God the head of Christ.

This idea of headship sets up Paul’s specific argument for the next few verses.

Our roles have a source. That source is first and foremost God Himself.

God prescribes.

Idea #2…

b. Culture expresses vv. 4-6

In these next few verses we have a back and forth between a physical and spiritual head.

1 Corinthians 11:4 NKJV

4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

When the physical head of a man is covered and he prays and prophesies, he dishonors his spiritual head.

According to v. 3 his spiritual head is Christ.

Why is this an issue? Why does it matter for a man to be covered?

Because of the culture.

The culture of that time had women covered and men not.

Therefore, the issue here really isn’t about the head covering at all!

The issue is that men need to look like men and women like women!

The issue is that when men are praying (speaking to God) or prophesying (speaking to men about God), they need to look like men!

They need to demonstrate their submission to Christ by submitting to their God-given role as men.

The interesting thing here is that the Christian practice stands in contrast to the Jewish custom.

The Jewish custom was for men to have something on their head.

They formed a new Christian culture and custom.

Look at v. 5.

1 Corinthians 11:5 NKJV

5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

To be uncovered was like having a shaved head.

A shaved head in that culture for a woman was to be like a prostitute.

Hopefully we can all understand that for a woman to be a prostitute is a dishonor.

It is specifically a dishonor to her husband or father because they have the God-given responsibility to protect and provide for her.

To help us understand we need to know what was going on in Corinth.

The Corinthian believers were caught in the pendulum effect.

Here’s what I mean.

When we first grasp a truth of Scripture, the temptation is to swing on a pendulum away from whatever we previously believed.

For example, consider what Paul has just been discussing, meat offered to idols.

They learned of their freedom in Christ and some swung so far as to eat meat in the temple of idols!

They took the Biblical principle a little too far.

The same thing was happening here.

Because men and women are one in Christ Jesus and co-heirs with Christ. Because men and woman are equal in the blood of Jesus, some believers in Corinth swung the pendulum to mean that distinctions between male and female were no longer important.

Paul is writing here to bring the pendulum back into balance.

When - in prayer or prophesy. Physical and spiritual head in view. - SIDE NOTE = women were expected to pray and prophesy.

They could have leadership roles in churches just not authoritative roles eg: elder.

Look at v. 6.

1 Corinthians 11:6 NKJV

6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

This is obviously cultural.

Here is the issue.

In Paul’s day, a woman covering her head was an indication that she was married, that she was identifying as a woman, and that she was taking her place in the role God had given her.

All of these things were indicated by the head covering.

It was a big deal.

However, the issue is not about the covering per say.

The bigger issue is of submission to the authority of Christ and to God-given roles and functions.

Let’s take the question head on.

Should women be wearing head coverings today?

No.

Why not?

Because that is not how submission to Christ and God-given roles is signified in our culture.

Added to this fact is that we have no idea what the head coverings were.

God prescribes roles for men and women.

We are designed by God with different roles and functions.

Some of the expression of those roles will be derived from culture.

To be clear: Our roles as men and women are given by God. Some of the expression of those roles can be determined by the culture.

This is where it becomes a Christian liberty issue.

Are we willing to limit our freedom to keep a good testimony in our culture?

I represent Christ to the culture.

Represent Him well.

If we are going to fulfuill our God-given roles we need to know 3 truths.

Truth #1 - Our Roles Have A Source. That source is God.

Truth #2…

2. Our Roles Make Us Strong vv. 7-12

Have you ever used something for a purpose its maker never intended?

Remember our cheese grater and can opener?

Let’s get those out again and try something.

Grate the cheese with the can opener.

Open can with the cheese grater.

Did that work out well?

No.

Why not?

Because we were not using these tools in the way they were designed to be used!

We have a designer!

He has created us as tool for His purpose and glory!

When we are used as He has designed we will find joy, fulfillment, and effective ministry.

However.

When we go outside of His design, we make a mess. We get hurt. We ultimately are ineffective for ministry.

When we function within our God-given roles, we are strong.

That strength comes from two places.

#1…

a. Strength comes from purpose vv. 7-10

We have a purpose! We represent Christ! As husbands and wives we are a picture of Christ and the Church.

To represent Christ well we must live in a certain way.

Look at v. 7.

1 Corinthians 11:7 NKJV

7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

I want to remind all of us that this is a very difficult passage.

It is also a culturally charged passage.

When we read some of what Paul writes through our twenty first century understanding, we can misunderstand.

We don’t want to do that this morning.

Here is Paul’s argument.

God created humankind, both male and female, in His image.

He did this for His purpose and glory.

However, the man and woman were not created at the same time.

The man was created with dominion and given the task of naming the animals along with the tending of the garden of Eden.

The woman was created after the naming of the animals to help the man with his God-given task.

Both men and women are in the image of God.

There is a sense in which man was created as God’s steward, his representative with authority over creation.

In this he brings God glory.

The woman was created in the image of God and to bring Him glory, but also to help the man accomplish his God-given task.

In this she brings glory to the man.

Before we stomp all over this passage with 21st century ideas, we need to hear why Paul says this is true.

Look at vv. 8-9

1 Corinthians 11:8–9 NKJV

8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

“for” - this is the explanation of the woman being the glory of man.

Paul’s argument is rooted in creation.

What does this tell us?

This is a design issue.

God designed things this way.

He has a purpose for our roles.

Again, this is like the cheese grater and the can opener, it’s not about one being better than the other!

It’s about having a different role and function.

Here is Paul’s argument.

In the Genesis account of creation, a rib was taken from Adam, and from that, God formed Eve.

She was taken “out of man” that is what “woman” means.

That’s v. 8.

Verse 9 is another affirmation of the Genesis account where God said that it was not good for man to be alone. And so he made a helper suitable for him. He made Eve.

God gave the man a responsibility and He gave the man a helper in that responsibility.

This is not about who is better. It is about God’s design.

He is not in any way suggesting that the woman is less than or inferior to the man!

Paul’s point is that our role and function as men and women does not come from culture but from God Himself.

Kevin DeYoung

“Thus, we have two spiritually equal creatures (man and woman) with two different, but complementary roles. The woman is the helper and support of the man, while the man is the head of the woman. The roles are not status symbols or value markers; they are simply different roles.”

That brings us to verse 10.

1 Corinthians 11:10 NKJV

10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

“For this reason” = because of God’s design.

Because of God’s creation order.

Because of the roles and responsibilities that God has given.

A woman should wear the head covering because of the angels.

What does that mean?

Angels are beings, messengers of God created for His glory and purpose.

Lucifer, the chief angel, rejected his God-given role, attempted to usurp God’s throne, and became Satan or the Devil.

With this background in mind, it is clear that angels care about beings functioning in their God-given roles.

They know the consequences of rejecting them.

This highlights what the real issue in this passage is.

It isn’t about a head covering.

It is about submission to God and the role He has assigned us.

From the very beginning He had a purpose for us as men and women.

When we function in the roles He has given, we have strength in His purpose.

I was created by God with purpose.

Th strength of our roles comes from purpose.

#2…

b. Strength comes from dependence vv. 11-12

This is the point at which some start to get heated. Right?

“How dare Paul put these restrictions on us!”

But what he says next was just as scandalous in his culture.

Look at verse 11.

1 Corinthians 11:11 NKJV

11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.

We need one another, we are interdependent.

That is according to God’s design!

We mentioned this earlier, but look at Genesis 2:18.

Genesis 2:18

Genesis 2:18 NKJV

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

When we read the creation account this verse hits like an avalanche because after each day we read and God saw that it was good.

It was good, it was good, it was good, BAM not good.

God created us for one another.

He created us, in marriage, to be a picture of Christ and the church.

When we reject our God-given roles we destroy that picture!

There is a key phrase here, “In the Lord.”

I love this.

The only place in which a proper understanding of our roles as men and women is found is in the Lord!

There is no fulfillment outside the bounds of Christ!

If the Church, the Body of Christ is to be healthy, it must have both men and women fulfilling their God-given roles.

That includes roles and functions in the church!

The church needs godly women using their gifts for the glory of Christ!

The church needs godly men using their gifts for the glory of Jesus Christ!

When we are not fulfilling our function, we are not effective for Christ.

We are interdependent.

This is true, not only in the church, but in nature itself.

Look at v. 12.

1 Corinthians 11:12 NKJV

12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

This is simply practical reality.

As we already noted, woman cam from man.

But ever since then, man has come through woman in childbirth.

It is the only way we get into this world.

At the end of the verse Paul reminds us of a powerful truth.

All things are from God.

This is a reminder that the roles given to us came from God Himself.

Like the cheese grater and the can opener, God has designed us to function in specific roles.

We must fulfill those roles.

Woman from man, man from woman, all from God.

We cannot exist apart from one another.

When we depend on one another as God has designed, we are strong.

Strength is not found in the ability to stand alone.

Strength is found when we depend on one another and find that there is always help in the body of Christ!

A threefold cord is not easily broken (Ecc. 4:12).

I was created by God for fellowship.

We need one another.

God’s design is not for men to lord over women.

God’s design is for us to function together.

Where I am weak, Jess is strong and vice versa. We complete one another and together we can accomplish more for Christ than we ever could apart!

As we do that, as we function within our roles, Christ is glorified and we find our greatest fulfillment and usefulness.

We are effective in ministry as we function together.

3 truths we must know to fulfill our God-given roles.

Truth #1: Our Roles Have A Source.

Truth #2: Our Roles Make Us Strong.

Truth #3…

3. Our Roles Can Be Understood vv. 13-16

One of the arguments that has been made against a Biblical understanding of gender roles is that things are so much more complicated today.

That is simply not true.

Anyone making that claim doesn’t understand the cultural context of Paul’s day.

It is possible to understand God’s plan for men and women.

One more time lets go to our cheese grater and can opener.

Did you know that these seemingly self-explanatory items come with user guides or instruction manuals?

They do.

If you are unsure or uncertain how to use these tools in their proper role and function, you can consult the user manual.

I think you know where I am going with this.

We have a user manual.

A guidebook that lays out our proper role and function.

To understand our roles we need to take three actions.

Action #1…

a. We need to discern v. 13

1 Corinthians 11:13 NKJV

13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Judge = evaluate. This seems to be a call to observe the culture around us.

We are to examine the culture and nature itself to help us with this issue.

Proper = fitting or appropriate.

To my understanding this anchors the idea firmly in the culture.

Why do I say that?

Because God is not primarily concerned with the external.

What is God concerned with?

Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

1 Peter 3:3-4

1 Peter 3:3–4 NKJV

3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

What we are being told is to look around us and determine what a person who is a follower of Christ should do in our context.

How should a follower of Christ behave, how should we dress, how should we carry ourselves?

In what way can we best demonstrate to the culture around us our submission to Christ?

That’s what is in view here.

God doesn’t care about head coverings.

He cares about our hearts!

When our hearts are right, our behavior reflects submission to Christ.

To understand our roles we need discernment.

To behave properly I must be discerning.

I cannot function in the role God has given if I am not aware of what’s going on around me.

To understand our roles we take three actions.

Action #1: We need to discern.

Action #2…

b. We need to observe vv. 14-15

1 Corinthians 11:14 NKJV

14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

One of the things that we are to evaluate it what nature reveals.

I do not believe that Paul’s point here is about long hair in particular. Here’s why.

Paul states that long hair is a dishonor for a man.

However, nature does not teach this, nor does Scripture.

In nature, the males are often the more brightly colored and flashy.

God commanded Samson to grow out his hair!

So.

What is Paul’s point?

There ought to be outward evidence of someone’s gender.

What nature teaches us is that there ought to be a clear distinction between the sexes!

What is interesting is that a distinction between the sexes is often culturally determined.

In Paul’s day it was the head coverings.

Today, not so much.

We also need to be reminded that there is a larger point here, that of submission.

The head covering was an outward manifestation of an inward submission to Christ!

We need to look like male and female because that is what God has designed us to be.

Nature reveals this truth.

Look at v. 15.

1 Corinthians 11:15 NKJV

15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.

Covering = different than above.

Men should look like men and women like women.

That is the point I believe Paul is making with this illustration.

Thomas Constable puts it this way.

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible 3. The argument from propriety 11:13–16

This is a very general observation. The fact that some acceptable men’s hair styles are longer than some women’s does not mean these styles are perversions of the natural order. Men are usually taller than women, but this does not mean that a short man or a tall woman is dishonorable.

Here is the point.

God made you a man or He made you a woman.

That was not a mistake nor an accident!

You were intentionally designed by God and given a role and purpose.

Our responsibility is to submit ourselves to what God has done!

Be a man!

Be a woman!

Be satisfied and content with the role God has given you.

We observe nature and it reveals that men are to be men and women are to be women.

My gender was given to me by God for His purpose and glory.

We are going to be fulfilled, content, and useful only as we submit to God’s design.

To understand our roles we take three actions.

Action #1: We need to discern.

Action #2: We need to observe.

Action #3…

c. We need to submit v. 16

1 Corinthians 11:16 NKJV

16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

NASB is a little more clear here.

1 Corinthians 11:16 NASB95

16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

Paul anticipates that there will be some who do not like this.

They are going to be contentious.

This is a fun Greek word.

Contentious – φιλόνεικος (philoneikos) contentious. contentious adj. — inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree. Predicate adjective, nominative, singular, masculine.

Contentious – φιλόνεικος (philoneikos)

Paul has laid down some hard truths.

He full expects there to be push back.

To combat there contentions he simply points out that all the churches do this.

They are the ones who are out of line.

There is no other custom. This is it. This is what the early church practiced.

What is Paul saying?

He’s saying that they need to submit themselves to what God has revealed.

We will never understand our roles as men and women if we are fighting against them.

When I submit to Christ I am set free to embrace His role for me.

God made you and me exactly who He wanted us to be.

He does not make mistakes.

Conclusion

This is how we wrap this up.

The big picture is that of design and purpose.

God designed us to function according to specific roles and for specific purposes.

If God made you a male, He did so intentionally. Being a male comes with certain responsibilities and expectations.

If God made you a female, He did so intentionally. Being a female comes with certain responsibilities and expectations.

Men and woman are equal before God.

Equal in dignity and worth but different in role and function.

What this means is that in every aspect of our lives we need to submit ourselves to Christ and embrace the role He has given.

This goes for our personal lives, our friendships, our parenting, and our marriages.

Here is the commitment I want all of us to make.

COMMITMENT:

I will submit to Christ and serve Him in the role that He has given me.

God is the source of all gender roles.

When we function according to his design, we are strong.

Gods purpose and design for our lives is good.

Submission to Christ is the only way to be Spiritually healthy and effective.